9 Coffee Shops We Love
For caffeine and character, look no further than these local spots. ☕️
Kaldi’s latte and buttermilk waffles, which are also available gluten-free, are topped with house-made blackberry chia jam, whipped cream, and fruit. (Photo courtesy of Kaldi’s)
A great coffee shop has to satisfy a lot of conditions: friendly staff, comfortable seating, good Wi-Fi, chill personality, solid snacks and caffeinated beverages that are actually worth the $5 (or more) you’re forking over. To help you choose from among the dozens of coffee shop options in the Arlington area, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite spots for you to churn out an office project or meet up with a friend.
Kaldi’s Social House
This spacious Clarendon gathering place, which brands itself as “the favorite spot of the civilized world,” offers a robust menu of eats and some of the best latte art around. The shop (Tsega Hailemariam’s second location, after Silver Spring) carries Counter Culture coffee and has an oat nitro latte and affogato on its drink list. Arrive with an appetite—Kaldi’s food options include smoothies, bowls, toasts, waffles, sliders and flatbreads. And while you’re there, take a few moments to unwind as the flurry of passersby move past the building’s large glass windows.
3100 10th Street N., Arlington (Clarendon)
East West
There’s a decidedly upscale vibe at this Clarendon coffee and wine bar, which features a charming outdoor patio. As you meet up with a date or an old friend, sip pour-over coffee or a matcha latte, or go straight for the red and white stuff; they’ve got roughly two dozen wines by the bottle or glass. You’ll also have plenty of food options, from a Turkish breakfast for two to tapas (including patatas bravas, hanger steak and shrimp tempura).
3101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)
Bakeshop’s mocha. (Photo courtesy of Bakeshop)
Bakeshop
The homegrown bakery known for its rainbow of macarons, whipped-cream cakes and vegan options also has caffeinated beverages on the menu. Try the Vietnamese iced coffee or the mocha, and take it out to the patio (at the Falls Church location). And if you come in the morning, snag a breakfast sandwich on a croissant or biscuit with house-made pimiento cheese.
1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington (Clarendon)
100 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church
The cherry blossom latte at Café Kindred, a spring seasonal drink. (Photo courtesy of Café Kindred)
Café Kindred
This alt-rock-themed café at the edge of The Little City serves locally roasted Vigilante Coffee with style. Espresso drinks are presented on a pretty board with a shot of seltzer (a palate cleanser) and a petit biscuit. In addition to the standard lineup of Americanos, cappuccinos and cortados, the shop also serves seasonal drinks and a full menu of cooked-to-order eggs, baked goods, sandwiches and salads. And be warned, no laptops on weekends—they want their patrons to relax, or at least try.
450 N. Washington St., Falls Church
Rako Coffee Roasters
After landing their coffee in area restaurants and grocery stores, sisters Lisa and Melissa Gerben opened their first cafe, complete with a small bar and large patio. On the coffee menu, you’ll find pour-overs and seasonal lattes, and stick around for their selection of natural wines. They’ve also got pastries, small bites and shareable plates (salteñas, mezze board), and extend their hours into the late evening toward the end of the week.
2016 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Courthouse)
Some of the available seating at Detour Coffee. (Photo courtesy of Detour Coffee)
Detour Coffee
This Virginia Square haunt feels like a bohemian coffee shop in a college town—and it sort of is, considering it’s right across the street from George Mason University’s Arlington campus. Operating on the ground floor of nightclub Darna (same ownership), it’s a comfy hideaway for banging out your next paper or work proposal over Vigilante Coffee. Taking counter service up a notch, the staff will bring your drink or food order to you. If you’re planning to stay a while, you can keep a tab open and get some substantial nourishment. The breakfast sandwiches go far beyond the English muffin and egg patty—the magician, one of the menu items, is an arepa stuffed with scrambled egg, avocado, corn, onion, queso fresco and tabasco cream, served with home fries or fruit. So go ahead—order another dirty chai or nitro, and settle in.
946 N. Jackson St., Arlington (Virginia Square)
Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters
For a cool kick, you can’t beat Commonwealth Joe’s nitro—a cold, steeped coffee that’s finished off in a keg and infused with nitrogen bubbles. The resulting elixir, resembling a glass of Guinness, is one of several welcome jolts at CWJ’s flagship store in Pentagon City. (CWJ also sells its nitro cold brew by the keg to local offices and businesses, and offers at-home coffee subscriptions.) You’ll also find oat milk lattes, kombucha, teas and the green chili breakfast burrito: scrambled eggs, home fries, monterey jack and cheddar on a flour tortilla. Expect to do some people-watching—this place is a bit of a thoroughfare for office workers on weekdays.
Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters, 520 12th St South, Arlington (Pentagon City)
A coffee at Rare Bird Coffee Roasters. (Photo courtesy of Rare Bird Coffee Roasters)
Rare Bird Coffee Roasters
What started out as a home-roasting venture is now a thriving wholesale business, selling beans to area restaurants and retailers like Acme Pie and The Liberry. Owners Bryan Becker and Lara Berenji have a cute storefront and roasting operation in Falls Church City that recently expanded toward the corner of Broad and Maple streets and now seats 50. You’ll find rotating works by local artists on the walls and seasonal specials on the menu, which includes house-made baked goods such as zucchini walnut morning bread and a decadent kouign-amann. Dig into their breakfast sandwiches on sourdough buttermilk biscuits and on weekends, find their cinnamon rolls.
230 West Broad Street, Falls Church
Northside Social’s carrot cake latte, created by coffee director Ren Munsterman. (Photo courtesy of Ren Munsterman)
Northside Social
The perpetually bustling hub in Clarendon (a Best of Arlington winner) occupies a quirky red house and former train station. Its sister location in Falls Church is just as historic (a retrofit of one of the oldest buildings in town) and just as packed. It helps that both eateries have spacious outdoor seating areas, featuring umbrellas for sunny days and heaters for frosty ones. Both shops also sport upstairs seating—and upstairs wine bars—and it switches over to table service at 5 p.m. Find seasonal coffee and food items on the menu, which is already packed with poached-egg breakfast sandwiches, quiches, salads and shareable plates.
3211 Wilson Blvd, Arlington (Clarendon)
205 Park Ave., Falls Church City
