where to find it

last updated 7/22/24

Whenever I travel somewhere, I always google best coffee in <city name>. That and word of mouth are how I’ve found a lot of these places.

Here’s a list of Matty-approved coffee shops. I’ll keep this list pinned to the top of the blog and update it as I visit new places (or remember places I may have forgotten).

If I learn a shop closes I will remove it from the list. But please check ahead before you visit to ensure your destination still exists, given the vagaries of a low-margin business.


Continue reading where to find it

one DC coffee shop I won’t be visiting

This is absolutely nuts. Staying far far away, hopefully it will be gone soon.

UPDATE: they’ve been closed down by DC authorities, at least for now

coffee & booze, a beautiful friendship

I’m not much for Irish coffee and its derivatives (especially those buried in whipped cream), but I do love me a well-made espresso martini. Not too long ago I discovered an even better way to enjoy coffee in an adult beverage.

Behold, the frozen coffee drink:

This delight can be found at Snappy’s Small Bar, in DC’s Petworth neighborhood. Terrific owners and staff, friendly as all get out, timeless decor. It’s the go-to place if you’re a fan of Underberg, as they always have a ton of it available.

Continue reading

why, you cocky little…..

Had a great time recently visiting my hometown in upstate New York for my high school reunion. The area used to be a desert for good coffee, but as the Hudson Valley has become the Hamptons north (that person looks so familiar, are they an actor…… rock star……. someone I went to high school with……. someone whose parents went to school with me….) that is slowly changing. There’s a lot of independent roasters aspiring to greatness, and more and more cafés trying to do things the right way.

The barista at a café in the hamlet of Tivoli (I-lov-it spelled backward) spotted my Onyx Coffee Lab tee and made me out for a coffee guy. He was pretty cocky in a funny kind of way, but damned if he didn’t make me a terrific beverage. Congratulations, my confident friend, you just earned your shop The Coveted Asterisk of Quality.

Tivoli General
54a Broadway
Tivoli, NY

https://www.tivoli-general.com

well, since you asked… DMV power rankings

images: Boston Public Library

If you’ve spent more than 2 minutes on this site, it won’t surprise you that I’m known to friends and colleagues as “the coffee guy.” More than a few times I’m asked by someone new to town which coffee places they really have to try, and I’m often unprepared for the question.

I’m going to give it a go here. No copping out with ties or honorable mentions. No explanations, other than I’ve limited myself geographically to my understanding of the DC metro area.* No fretting about coffee vs service vs food vs whatever other factors should be considered. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll give you a different answer, and there are a lot of great places not listed, but here are one guy’s rankings of the very best of the best in and near the nation’s capital.

Washington, DC
1. The Coffee Bar (Shaw)
2. Baked & Wired
3. Doubles
4. Café Unido (La Cosecha)
5. Lost Sock
6. Elle
7. Ebenezer’s
8. Simona
9. Little Hat
10. Dua

Maryland
1. Vigilante (Hyattsville)
2. Kaldi’s
3. Takoma Bev Co
4. Vigilante (College Park)

Virginia
1. Rare Bird
2. Rossana to You
3. Caffe Amouri
4. Swings
5. Kaldi’s
6. Simona

* – apologies to the rest of Virginia and Maryland and the eastern portion of West Virginia – I’m looking at you, Red Rooster, Hopscotch, Curate, and Lost Dog.

guest post: Vancouver coffee

Submitted by my pal Rachel. Enjoy. – Matty

After a year of living in North Vancouver, British Columbia, I can attest to the very high quality of local coffee shops. That said, let me confess that this review is very limited to my neighborhood; Lonsdale – a pretty, mellow community with stunning views of the North Shore mountains, Vancouver Harbor, and the city skyline. I’ve also thrown in a bonus shop that’s a short drive up the road and just too delightful to omit. Let me also confess that I am a cappuccino drinker and, when I rate coffee, that is my brew. In Vancouver, most coffee shops also sell lovely pastries, made locally or in-house, and no review would be complete without discussing the treats.

In Lonsdale:

BEAN ON 5TH (official name: Bean Around the World – 5th & Chesterfield)
506 Chesterfield Avenue, North Vancouver, BC
https://batwcoffee.com

Coffee: Consistently excellent

Ambiance: Cozy garden outside, casual and inviting inside

Pastry: All very delicious, but the star of the show is the chocolate bread pudding, only available on weekends. It is sublime; crusty, gooey, and rich. Cookies, blueberry loaf, and muffins are also above average.

Location: An unexpected delight on a quiet, residential street just a couple of blocks from Lonsdale Avenue, the commercial heart of Lonsdale. With plentiful outdoor seating on a shady patio, this is a great place to take your dog out to coffee. Or, if you are like me this past year and temporarily dogless, this is where you go to bother other coffee drinkers with your need to pet their dog.

Continue reading