I was really concerned about where my boyfriend was taking me as we walked through the alley on Valentines day. However, after a while we finally found La Colombe and it was worth walking in 10 degree weather for it! Tucked away in a Charming/Historic alley, La Colombe instantly draws attention for it's modern yet cozy atmosphere. As soon as you walk in you can smell the coffee and see their small pastries selection. Coffee is served in Italian coffee cups and glass. We had one of their macaroons and it was perfectly crisp and airy. The coffee had a kick to it. They had two brewed coffee options however we went with lattes which were perfect! However, be prepared to open your wallet as this is a pricey coffee shop! The shop doesn't have a lot of seating or WiFi so it's definitely tailored for the crowd that wants to sit down and have a coffee and pleasant conversation in a nice "hip" environment... and i'm up for that! read more

La Colombe - Valentines. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great neighborhood spot to get coffee and a morning bite. While the location is in an alley, don't let that fool you. The shop is popular. When my friends who love coffee visit, I suggest this location. So far, 7/7 friends loved the recommendation. So I highly suggest trying this place out. Not only is this shop good for coffee, but its staff's attention to detail is impressive. Inside some of their cups, it has the name of the establishment printed inside. Their water cups even have their logo. read more

See all

La Colombe continues to be my favorite coffee for it's amazing quality, and this is by far one of my favorite shops. This transformed garage looks like the dopest railroad apartment in the best way possible. Great space & great coffee! read more

This establishment was made for coffee. After a satisfying dinner and walking back, this corner establishment is just parked in front of you welcoming you in from the looks. The exterior as well as interior is right on, and when you walk in - the aroma of coffees - it simply surround you. The staff immediately recognized you and taking in the spaces where you could hide yourself away are many. I am not a coffee drinker in the least, however, I was intrigued immediately with the feel of this establishment. The ONLY disappointment, was not being aware anything else BUT coffee was served here as you first arrive. A much more broad menu does exist, but is difficult to sense or see this upon entering. This additional asset would have kept me there for hours - so maybe it is a good thing that was not available. If I lived close or found myself near this coffee house in Shaw, I would and will be there for a longer duration knowing what I know now. And yes, I am better for it. read more

One of my favorite places in DC to grab a cup of coffee, whether it's their Americano, Cortado, or Macchiato, I simply love the taste of their coffee beans! Sometimes I purposely walk toward Blagden Alley just to stop buy to get a drink haha. On their menu, you can either choose their light roast or their dark roast and they feature different beans used on a board displayed at the counter. There's also a wide assortment of pastries in their glass case....get there early because once it is sold out, it's gone! Staff are friendly, helpful and explain things that are new to customers. The ambiance is calm, quiet with the background noise of the espresso machine brewing your caffeine treat of the day. I really like the system they have going when they are making their drinks, when you visit, you'll see. =) Instead of almond milk, they serve Oat Milk now, which is brand new and it was quite tasty! It is an extra charge if you request for it though. The only downside to this place is there is no Wi-Fi for customers to use. Boo. But there is lots of tables and chairs for customers to sit and work on stuff and the place is always kept clean! read more

I love the coffee, love that this location is a bit hidden in an alley, love the ambience, but....there's no wifi :( Yes, a coffee shop with no wifi. I suppose it's great for people that want to catch up with a friend or do work offline. But who ARE those people? Do they even exist? read more

Awsome awsome awsome!!!! Draft coffee. Been a long time since I was surprised with a way of preparing cold coffee... Coffee Draft!!! read more

La Colombe - Cortado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cool hidden shop with a few other hidden stores nearby in this alleyway coffee shop. When I entered the shop it was slightly crowded but there was plenty of seating inside. The tables and chairs were pretty small so not exactly the prime spot to spend a lot of time but nice if you're just planning on meeting a friend for coffee. I ordered a cold brew which met expectations but nothing too special. Unfortunately there was no WiFi available so I wasn't able to work on what I was planning to. Other than that would recommend as a cool little spot to show your friends to prove you know the spots! read more

La Colombe - Front door - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great coffee. I'm from Philadelphia and loved La Colombe for as long as I remember drinking coffee. This location in the alleyway can't be beat. And I felt transported to Brooklyn, if for a moment, when they had an art installation film projecting in the walls one night. There is no wi fi, I find the seating stools uncomfortable and there aren't enough seats anyway. Overall very happy for this spot in the neighborhood. read more

La Colombe - Art event one night with great crowd. Projected film in alley. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I check this place out over the weekend and overall I had a good experience. I really enjoy the unique location and the ambiance of the cafe. The music is a bit loud for my taste, and the lack of wifi is unfortunate. If you're looking to camp out for a while with your laptop, this isn't the place. It's a perfect place to sit down with a book or some friends and drink some delicious coffee. read more

La Colombe - The front - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Coffee Black and Tan's poured from a draft? Amazing!! The gal and the register recommended them but they needed a minute to be ready to our so she gave them to us on the house we sucked them down h got in line for another round. Genius and amazing read more

La Colombe - Coffee Black and Tan #genious - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cool location and awesome coffee! I got a cortado and a huge almond croissant and my wife got a drip and a vegan muffin. It was a great experience. read more

Quick and efficient. They have social distancing in place starting before you enter the shop with a menu outside to help plan out your order. They have most of not all of their regular options. I love their canned espressos as well along with their coffee beans which are available for purchase in the shop. read more

Best coffee shop in Washington DC. I love their atmosphere and open air seating in good weather. Went there every morning during a recent conference. They also have a variety of muffins etc. read more

Saw promising reviews and decided to try when in the area. Honestly disappointed. The cold brew had no body and tasted like water. S/o got the draft latte which had way more foam than it should've, it was basically 1/2 - 3/4 foam. Staff was wonderful, so polite and nice. Debating on trying again to see if it was just an off day or not. Location was super cool though, tons of art everywhere. Loved the exterior of the building. read more

La Colombe - Exterior/behind the front - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love the atmosphere at La Colombe. It's tucked away in a quaint alley and housed in a lovely brick building. The baristas are very friendly and helpful. =) Overall, great experience! I totally recommend a hemp latte, by the way. read more

See all

Cute little coffee shop in artsy alley with solid coffee and pastries and really nice baristas. The latte here is good and was very amazed by their chocolate almond croissants and matcha white chocolate cookies read more

Stopped by to grab a latte before I head to the airport. It was a great cup. Service was kind and the place is a tad hard to find since it's in an alley. It feels kind of sketch walking down. They send digital receipts instead of paper. Also, they don't have soy btw. Only almond milk and regular. read more

Triple.Draft.Latte On Draft! Please don't buy it in a can, that'll be like buying a replica souvenir of the Taj Mahal. Try the T.D.L there - on location Amazing Coffee Roaster, I first discovered La Colombe in DC and splurged on a Panama Geisha Pourover. Have some great tasteful memories of it... read more

Went back to give this place a second try, and am very glad I did. I'm always thrilled when good places with bad staff get the memo! The (totally different) staff was awesome. Super friendly, look-you-in-the-eye, honestly-friendly people. I ordered a latte which was perfect in every way. Had a snack which was delicious as well. Will be back next time I'm in DC. read more

This is such a cool spot in the alley. Who woulda thunk! On top of their classy coffee but they also got points for having tea (iced and hot) This is an awesome spot to chill in between or after meals. I saw people studying or working but it's such a small spot, there's a lot of movement near your sitting area. I would recommend during a weekday or early morning if you just want to enjoy coffee with your laptop. read more

This is a cute coffee shop hidden in an artsy alley. I enjoyed a pour over Bourbon coffee while catching up on some reading. It's pretty packed on Saturday mornings, but I didn't have to wait longer than 15 minutes to get a small table. The only downside is there isn't any WiFi and it's a little bit of a walk from the metro, but I'll totally be back the next time I'm in the area! read more

La Colombe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Black & Tan iced coffee on draft. Better than our homemade Vietnamese coffee, and that says it all. read more

La Colombe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My friend and I decided to try this place one evening and we are so glad we did. I had a rose Macaroon and the Steampunk Ethiopia. I've never had a fruity coffee before and I was a bit apprehensive. It was absolutely DELICIOUS. I can't even explain how much I enjoyed it. The Steampunk machine it's made in was really cool to watch. The macaroon was just as tasty and the two went nicely together. Every time I'm in DC I go here now. At first walking there we both couldn't decide if it was sketchy or not. But the area is actually super relaxing once you are there. I highly recommend you try it. They even have free sparkling or plain water for you to drink. read more

La Colombe - Halfway through and forgot to take my photo. Lol But here it is. I got the Steampunk coffee and my friend got an espresso shot. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This little coffee shop is a hidden neighborhood gem. Located in a nondescript side alley, one would never imagine that such a popular coffeehouse is located just a short walk from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The draft latte is a unique offering. The ambiance is industrial with exposed brick, large pull down doors, and exposed pipe. The crowd largely consists of a cross section of young hipsters and the LGBTQ community. It's a nice alternative to the ubiquitous coffeehouse chains located around the city. read more

This place is so dangerous! If I crossed paths with this on my commute daily, boy would I be in trouble. Their pastries are my favorite in town and, of course, their espresso is top notch. What a hip place! read more

Super cute coffee place. I liked the ambiance and the baristas were nice as well. My mocha though was a little watery and lacked taste (?) which has never happened before. They did offer to fix it which was sweet! read more

I like this place because I get to visit the #tinyfellas installation next door every time. Lots of plugs and seating too. Their hot chocolate needs some work. Not sweet and tasted mostly like foam. read more

I wanted to find something I didn't like about this place, but it's so damn trendy. It's a coffee lovin yuppy dream. From the ambiance, to the decor, to the hip staff, I was SUPER intimidated. This is the kind of place I need to check my outfit for before heading in. And I like that about them. It's always nice when a coffee shop can keep you on your toes. Plus, aside from the well deserved hype, it is really good coffee! Yes it's expensive, but it's delicious. Remember the days when going to Starbucks was a treat? And even holding the cup made a social statement. Well La Colombe will undeniably soon be that for Shaw/Logan area. If it's not already. read more

I feel compelled to write a review after reading some others on here. Do you want great coffee in a beautiful building with great atmosphere and at reasonable prices? Great, go here and enjoy! Do you want to bitch about not having free wifi?(this isn't your 'effin' office) Not having a million flavored syrups to ruin the drink? Power outlets for you to mooch off? Great, go to Starbucks and continue ruining America. Have a great day! read more

Back alley goodness. Old brick building with surprisingly decent seating. The quad shot slightly sweetened mocha was as smooth a coffee drink as I've had. Plenty of nice window area that looks over cool wall art across the alley. read more

La Colombe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love this coffee spot- it's got a really cool vibe to it. I like that they embrace the alley, giving it a trendy garage feel. Go on a nice day and they will have all the full length doors open. I'm pretty sure I could sit here all day and take in the scenery. Coffee is on point and service is top notch. They also have still and sparkling water on tap for free. read more

La Colombe is a nice little hidden gem in Blagden Alley. I enjoyed an iced coffee on the outdoor patio which is a great place to sit with your dog. A small iced coffee is reasonably priced at $3 and it is served with a great presentation. They have a long bar so after you order you can slide down the bar and they will set your drink in front of you with all of the fixings so you can make your drink just the way you want at your leisure. Having cold sparkling water on tap is another nice touch. read more

La Colombe - Small iced coffee on the dog-friendly outdoor patio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A hidden gem in the historic Blagden Alley, Columbe Coffee is beautiful from the moment you walk up to the storefront to actually entering the building. The decor is appealing and the pastry display makes you want to order every item. Although this might be blasphemous to say on a review of a coffee shop, I'm not at all a coffee person. My boyfriend is an aficionado, but I usually settle for a DD iced coffee at most. What makes the coffee so interesting is that through what process they use to roast and prepare the coffee, they cut out any bitterness you might expect from lower quality coffees you may have had. I can honestly say I never thought coffee could be a flavor journey before trying the cup of Ethiopian Workshop my bf got. I personally ordered the ruby oolong, and cannot speak highly enough of it. They steeped the cup perfectly, leaving it long enough to infuse a crazy amount of flavor without leaving it too long and having a bitter aftertaste. It's a great little date spot and pick me up in the morning! While it's great to sit down, my personal suggestion is to take your coffee to go and to take a walk around the beautiful alleys and surrounding neighborhood- it's a wonderful experience. read more

Based on reviews I tried the draft latte and traditional latte, along with the almond croissant. The draft latte was very smooth without being overly thick or creamy. I'd compare it favorably to a nitro cold brew with added milk or cream. The regular latte was quality as well but if you're just stopping by once as a visitor, I'd recommend the draft. As for the crossaint, it was the right amount of buttery and sweet to complement the lattes. While it may not be quite to the level of a French pastry shop it is miles ahead of anything I've had in a chain shop. read more

La Colombe - The entrance, through an alleyway. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

La Colombe, I am torn about you. LC is very Williamsburg/SanFran. It is has the retractable glass garage door sides, and is located in Blagden alley, kinda nicely tucked away from the noise and the hubbub of the city. The customers are what you'd expect--young tatted up "alternative" young professionals and then the early to mid-thirties "cool" parents with nuclear family and mid-sized dog in tow. They recently raised their prices (by 50 cents) on most coffee items, but not on the pastries. They get their pastries from small shop (name escapes me). I think the chocolate croissant is TDF, but I'm disappointed by the lack of consistency in quality and size. I go to LC almost every day, and so basically I have come to know the range of different croissant sizes/level of flakiness/amount of chocolate. Either way, consistency aside, I don't think I've ever had a BAD croissant. They're always good, but some days way more than others. The coffee. I'm a creature of habit and get the iced coffee every day, which comes in one size. I don't believe they cold brew their coffee, but they do add in a shot of espresso to punch it up a bit. IMO, that makes it a tad bit too strong, and oftentimes gives it a bitter aftertaste. The price hike made LC coffee prices comparable to Starbucks ones. I don't know the reasoning behind it, but I can say that by the looks of it, they're making a killing. This place is full almost every time I go, and I just honestly thought the price hike was kind of tacky/in poor taste/unreasonable. And it's by 50 cents, which is not an insignificant amount. The "baristas" (or whatever the LC equivalent is...colombians? colombistas?) rub me the wrong way. I'm there EVERY day. I get the same thing EVERY time. And the fact that there isn't a tiny spark of recollection in any of their eyes is just...I dunno...weird. I don't expect you to remember my order, but I dunno...I feel like everyone wants to feel acknowledged as a valued customer when they drop $50/week at this place. No? Amirite? It loses the "small, local, warm" feel and just makes it feel "big/corporate/cold." I'm not in love. read more

Tucked away in an alley you normally wouldn't walk down, even for a shortcut. But make your way down to Blagden Alley and you'll find yourself in the middle of a cross-alley filled with coffee aromas, people that seem to come out of nowhere, and life. Modern interior that feels like a cross between an upscale warehouse and a Blue Bottle coffee bar in NYC. However, you won't find any blue bottles here - only La Colombe is serviced and through the steampump method. Coffee is very bold and more on the light/medium roast side. Their only alternative milk is hemp milk in case you're a soy- or almond-only lad. They also serve pastries and other delectable goodies. Be ready for a line - almost at all times, at least on a Saturday noon / early afternoon. On a nice day they open the sides of the narrow shop so you get a nice cool breeze. No free wifi, but feel free to snag a coveted seat for some reading or conversations. read more

It seems very easy to split this simple coffee shop into two parts: Coffee: 3 stars. This shop definitely falls more into the second-wave than third-wave camp for coffee. For non-pretentious, decent humans, I mean to say that the coffee is differentiated on the way it is presented (latte, cappuccino, black) than where its beans are from (Ethiopia, some obscure village in Burundi, etc.). What this equates to is a product that is much closer to Starbucks than the really uppity (and better) options in town like Peregrine. My black coffee was served from a thermos and tasted over roasted. For $2 it beat diner coffee, but I won't be headed back to Colombe exclusively for their java. Atmosphere: 4.5 stars.. The shop sits in the Blagden Alley area of Shaw, which feels completely different than the strip mall-like atmosphere you can find a few blocks east by the convention center. As I walked through the cobblestone side streets and passed galleries and fancy restaurants, I started to feel like I was strolling through Brooklyn more than the squeaky-clean beltway. Eventually mass development will almost certainly kill any ounce of charm this neighborhood has, but for right now the area seems to have the right mix of commercial amenities and light city grit. Inside the shop, things feel similar. Exposed brick and natural sunlight naturally makes this a pleasant place to work. Unfortunately the shop does not offer WIFI so visits might have to be limited to crossword puzzles and catching up with friends. I visited the shop on a Sunday and the crowd was mostly chatty, hip-looking parents and their toddler offspring. No complaints, but I thought it was an interesting picture. Bottom line: This place is no threat to the really serious coffee shops found elsewhere in the city, but on its own provides a nice space to relax. read more

I'm spoiled with the La Colombe flagship store in Fishtown within walking distance of my house, but I loved this location as well. Being DC tourists, we hunted out La Colombe one morning and were super excited to see it hidden on a side street looking like its Fishtown sister. They had cold brew and draft lattes as we are accustomed to getting in Philly and they were both phenomenal as always. If you haven't tried La Colombe, you must. Also, shameless plug for my hometown.... if you find yourself in Philly, you must check out the Fishtown storefront. read more

Cute and quaint coffeeshop near the convention center. It's a little tucked away down an alley, which adds more charm. Their coffee is delicious, and they offer a good variety of baked goods. Seating is hit or miss; seems like weekends are pretty busy. If you're in the area give them a try! read more

La Colombe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia