Frozen treats are just the tip of the popsicle stick at Pleasant Pops Farmhouse Market & Cafe. In fact, you might not even realize that the just-opened spot sells frozen pops upon first entering the space—well, if not for the Pleasant Pops name on the door, anyway.

Instead, the blackboards over the counter advertise salads, sandwiches, and coffee. Shelves along the wall are filled with locally made prepared foods like pasta, jams, and pickles, and a refrigerated section carries eggs, milk, and yogurt. The day’s pop selection is displayed on a small blackboard next to the register.

But if my first taste of the shop’s offerings is any indication, the salads, sandwiches, and coffee may be just as much—if not more—of a draw than the pops, especially in a neighborhood that has few healthy lunch options. All the sandwiches ($5-6.50) and salads ($6.50) are vegetarian, and you can tell the seasonal ingredients are super-fresh. I’ll be going back for the poblano peach salad with spinach, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and a peach vinaigrette. It’s sweet, tangy, and full of crunch with a pleasant kick of heat from the poblano.

And even though the pops aren’t the center of attention, today’s flavors still look pretty good: summer peach, honey apricot, cinnamon vanilla peach, Mexican sweet cream, peach ginger, and honey peach.

MENU:

Sandwiches

Caprese: housemade basil pesto, mozzarella, tomato on ciabatta

Mediterranean: housemade hummus, kalamata olives, cucumbers, red bell peppers, and tomato on whole wheat

PBNJ: peanut butter, Bigg Riggs strawberry jam, and nutella on challah

Salads

Farmhouse: Apples, sunflower seeds, croutons, and a housemade herb dressing with mesculin greens

Poblano Peach: peaches, poblano peppers, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and a housemade peach vinaigrette with spinach leaves

Israeli: cucumber, tomato, green bell pepper, onion, olive oil, and lemon juice

Pleasant Pops Farmhouse Market & Cafe, 1781 Florida Ave. NW

Photo by Jessica Sidman