Cause | Vibes | Outdoor Space…read more Cause - The sticker shock is real when you first see the prices. However, part of what you're paying for supports programs that provide coffee to people experiencing homelessness, while another portion goes toward local causes in DC. In that sense, your extra dollars are helping fund meaningful work in the community. Vibes - This place has great energy. There is a sizable indoor seating area along with a comfortable outdoor section. You'll see a mix of people catching up with friends, working remotely, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee. The overall atmosphere feels welcoming, open, and community-oriented. Outdoor Space - This is probably the highlight, especially on a nice summer day. It's an ideal spot for people-watching, soaking up some sunshine, and enjoying the neighborhood atmosphere. If the weather is nice, grab a seat outside and stay awhile. Pro Tip: Parking is limited, so plan accordingly or consider walking if you're nearby. Pro Tip: Ask the staff for their favorite drink recommendations. They know the menu well and can point you toward some hidden gems.

You can easily skip this coffeeshop and you won't miss much; DC has tons of better coffeeshops. I…read morehad carefully researched this place and braved the 4th of July DC heatwave to enjoy some coffee and pastries. Reviews seemed great and I loved that the coffeeshop was supporting a number of humanitarian causes; unfortunately, my experience was pretty meh. I'm not sure about the warm community vibes some reviews mention; I didn't even get a hint of a smile from the barista or the other guy at the counter. I asked for some suggestions with pastries and got a "It's your choice, this is all we have". I've hardly felt so unwelcome anywhere. I decided against any food, just got my $6 iced latte and grabbed the only open table after wiping it clean myself. The latte itself was very watered down, but frankly it didn't bother me as much as the ice-cold behavior I encountered here.

This place is super cute ! The specials are definitely worth it . It's usually very quiet, so it's…read morea great place to get some work done ! I recommend the chicken pesto bagel !

Chez Lily is a cute, quick coffee shop and a great spot for breakfast or coffee on the go. The…read morestandout for me was their incredible gluten-free bagel, and I really appreciated that they were able to accommodate my allergy needs. My experience was a bit mixed when it came to allergy accommodations. On my first visit, the staff was very kind and happy to provide cream cheese from separate, untouched containers to help avoid cross-contamination. On my second visit, however, the same request was not met with the same level of understanding or accommodation. Cute place, will return.

I stumbled across Caspian Crust's Brunch with Strangers on Eventbrite, and I genuinely hope more…read morerestaurants start doing things like this. Instead of leaving the logistics to a third-party organizer, Caspian Crust hosts the experience themselves, and it works beautifully. Everyone shares one long Sultan Breakfast table, making it easy to meet new people over incredible food. If you see one of these events, book it. It's absolutely worth it. The Sultan Breakfast was outstanding and there was so much food. The value for the price is incredible. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared, and I especially appreciated that many of the traditional meat dishes use beef rather than pork. As someone who doesn't eat pork, that made it easy to enjoy nearly everything on the table. One of the unexpected highlights was learning more about the culture. Another guest at our table was from Türkiye, and she shared that breakfast is traditionally enjoyed before coffee. Once I knew that, it completely reset my expectations. Instead of wondering where the coffee was, I got to enjoy an amazing, leisurely breakfast first. There was a little confusion at the end about whether coffee was included with our event, but the staff quickly sorted it out, and we finished with Turkish coffee and a piece of Turkish delight. It ended up being the perfect ending to the meal. I also learned that the owners have family roots in Azerbaijan, which makes a lot of sense once you see the menu. While the restaurant describes itself as Mediterranean, the flavors and breakfast traditions are distinctly Turkish and Azerbaijani, and it is wonderfully authentic.

We had a great first visit to Caspian Crust - would recommend for breakfast or pastries and coffee!…read moreThe location in Georgetown is nice, with seating on two levels. The top level is for reservations only, from what I understand. I had the sujuk and eggs, which was just like I had in Turkey. My only complaint was I didn't love the bread that came with it - I would've preferred simit, but also was full enough I didn't need another bread. We also split the spinach and feta börek, which was delicious. I did feel like it could've been warmer. My husband had the beef melt panini - while not inherently Turkish, he enjoyed it. Finally, the honey cake was simple, flavorful, and not overwhelming for the 2 of us to split.

I dropped by here during an early evening walk. Did I need an iced latte at 6:25pm? Probably not…read more Did I want an iced latte? Absolutely (and always.) When I walked in, immediately I was able to take in the the beautiful visuals - gorgeous baked goods front and center and a light and airy space. As it turns out, I was the last cafe order of the day, but the barista that served me was so nice and chatty despite being at the tail end of his shift. I went ahead and ordered a honey iced latte (which was delicious) and enjoyed some of it on the sidewalk patio. Overall, I had a pleasant experience and it was good to discover that they stay open fairly late into the day. I'll definitely be sure to drop by again in the future.

I went with very high expectations and although the pastries were delicious, the service was far…read morebelow optimal. We waited at least 25 minutes for our drinks. My friend had to go back and check with them again and give them our order. They don't believe her and they checked in their system. Finally, when the server did make our drinks that we had already paid for he had an attitude. He also made an extra drink by mistake (which we had not ordered) and instead of apologising, he threw it away and gave us attitude for making the new one. I'm normally not want to complain but I think this sort of behaviour is very unfair for the customer who's not only paying but also patiently waiting for their correct order. I completely understand that this is a new space and that they have too many customers but they should either learn how to scale up or teach their employees how to be kind to customers. Ideally both if they want to survive.

The cafe may be called "Nothing Fancy" but it's inside a Michelin-star restaurant with chic pink…read morewalls. It's a grab-and-go since there are no chairs/tables and no public bathrooms. Their menu is simple with all the espresso classics, but they also had some interesting drinks that I wanted to try. I got the ELDERBERRY MATCHA since I was curious about the combination. The barista recommended whole milk (or non-dairy milk) since it doesn't take away from the elderberry and matcha flavors as much as non-dairy milk, and I completely agreed! The elderberry syrup popped through the matcha and it wasn't too sweet! The drink overall was very enjoyable and I'd definitely recommend giving it a try. I'm glad I stopped by to give this cafe a try this past Saturday afternoon.

Nothing Fancy gets the job done…read more This cute little walk up coffee shop is high quality without overcomplicating things. The space itself is only big enough to fit a handful of people at a time (with no seating) but it's great for a grab and go experience. While I've never actually had any of the soft serve that people rave about, their coffee bar drinks are great. Over the summer I would usually order and iced latte or Vietnamese coffee, both always made with love and care. The aesthetics of the space are top notch as well - I always feel so good once I walk in. Great option overall if you're in the mood to grab some coffee or ice cream on the go!

Coffee and Croissants are amazing!!! I went there two morning before I had to leave DC.read more

I was in town this weekend with Family and we initially were in the mood for Paul- the French…read morepastry shop that has several locations in the area. Unfortunately, the location in DC has permanently closed and we were still very much in the mood for some pastries... my cousin who is French has previously sang the praises of this Lil French pastry shop, so of course I had to give it a try. I am so happy that I did because I truly believe that I have stumbled upon my new favorite pastry shop in the area! Upon walking in the smell of croissants and almonds and sweet, sweet delicacies filled my nostrils. I basically became the human version of Remy from ratatouille inhaling a delicious bouillabaisse simmering on the stove top for hours....seeing colors and flavors so bright and intoxicating I simply had to have it I walked in and my eyes were instantly attracted to so many delicious options from classics like Palmiers and Napoleons to some unique flavor combos I've never tried before combined like raspberry and pistachio. Of course, I decided to grab a little bit of everything to make an accurate assessment as a YELP Elite should!! My favorite hands-down was the Berry Millefuille. The way the pastry crumbled in my mouth with every bite, combined with the tart, fresh raspberries, and thick flavorful custard.... Was worth every penny. Honorable mentions go to the peach rosemary tart, which was so unique with the added botanical of rosemary with some fresh sweet peach slices on top and a very crunchy tart base. We all enjoyed everything we purchased! I also ordered one of their seasonal specialties, the rosemary latte with skim milk and iced. The flavors were so uniquely crafted to where you could taste everything but everything combined together for the perfect sip. The ladies who greeted us at the cash register were so patient, so kind, and so understanding of my excitement and difficulty deciding and they even helped me add on a little chocolate happy birthday rectangle to the pastry I purchased for my husband! Without a doubt, this is only the first of the many times I will visit the establishment. It was so authentic, so delicious and passed all the vibe checks even from the French side of the family. I was told I have to return when they first open to have a fresh croissant and a fresh baguette that is on par with what you would have in Paris. Even the items in the fridge were made in France and were delicious fruit nectars that were very unique- we purchased a passionfruit nectar that didn't even make it past the doors before we had completely inhaled it and purchased a lychee nectar for later. I am so excited to have learned about this establishment and believe me when I say you must run, not walk, to experience it for yourself. Note- The dine in area inside the establishment is limited to a couple small tables. Definitely not equipped for large parties and a couple outdoor seatings right outside.

I came to this historic, creative, friendly, musical, artsy part of DC to take a morning walking…read moretour, Art and Soul of Black Broadway. It was cold, windy and rainy but I was ready to go and felt like a double espresso would give me the needed energy boost! This is a comfy, friendly, local coffee shop I happened upon randomly. I was greeted and treated very well and the espresso hit the spot and revved up my engine! They have seating out front and a hidden sitting room in back plus a clean bathroom! Life is good with a random espresso adventure in a new-to-me part of town! I was the only one who dared show up for the walking tour, considering the weather, and it was awesome!

My friend and I walk in to the cafe, during Howard's Homecoming …read more What caught our attention it was black and woman owned business. Which we wanted to support. Small Cafe with pastries and drinks. The cafe is small, with very limited seating up front.No problem. However, there was a huge non-service dog sitting inside a cafe? Why?! We walk in, and it wasnt busy. We see 2 female employees up front, they most definitely see us. No smiles, Don't utter a single word. No hellos or welcome or we will be with you in a moment. 5 minutes go by and we leave. Why support a business when your not welcomed? I wouldn't mind waiting to get my order. There are plenty black owned and women owned establishments in the area that give better experiences . We went over to Sankofas where I know the service is top tier. Maybe retrain staff to be more welcoming.

I had left time in our journey to get a coffee on the way to the National Archives and after…read moresearching, selected Gregorys as it is not the Green Siren people, but it's also in my credit card rewards program. It was easy to find a seat on a weekday morning and after fiddling with their rewards program, I finally gave up and decided to simply order at the counter. A simple drip coffee with cream for me and a latte for Mrs. K. She enjoyed her blueberry muffin, giving me feedback that it had actual blueberries in it rather than fake blueberry essence. A plus! I had a bacon egg and cheese muffin, which was tasty. The coffees were served super hot, as was the muffin. It was a good few minutes before any of it was suitable for human consumption. Otherwise good. A nice little spot to sit for coffee or perhaps a meeting. A few people were at the big table near the back working on laptops. [Review 1130 of 2026 - 111 in Washington DC - 26309 overall]

Ok coffee. Nothing special. Lots of indoor seating. Within walking distance to the mall…read more Service was fine. Interior was pretty dirty.