Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series on coffee shops in Montgomery County that was printed in the November/December issue of Bethesda Magazine. Read parts two through four on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Coffeehouses are abuzz. And no wonder. Surrounded by a cozy community feel, there’s comfort in conversing over cappuccinos or sipping a latte with your laptop.
With the rising costs of real estate, labor and coffee, however, traditional coffeehouses that focused mainly on a cup of joe have expanded in recent years. Montgomery County owners have sought to attract wider audiences and offset expenses with revenue from food, alcoholic beverages, merchandise, catering, events and more.
As a result, many places that serve similar selections of coffee and espresso-based drinks could be characterized as coffee shops with food, or restaurants with coffee menus, or something in between. Their ambiance, decor and settings vary, too.
In this guide, we’ve prepared a blended brew, featuring new and lesser-known spots, plus some familiar favorites, organized by what makes them distinctive. Whatever your preference, there’s a place to catch up over coffee.
Community events hub: Empress Coffee & Cocktails
Empress Coffee & Cocktails, which opened in June, is the brainchild of Sam Koushan and Tara Javidan, professional photographers and Montgomery County residents who have transformed the old Brew House Kentlands into a fetching space decorated in lovely pastels. Javidan devises the sandwiches and bakes the pastries, and you’ll want to sample her delicate Persian cookies or giant Nutella brownie with a cappuccino made with beans from Peaks Coffee Co. in Syracuse, New York. Empress has become a magnet for remote workers, but in the evenings transforms into a gathering place, hosting beer, wine and mead tastings; book club meetings and book signings; school performances; and private events such as goodbye parties and corporate meetups. On Fridays, there’s always live music; Saturday is vinyl night (or live music). And don’t miss the Persian pizza on both evenings, made here with red onions, mushrooms, green peppers, beef sausage, cheese, oregano and Persian ketchup.
325 Main St., Gaithersburg, 240-477-4714, empresscc.com
An urban vibe: Ceremony Coffee Roasters
Spare, clean and modern, Ceremony Coffee Roasters’ central location inside a Bethesda Crescent office building and above the Metro tunnel is a magnet for those on the go—subway riders, Vamoose Bus travelers, downtown Bethesda workers. An adjacent enclosed patio with its enticing entranceway flanked by fake ferns is also a stay-put spot for more leisurely patrons—dogs, their owners, and laptop loungers. In both areas, enjoy a flat white or white shakerato (a vigorously shaken iced latte with a foamy cap) along with pastries and sandwiches made with bread from Fresh Baguette, the bakery that opened in Bethesda in 2013 and now has six locations in the D.C. area along with a thriving business that sells baked goods to coffeehouses. Ceremony hails from Annapolis, where it has its roastery and two cafes; it also has three cafes in Baltimore. Not only urban but urbane, the mini-chain is focused on training its baristas and wholesale customers who can take classes on topics ranging from the mechanics of proper milk steaming to an exploration of different pour-over methods. Members of the public can also become more coffee savvy through periodic interactive workshops at the cafes (including Bethesda). Check out the event schedule online; Ceremony’s website also has guides on how to brew great coffee at home.
7475 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 240-396-6369, ceremonycoffee.com
A local vibe: Takoma Bev Co.
You don’t have to be a resident of Takoma Park to soak up the local energy at Takoma Bev Co. Artwork, pottery and plants for sale from town purveyors, beer brewed in the D.C. area, and dishes made with produce grown nearby highlight the locavore love. Co-owner Seth Cook, who’s also a sommelier and the principal tuba with the Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center Opera House orchestras, teamed up with his cousin Chris Brown to open the multifaceted coffeehouse in 2017. (Brown also is co-owner of Silver Spring’s Zinnia and Takoma Park’s Motorkat.) Their aim was to provide a casual and welcoming gathering place where people could celebrate, reconnect, cry and laugh over drinks, Cook says. At Takoma Bev Co, they aim to do that with single-origin coffee and alcoholic beverages at breakfast (after 9 a.m.), lunch, happy hour and dinner in a choice of two rooms or a large outdoor patio. Aside from music and wine, one of Cook’s other passions is coffee, which he sources from Counter Culture, based in Durham, North Carolina. Counter Culture has a training center in D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood, where the public can attend classes and tastings, and where Takoma Bev Co baristas learn about the chemistry of coffee—and everything it takes to make a delicious cup.
6917 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, 240-641-5323, takomabevco.com
Personable service: French Press
“So great and friendly.” “Quick and kind.” “Very polite and welcoming.” Those are among the comments from Yelp reviewers about the service at French Press, the contemporary coffee shop that replaced Clove & Cedar Coffeebar on the ground floor of Bainbridge Bethesda apartments this past March. Indeed, we encountered much of the same during our visit (leading to a recommendation of a delightful chai latte with turmeric and ginger). Mike David, who manages the place with his wife, Tazrtavreen, says they have made it their goal to provide a warm, comfortable space for the neighborhood. Aside from the hospitality and calm, French Press serves up coffee from Swing’s Coffee Roasters, the 1916-founded Washington, D.C., company now based in Alexandria, Virginia, and pastries from Fresh Baguette and other purveyors.
4918 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, 301-806-4949, frenchpressmd.com
This story appears in the November/December 2024 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
