Independent Coffee Houses

[DaveO]

I've been trying to add hyperlinks to dr.com threads in the descriptions but it isb't working. If someone knows how to do that please let me know - thanks.

I'm going to be building some google maps for some businesses. Ultimately I should know that, but I don't right now. What have you been doing to add the links to the threads?

[porcupine]

I'm going to be building some google maps for some businesses. Ultimately I should know that, but I don't right now. What have you been doing to add the links to the threads?

I figured out how to do it. Choose Rich Text, type the text you want, select it, use the link icon to enter the link, then be sure to hit both "save" and "done". It won't show as a hyperlink in the list text on the left side, but if you click on that to bring up the description box, the hyperlink will be there.

[dinwiddie]

I don't go out of my way to find a coffee shop when I want coffee, for me it is all about being able to get good coffee at my convenience. And that does not mean going to Starsucks. I patronize the Firehook at Judiciary Square because it is right across from my office and they give me a good latte every morning, just the way I want it, and I can get a good cup of coffee in the afternoon if I have time.

[Choirgirl21]

Is there truly no one committed to making good coffee in the I95 corridor between DC & Baltimore.

[DaveO]

The other day I published a rave review (in a different venue) abt the Starbucks at Courthouse in Arlington. It was all about staffing. Some great customer service. Today, while in line, I witnessed another terrific example in front of me. Really outstanding. I've experienced more than one other similar example at that Starbucks. Frankly I don't go there "that much". Today I asked to speak to the manager and we discussed it. I asked what they were doing....and he attributed as much of the positive staffing to hiring and looking for certain attributes.

Now...I actually go far more often to independent coffee shops than starbucks; some enough to be a "regular" and know the staff. But frankly great customer service is "infrequent" and more infrequent at independent's than at the couple of starbucks I might go to more often.

Now we also run independent small businesses (not restaurants) and it is very tough to get or develop great staffing. The terrific restaurant operators here know that..as do regular customers as do the FOH staff that are truly terrific.

Unfortunately my experience with the independents is that they have all lagged somewhat from what I've experienced at Starbucks.

Its a truly difficult task to upgrade staffing and when one achieves it....it simply adds millions to the dining experience.

[DonRocks]

Unfortunately my experience with the independents is that they have all lagged somewhat from what I've experienced at Starbucks.

They're too busy being mello.

[porcupine]

Updated map.  Anyone have any place new to recommend?

[saf]

new to recommend?

Have you tried Harrar Coffee yet? Georgia and Harvard NW.

[DonRocks]

Have you tried Harrar Coffee yet? Georgia and Harvard NW.

This is exactly the type of recommendation we need.

If anyone else has any, please chime in - we're essentially supporting independent, local coffeehouses that aren't chains, even if they aren't "great." We want to give them the chance to become great. (Do you agree, Elizabeth? This is your baby.)

[jasonc]

on the wasteland to coffee town (I guess Seattle?) spectrum, where does DC rate?

[porcupine]

Have you tried Harrar Coffee yet? Georgia and Harvard NW.

I have not.  I will soon, though (I hope).  Thanks!

This is exactly the type of recommendation we need.

If anyone else has any, please chime in - we're essentially supporting independent, local coffeehouses that aren't chains, even if they aren't "great." We want to give them the chance to become great. (Do you agree, Elizabeth? This is your baby.)

You bet.

on the wasteland to coffee town (I guess Seattle?) spectrum, where does DC rate?

It's been six years since I was in Seattle, but I think DC's top-tier coffee houses offer a cup as good as any I had then (or in San Francisco or New York, since then).  The problem is that there are very few in that top tier.

[HarlanH]

A few suggestions...

You've got the Filter on 20th, North of DuPont Circle, but not the Filter on I St, between 19th and 20th, NW. The Foggy Bottom branch has no WiFi. I love their pourovers -- great light-roasted beans -- but I generally don't love their espresso, which I find sour. (Others with better palates may disagree!)

I'd put Qualia up near the top of local roasters. They also sell their beans at the Columbia Heights Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. I rarely make it up to their shop, so I can't comment on their preparation.

The Blind Dog on Florida Ave is a pretty great little neighborhood coffeeshop off U St.

What's the coffeeshop just North of the Convention Center? Blanking...

[chefgunshow]

Qualia has better coffee than I had anywhere in Lyon France or Portland Oregon. I live in the neighborhood and am totally spoiled.

[saf]

Today I am very sad about coffee. My favorite coffee shop has closed. No more Columbia Heights Coffee.

When we moved to the house, it was 1990. We were coming from Mt Pleasant. Petworth was nice in terms of the folks who lived around us, but pretty barren when it came to retail and restaurant options. And Columbia Heights was no better. Lovely neighbors, no retail and restaurant that we really wanted.

Then Columbia Heights Coffee opened. You could walk there from my house, easily. And all the neighbors did - old and new. Good coffee that I could walk to. That I could walk to on the way to all the new stuff, like the new Giant, and the new farm market. And a place that I could sit with my newspaper, have coffee, chat with the neighbors, and listen to classical music. Oh, and with a small cd exchange and book exchange.

And they are gone now. I will miss them.

And I don't know where I will get my coffee now.

[Kev29]

Has anyone tried the new La Mano in Takoma Park?

http://lamanocoffee.com/

They are open

[DonRocks]

Today I am very sad about coffee. My favorite coffee shop has closed. No more Columbia Heights Coffee.

When we moved to the house, it was 1990. We were coming from Mt Pleasant. Petworth was nice in terms of the folks who lived around us, but pretty barren when it came to retail and restaurant options. And Columbia Heights was no better. Lovely neighbors, no retail and restaurant that we really wanted.

Then Columbia Heights Coffee opened. You could walk there from my house, easily. And all the neighbors did - old and new. Good coffee that I could walk to. That I could walk to on the way to all the new stuff, like the new Giant, and the new farm market. And a place that I could sit with my newspaper, have coffee, chat with the neighbors, and listen to classical music. Oh, and with a small cd exchange and book exchange.

And they are gone now. I will miss them.

And I don't know where I will get my coffee now.

Has anyone tried the new La Mano in Takoma Park?

http://lamanocoffee.com/

They are open

[This is going to bust my balls, but these places each deserve their own thread, so I'm going to do it at some point, linking to the threads from here.]

[porcupine]

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions.  It's been updated again.  Would love it if people start reporting on some of these places.

I went to Coffy Cafe today and had a very nice latte.  But if you want a lesson in what a difference equipment and training can make, follow a cup from Coffy with a cup from Filter.  They use the same beans, but Filter's cup is transcendent.

On the other hand, a few days ago I had a cafe au lait from Baked and Wired that was just awful: way too hot and almost no coffee flavor.  I tossed it after a few sips.  And Baked and Wired is one of my favorites.  Any place can serve a bad cup from time-to-time.

[clchurch]

A few late additions:

- Malmaison under the Whitehurst Freeway in Georgetown has a coffeeshop component.  They use Cuvée beans from Austin for their espresso beverages (supposedly they are the only place on the East Coast to do so).

- Azi's on 9th and O NW near the convention center.  They use Illy coffee for their drinks.

- Lot 38 Espresso Bar next to Canal Park in the Navy Yard area of SE makes their espresso beverages with Illy too.

- H Street Coffeehouse that replaced Sova on H Street NE makes excellent espresso beverages using Ceremony beans from Annapolis, but i just doesn't have the same cozy charm as Sova.

- La Mano uses Ceremony Mass Appeal beans for their espresso drinks.  Mine was excellent, but the place is tiny and not really conducive to lingering, more of a grab a coffee on the way to Metro kind of place.

[porcupine]

^clchurch, thanks for the info.  Do you have an exact address for H St Coffeehouse? Neither it nor Sova show up on google maps.

If anyone else has any, please chime in - we're essentially supporting independent, local coffeehouses that aren't chains, even if they aren't "great." We want to give them the chance to become great. (Do you agree, Elizabeth? This is your baby.)

This map started with the name "Really Great Coffee", which I made for my own reference.  When I decided to share it here I also decided to go broader and include any half-decent independent.  Now that there are so many, I'm beginning to re-think that.  As I get around to visitng some of these places I might decide to drop them.  But then, as I posted above, if the other day had been my first at B&W, I'd probably never go back.  The amateur critic's dilemma. So please, everyone, post about your experiences at any of these places.

The "truly outstanding" notation is of course subjective.  My criterion is "would I go out of my way to get there?"  If the answer is yes, it gets the *.  Anything else ranges anywhere from "really very good" to "good enough in a pinch".

[DaRiv18]

Do you have an exact address for H St Coffeehouse? 

I see 1359 H St NE.

[Choirgirl21]

This is exactly the type of recommendation we need.

If anyone else has any, please chime in - we're essentially supporting independent, local coffeehouses that aren't chains, even if they aren't "great." We want to give them the chance to become great. (Do you agree, Elizabeth? This is your baby.)

Well based on this I would suggest adding Sidamo in Maple Lawn (Fulton, MD):

8180 Maple Lawn Blvd, Fulton, MD "Ž

Oh, I see that there's one on H Street and that one is already included so I definitely suggest adding this location as well.

This might not qualify, but if you just want a good cup of strong Ethiopian coffee, there's an Ethiopian restaurant in Burtonsville that serves it (the food is also good and the family that owns it are very friendly): Sorettit's.

[porcupine]

^Done.  Are both Sidamo locations owned by the same people?

And, I'm thinking of making a new map for restaurants that serve really good coffee.  There are precious few of them.

[clchurch]

I would also point out that Harrar and Sidamo (DC branch) roast their own beans in house.

[darkstar965]

A recently started thread with a name similar to this one has a huge Starbucks logo with the ghostbusters crossout over it*.  I'm as big an advocate and aficionado of independent coffee houses as exists on this site but curious if many have bad feelings about or real distate for Starbucks?

My own view on it is no.  While Starbucks has become a giant, publicly-traded corporation and I almost never buy coffee there anymore unless they're the only option within several miles (when I travel), I think they played and play several important and useful, beyond-coffee roles in the national and international coffee scenes.  And, every now and then, they even bring in some interesting, better-quality products too.

* Know Don may have been kidding with the other thread about Porcupine's map and no worries either way. Just prompts an interesting question, at least in my mind.

[SRJ]

Jacob's Coffee House, 8th/D St. NE, but the bubble tea is better than the coffee.

And I think everyone is familiar with Pound the Hill.

[DonRocks]

* Know Don may have been kidding with the other thread about Porcupine's map and no worries either way. Just prompts an interesting question, at least in my mind.

Yeah, it was (mostly) tongue-in-cheek.

Still, Starbucks doesn't need our help, and independent coffee houses do, so in that regard, it's serious. I do think that, for every Starbucks that opens, there's an independent coffee shop that doesn't have a chance to. And because of this, it erodes our cultural heritage - or, at least prevents our potential cultural heritage from thriving (I suppose some might say that Starbucks *is* our cultural heritage, but that's no culture that I want to be associated with).

[porcupine]

Jacob's Coffee House, 8th/D St. NE, but the bubble tea is better than the coffee.

And I think everyone is familiar with Pound the Hill.

Tell us more about both?

[Arcturus]

I do think that, for every Starbucks that opens, there's an independent coffee shop that doesn't have a chance to.

One would think so, but...

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hey_wait_a_minute/2007/12/dont_fear_starbucks.html

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2008125785_indiecoffee20.html

[DaveO]

A recently started thread with a name similar to this one has a huge Starbucks logo with the ghostbusters crossout over it*.  I'm as big an advocate and aficionado of independent coffee houses as exists on this site but curious if many have bad feelings about or real distate for Starbucks?

My own view on it is no.  While Starbucks has become a giant, publicly-traded corporation and I almost never buy coffee there anymore unless they're the only option within several miles (when I travel), I think they played and play several important and useful, beyond-coffee roles in the national and international coffee scenes.  And, every now and then, they even bring in some interesting, better-quality products too.

* Know Don may have been kidding with the other thread about Porcupine's map and no worries either way. Just prompts an interesting question, at least in my mind.

I'm fine with Starbucks.  I actually like their coffee.  In some cases I prefer it to that of some of the independents and not as much as others.

What stunned me though was some really excellent examples of customer service at some starbucks (and some lousy customer service also).  But when it was excellent it was very excellent.

I followed up on the cases I saw and quietly asked both employees and managers some questions.  On the other hand I've experienced some cases of miserable customer service at some independents.   The owners could be great but employees could end up being somewhat transient and less responsive.

But in general I enjoy the quality of their coffee.

Does it kill independents?   I'm sure in some cases it does.  On the other hand some independents thrive on their localness and different local qualities while providing less than a great product.   And others have just great products.  

It is no doubt tough being an independent.  Especially in DC's very high rent territories.  In some corridors and in the city rents have simply skyrocketed way beyond the ability of a tenant to make it work.

[porcupine]

Not a coffee house as such, but if you're out near Shenandoah National Park check out Central Coffee Roasters in Sperryville.  They have carafes of already brewed coffee sitting out for sampling.  Beans tend to be dark (full city) roasted.  Nice place to stop and chat with the owners when you're out and about hiking or looking for apples or whatever.

[saf]

So, with the closure of Columbia Heights Coffee, I've been looking for other places to get my Saturday morning latte fix.

Rules include:

Must not be too far off the route from my house to the Columbia Heights farm market. (That is, between the Georgia Ave metrorail station and the Columbia Heights plaza by the Giant.)

Must make nice latte, 12 oz or larger. 2% milk preferred, hot coffee/milk required.

Must be generally welcoming.

Am not interested in getting coffee at the Coupe.

So, I went to Qualia again. And the coffee tasted fine, but it was not even warm really. (and I like my coffee HOT) And the staff was less than friendly. It's too bad - I've met Joel and really liked him, and I really like his dedication to the neighborhood. I would like to buy his product, but it isn't quite what I want, and I really dislike interacting with his staff.

So, then I went to Room 11 this weekend. And the coffee was ok, but not great, and quite a bit more expensive than other places. And when I asked for 2% milk, I was told my choices were skim or whole. Asking for the milk to be a mix of skim and whole got the desired result but also a side of attitude.

I've had the coffee at La Caprice DC. It's fine, not great, not bad. This may end up being where we end up.

We still have to try Coffy Cafe too.

I wish that Harrar or Sidamo was convenient. Either of those would win every time.

[darkstar965]

So, with the closure of Columbia Heights Coffee, I've been looking for other places to get my Saturday morning latte fix.

Rules include:

Must not be too far off the route from my house to the Columbia Heights farm market. (That is, between the Georgia Ave metrorail station and the Columbia Heights plaza by the Giant.)

Must make nice latte, 12 oz or larger. 2% milk preferred, hot coffee/milk required.

Must be generally welcoming.

Am not interested in getting coffee at the Coupe.

So, I went to Qualia again. And the coffee tasted fine, but it was not even warm really. (and I like my coffee HOT) And the staff was less than friendly. It's too bad - I've met Joel and really liked him, and I really like his dedication to the neighborhood. I would like to buy his product, but it isn't quite what I want, and I really dislike interacting with his staff.

So, then I went to Room 11 this weekend. And the coffee was ok, but not great, and quite a bit more expensive than other places. And when I asked for 2% milk, I was told my choices were skim or whole. Asking for the milk to be a mix of skim and whole got the desired result but also a side of attitude.

I've had the coffee at La Caprice DC. It's fine, not great, not bad. This may end up being where we end up.

We still have to try Coffy Cafe too.

I wish that Harrar or Sidamo was convenient. Either of those would win every time.

I'd encourage you to talk with Joel offline about this. The coffee there is the best within any reasonable walking distance for you and, with his upstairs space, plenty of room.  That said, you seem pretty decided about Qualia so, I think Coffy Cafe is really the only one that meats your requirements.

They are generally very friendly there.  Ask to meet the owner (I'm forgetting her name but I think it's on the Coffy Cafe thread that I maybe created or at least contributed to). She's ex Air Force or ex Army and just a great, hospitable person.  The coffee is Ceremony (formerly Caffe Pronto) of Annapolis so, though it's not one of your criteria, can feel good about supporting a local--or at least regional--roaster.  The most distinguishing thing about Coffy is how big it is.  Arguably as much or more seating than any other shop in town.  And, super convenient to metro. You won't get a perfect latte there every time (some variation among the staff) but always 12oz or bigger, hot coffee, and 2% available.  If you're not happy with a drink there (or anywhere) ask to speak with the owner/manager and then assess how that's handled. Always the right thing to do.

You live in a part of the city I think still very underserved in terms of coffee.  Can draw a triangle between Coffy Cafe, Qualia and Harrar and you'd cover quite a bit of square milieage without really anything offering great joe and a welcoming environment inside it.

Good luck. Check out Coffy Cafe. Ask to meet and chat with the owner. And, let us know what you think.  Aw hell, here's the link I wasn't going to include here. And, that owner is Felicia Harris.  I'm a fan.

[saf]

I'd encourage you to talk with Joel offline about this. The coffee there is the best within any reasonable walking distance for you and, with his upstairs space, plenty of room.

You live in a part of the city I think still very underserved in terms of coffee.  Can draw a triangle between Coffy Cafe, Qualia and Harrar and you'd cover quite a bit of square milieage without really anything offering great joe and a welcoming environment inside it.

Good luck. Check out Coffy Cafe.

I will, and I will. Thank you for the thoughts. I really WANT to like Qualia, so we will see what happens. (OK, I will if I get up the guts. It's HARD to tell someone bad things about a place that they have poured so much work into. Especially when you are afraid that they will say, "But I want it that way. What you want is bad.")

I forgot to talk about the visit to Flying Fish. Another one that had nice-tasting coffee that was not very warm, let alone hot. Also less friendly than I would like. And the owner is a friend of a very good friend, and she has raved about his coffee, so I had high hopes.

I do begin to wonder if I like my coffee too hot. All the Ethiopian coffee places (Columbia Heights, Sidamo, Harrar, Azi's, and the place that used to be in Brookland that I liked but it is closed now and I don't remember its name) make it the right level of hot for me, but so many of the others (Qualia, Flying Fish, La Caprice, Room 11, Chinatown Coffee, and Peregrin) seem to serve it cooler.

Maybe it really is just me.

[darkstar965]

(1) I will, and I will. Thank you for the thoughts. I really WANT to like Qualia, so we will see what happens. (OK, I will if I get up the guts. It's HARD to tell someone bad things about a place that they have poured so much work into. Especially when you are afraid that they will say, "But I want it that way. What you want is bad.")

I forgot to talk about the visit to Flying Fish. Another one that had nice-tasting coffee that was not very warm, let alone hot. Also less friendly than I would like. And the owner is a friend of a very good friend, and she has raved about his coffee, so I had high hopes.

(2) I do begin to wonder if I like my coffee too hot. All the Ethiopian coffee places (Columbia Heights, Sidamo, Harrar, Azi's, and the place that used to be in Brookland that I liked but it is closed now and I don't remember its name) make it the right level of hot for me, but so many of the others (Qualia, Flying Fish, La Caprice, Room 11, Chinatown Coffee, and Peregrin) seem to serve it cooler.

Maybe it really is just me.

Bold-faced numbers above my addition to the quote.

(1) Joel monitors this board so may expect you if you identify yourself (which you don't have to do; up to you). Give him the benefit of the doubt here. As a general rule, giving feedback is a bit of an art so not as much about telling them bad things in a critical way as it is sharing balanced thoughts reflective of your preferences.  Any proprietor who replies to constructive feedback with your feared quote...well, isn't encouraging and using the kind of customer input that will help their business succeed. And that goes for all businesses in all industries...not just restaurants and coffee shops.

(2) Your temperature thing is interesting.  First off, there's no "too hot." The usual guidance on good coffee is that the flavors better emerge when it has cooled a bit and isn't scalding but, if you know that and have tried it that way and still prefer it very hot, then that is the right answer for you and that should be 100% fine without anyone judging you for it.  Again here, if you tell your barista this preference, then should just be a matter of them being sure to serve your drink straight from the espresso machine, pourover rack or whatever when it is at its hottest.

[cheezepowder]

Anyone tried Retrospect Coffee (19th St) yet?

[saf]

As a general rule, giving feedback is a bit of an art so not as much about telling them bad things in a critical way as it is sharing balanced thoughts reflective of your preferences.

When I manage people, this is a good description of how I think about it. It is also how I think of it when I have to get corrective feedback.

Somehow I find it hard to think that way as a customer. I know what I want, but then you think about the fact that a business, especially a small business offers what the proprietor wishes to offer and perhaps another business might offer what you want...

A while back, elsenet, I was discussing wanting something specific and wishing someplace close to me carried it. Another poster berated me, saying the store offered what it offered and I should accept that or go elsewhere. The comparison was made - should Meridian Pint (my local beer bar) offer Pabst/Miller/Coors/Bud because it is popular and people might want it? Personally, I thought of it more as - Giant doesn't have the cheese I want. If I tell them, they might add it so that I go there for all my grocery needs, rather than switching to Harris Teeter, or Fresh Fields.

Trying to walk the line between - all coffee shops should offer this/this is a specialty item that only some coffee shops have.

[sandynva]

One would think so, but...

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hey_wait_a_minute/2007/12/dont_fear_starbucks.html

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2008125785_indiecoffee20.html

it's interesting how what you'd logically assume happens isn't always the case, isn't it?

and the slate article made me think back to when i first moved to dc about 15 years ago, before starbucks took hold. as i remember it, there were far fewer independent coffeehouses then, so i beleive that its true that starbucks at least didn't kill the independents here

Also--and I'm aging myself here--but i remember when i first heard of starbucks and the $4 coffee. both the price and the number of options seemed ridiculous because before 95% of what i ran into into were coffee, lattes, and expresso, all of which were made with regular cow milk. it may have been different on the coasts, but in suburban st. louis there were at most 2 places making coffee drinks like starbucks, and i never heard anyone talk about the origins of the beans, etc. there were some people who ground their own beans or oredered them from nyc and kept them in the freezer, but those people were quirky, and the exception.  i think that you could argue that starbucks, by getting more people to think it's normal to pay $4 for a coffee, and to think about the levels of quality, actually made it possible for the independents to thrive.

a tangential point but still somewhat related--no one's come out and said it, but the unstated assumption behind this thread seems to be that independents are neccessarily good, and i don't buy this. for example, i haven't been there in forever, and am not even sure it exists anymore, but the coffee at Soho used to be horrendous. and i spent a ton of time at tryst,and that place will forever have a place in my heart, but their coffee ranged from ok to fairly bad.

[saf]

tryst

their coffee ranged from ok to fairly bad.

Still does - that's why the coffee at the Coupe doesn't appeal to me.

[cheezepowder]

Tim Carman's article about the new Kaldi's Coffee Bar in Silver Spring and their steampunk brewing system. 

[porcupine]

a tangential point but still somewhat related--no one's come out and said it, but the unstated assumption behind this thread seems to be that independents are neccessarily good, and i don't buy this.

I wrote about this twice in August of 2012, when I made the first version of my map public.  That one was titled Really Good Coffee, and was a very restricted list.  At Don's request I turned it into a more comprehensive piece, and I totally agree with you: the quality of product is not necessarily related to the business' status as independent.  So recently I went back and added asterisks to the places that I would include on a Really Good Coffee map.  Other than that I have no interest in rating or ranking places, though I do put in an occasional editorial comment that I hope people find useful.

So: the map is intended to be a comprehensive reference of independently owned shops.  It's up to the user to do the research.

updated again

[Kev29]

A couple notes from the Starbucks Hell/coffee shop desert that is Montgomery County...

cheezepowder - thanks for the link to Carman's piece on Kaldi's. I'm going to check them out.

Kensington might be getting an alternative to the Safeway Starbucks. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Java-Nation-Inc/482013565218321 Place has been under construction for a looooong time. Who knows what it will eventually be like. If anything.

Wheaton Plaza/Westfield Whatever has a Mayorga by the Costco. It's more of a stand (like their airport shops) than a place to sit down a relax so I don't think it should really make the map, but it's a decent option in a barren land. Beware Costco insanity.

Edit: Another note, noticed this place in in downtown Rockville - CremCaffe https://www.facebook.com/CremCaffe?rf=234299319995395. Looks like a nice European/Middle East style espresso cafe, I might check it out. By the looks of the cups they use Bristot espresso beans.

[durwoodx]

Not a coffee house as such, but if you're out near Shenandoah National Park check out Central Coffee Roasters in Sperryville.  They have carafes of already brewed coffee sitting out for sampling.  Beans tend to be dark (full city) roasted.  Nice place to stop and chat with the owners when you're out and about hiking or looking for apples or whatever.

A second for this place. I used to have a monthly recurring order with them. They put the coffee in the mail to you the day they roast it, so you end up getting it 2-4 days after it has been roasted, depending on shipping issues. Very nice stuff. I might just set that back up again....

[darkstar965]

Updated map.  Anyone have any place new to recommend?

Not a new place now but two thoughts.  First, know the "outstanding" is subjective and probably doesn't matter so much since we have threads on most of the better shops around town.  Artifact definitely meets the "would I go out of my way" test as do a few others not so indicated but we all have different views.  Also, I hadn't looked at the map in awhile but guessing its utility would be much greater if the pushpins could carry numbers corresponding to the list at left?  Not sure if that's doable with a custom google map.

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions.  It's been updated again.  Would love it if people start reporting on some of these places.

I went to Coffy Cafe today and had a very nice latte.  But if you want a lesson in what a difference equipment and training can make, follow a cup from Coffy with a cup from Filter.  They use the same beans, but Filter's cup is transcendent.

On the other hand, a few days ago I had a cafe au lait from Baked and Wired that was just awful: way too hot and almost no coffee flavor.  I tossed it after a few sips.  And Baked and Wired is one of my favorites.  Any place can serve a bad cup from time-to-time.

That last line I've bolded is very important.  My own views on shops are informed by repeated visits.  Exceedingly rare that a shop nails brewed and espresso drinks every time but the best shops are definitely more consistent than others along with the other factors that matter in distinguishing the best (beans, staff, brew methods, equipment, policies, shop particulars, etc.). I have threads on here somewhere with points of view around what makes a great coffee shop different from the rest but can't find 'em to link now.  Coffy Cafe is a very good (not outstanding imho) shop partly brought down just a notch by consistency.  Filter is better but I probably wouldn't go so far as to call most cups I get there "transcendent." Different strokes keep it all interesting.

.....

a tangential point but still somewhat related--no one's come out and said it, but the unstated assumption behind this thread seems to be that independents are neccessarily good, and i don't buy this. for example, i haven't been there in forever, and am not even sure it exists anymore, but the coffee at Soho used to be horrendous. and i spent a ton of time at tryst,and that place will forever have a place in my heart, but their coffee ranged from ok to fairly bad.

Couldn't agree with this (you) more.  Merely being an independent shop guarantees nothing.  And, some small chains (Peregrine with 3 locations, Dolcezza with 5) do an excellent job even with a bit more scale.

[porcupine]

 Also, I hadn't looked at the map in awhile but guessing its utility would be much greater if the pushpins could carry numbers corresponding to the list at left?  Not sure if that's doable with a custom google map.

I don't think it's possible.  Just click on a pushpin the find out what it represents.

[porcupine]

Is anyone familiar with Killer ESP in Alexandria?

[DonRocks]

Is anyone familiar with Killer ESP in Alexandria?

Write Gary Collins.

[Arcturus]

it's interesting how what you'd logically assume happens isn't always the case, isn't it?

i think that you could argue that starbucks, by getting more people to think it's normal to pay $4 for a coffee, and to think about the levels of quality, actually made it possible for the independents to thrive.

a tangential point but still somewhat related--no one's come out and said it, but the unstated assumption behind this thread seems to be that independents are neccessarily good, and i don't buy this. for example, i haven't been there in forever, and am not even sure it exists anymore, but the coffee at Soho used to be horrendous. and i spent a ton of time at tryst,and that place will forever have a place in my heart, but their coffee ranged from ok to fairly bad.

Absolutely. Those kinds of counter-intuitive truths have always fascinated me.

I agree with your second point as well. Starbucks' marketing convinced people that the coffee that they were selling was desirable, and they could charge more for it because of that. Then as people began to see what else they could get for the same amount of money, it paved the way for other companies to give really beautiful coffees to the people that want it, for essentially the same price point.

Your third point is spot-on as well. It was hard for me to find coffee/espresso that appealed to me in DC (in large part because I've never been big on Ceremony or Counter Culture beans) before Qualia, so most of what I cared about in a coffee shop was whether they could put a jillion shots of espresso in a mocha for me, unless they were one of the few shops that served coffee/espresso that I really liked (Dolcezza, assuming their current espresso wasn't either of the above, or somewhere serving Vigilante). If the wife and I wanted really nice coffee, we'd get mail-order from Gorilla, Blue Bottle, Klatch, Flying Goat, or The Roasting Plant and brew that at home.

As a with-all-disclaimers-added side note, we've stopped doing that because we feel that the coffee at Qualia is generally just as good (if not better, in some cases) than the producers above.

[chiefdc]

I'll be honest, as an avid coffee drinker, I've had better coffee experiences at Starbucks than I do most independents.  (The exceptions: Cafe Amouri in Vienna, Peregrine, and Bakehouse at 14th and T, which serves a Zeke's blend, and Filter).  Starbucks delivers good quality coffee and consistency.  It's never going to blow you away, but I rarely leave disappointed. 

[RoastMonkey]

Hey All,

I am just catching up on this thread. My only comment would be that while we believe our espresso program is very competitive with other top coffee shops in the city, our focus is and always has been on brewed coffee. I feel that this is the best way to highlight both the natural product and the wide spectrum of flavors it exhibits. I think I can safely say we are the only shop in the DC Metro area that offers twelve different origins all of which have been roasted within a week of when we serve it (we sell all our beans within three days of roasting them or take them off the shelf).

I enjoy a good latte as much as the next guy, but the real joy for me is savoring a good cup of black coffee.

[darkstar965]

Hey All,

I am just catching up on this thread. My only comment would be that while we believe our espresso program is very competitive with other top coffee shops in the city, our focus is and always has been on brewed coffee. I feel that this is the best way to highlight both the natural product and the wide spectrum of flavors it exhibits. I think I can safely say we are the only shop in the DC Metro area that offers twelve different origins all of which have been roasted within a week of when we serve it (we sell all our beans within three days of roasting them or take them off the shelf).

I enjoy a good latte as much as the next guy, but the real joy for me is savoring a good cup of black coffee.

Joel's biased since, well, he owns Qualia ( ) but I'm not.  I arguably get around to at least as many coffee shops as anyone who's not "in the biz," which I'm not. Just love and appreciate great coffee. And, well documented here on dr.com that I have loyalties to a number of shops around town based on my own perceptions of the quality of bean/grind and experience.  As example, I'm a fan of Filter, Peregrine, Coffee Bar and Wydown along with a few others.  Have been a fan of Dolcezza but not quite as enthusiastic as I was with their switch to the exclusive relationship with Stumptown. Caffe Afficionado is an exciting new entrant but jury still out a bit. And, I have called out a few shops at times but hopefully supported those criticisms substantively and constructively.  Have even posted topically on how I think about greatness in coffee shops as separate threads.

So, that all to establish, based on my posting record here, that I'm not biased but I'd definitely underscore what Joel has written above.  

He has always been near-entirely about brewed joe and, personally, I LOVE that passion and focus believing that it's simply always easier to do something great when you're more focused as he is.  And, I hadn't thought of Qualia that way before but I think Joel is right that they offer more single-origin bean varietals for in-store brewing and takeaway than most any other shop in the city.  Going one step beyond that though, it's very important with Qualia to remember that Joel was dating his beans well before that became more trendy and widespread.  His coffee truly is "fresh off the roast" as he promotes.  There are one or two other shops in town that I won't name here who also offer an unusually large selection of beans but they are not as carefully and as recently roasted as what you'll find at Qualia. I've written about them separately so no need to re-hash here.

Final note. As with most any high-quality shop, Joel offers a greater number of beans for retail sale than available for brewing in store.  I want to say that there are typically 6 or 7 coffees arrayed on his counter in glass jars each day for in-store brewing and these rotate regularly. That's a larger number than most other shops where 3-4 is a more typical number.

One thing that drives me especially crazy is when a better shop retails a large number of different types of beans by the bag but only offers one or two to drink in store.  I was in Pittsburgh recently and went to one of their better shops that was exclusive with Chicago's Intelligentsia. They had maybe 10 different Intelligentsia coffees, from most of the major growing regions of the world, on the shelves for retail purchase but only one available for a pourover. When I asked if they'd make something different for me (maybe by opening a bag?) they refused.  Huge fail there imho.

Qualia is one of the city's coffee shop treasures.  More great new shops join the scene each month but Joel deserves definite credit and the business of coffee lovers for the passion, seriousness, focus and expertise he brings to every cup you'll drink or make with Qualia beans. I just hope he gets that growth and loyalty enough to make a 2nd shop possible and, when it is, that it's located in a higher foot-traffic area so Qualia will really 'live long and prosper' and it'll be easier for me to access more regularly.