The Best Coffee Shops That Aren’t Chains
Tired of Starbucks and Dunkin’? Here are the best places to get your caffeine fix in the area that are not massive chains:
Clove & Cedar CoffeeBar
4918 St. Elmo Avenue, Bethesda, MD
Tuesday through Friday: 6:30 am-5pm, Saturday and Sunday: 7:30am-3pm, Monday: closed
Though Clove & Cedar recently opened, it is already a huge success. The former lawyer who opened it did a great job of achieving a warm, community gathering space. Sip on a tangy matcha latte or a classic drip coffee.
Quartermaine Coffee Roasters
Multiple locations
Hours depend on location
Walking into Quartermaine, the smell of coffee will hit your nose almost immediately in a forceful manner. That is how you know that they serve flavorful and fresh coffee, which is easily enjoyed in their cozy atmosphere.
Black Lion Coffee and Cafe
9705 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, MD
Monday through Saturday: 7am-7pm, Sunday: 7am-6pm
This Rockville gem is well known for its fantastic ethopian coffee and friendly customer service. They often feature seasonal beverages such as a peppermint mocha in the winter.
Java Nation
10516 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD
Monday through Friday: 6am-5pm, Saturday: 7am-5pm, Sunday: 8am-5pm
Known for their lattes, Java Nation is a perfect alternative to a coffee shop chain. They have plentiful seating, free WiFi, and outlets.
Compass Coffee
Multiple locations
Hours depend on location
With nine locations and counting, this local chain is home to an inviting atmosphere that is perfect for being social or productive. Not to mention it has some of the best nitro cold brew in the area.
Bump ‘n Grind
1200 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
Monday through Wednesday: 7am-8pm, Thursday and Friday: 7am-9pm, Saturday: 8am-9pm, Sunday: 8am-pm
Bump ‘n Grind combines the charm of a local coffee shop with the trendy vibes of record store. Thumb through the incredible vinyl selection while drinking a flavorful mocha.
Coffee Republic
801 Pleasant Drive #100, Rockville, MD
7am-6pm daily
Located in King Farm Village Center, this coffee shop is cute and cozy. Customers praise their classic cafe americanos but if your in the mood for something new, they have rotating seasonal specials. This summer it is a raspberry white mocha.
Grace Street Coffee Roasters
3210 Grace Street NW, Washington, DC
Monday through Thursday: 7am-5pm, Friday: 7am-6pm, Saturday and Sunday: 9am-6pm
In the heart of Georgetown lies Grace Street Coffee Roasters. If you are in the area it is definitely worth a stop to try their local coffee. Bonus is that this roastery shares a building with SUNdeVICH and South Block, so there are plenty of yummy foods around.
Dolcezza
Multiple locations
Hours depend on location
While some may think of this spot as serving incredible gelato, look further down the menu and you will realize that they serve a variety of coffee specialties. They collaborate with roasters all over the country to create unique blends.
Baked and Wired
1052 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, Washington, DC
Monday through Thursday: 7am-8pm, Friday: 7am-9pm, Saturday and Sunday: 8am-9pm
Go to Baked and Wired for the cupcakes and stay for the coffee. Or if you are caffeine obsessed, simply go for their wide selection of traditional espresso and coffee beverages.