While the pandemic pushed many of D.C.’s bars and restaurants to permanently close, the area’s independent coffee shops have showed remarkable resiliency, continuing to dispense fruit-forward pour-overs, flavored lattes, nitro cold brews, and other specialty items to customers who may not want to camp out inside like they used to.
A strong class of caffeinated contenders have entered the scene in recent years. That includes Cameo, which brews beans from Brooklyn roaster Parlor Coffee in a Southeast food hall, Lost Sock Roasters, a wholesaler with a plant-filled cafe in Takoma, and Eritrean-owned the Roasted Boon in Shaw.
Local favorites still going strong include Colada Shop, Compass Coffee, and Dolcezza, to name a few. NYC imports are also on the rise around D.C. For Five Coffee and Gregory’s Coffee continue to build a solid following, and high-tech Blank Street Coffee started blanketing the city with tiny stores last fall.
Here are 15 must-visit coffee shops in and around D.C., from Takoma to Arlington to Del Ray.
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