Northside Social, in the old Murky Coffee Space - Bakery, Coffee, and Wine Bar by the Owners of Liberty Tavern - Now Also Open in Falls Church

[darkstar965]

I have to run now to an appointment, but let's take this discussion over to a new coffee thread (which I'll start when I get back). I have a lot to learn, and with all the talented baristas (and roasters, etc.) now in this region, I have a lot of people to learn from - maybe we can get some of them involved.

And I'm sure there are many like me who:

- know just a very little bit...but not too much...about coffee

- know enough to usually be able to tell the difference between great, good and bad

- ask questions at every opportunity and love learning more

With all the events sponsored on this board, it strikes me that it'd be very cool to have the occasional dr coffee/cupping at one of the growing number of better spots in town. But then that'd need to be organized by someone who has both passion and knowledge for the bean and the craft. Someone like that could start a topic under Events titled something like "Coffee cupping at X on Y day/time." Hmmm, not wanting to implicate anyone but, I wonder

[darkstar965]

It's been over a year since the last post on Northside Social. And they're coming up on their 3-year anniversary. I was there today and usually stop in a couple of times per month.

A few observations as they're clearly now fully in their groove:

- This is a place that knows how to do coffee. They use good equipment, normally and unusually offer a choice of espressos and a choice of fresh-brew methods. Their people are well trained and execute well consistently. Their barista alums can be found at many other better independent coffee shops around the area. My only nitpick on the coffee is that they're exclusive and only represent one roaster (Counter Culture). That said, Counter Culture is fine coffee and the benefits that NS gets from that relationship are significant. Today, a cappuccino and La Frontera Peruvian pourover that my associate and I had just underscore the earned praise for the coffee program.

- I'd forgotten until today that they even sold savory food thanks to the connection with Liberty Tavern's ownership. That's simply because my last 20 or so visits were all for coffee and the occasional pastry (some good; some just okay). Haven't ever had the famed egg sandwiches (4 kinds on offer every day until 3pm), salads, sandwiches, cheeses or breads. Did have a tomato soup today. Pretty good and nice to have those options in a coffee shop since very uncommon. The chef at NS, different from the Liberty chef, Liam LaCivita, is Emer O'Rourke. She's on their facebook page but not on the website.

IMHO, the NoVA area, still very under served by good coffee, benefits hugely from NS being part of the scene.

[jondagle]

>> IMHO, the NoVA area, still very under served by good coffee, benefits hugely from NS being part of the scene.

Soooo TRUE! Its an utter disappointment that I can count the places where one can get PASSABLE espresso inside beltway in VA on one hand, with fingers left over. NSS and Boccato (and not always Boccato). When Boccato opened in Old Town they were making satisfactory to good espresso, but now as Killer ESP, I think there's only one person who knows how to use the fantastic equipment they have. (Barista raining is clearly not a priority there--its hard to know what any priority is there, something's changed every time I go in) It amazes me that Old Town has such a pitiful lack of cafe culture. Grape and Bean serves fine coffee (no espresso), and even Killer ESP does a decent pour over, but where are the cafes? Only Society Fair now offers decent espresso in Alexandria -- and it's still hit or miss.

NSS is fantastic. Their wine bar (starting at 5pm, upstairs) is pretty decent as well. They offer a great selection of beers and wines (not always the same upstairs and downstairs), as many coffee-focused cafes are doing these days. But their baked goods and foods (including egg sandwiches) are consistently good. Of course the coffee and espresso are the primary draw for me. The location has been a Counter Culture outlet since it was Murky. I have heard some rumors of CC discouraging their shops to sell other coffees--don't know the truth of it.

Meanwhile coffee culture in DC is blooming. There are a handful of respected shops I've never heard of myself before today, thanks to goodeats, over in the Coffee forum.

http://www.home-barista.com/cafes/baltimore-washington-dc-coffee-shops-t16657.html

[jondagle]

And may I also say, I am utterly embarrassed that i allowed this conversation to have a 1 year break in the middle!

[Genevieve]

Food at Northside is really, really, really good for a coffeehouse, and pretty darn good for a cafe with a small menu. Highly recommend. They go through cycles when they take something I love off the menu and I'm bummed, but I can say that anything with a housemade cheese is worth trying (used to have a salad w/housemade ricotta that I adored, now it's housemade goat cheese which I like nearly as much). Have not tried the famous egg sandwiches.

[Nervous Eater]

They used to have (as recently as a month or two ago) a roast pork sandwich with salsa verde that was incredible. One of my favorite sandwiches on the VA side of the river, for sure. Unfortunately it's no longer on the menu. I'm hoping these things are cyclical and they bring it back.

[jondagle]

The LT Bacon & Egg sandwich is very very tasty. I like it so much, it's the only one I had--several times. The down side of using fresh and current ingredients is that sometimes you have to change the menu. Their fruit and nut mix (with ginger) is very tasty too. I can't think of anything that I haven't enjoyed at NSS.

[durwoodx]

I stop by here probably an average of twice a week. The quality of the coffee goes without saying. The food is generally pretty darned strong. (Honestly I would overall rate it more successful than Lyon Hall.)

Of the breakfast sandwiches, I actually prefer the non-meat versions. I have found the bacon to be overpoweringly salty and tough, and the sausage (while the meat itself is darned good) to be just generally unwieldy (both from a taste and logistical standpoint.) Both the salmon and spinach sandwiches - spot on. Only (slight) criticism here is lack of consistency. Sometimes the egg comes out perfectly over-easy/medium. Sometimes either raw or completely cooked through.

Scones are by and large the best thing there. Some can be a bit flat if they've been sitting for awhile (I'm looking at you, Cheddar Chive - but dang it all, you are SO good fresh) but most of the fruit based are simply some of the best I have ever personally had.

The pop-tarts are leagues apart from the versions at Ted's in Barracks Row. Flaky and layered and delightful.

Of the lunch sandwiches I have had, the now sadly off the menu lamb was quite good. The smoked salmon also delightful. I also enjoyed a BLT today that was better than any version I have had from a restaurant that I can remember. My sole quibble is with the grilled cheese. Why are these so hard to make well? So heavy and gloppy. My kingdom for a great grilled cheese from a restaurant!

Overall, a great improvement over the former tenants (sorry, Murky coffee fans) and a place I look forward to frequenting for years to come....

[DonRocks]

I recently wrote about a huge, monster French press of coffee at Lyon Hall. It was $7 there during brunch, but you can get the exact same thing if you order a Large French Press ($4.25) at Northside Social. I came here during a weekday morning with a friend, armed with laptops, and nursed this tub-o-coffee for what must have been an hour. It's a mix of Counter Culture coffee beans, and it's gooooood coffee.

---

Last night I realized I'd scarcely eaten a thing all day long, so called in an order at Northside Social (I advise against doing this - neither the person who answered the phone, nor the cashier (who might have been the same person) was very friendly, although it may have been one troubled soul just having a bad day).

There's a reason that calling in orders may not be the best idea here: is Northside Social *ever* not crowded? At 8 PM on a Friday evening, it was packed. That would be understandable at a "normal" restaurant, but keep in mind this place used to be Murky Coffee, and it isn't *that* far removed, architecturally, from what Murky used to be. The crowds here amaze me.

The Friday Soup listed on their website is Seafood Chowder. They didn't have it and I'm glad they didn't - a Bowl of Bacon and Corn Chowder ($5.50, probably should have been discounted a dollar since it was ordered with a sandwich) was just terrific - two paper containers of delicious, hearty chowder, loaded with potatoes, carrots, and what surely must have been house made bacon-styled meat (really more like pancetta). If you're ever here, and they have this chowder, get it - you'll love it.

I showed this review to a friend (who had tasted the chowder), and the dialogue went as follows:

"You liked the chowder?"

"Yes."

"Don't you think it tasted like boiled bacon water?"

"Yes."

"The Italian Grilled Cheese" ($9.50) wasn't a huge sandwich in terms of dimensions, but what was there was stuffed with salumi and cheese: Montasio (very rare in these parts), provolone, ricotta, soppresatta, coppa, Prosciutto di Parma, tomato marmalade, pesto, and pickled hot peppers on focaccia, served with some Route 11 potato chips. I know this thing sounds impossibly busy and huge, but it really wasn't; in fact, it was downright elegant for having so many ingredients. Highly recommended, and I would get this again in a heartbeat.

And, of course I'd need some breakfast the next morning, so I got a Bag of Counter Culture Espresso Toscano ($14). I've discussed this at length here, but I think Counter Culture is too light for home use unless you have *really* good equipment, and that includes boiling hot water; my Cuisinart Grind and Brew (with Pause and Pour!) just doesn't get the water hot enough to extract what it needs to extract from these delicate beans. They asked me if I wanted a free cup of coffee since I purchased a bag of beans, and I said no because it was in the evening - there's an item on my receipt that says "NO MAKE" with a charge of $4.00.

But that charge was surely for the Couscous Salad, which I thought sure was marked as $3.00, not $4.00, but I'm going from memory so I may be wrong. Regardless, the fine-looking couscous was quite literally inedible: it had either turned from age (it did not smell fermented), or had been tainted by some external factor. I thought it might have been a sensitivity to cilantro (which I don't have), but my friend (who does) said no, it smelled like nail polish remover. There was something very wrong with this couscous, and it was discarded.

With my new Counter Culture beans, I did have a pleasant breakfast of Banana Chai Loaf ($3.00), a piece of pound cake, sugared at the perimeter, and tasting more strongly of chai than banana. It survived the day (and night) better than a Walnut Coffee Cake Muffin ($2.75) which was well-made, but just too dry to be pleasant (don't ever pass judgment on a baked good that's at least a day old - this muffin was probably quite good the day before).

With tax and tip, my "late-night snack" came out to $45.63. Ouch! But, couscous aside, it was worth every penny.

[DaveO]

I too have had the french press.  Its terrific.   Wonderful coffee, perfect for sharing.  A real delight.

[ktmoomau]

Their chicken salad is good, I don't think I ever get much else except a gf baked good.  (Which are not as good as Bayou's gf chocolate cookie.) I have had their doughnuts at Lyon Hall which were out of this world good.  That french press is some strong stuff.

[DonRocks]

Their chicken salad is good, I don't think I ever get much else except a gf baked good.  (Which are not as good as Bayou's gf chocolate cookie.) I have had their doughnuts at Lyon Hall which were out of this world good.  That french press is some strong stuff.

Funny, I was mentally, silently comparing Northside Social's "The Italian Grilled Cheese" with Bayou's "Muff-o-Lotta" because both are dense-but-not-huge sandwiches, weighed down by lots of meats, and seem comparable, especially since they're down the street from each other. In my mind, The Italian Grilled Cheese comes out on top. I may also be biased because I've seen the promised land (Jake Parrott once brought me a carryout (yes, a 1,250-mile carryout) Central Grocery muffuletta - for which I'm still grateful - and Bayou's is nothing even remotely resembling the real product).

[durwoodx]

As much as I love this place, I am going to have to implement a personal no-weekend-visits-after-8AM policy for the good of my mental well-being. What a zoo. 

[darkstar965]

>> IMHO, the NoVA area, still very under served by good coffee, benefits hugely from NS being part of the scene. Soooo TRUE! Its an utter disappointment that I can count the places where one can get PASSABLE espresso inside beltway in VA on one hand, with fingers left over. NSS and Boccato (and not always Boccato). When Boccato opened in Old Town they were making satisfactory to good espresso, but now as Killer ESP, I think there's only one person who knows how to use the fantastic equipment they have. (Barista raining is clearly not a priority there--its hard to know what any priority is there, something's changed every time I go in) It amazes me that Old Town has such a pitiful lack of cafe culture. Grape and Bean serves fine coffee (no espresso), and even Killer ESP does a decent pour over, but where are the cafes? Only Society Fair now offers decent espresso in Alexandria -- and it's still hit or miss. ... Of course the coffee and espresso are the primary draw for me. The location has been a Counter Culture outlet since it was Murky. I have heard some rumors of CC discouraging their shops to sell other coffees--don't know the truth of it. [/font][/color]...

Though a bit broader than just Northside Social, the NoVA coffee scene has improved since we both lamented the odd paucity of serious shops nearly two years ago. G&B and Society Fair still persist with SF's program still "hit and miss" due to key staff turnover.The big news now, of course, and better IMO than NS just with respect to the coffee program, is Caffe Aficionado just on the Arlington side of the Key Bridge.

[stevem]

This also doesn't take into account the continued lack of any non-Starbucks place with good coffee in or immediately around the City of Falls Church...

[jasonc]

I love the bustle of this place. On several occasions I've struck up a conversation with a stranger, or just overheard an interesting conversation.

Social, indeed.

[darkstar965]

This also doesn't take into account the continued lack of any non-Starbucks place with good coffee in or immediately around the City of Falls Church...

If not too far from Falls Church (about 7 miles by car), give Caffe Amouri a try.  No posts here on the thread in a few years but it persists, roasts in house and does a fine job.  If you do go there and can update the thread with whatever observations, we'd be in your debt. There's also a newer outpost of Dolcezza (gelato shop with decent coffee service) at the Mosaic District which has two different venues within site of each other. One is the standard Dolcezza shop with (great!) gelato and an espresso maker.  The other is a very cool glass cube right in front of the Angelika Theater that just does coffee.  Dolcezza uses Stumptown beans exclusively and the folks staffing that cube tend to provide a higher/better level of coffee service than in the other mixed-use shops in Georgetown, 14th St, Union Market and Bethesda.

[stevem]

I like Dolcezza and accept your challenge to Cafe Amouri and will report back.

With that said, I remain surprised the City can't maintain its own independent (or very small chain) place.

[darkstar965]

I like Dolcezza and accept your challenge to Cafe Amouri and will report back.

With that said, I remain surprised the City can't maintain its own independent (or very small chain) place.

Excellent! And, you're not kidding though, even in DC, there are dense clusters of quality shops in some areas (14th St NW most of all with 5 between P and U) with others (Bethesda, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park) still very underserved despite seemingly favorable demographics.

[dcs]

According to the Falls Church News-Press, in a story by Drew Costly, dated May 27, 2016, and picked up by ARLnow.com, Northside Social will be expanding to a second location in the old Blue and Gray American Legion Post 225 building in Falls Church.

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, dcs said:

According to the Falls Church News-Press, in a story by Drew Costly, dated May 27, 2016, and picked up by ARLnow.com, Northside Social will be expanding to a second location in the old Blue and Gray American Legion Post 225 building in Falls Church.

I started reading your post, and was thinking to myself, 'There's *no way* Northside Social is going to close - they're packed every time I go in,' and was then relieved to finish reading what you wrote.

[dcs]

Arlington location.

[dcs]

Eater is reporting that Northside Social has opened in Falls Church.  Falls Church’s New Community Coffee Shop and Wine Bar Is Here, by Eater Staff, June 12, 2018.  I believe this location also house the former LeoNora bakery operations and will service all of the Liberty locations out of that spot.  I also seem to recall someone told me this place was planning a full bar, but I cannot confirm that as I cannot remember who told me that or know whether they followed through on that intention.  [I was subsequently  told at Liberty Tavern that spirits will indeed be available in Falls Church.]  It does have pizza, which the Arlington Northside Social does not.

Edited June 13, 2018 by dcs
new information

[cheezepowder]

On 6/12/2018 at 10:36 AM, dcs said:

I also seem to recall someone told me this place was planning a full bar, but I cannot confirm that as I cannot remember who told me that or know whether they followed through on that intention.  [I was subsequently  told at Liberty Tavern that spirits will indeed be available in Falls Church.]  It does have pizza, which the Arlington Northside Social does not.

Arlington Magazine reports that cocktails are available at the Falls Church location:

Quote

Like Northside Social 1.0, the Falls Church expansion has an upstairs bar that carries the restaurant from day to night, offering wine and beer, plus—unlike its Clarendon location—a cocktail menu that includes four boilermakers and a rye/port concoction called “The Little City.” 

 

[NolaCaine]

Let me start by saying, I am not a North Side Social "person" and I know that now. 

The big beautiful building with lots of parking of the Falls Church location beckoned to me and I answered its call today. Imagine my absolute delight that there was 4 space in the parking lot. Wow! My lucky day? No, not at all. That big, spacious, freshly-paved, well-marked parking lot in front of NSS, does NOT belong to NSS. In fact, all of those spots are reserved for random addresses and there are lots of towing signs.  A big sign, BEFORE one pulls in the lot, warning NSS people not to park in their own lot, would be very friendly.

While I was uttering profanity and cursing the entire city of Falls Church, a street-parked car pulled out and i got a very convenient spot. I let go of some of my hostility, but just a bit. Inside, there's a long line and every table is taken. Upstairs, there are two rooms, one loud and communal and one quite. Mostly 2 and 4 tops, all occupied by single laptop users not drinking coffee or eating anything. When my butt got rubbed by the 4th stranger (it's cramped and crowded, I was not being in any way assaulted...or affectioned), I realized this place was not for me.

That said, a perfectly cooked salmon salad, wafting with wonderful aromas, that was perfectly dressed and pretty, (about $17) almost had me change my mind. It was perfect.

Finally, I *almost* got a hug from a stranger when I left. That's when I let go of all of my hostility and realized that it's a great place, just maybe not for me.