where is a place to get a good espresso/macchiato? does anybody have favorites to suggest?

Murky
Big Bear Cafe
Sova Espresso

The above places are all quality joints.

hhhmmm ...just 3 coffee houses/cafes? no restaurants serve quality espresso? for a city of this scale i would assume so many more...is DC starbuckized? yuck!

I wonder how much is a result of low interest in an espresso after a meal. Most places seem to put little effort into the regular coffee service so I cannot see them putting the extra effort or money into espresso.

In my experience, most restaurants don't place an extreme amount of emphasis on their coffee programs. There are exceptions though. Restaurant Eve uses a local roaster (Caffe Pronto) and like everything else they do, they do coffee well.

Our coffee is served at Oyamel. If you get a chance to try it there, let me know what you think!

That and patience is needed to make a good cup of coffee, which by the end of the meal, most people don't have. The Hario siphon that Nick mentioned takes awhile to heat up and then another small while for the coffee to siphon down because of simmering time.

Most people just want to drink and chat, so sometimes I think half the time they don't or aren't enjoying their coffee. That or trying to sober up after drinking one too many glasses of wine.

The last time I had a french press at my table was at Carole Greenwood's old restaurant *several* years ago, and that was a pleasant coffee experience.

Nick, if you're reading: 1) When is Aaron in? I would really *love* to relish on a good Hario made cup of brew and 2) when you are you at the Arlington location because the last couple of lattes I've had, the espresso tasted reaalllllllly bad. Had bad stomach pains after. Cupping and chatting with you would be nice.

Brasserie Beck does French press. Lovely and welcome after a big meal, too.

And, since they're open all afternoon, it's a great mid-afternoon stop if you work in the area.

Marcel's, of course, does french press as well.

We're planning on doing French Press coffee service at Eventide. We plan to feature two choices(and decaf, of course): a traditional, darker roast and a specialty estate coffee with more of a lighter roast. Both are likely to be from Central America. All of our coffee will be organic and fair trade.

Now if we could just get ourselves open...

Liberty Tavern does french press as well---it was the perfect cuppa with brunch. (I posted about it when we went to the Tavern several months ago)

Their coffee service great--I think the timer that comes with the press is a great touch!

I know this is probably taboo for some, but I tried the new Pikes Roast from Starbucks and it is actually quite good. Thoughts?

I would like to revisit this topic. What restaurants in the DC Metropolitan / Baltimore / Annapolis area are serving specialty coffee and doing a good job of it? I am most interested in Espresso Service or French Press Service.

Also, any comments on the specialty coffee service at these establishments?

— Woodberry Kitchen

— Oyamel

— Restaurant Eve

I love the French Press at Brasserie Beck. When I worked near there, I would slip over mid-afternoon on a particularly bad day and have a pot.

I haven't eaten at Restaurant Eve, but Woodberry Kitchen does a spectacular job with both French Press and espresso. During service, there is a barista that prepares all of the coffee. Most restaurants relegate coffee preparation to the already over-burdened waitstaff. Spike Gjerde, the owner, used to run Artifact Coffee which, for its too-brief existence, was the best coffee shop in Baltimore. Sadly, it had to be sacrificed so he could open Woodberry Kitchen.

It's been a while since I ate at Oyamel, but the last drip coffee I had there was very good.

A question to all of the dc area coffee drinkers out there.

I came across on the U-street corridor Prince of Petworth blog (which is a great go-to for news/events/eats in and around Petworth area) an advert for Fresh Off the Roast coffee roasters.

FOR coffee is a local coffee roaster where on their web site you can order numbers of roasts and bean types all roasted here in DC and picked up in three location across the area.

From the FOR web site the next roast is the 17th and will include:

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe
Honduras COSAGUAL
Ethiopia Harrar Ayinage
Mexico La Selva
ESPRESSO Brazil Blend
DECAF Costa Rica
DECAF Mexico

--All $13 per pound.

This roaster sounds very intriguing on paper but I have no idea what the end product actually is? Anyone out there try this roaster before? Experiences, opinions? Is the coffee/espresso actually good? I have done some google searching but have not found any good intel into this roaster, as of yet.

I love me some good coffee and espresso. My favorite roaster, available locally, is from Counter Culture roasters- Murky, Tryst, Open City use their beans.

.hobbes