I love this cafe! The coffee is high quality--even the drip is nice. I even bought some of the…read morebeans they sell from Tanzania and it was strong with bold flavors. I especially enjoy the house tea which is a black tea with spices. The lentil sambusas are great, love the tofu panini and the pastries come fresh everyday from a bakery in the dmv. The owner Robel and all the staff are quite friendly, welcoming and helpful. There is also an upstairs lounge with WiFi and couches which makes for a great spot for coworking. Overall it is a neighborhood gem!!

I loved everything about this experience! The staff is kind and courteous, the space is gorgeous…read morewith lots of natural lighting and seating, and the coffee is delicious. I was surprised when I learned they didn't have any syrups other than brown sugar, but I also think it's a bit refreshing for those that are coffee purists. I ordered an iced latte with brown sugar and it was $6 - fairly priced and delicious. I loved that they had little treats for dogs packaged neatly on the counter and artwork on all the walls. It felt homey and welcoming! I also enjoyed the fact they have shuffleboard upstairs and a few different options of board games. This spot seems like a wonderful location to get some work done or hang out with friends. Highly recommend making a visit!

Arrived during our spring break week of 2026 (Early April) at 10:30 ish with no expectations based…read moreon other review. It was packed when we walked in, but everyone was moving. Employees were working their butts off, keeping the line moving, and our party of 3 ordered our brunch and a few breakfast items for the next day, totaling $60. Totally worth every penny. The parfaits were amazing and the sandwich was delicious. Tiny little coffee shop vibe to it, beautiful outdoor seating. 10/10

Amazing coffee, house made focaccia - very quiet and chill vibe. Would highly recommend. Friendly…read morestaff as well.

Omg! This place has one of the best croissants I have ever had. Their pastries are always so tasty…read moreand their croissants are so flaky. The vibes are nice and there is one large table that have seats that you can use to work if you would like. The coffee and matcha latte were also a nice addition to my breakfast.

This is probably my most favorite neighborhood cafe. They always make their pastries from scratch,…read moreand their drinks are reliably good. I always am impressed by the selection. Indoors, the space is very clean and the chatter is always minimal. I see people working from here all the time. In addition, the quality of service is always friendly/good. Highly recommend folks to visit whenever they can!

So many things to love about Emma's torch! First and foremost is their mission - providing culinary…read moretraining to refugees to empower them to have the skills and confidence to succeed in the food industry. This was apparent in the warm, welcoming atmosphere where everyone was working together as a team, learning, being patient, and you could see the growth and confidence happening in real time. It was really inspiring to see. Service was great - quick, friendly, and helpful. The food was very tasty and inexpensive - breakfast sandwiches were well-portioned and under $10. They also had lattes, coffees, and teas. They have an outdoor patio overlooking Rhode Island Avenue and seating inside with their nternet if you are looking for a workspace, meeting place, or coffee/snack shop. Emma's Torch seemed to be a community favorite with returning customers greater warmly and community activities and events posted in the store. This will become a regular part of our rotation!

I randomly found Emma's Torch on Yelp while looking for a breakfast spot in the area. Upon entry, I…read morenoticed how small and quaint it was. They were also playing great music. Customer service was great and I was greeted immediately. It wasn't crowded but there was a steady flow of customers while I was there. I ordered the Breakfast Wrap, which was fantastic along with a Granny Smith apple lemonade. I would've never thought to put those two items together but it was easily one of the best lemonades I've ever tried. I had to order a second one when my daughter decided my drink was now for her. Speaking of, my daughter ordered the Nutella Stuffed French Toast and rated it a 100/10. While waiting for my order, I had a chance to speak with one of the head chef's and he told me about the culinary program their offer to teach refugees culinary skills. I loved hearing that tidbit about the shop and found it truly admirable. Overall, my only gripe is the street parking situation can be a little tough but it wasn't too bad on this particular morning. I would absolutely return.

Saw this place on yelp and when I noticed it was right around the corner from our airbnb in DC…read more Came in at 830am on a Tuesday. Place was packed. There is only tight street parking so it is mostly accessible walking. Ambiance was relaxed and cool vibe. They don't offer tables to sit just two side bars which was full of people, so we tooked our coffee to go. They offer food like avocado toast, pastries and Argentian Empanadas. We got a Cortado, Latte and two Chicken Empanadas. Everything was delicious. High quality coffee bean. Empanadas were super tasty. There is nothing gluten free though for eating options. Everything was super fresh. This will be my place to go for breakfast while visiting Washington.

Let me preface this by saying that we live in NYC, so we're used to amazing coffee shops…read more We tried a few coffee shops in NoMa, and this was definitely the best one. Went twice, and both times it was pretty good. Their nitro brew was strong (as it should be). Lattes are fine too. Given the lack of options in the area (and, quite frankly in D. C. in general), I'd definitely recommend this spot.

I was attended by caitlyn she had the best customer service and had a great attitude i would…read morerecommend this place . This is now my go to boba place. The drink i received were also made very well and looked good.

Shoutout to Caitlin who put me on to the milk tea with pudding! So good!! I wouldn't have tried it…read moreif she didn't recommend it!! I also was having trouble paying & she helped me figure it out ! Glad I came to this location!

I stopped here before work on a Tuesday and it was quiet. I was immediately greeted by an employee…read moreand ordered a hot chocolate and an almond croissant. I was pleasantly surprised by the croissant. The frangipane was very tasty, but the croissant itself was a little more soft/spongy than I'd like. Overall, though, not bad! Blue Bottle does have absolutely delicious hot chocolate though (some of my favorite). This location is very pleasant inside and it also has a couple of tables outside of the weather is cooperating.

Got the winter latte, which was very overpriced and incredible mid. Blue Bottle's interior feels…read morecorporate and sterile. There are so many better coffee options in Union Market!

The most beautiful cafe I've ever been in…read more They have pastries, coffee, tea, and even cocktails. Plenty of seating room and saw lots of people working there with their laptops. I ordered mint tea with honey and it came in this beautiful to-go cup. Close by to Union Market and Gallaudet University.

Could have been much better: The kitchen could have been…read moreopen, for one. Although, I did save the $15 minimum price for a sandwich, since they weren't making them. They could also try, I don't know, maybe, actually putting some coffee grounds in the coffee maker? That way it might taste like more than hot water. Can't figure out this place can average four stars. Must be doing it on looks alone. Certainly isn't for food, drink, or affordability.

Had a delicious iced chai from peregrine while in union market. Everyone working were super nice…read moreand I liked seeing them making the drinks in front of me. I'll come back!

I'm not going to lie, I only ordered a black coffee and the barista just poured coffee into my cup…read moreand handled it to me. It was a very short encounter but can I really say much? It was still a busy saturday though. There was a line and it went quick but my interaction probably lasted much less than five minutes. I got my coffee, paid for it and left to started drinking it. It's black coffee, hot, dark roast coffee brewed to perfection. I love a good cup when made right. I did hear that their drip coffee is pretty good, so perhaps that'd be the next step in what to get if I come back to their store in Union Market!