50 Best Cafes in Washington

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

“Must have the Mochi fantastic“

“great food and service nice spot“

“Excellent food and the best chai!“

“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 .“

“Visited the café today! Loved the delectable and creative menu, the warm service, and the beautiful, cozy interior. We enjoyed the inasal, tocino, and ube latte (complete with delicate latte art) courtesy of Sun and Stars Coffee. Our kid was thrilled she could enjoy an ube steamer, too-- and didn't want to stir her drink because she found the art (Hiraya's logo in this instance) so beautiful. If you want reimagined, creative, and elevated Filipino cuisine where the flavors simultaneously bring back sensory memories of the comfort food of your childhood, this is the place for you. Can't wait to return!“

“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.“

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

“Washington rang me up and was so kind and you can tell he loves taking care of guests at Maman. The vanilla cloud cookie was so yummy along with Oprah’s fave - kitchen sink cookie. Such a treat if you’re looking for a mid-day lunch, coffee or a snack. They also have craft cocktails and a happy hour. Definitely check them out!“

“Food was great, but service was poor. The waiter kept forgetting things. He was very distracted. Also they asked on open table if this was a celebration i told them yes. My daughter sweet 16. They didn't even acknowledge it. She had on a sash and everything.“

“I went in on 4th of July for the first time and tried an iced la banda (lavender) cappuccino at the awesome Robin's suggestion. It was creamy and perfect for the summer day, and Robin was so kind! I took my friend back the next day and we got an iced cortado, an iced orange despadura, and an iced.. vanilla latte! Yeah. Another customer suggested adding mocha to the orange, and it was HEAVENLY. I was skeptical of orange in coffee, but no, I was wrong! There's a reason why the despadura is the most popular drink! The other baristas are equally nice, and I just like the vibe there in general. We found a nice place to sit outside. I think the only suggestion I'd give is to make the coffee display in the center of the shop a bit smaller so people can get around it more easily. Unido is so cool. ☕️🌸“

“As a Central Asian who grew up with a similar culture and cuisine, I can confidently say this is the best Middle Eastern restaurant I’ve ever visited.

We sat at the bar, where the two bartenders provided great service.

The dishes were creatively presented and rich in diverse flavors. The Pita with Mushrooms and Hummus was our favorite.

The Frozen Halva Bar is, without a doubt, the most unique and delicious dessert I’ve ever tried. The combination of chocolate ganache, sesame, and halva ice cream blended perfectly. Thank you, pastry Chef, Evyn.“

“Delicious and super staff!“

“The food was delicious, we were 9 people, everything we ordered was delicious. They don't accept reservations, the lines to order are long but the wait is worth it.
I don't give it 5 stars because the bathrooms were disgusting.“

“One of my favorite coffee shops in DC!! Tucked away in the outskirts of Adams Morgan, Yerevan may not look like much from the outside, but this hidden gem is an absolute delight. The staff is all super friendly, and they have the most incredible selection of pastries, coffee, and tea. I have probably tried half of their pastry case, and I continue to be impressed with each and every item. I absolutely adore their homestyle baklava -- the phyllo dough is perfectly crispy and soaks up the honey and nut mixture beautifully, and the dessert is simultaneously decadent and not overly sweet. The honey nugget is a great little sweet bite, and is the perfect gluten-free treat or small pick-me-up, and the honey cake is absolutely incredible. It's a smidge overly sweet (as the main flavor is, as the name implies, honey), but it still manages to be amazing.

Beyond their lovely sweets, their drinks are incredible. They have one of my favorite matcha lattes in DC, as well as a matcha rose latte that is perfect when you're looking for a hint of spring. Their coffee is also wonderful, with a great nutty aroma and deep, robust flavor. It's also served in the cutest little Armenian mugs, which really adds to the overall experience.

The space is shockingly large, with 4-5 larger tables and a couple 2-person tables, all beautifully arranged with cute little flower pots and throw pillows. They even have a small stack of books and board games if you get bored of yapping and need something else to keep you entertained. It's the perfect, cozy little spot to either read, work, or catch up with friends.“

“This bakery, located in D.C, has a fabulous atmosphere and some superb treats! Their coffee and hot cocoa is chef’s kiss. Love this place. ❤️“

“The staff was very friendly, helpful, and overall amazing. The person who helped us gave good recommendations. Some of the things were a bit overpriced for what you’re getting, but they did have interesting food and drink options.

Parking is horrible, but that’s to be expected in Union market. there were a lot of people doing work on their laptops but other than that, there was a pretty good amount of space to be seated if you could find it.“

“It is a cool and nice lounge!“

“I DREAM about the blueberry pancake pie. I went to a show at Pie Shop last night (love the venue upstairs!) and got a slice of the bb pancake and- I have rarely been so happy.
Great staff, great rooftop and GREAT PIE!! Worth every penny of the $9 per sweet slice.“

“Perfectly spacious and fun urban spot, great coffee, lovely blueberry cake, super friendly staff, opens early, a great and relaxed spot for a couple of hours of work on your computer“

“Great place: friendly staff, good drinks, and excellent service.

I loved the vibe in this café. It’s the kind of spot where you can read a book, work on your laptop, or meet up with friends.

Jesse had a great attitude and made a perfect matcha. Thank you!

The music selection was good, and the volume was just right. I usually leave cafés if the music is too distracting, but that definitely wasn’t the case here.

This one’s officially on my list of favorite cafés and recommendations 🤍“

“Outstanding service, flavor, and value… plus an outdoor rooftop space! Couldn’t have asked for more.“

“The fam and I stopped by here after a trip the Postal Museum (review to come on that for those of you who follow...aka my wife) and were really impressed. Coffee shops are a dime a dozen in the city, but good coffee shops can be pretty hard to come by.

Ebenezers was a breath of fresh air both metaphorically in the sense that it's a beautiful shop and had a really refreshing, open atmosphere, and literally because they pump the AC inside and it felt great coming in from the muggy outdoors.

The coffeehouse itself it's surprisingly spacious. On the main level there's a good amount of both indoor and outdoor seating. When we came (early afternoon) we were able to walk right up to the counter to order and had no trouble finding a spot to sit. They also have a basement seating area that had a lot of seating, but it looks like they open and close that for private events, so not sure frequently it's available. Nevertheless, it was open when we were there.

The staff was super friendly and helpful. They took our orders quickly and we were able to just sit down and wait...and wait...and wait some more. I think there was some issue with the espresso machine because the barista kept pulling shots and then smelling the coffee that came out. After doing this a couple of times he called over another employee and did the same thing with him. After a brief consultation they didn't do anything to the machine, pulled the shots for me and my wife and handed them to us.

I'm not really sure what that consultation was, but I've got to say, that little demonstration didn't give me a lot of comfort about what we would be drinking.

Nevertheless, putting that behind me, we grabbed our drinks, went outside and started sipping. Honestly, they were both great. I ordered a latte and it was wonderful, my wife ordered a lavender iced latte which was also quite nice. Maybe the barista pulling shots was just THAT exacting, who can say for sure?

All in all, this is a great spot to stop off. It's really close to Union Station, easy to walk to and a nice place to sit down and do some work. I'll be coming back and hoping the espresso machine is cleaned by then.“

“We got pizza and wine here and this place is so close to a 5. They just need a fly trap in the patio, please!! The vines cover everything, cute lights, great vibes.. but I guess the flies thought so too. We got the sopressata pizza and it was really good, especially the crust. Please get a fly trap and we will come back.“

“In a time when history is being erased, victims are being forgotten, people are being demonized, and racism/fascism/nationalism are being glorified, this is the resource we all need to reference! This site is amazing. The people at the museum are knowledge laden! The Belfer Academy is second to none! Please! Go to them to learn what we need NOT be doing!“

“Amazing cafe reccomend to all people Spanish, American , Black , dont matter anyone here is welcome love the food love the smoothies are amazing just wish the place had a better schedule and was open everyday possibly? and close at 8PM or something or maybe close at 6pm i am a teenager and i give this a perfect review!“

“The food here was delicious. I was visiting out of town with my mother. She is a very picky eater and she even enjoyed it. I had the fried chicken Mac and cheese and dressing with gravy. 🔥🔥It was delicious. 10/10 definitely recommend. I will be back when I visit DC again. I'm only 2 hours away lol“

“I'm visiting. After seeing the poor review because of the service dog, I had to go here so I could write a review. The coffee was great, staff great, and atmosphere great.

ADA law states you can ask two questions for service animals: is the animal due to a disability (it's yes/no so disability doesn't have to be disclosed) and what work has the animal been trained to do. Doesn't matter if you put a life vest on the animal, paperwork, or a large blinking light, etc. If my unfortunate, uneducated patients at the hospital know this to get their dogs to stay with them, then people with real service animals will know this and have no issue with answering the two questions.“

“I stopped by Pitango for dessert, and it definitely hit the spot! 😋 I tried two flavors: Stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate chips) and Fondente (dark chocolate). I don't usually eat gelato, so I was pleasantly surprised by the creaminess. The service was excellent; I wasn’t sure what to choose, but the cashier helped me by offering samples and sharing details about each flavor I tried. One of the chocolate flavors I sampled was incredibly rich and chocolatey—it's water-based and vegan-friendly, which was a first for me! The restaurant was nice, clean, and had indoor seating that could accommodate several people, but I decided to take my treat to go.“

“They have a gluten free bagel that was pretty good! Not a big fluffy bagel but thr flavor was good. I asked if it was toasted on the same spot as the normal bagels and she told me it's toasted in a bag. The chai was alright, a little sweet for my taste.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free bagel“

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

“The dining area is small but I think that’s why it has express in the name. Other than that the food was delicious! Food was served in to go boxes which made it perfect to take the leftovers home (so much food!). We got the shrimp and grits, French toast and the egg and biscuit! Would go back!“

“Food was very good and wonderful servers.“

“Teaism Dupont Circle Washington, DC I am not a great cook and I get too tired of eating the same old thing day in and day out so I decided to try something new after leaving my acupuncture session today. Well, needless to say the creamy curry spinach with cheese cubes and brown rice made my day.“

“Delicious tea, scones, chai, and latkas“

“Great coffee, good ambience and nice people :)“

“A chill, super affirming space and the food and drinks were great! I’ll definitely be back soon.“

“I absolutely love the sandwich smoked salmon toast with avocado & marinated tomatoes, the best. A lovely ambiance And the caffe’ - spresso is good 😊! Lo raccomando Grazie Marilisa“

“I tried something new from their summer menu and it was so good! Strawberry French toast really hit the spot for me on this gloomy day. Great atmosphere and place to work in AdMo, I’d highly recommend stopping by!“

“So delish! One of Dupont’s many hidden gems.“

“Such a lovely, consistent coffee house and bakery experience. The environment and aesthetics are nice and relaxing, the food selection for pastries, sweets and meals are great. Love the new summer tea choices along with their tried and true coffee choices. Prices for drinks are similar to Starbucks, but with a more elevated and welcoming experience.“

“I ordered 3 items, only the French Opera Cake tasted good. The cake had a rich chocolate flavor, not too sweet, and a firm texture. I personally recommend it.
The Tuna Steak Tartare tasted horrible, I like raw tuna and salmon. But under a few pieces of tuna was a pile of tasteless avocado, they were tasteless and inedible. The only flavor was probably a little bit lemon juice, and I wouldn’t have known how to eat it without the bread.
That cup of Americano was the worst coffee I had in maybe half year. It was just like water and had no aroma.“

“YouEBe Cafe in DC is one of those places you just want to hang out in. The vibe is super cozy and welcoming, with a mix of modern and homey decor that makes you feel right at ease. Think soft lighting, comfy chairs, and cool artwork on the walls. It's the kind of spot where you can easily spend a couple of hours catching up with friends, getting some work done, or just enjoying some “me time.”“

“My friends and I were visiting DC and wanted to try something new. When we got there we saw it was closed for a private event but Sherman quickly came out and apologized. My friend mentioned wanting to find a cannoli so he told us to wait outside. He came out with three cannolis and told us it was free. He was the sweetest and the cannolis were amazing!!“

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

“Delicious coffee! I’ve had many iced lattes in my life and the one I had here is definitely up there as one of my favorite cups. The service was also amazing — Greg is so kind and helpful. Definitely stop by if you’re in the area and looking for a good cup of coffee and a solid breakfast :)“

“very nice 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 🥐🍇🍕🧁🍫“

“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.“

“This Cafe is located in the lower level of the African-American History Museum. I ventured here in the interest of time because I really wanted to explore this Cafe before the museum closed, as did a lot of other patrons. The line was long but it moved along. They have a plethora of food options here. I opted for the fried buttermilk chicken, mac and chese, potatoe salad, sweet potatoe and 3 layer chocolate cake. My total was $40. I consumed & thoroughly enjoyed my food. The portions were satisfactory and the food was pleasing to my palate. I received good customer service here, and I was treated with dignity, courtesy and respect. This Cafe can seat a little over 400 people. The cafe was clean and well maintained. If ever I am in this Museum again I would gladly patronize Sweet Home Cafe as I enjoyed their food and I have absolutely "NO" complaints at all.
And I forgot to mention that I thoroughly enjoyed the architecture and design throughout this Cafe. It was simply beautiful.“

“Have visited twice so far and love Maman's aesthetic and decor but even moreso the coffee, food (the Michelle sandwich!) and the pastries. Everything is simply incredible. On top of it all there is excellent customer service from Fatih and the team!“