Tryst
2459 18th St. NW
Columbia Heights Metro (Green/Yellow Line)
In the heart of D.C.’s eclectic neighborhood, Adams Morgan, Tryst attracts young and old professionals who want to find refuge in a busy neighborhood for some good coffee, food and drinks. If you need to get work done or read a good book, you can steal a spot in the comfortable array of sporadically laid-out couches and chairs in the middle of the dining room. If not, the regular tables are fine too, or you can seat yourself at the bar for full service. Not only does Tryst serve great coffee, but they have a unique food menu and a bar. Each cup of coffee is served with wonderfully-nostalgic animal crackers, complementing the bold, smooth taste of espressos. And if you need an extra kick, you’ll have no problem adding a shot of Bailey’s or Kahlua to your coffee.
The Wydown Coffee Bar
1924th St. NW
U Street Metro (Green/Yellow Line)
On the busy corner of 14th and U Street, this casual coffee bar ands its baristas specialize in pour-over coffees. Shipping in coffee from Central and South America, among other locations, the baristas practice special care in the art of pour-over coffees, maximizing the taste from the grounds. There are also a variety of unique teas and delicious, homemade pastries to go along with your coffee or tea. The down-to-earth atmosphere at this little shop invites people to sit down, relax, and take a break from the outside world, whether you want to read, people-watch or just sip on your drink.
Peregrine Espresso
660 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Eastern Market Metro (Blue/Orange Line)
This homey little café will put Starbucks to shame with their articulately-chosen coffee beans from Counter Culture Coffee roasting company. Coffee-lovers will enjoy handcrafted drinks from macro and microbrews from Peru, Ethiopia, Kenya and other faraway nations. Not only do the baristas care about what the coffee tastes like, but they care how it looks, creating aesthetic images into lattes and cappuccinos. Peregrine Espresso’s microbrews and seasonal coffees became extremely popular in 2008 when the shop first opened in Eastern Market, leading to two more shops in Union Market and on 14th St. NW.
Coffy Café
3310 14th St. NW
Columbia Heights (Green/Yellow Line)
This two-floor neighborhood café boasts great coffee, crepes and free wifi. Additionally, the 1960s and 70s theme makes for an interesting atmosphere, good music and unique old-school mugs. Whether you get one cup of coffee or five, you won’t feel guilty for prolonging your stay with the plethora of seats and laidback atmosphere. And if that six-page essay is taking you longer than you thought, buy a sweet or savory crepe to get you through those last few paragraphs. The café also hosts several shows and events throughout the year, such as poetry readings and live music.
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café
1517 Connecticut Ave
Dupont Circle (Red Line)
This late-night concoction of a bookstore, café and bar is the ultimate escape for bookworms and foodies alike. Their bookstore offers a wide selection of contemporary and classic books for people to peruse through for as long as they’d like. Thirsty? Grab a coffee from their café. Hungry? Buy a decadent dessert to indulge in, take a seat in their restaurant for a full meal or choose the “sharezies” option with your friends to share several appetizers. More thirsty? Choose a craft beer, or make your coffee into a Real Espresso Martini, or a Coffee Delight with coffee liqueur, chilled espresso and coffee ice cream. Kramerbooks is one of the few places in the city that offers all-night service on Friday and Saturday for people to stumble in, read a book and grab a decent cup of joe.
Maria Kim is a senior Bloc reporter and can be reached at kimaria27@gmail.com.
