Arlington Has a New All-Day Breakfast Spot That Roasts Its Own Coffee

An industrial-style all-day cafe that roasts coffee from countries such as Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala opened in Arlington late last month and just started serving food this week. Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen takes up a 2,000-square-foot space on Pentagon Row, which recently rebranded as Westpost.

The new business (1101 S. Joyce Street) resembles a hip Brooklyn cafe, with a sleek letter board spelling out brewing methods, including Chemex and Hario V60, along with options for cortados, smoothies, and “red” (Rooibos tea) lattes.

Pancakes, avocado toasts, Benedicts, and espresso tiramisu are part of an all-day breakfast menu. “Noon-to-night” options include pork schnitzel with risotto or braised pulled pork sliders. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for indoor dining and takeout .

Origin/official photo

Origin/official photo

“Our whole concept is to have good food, coffee, and pastries all in the same place. Everything here is made from scratch, we don’t outsource anything,” says owner Andy Mekonnen, who opened the first Origin in Dubai after spotting a need for a thoughtful coffee shop among a sea of Starbucks.

The center of the operation is a glass-enclosed roastery that brews coffee from up to 10 different regions at a time (hence the name). When Northern Virginia gets through the COVID-19 crisis, visitors to the shop can expect “cupping” events and educational courses on how coffee is made.

The neighborhood appears to be raising its restaurant game while Amazon’s HQ2 is under construction. Napoli Salumeria opened in November, a Bun’d Up location has added an Asian-influenced barbecue pop-up, and and a beer hall from Aslin brewers and Reverie chef Johnny Spero is moving in this fall.

• Pentagon Row’s New Coffee Shop Will Put the Roasting Process on Full Display [EDC]
• Napoli Salumeria Gives Arlington a New Italian Deli With Decorative Plates for Sale [EDC]
• Lost Sock Roasters Open Their First Shop for Fruity Coffees and South American Snacks [EDC]