Northern Virginia takes its coffee seriously, and Fairfax and Arlington offer plenty of personality beyond the standard chain café.
De Clieu Coffee & Sandwich
De Clieu Coffee & Sandwich - The Original Fairfax is an Old Town Fairfax staple for espresso drinks, housemade syrups, breakfast and lunch. The shop also partners with Intelligentsia for its coffee program.
It's the kind of place that works equally well for a morning coffee run or a casual breakfast meeting.
Haraz Coffee House
Haraz Coffee House brings Yemeni-inspired coffee and tea to Main Street in Fairfax. Cardamom, saffron and traditional preparations give the menu a distinctly different personality, while the pastry and dessert selection makes it easy to linger.
Commonwealth Joe
In Arlington's National Landing/Pentagon City area, Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters combines a coffee shop with its own roasting operation.
Simona Cafe
Simona Cafe is a neighborhood café on Franklin Road in Arlington with specialty coffee, rotating single-origin offerings and focaccia-based breakfast sandwiches.
Coffee is one of those small neighborhood details that can become part of a daily routine surprisingly quickly. When you're evaluating a neighborhood, finding your morning coffee spot is part of the research.
