50 Best Cafes in Washington

“I love this place! The food is phenomenal! I can’t get over the tempeh burger!!!“

“I stopped in with friends before a event Sunday evening. The staff was warm and welcoming. I had the lentil sambusas and a peanut-infused coffee at the staff’s recommendation. The food was fast and delicious- the sambusas were warm and spicy, and the peanut coffee was delicious! In a kind gesture, the chef sent over a sampling of sushi to our table. Fresh and refreshing, the sushi was a nice complement to my sambusas and hot beverage. I’m not on this side of town often, but now I have a reason to come back.“

“Must have the Mochi fantastic“

“We had a great lunch! Highly recommended! 😋😋😋“

“Stopped by after seeing high reviews. The atmosphere of the place is really nice. There’s quiet spaces to study. There’s cute little gifts you can purchase. However, the pistachio chocolate croissant I tried wasn’t good. I don’t like the taste of pistachio paste. Also it wasn’t fresh.“

“We had the best time at KooKoo DC last night. They accommodated a table of 14 for my spouse's birthday and never let us feel like an imposition. The food was so fresh, authentic, and reasonably priced - I did a double take when we got the bill. I even felt like we went all-out with apps, drinks, and desserts! The owner was also so kind - we just felt so cared for the whole time and can't wait to visit again.“

“great food and service nice spot“

“Excellent food and the best chai!“

“I’m not gonna lie, I’m here because plenty of social media profiles have recommended it. I’m glad I listened.

Ordered the
1.) breakfast egg pita:
- soft scrambled eggs, kashlaval, pali salad, and green shatta labne.
2.) peanut dalgona
- Iced latte with peanut and coconut cold foam

The breakfast pita had soft creamy eggs, sauce reminding you a herby chili paste, and the peppery bites from the arugula based salad. The takeaway is the soft pita bread housing everything inside. Solid alternative to your traditional breakfast Sandos.

Peanut dalgona, was nice and creamy. Coffee felt from quality, where it has a clean caffeine kick. Peanut and coconut cold foam carries the flavor profiles of the full drink.

Staff was supper friendly, helped guide us as we never been there before. Plenty of space inside. I read that this was the bigger location versus Georgetown. Open kitchen concept, so you can actually look into them make your food/bread.

Was definitely a highlight to the trip, they were quick, if I ever stop by DC again, I’ll make sure to come back“

“This place was an absolute gem during our week-long stay in DC. We visited it a whopping five times! We had such a great time, especially when we made a funny joke about breakfast for the next morning. 😂 Because we had already eaten it .“

“Nice atmosphere . Troy was a great host/server.“

“I just had an amazing breakfast here! The menu has a great selection of vegetarian options, healthy and so delicious.“

“Had a fantastic experience at Maman in DC. Dakota, Paul, and Kevin provided exceptional service from start to finish, they took the time to walk me through the menu, offered thoughtful recommendations, and even crafted a special drink just for me that was outstanding. The baked goods were absolutely delicious as well. Truly great hospitality all around, and I really appreciated the extra care they put into making the experience memorable. Highly recommend!“

“I'm a retired chef from Louisiana but living in Nashville nowadays. I know about eating healthy and I would give this place 2 thumbs up.“

“Food: very good pie. Hit the spot. Nothing is as good as homemade pie so it’s a hard bar to reach but still solid. Service: Great! Very friendly and patient. Atmosphere: 10/10 such a great upstairs music venue. Has a bar, an out door roof area and great dance floor. Never seen an upstairs space like it and I love that it’s hidden within the cute pie shop. Such a great vibe and I got to see my favorite artist of the year -Otto Benson- put on an amazing performance an arms length away from me. Great sound and lighting. 👌ideal music venue.“

“very nice 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 🥐🍇🍕🧁🍫“

“One of the best coffee shops in DC and definitely a favorite of mine. I find myself coming back all the time. The orange raspadura latte is a must, and they have the best carajillos in the Union Market area. The customer service is always great, too.

They also have a really reasonably priced happy hour, especially for DC. Great coffee, great drinks, and consistently a good experience. I haven’t tried any food yet but can vouch for the drinks. Highly recommend!“

“My favorite neighborhood establishment! Amazing service, great food & bev, dimly lit indoor seating with a nice patio space. It gets busy weekend mornings but they handle the crowd well. And now they’re open for dinner and offer great happy hour deals!“

“My favorite study spot and chai latte in DC!!! Youebe is one of those places that feels like it belongs in the neighborhood. The space is relaxed and welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. On top of that, the service has been consistently good every time I’ve visited (which is very often).
The drinks are well made across the board, and the chai latte is my personal favorite. Everyone I have brought here wants to come back. They also have juices made with the freshest ingredients possible. Great place to go if you’re looking for a study sesh, or to grab a coffee (and some good food) with friends.“

“the people are really nice and the food is great 👍“

“Even though I live in SoCal I have wanted to go to Ebeneezers for a couple of years because I heard about in books by Mark Batterson. The French Toast Latte was perfect for a slightly raining morning. We saw runners that apparently gather there often for a run. Very friendly place and the manager even gave us a little tour and took time out of he busy day to chat about the place. The Cashier said that her Mom use to work there also. Has a great atmosphere and plenty of seating inside or outside.“

“refreshing and fulfilling smoothies Healthy and great taste“

“Every time I visit my family in DC, I always go to Cafe on 9th! Best place in the neighborhood to get a sandwich, and is NYC folk know how to judge a good BECSPK 🥪 if you want a great breakfast/lunch sandwich, definitely stop by here!“

“Grabbed a smoothie and some wellness shots out of there yesterday. The vibe was perfect and it felt very welcoming.“

“It is a cool and nice lounge!“

“Today I had the best fried chicken sandwich since Kevin Tien’s Perfect seasoning—a little heat but not too much, smashed avocado, coleslaw, and chicken that had just the right amount of crispy covering that kept the chicken moist. I can’t wait to return for another.“

“Quick, pleasant, and otherwise attentive, staff members at Colada Shop on The Wharf are consummate professionals. Even when I haven’t yet ordered, and am in line, staff prepares my order [they know my preferences] and swiftly checks me out. Coffee and food are delicious. Wonderful.“

“Suosittelemme Chef Mikko Catering ravintolaa ❤️😍“

“OMG! My favorite place for juice, smoothies, avocado toast and acai bowls now has SOUP! Just had their potato squash soup, and it was better than my homemade soup (which is also delicious). Will be visiting often this winter for soup, cappuccino and "stay away cold and flu" juices. Sooo happy to have healthy options close-by!“

“Delicious and super staff!“

“The service is excellent, and the food is beautifully prepared and delicious, served on lovely Armenian-style plates. You can also purchase products from Armenia. I wish you every success and offer a big Armenian shnorhakalutyun (thank you) ☀“

“Toastique is my favorite! That Green Machine smoothie can cure just about anything. I visited today and accidentally dropped my smoothie before I had a sip. They sweetly made me a fresh one and I left feeling embarassed...but I bet this smoothie will cure that, too.“

“Great experience wonderful staff the kitties were a lot of fun!!“

“Decent sandwich and lunch place. Was pretty busy when we stopped in and there wasn’t a ton of help behind the counter. Felt bad for the folks that had been waiting some time while food delivery orders were prioritized.

That said, the food I got was pretty great. The salad was a little too oily but it was priced pretty fairly for the amount of salad I got.

Overall a decent place. Would stop by if I was looking for a safe lunch option.“

“It’s definitely an immersive music experience with great coffee, juice and bagel sandwiches. Yes on the turkey bacon question. Not much seating- window booth for 2, 2 tables for 3, and a bar on the wall of 4 chairs. The host gentleman was not very friendly, but business like, brisk and polite. They also have some bakery cake specialties but nothing in the pastry category. Enjoy!“

“Great food and drinks! Lovely atmosphere! My favorite are the Belarusian and Ukrainian dishes like borscht and bliny. Also, love the light desserts.“

“Chez Lily is a lifesaver. I was absolutely starving and wanted to grab something omw to work. Desperately wanted a bagel. Why is that so hard to find??!!! Chez Lily serves Bethesda bagels!!! Ordered online and ready to grab and go when I came in. Perfectly fresh everything bagel with just the right amount of cream cheese. Excellent!“

“I went here 3 days straight. The coffee is top notch. The egg croissant sandwich is messy, but it doesn’t matter because it’s eaten in 90 seconds. The fig and prosciutto panini is delicious.

It’s a great spot to grab a seat indoor along the windows to people watch, or get some work done at a table.“

“Cute spot, good oatmilk cappacino, and fast food made on order. They have a lot of bread options and turkey bacon or sausage as we as the regular ones. Limited seating in winter but enough and looks like a fun patio for warmer weather. It's in a a neighborhood and good for people watching and just being a part of daily routine of DC.“

“Great buffet and grill that feels like home. The owners are like family! Chef does a great job!“

“Great and Delicious food! So glad I found it :)“

“The high quality ingredients make for the best espresso drinks I have ever had! Delicious iced tea in the summer too.“

“The Bacon egg and cheese Brioche was amazing!! I didn't love the apple turnover but that's because I'm not a big sugar person! Not her fault! Super friendly lady behind the counter and a little hidden gem! Our drip coffee was fantastic!“

“I love City Place Cafe and the staff is amazing🥰“

“I’ve loved coming in and seeing the staff make the fresh coffee on Sunday from the pot. Such a refreshing aroma. I like their espresso coffee with steam milk .“

“Artsy cafe, modern but warm. I enjoyed the blueberry earl grey scone even though I normally despise blueberry baked anything - the blueberries were juicy and a little tart, and the scone itself wasn’t too sweet and had a lovely buttery crust. Coffee is pretty solid as well, pleasant roast with berry notes.“

“This juice bar is like my second home—especially if you’re part of the Hidden Gym family. The atmosphere is incredible, everyone welcomes you like family, and the positive energy is contagious.

If you stop by, ask for the Napi Juice (a.k.a. the Sick Kid Juice). It’s my go-to every single time! It’s made with telba (flaxseed) and beso (roasted barley flour), giving it a unique Ethiopian twist that’s both delicious and packed with nutrition.

My favorite part of every visit is seeing her. She already knows exactly what I want and has it ready in seconds. She’s like a mother to me, and her kindness and care keep me coming back.

If you’re looking for fresh, healthy smoothies, amazing people, and a place that truly feels like family, this is it. Hidden Gym members know exactly what I’m talking about. Highly recommended! 💚🥤💪“

“The food was great. However this is not the Milk and Honey location you should plan to sit and eat. It’s very small and got packed quickly. They took over 45 minutes to get my food out. Although y the food was great, the service is more like call to order and pick it up. They don’t even bring the food on a plate. You get it in a plastic container even if you are dining in.“

“Pretty good for a greasy spoon if that's what you're looking for. Not overly priced compared to most DC cafes around here. Atmosphere is a little on the downside but quick solid breakfast fair price hits the spot if that's what you're looking for. I like argue before per agency stuff“

“Super good variety of food and options too choose from. I like to get the food from street bird but I’ve had the Mexican options and all is very good.
I like to come here and hang out while eating because it’s very close to my school.“