My tea and coconut milk was excellent. I will be making this a regular stop when I am in town.

Picturesque & cozy little shop in Old Town Alexandria, on King Street. A group of 5 of us met here on a Sunday afternoon around 2. It was fairly busy for the few hours we were there. There is a sofa, coffee table, and small table with 2 chairs up front, a couple more 2 person tables across from the ordering counter, and another sofa and set of tables in the back room. There are a few small tables in the back patio area outside as well. There are 2, 1-person gender neutral bathrooms in back, handicap accessible, if you can navigate your wheelchair back there successfully. There is a small paid parking lot behind the building. You can access the back patio from the lot and walk into the store that way. However, there is some gravel and a step, so while the patio may be of use, the back entrance into the shop is not handicap accessible right now. You can take a sidewalk from the parking lot around the side of the block of buildings to the front door, which we did. One of our friends is in a motorized wheelchair/scooter. The alley access would have be an alternative access point, however a pole at the entrance makes it too narrow for the chair, so we took the long way around and were able to make it over the lip of the front door with relative ease. Fate smiled upon us, as all of the indoor tables had been occupied before our friend arrived, but just as we helped her navigate to the front, the small table and sofa by the front window became available and we were able to sit together there. The store is lined with various themed merchandise and décor which is a cute aesthetic, but the path from the front of the shop to the back runs along the counter, display shelves, and small tables and is too narrow for wheel chairs without moving of furniture (which I'm sure is possible, but obviously complicated if people are sitting at those tables, etc.) The iced vanilla lattes paired perfectly with the absolutely heavenly bacon, onion, and gruyere quiche slices we ordered! Their pies/quiches appear to be homemade and full sized, so you get generous slice, but run the risk of them running out if it's busy haha The croffles were less successful according to my friends who tried them? But I can't compliment the quiche enough. I make quiches at home when I have the energy and this was top notch in my book! I was disappointed that you cannot seem to order many of the teas iced? They had a small selection that does not include any black teas. I did order a hot organic golden monkey after I finished my vanilla latte. I understand the loose leaf teas need to steep in hot water, and it occurred to me after I could have ordered a hot tea and asked for a cup of ice to pour it over. Not sure why that isn't a built-in option at a tea shop now that I think of it, but thoughts for future visits! read more

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This is a special place! Quirky art, funky snacks and hearty pies, and great chai plus a teeny interior courtyard. I highly recommend ESP Tea and Coffee. My friends who have a lot of food allergies also really like going here. read more

3.2021 Cutesy local coffee shop and bakery. Visually appealing from the street view to interior decor. I scooped a Chamomile Hot Tea. It was pretty tasty. Cute cups and all the hot beverage condiments wished. Great indoor atmosphere, outdoor seating in a cutesy small yard. Parking can be a nuisance but not impossible. There's a parking lot immediately behind establishment w a door to enter. Yup, I'd return. read more

So I went to 3 other places for coffee while in Alexandria and this one had the best. I was able to get an iced coffee and didn't even have to put anything in it (I will usually do black, but if it's too bitter/strong I'll add cream or oat milk.) Also, may sound trivial, but I like that they had the sippy cup lids on their to go cups rather than the lids w/straws. I didn't find that anywhere else I went in town. Unfortunately I tried to order food - their lox croffle - and they said they weren't ready yet. I don't know what that means but it was disappointing not to be able to get a bite to eat. This the only reason for knocking off a star. Cool and eclectic inside. I'd recommend. read more

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Great service and relaxing spot to just take a moment to yourself . Finger food is good so is the cafe latte read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Prices are good, coffee drinks are delicious and service was friendly and efficient. Plenty of seating, both in the front room and the back. Looked like some outdoor seating as well. If you're a tea drinker, you'll be in tea heaven. So many options!!! read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I just KNEW this place would be good. I enjoyed the black coffee - that's beewed/filtered, not Americano, as my mentor Alfred Peet would have stressed. Baked goods. Great service and atmosphere. read more

My cousins from out of town visited this place with me, and we enjoyed kava, which I was happy to try, and chocolate pecan pie, which I was happy to steal a bite of. Folks behind the bar were friendly and knowledgeable, and there's a wonderful vibe to this place. The kava itself is an experience. It numbs your lips while it relaxes you. If you try the kava, definitely opt for the one with coconut milk added. It must be super bitter without that. Also, the pineapple on the side tasted completely different before and after sipping on the kava--trippy stuff! Overall, this is an excellent place for singles and couples, but it's not laid out for strollers or toddlers. Our party's two-year-old (not pictured) amused himself with supervised play by the bar when there was no empty area that could accommodate us all. That's not a complaint for ESP, just something that potential visiting customers should keep in mind. read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Kava Cream -- two Low Tides - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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If you haven't been here you need to go! The atmosphere, food, and customer service were incredible. I will definitely be back! read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Salted Caramel Latte (Hot) and Cranberry Muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I liked the coffee very much and the place had a nice vibe but I was surprised that they charged me 50 cents for a bit of cream for my coffee. read more

We enjoyed excellent coffee--a cortado and a decaf latte (decaf is often disappointing, but not the shop's Quiet Storm) with a slice of bacon quiche this morning. Our coffees were excellent and the quiche was delicious. We are in town two more days and plan to return both days! The shop is eclectic, inviting and fun and the baristas are friendly, charming and beautiful. ESP coffee was a perfect start to our day! read more

I came here with my friend bright and early one Saturday morning. As you can see we had the entire place to ourselves. I was nervous about just ordering a regular coffee instead of a hot chocolate bc I'm not typically a coffee drinker, & I didn't want it to be bitter, BUT ya girl was tired. We were there on a Saturday being productive or whatever (). And I was so happy!! It was SO GOOD!! Only time I've ever had coffee where I didnt have to change it up was when I was visiting my grandma on her country farm, in the fertile hills of Colombia, and she gave me a small black coffee, no sugar...it was amazing. (how coffee should taste like! But, I digress) I'm from VA so besides being shook by DC prices always, even though you knows it's up there in price, it was worth it. I'm a total ambience girl, so if you want a good space, come! I wish a location was closer to where I live or I'd be coming a lot more often. read more

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We stopped in to ESP Tea and Coffee for coffee, tea, and a snack. Really a cool shop, good vibe. They have loose leaf tea, which is the key to a real tea shop. I had the golden monkey, it was very good. My wife enjoyed her coffee. I added a chocolate croissant, it was high quality! read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - The loose leaf tea was great! The chocolate croissant was so good I forgot to get a picture! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I was "influenced" to come here by a DMV foodie that I follow. The TLDR version: nothing special, slow service. The OK: Latte wasn't too sweet Croissant waffle was surprisingly crispy Cute unusual 70s basement interior Popular spot; lots of patrons Unusual latte flavors The meh: Service was incredibly slow, the staff (which appeared to be 3 teenagers) ask for your name only to never use it to call out your order. None of the orders are marked with labels so you're not sure which items are yours or not Zesty maple Croissant waffle was basic and had no zest! Was hoping for lemon or lime to brighten the snack read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Zesty maple croissant waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

So bad I redownloaded yelp. Store is small and crowded, staff didn't tell us what I ordered was going to be awful, flavorless, and overpriced. This isn't a reflection on the staff, it's a reflection of the products they serve and their recipes!! read more

Stopped by on a drizzly Sat morning for warm beverage to try and beat the chill. ESP is VERY cozy - if you don't like being close to those around you, this isn't your place. There's some seeing in the front as well as in the back and side patio (when it's not freezing cold). Being a Saturday morning in December, there was quite a long line. I ordered what turned out to be an amazing chai latte with oat milk. It had the perfect spice level and the foam was superb! Could've been a bit hotter for my liking, but that's a preference. Base price was on the higher end for a chai but not unexpected for Old Town. Vegans and lactose-intolerant, prepare to pay extra for your non-dairy milk. ESP has a fantastic selection of sweet and savory pies (including the saltena which looked like fat empanadas). Several vegan options were available the day I visited. read more

Got the french toast pie, it was two bites. Now I know I need to go on a diet but I need to feel full too. It was good, the whole two bites I had of it. The coffee was left half full after I was done with it (shows how much I liked it). The ambience, (if you can call it that) had me feeling like I was in a milk carton, getting ready to be poured out into a latte. read more

Has such a good experience despite external complications- incredible, empathetic staff demonstrated such great customer service, and the coffee and pastry were both delicious. The atmosphere was so calming and had a lovely ambiance. Can't wait to come back and will absolutely recommend read more

I'm so happy this coffee shop opened under new management. But also love that similar items are still available. The beef saltena is even better than before. It was $6 and I thought that was expensive, but when I bit in to it at the park, I realized the beef chunks are larger, very moist yummy & tasteful. I ate it all up. The tea was good too. They are practicing good pandemic safety & following CDC guidelines. Much cleaner inside. So glad the outdoor seating is still available. I'll definitely be back. Highly recommended. read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Iced tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Best chai latte in the area. So cozy inside, friendly baristas, and great vibes. Reminds me of the coffee shop in Friends. Plenty of seating, saw lots of people working on laptops or enjoying the people watching on the massive couch in front of the window. Also fun fact, the art is purchasable! I spent a good ten minutes just checking out the space. Great atmosphere for studying or for a coffee date! read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

One of the coolest places to go and sit and try a variety of delicious latte/tea/anything coffee related. The aesthetic is super modern and artsy and cool, while the decor is very comfortable. There's a small outdoor seating area but this is definitely a spot hit up early because it gets super busy. For that reason it's not the best study spot, but definitely the best spot to get a good coffee and catch up with friends in a relaxing environment. The staff is always as sweet as the great desserts they serve. read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Regular Brewed Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Stopped in for some tea. The first thing I noticed was how awesome ESP's tea selection was. I was considering getting something different than my fav Genmaicha, enter Britney...she recommended a whole new type of tea leveraging my Genmaicha. I was floored at how tasty the concoction was and extremely grateful I left myself in her capable hands. I even came back two days later to repeat the experience! read more

Amazing coffee shop Cozy and comfortable Traditional style Staffing is a great I recommend it read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I happened to be walking down King Streetm when I stumbled upon the coolest cafe in the DC area. When I walked in, I was immediately captured by the variety of art, comfortable tables and chairs, and the pure awesomeness of the whole cafe. J decided to get something special from here which was the Cream Brulee Frappuccino. I was told that this is something that they are offering for just for a limmited time during the summer. I also ordered a Saltinesa which a dish from El Salvadore. It's a pie that consists of chicken, egg, potatoes, and sweet peas. Natasha took my order and helped guide me to the cool patio area. There are so e cafes similar to this style in Puerto Rico, but you would be hard pressed to find a place this cool in the DC area. This is what a cafe is supposed to be! read more

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Do not get the chicken saltena, over priced for a dry saltena. It almost tastes like cardboard with a hint of spice. It was 8.50 I could have an entire meal with that price. I'm sad, but please ESP don't over cook the saltenas read more

Still one of my fave spots to do some work. Wi-Fi is great! Love the saltenas, Croffles and herbal tea selection! They added this fun glass drawing table in back area. Makes for good convo starter. read more

We're always looking for a local coffee shop to try. This one is ESP Tea and Coffee in Old Town. Our Sugar Daddy Mocha and Sweet Cream Cold Brew were good but nothing special, honestly. I did enjoy the quirky artwork though. It was also very cozy inside and outside. read more

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My husband and I first visited ESP 5 years ago on Thanksgiving and had a lovely experience. We had a slice of pie and two coffees and think back fondly on that morning. We went back this month 5 years later when visiting Old Town Alexandria and had another great experience. I loved the Sugar Daddy and my husband loved his Cinnamon Latte. The only thing that was (very) disappointing was the slice of berry pie. They didn't have many options left by the time we arrived and it just didn't do it for me. It was cold and the flavor was lacking. I ate it just to not waste food but I really did not enjoy it. My mom encouraged me to go tell the staff and I usually do speak up but I'm too pregnant tbh lol and just wasn't in the mood. We still had a great time hanging out there for a bit. It was a perfect stop before a nice cool walk down King Street. read more

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I was walking around Old Town Alexandria and felt like grabbing a quick coffee drink to go. ESP Tea and Coffee happened to be super close to where I was, so I decided to stop by there even though I was not a fan back when they used to be Killer ESP. I was there on a Saturday afternoon and they were quite busy. All the indoor seats were taken, mostly by people on their laptops who probably sip on the same iced latte they ordered 3 hours ago (pet peeve of mine in coffee shops haha). They also offer outdoor patio seating, but it would be too cold for that now. The indoor space is super artsy with cool and funky wall art and drawings. Definitely a vibe! I was craving a latte. Their menu offered seasonal lattes, but upon hearing the description, I felt it wasn't worth the up-charge. I decided on a regular latte, which was a waste of the $4.25 I paid for it. It was lukewarm and all I tasted was milk, no coffee whatsoever. Needless to say, after a sip or two, I just threw the drink away. I will not be going back! read more

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Out in Old Town and wanted to grab a coffee, ended up staying for a quick snack as well. Went with a mocha and a dirty chai, a chicken saltena,and a ham & cheese croissant (warmed). Mocha was delicious. As silly as this sounds, the coffee was the perfect temp because it was hot, but I could drink it immediately. The saltena was amazing. Not totally sure of what made up the filling (saw chicken, peas, and potatoes) and it was seasoned just right. Ham & cheese croissant had a nice, crispy cheese topping and the inside was perfectly warm, buttery, and flakey. Highly recommend checking out the shop. read more

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5 stars for chicken saltena--soooo good! It was very fresh, tasty, warm, and filling for a light breakfast or snack. 4 stars for coffee though. I had a hot latte with oat milk, and my date had a sugar daddy mocha. Not bad but nothing mind-blowing either. read more

I completed a 6-week pharmacy school rotation in the Alexandria/DC area and this was my TOP place to go to for studying and just to get work done. The ambiance is darker and quieter and reminded me of my home in Seattle (especially the cafes you find in the Cap Hill area!). The nutella latte is probably their best drink in my opinion! One of the employees even let me lick the leftover nutella off the spoon. All the workers here are so polite, the Wifi is fast, there are outlets towards the back of the cafe, all in all I loved coming to this cafe! If I am ever back in the DC area, I will make sure to come back just so I can get a taste of the nutella latte and croffles again -- they are a must have! read more

I was in Alexandria the whole day and wanted to try one of the coffee shops in the area. I found this place that great reviews and decided to try it out. It may look like a small place from the outside but when you step inside there's plenty of seating, at least when I walked in. There are plenty of electrical outlets and the atmosphere is both lively and peaceful at the same time. The baristas are very quick to serve you and very helpful when it comes to trying new things. I ordered their cappuccino as that is what I judge coffee shops on. I was not disappointed. I will be back again to try other drinks. read more

Things have improved here; stopped in recently for a latte and noticed a difference in overall quality since the last time I was in (under new ownership). Love the cups too - makes me feel special sipping on my coffee :) read more

OMG! The salmon and lox craffle (croissant waffle) is so bomb! U totally have to come here and try it out, this coffee shop is totally sick! read more

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I like ESP Coffee and Tea, although I think they had more vegan pie options back when they were Killer ESP. I wish they weren't laid out in such a long, narrow layout, but they sell community artwork and seem like a really grounded type of place. Sometimes difficult to find seating, moderately noisy. Awfully pricey too, although I do like to support local coffee shops! read more

ESP Tea and Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I went to this coffee shop based on a friend's recommendation and it was a wonderful choice. When we arrived I wasn't sure what I wanted but when I saw they had an iced Nutella latte on the menu, I had to try it. I got it with oat milk and it was truly divine. Honest to G-d the best latte I've ever had. And what made it that much better is that when I was waiting for my drink, the barista offered me the spoon with leftover Nutella on it to lick. For real. At first I was kinda in shock and then my inner child was like "hell yea" I want the Nutella spoon, as I laughed at the silliness of it all. And it was delicious. On top of that the baristas were super chill and friendly, and the shop reminded of something you'd find in Brooklyn NY. Wife loved her iced chai latte as well. Don't hesitate - just go here. read more

This is a very small coffee place in Old Town. Very limited seating so could be difficult to stay there. They do have some small eats and they partner with a pie shop and offer some various varieties. I ordered my usual latte and it was ok. The barista did an ok job texturing the milk but the shot was a little flat and the overall flavor of the drink was a little bitter. The place has a very hipster vibe going and the art around the shop is either going to excite you or turn you off. They play funky music but luckily it isn't too loud. Overall, I was hoping to like this place more and was underwhelmed. Probably should rate more of a 3.5 than a 3, but we can't rate in halves and it definitely wasn't a 4. read more

Great late night atmosphere and tea collection! I really enjoyed going here. Its such a calming and nice way to end the night. Def recommend and there was a good amount of street parking on a (cold) Saturday night read more