Kramerbooks and Afterwords was the first to set up shop in Dupont Circle. This bookstore and cafe is always crowded, particularly on weekends when singles who would rather skip the bar scene flock to this surprising hot spot. Live music is an added feature of this cozy literary joint. The cafe is a full-service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The entrees are traditional American dishes, like chicken and lamb chops.

In this deceptively tiny shop tucked on a side street near DC's iconic Eastern Market, patrons have been known to spend hours browsing used books. An old house converted to a bookstore holds more paper than one could ever think possible; two levels are covered floor to ceiling in literature, history, poetry, and more. Somehow the owner knows exactly where everything is, though filing systems seem barely there. And if you can't find exactly what you want to purchase, there are often a few boxes of free books sitting outside the shop.

Politics and Prose is an independent bookstore that can't be missed! With events, such as author talks and book signing, as well a literature classes, this bookstore is a cultural icon in Washington DC. Browse through their impressive collection to find well known novels as well as hidden gems. You may even spot some autographed first editions for sell. After you pick a book head to their P&P Coffeehouse to treat yourself to some caramel cider, mint mocha, a latte, or more to sip on as you read.