Cafe Collage Returns to T Street
It's not easy being an independent coffee shop in D.C. While Starbucks and other conglomerates continue to bloom like mushrooms on virtually every block of downtown, several local favorites have closed their doors in the past year. Sparky's Cafe abruptly shut down; Murky Coffee was seized by the D.C. government for failing to pay taxes; and 14U closed in April with plans to reopen as a handbag boutique/cafe hybrid.
However, one indie coffee house is reversing the trend. Cafe Collage, located at 14th and T Streets NW, reopened this spring. The small Ethiopian cafe was shuttered for several years because of a fire code violation. Neighborhood opposition to the cafe's liquor license application may have also exacerbated the situation, and the business closed down in order to raise money to build a fire escape.
Today, you can enjoy the view of Cafe Collage's shiny black fire escape while sipping on a mug of rich Ethiopian coffee. The cafe has a cozy sitting area on the first floor, with overstuffed chairs and an exposed brick fireplace. Cafe Collage also doubles as an art gallery of sorts: Paintings of impossibly long-legged women adorn the tropical yellow and orange walls, lit from above with modern track lighting. The basement level resembles someone's living room, scattered with a mishmash of couches, chairs, tables, magazines and books. The service is casual and friendly. Between the intimate atmosphere and the free wifi, it is easy to imagine spending many a leisurely afternoon in this relaxing space.
Oh, and the coffee is excellent. Cafe Collage serves the standard lattes and cappuccinos, along with Ethiopian coffee and tea. They also perform the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, which involves roasting the beans over a brazier and then boiling the ground beans in a jebena. The resulting liquid is dark chocolate brown and deeply flavored. The taste is bright, nutty and a little metallic, with an acidic finish.
Cafe Collage also serves pastries and sandwiches. Most of these are standard American fare (blueberry muffin, turkey sandwich, etc.), along with a handful of Ethiopian items. Unfortunately, the food is hit or miss. The bagel and egg sandwich was flavorless and had a spongy texture. However, the sambussa (an Ethiopian pastry) was flaky, meaty, and very satisfying. You can probably get a better blueberry muffin at Starbucks, but this is the only coffee shop that will serve you a delicious meat pie for breakfast.
After savoring my mug from Cafe Collage, I walked to the nearest Starbucks (there are two within a 4 block radius) and bought a cup of their new Pike Place roast for comparison. While my hopes were not especially high, I didn't expect the coffee to be that bad. Little did I know just how much Starbucks would disappoint me; I actually recoiled after the first mouthful. The Pike Place roast was watery, bland, and burnt tasting. After my Ethiopian coffee, Starbucks tasted like dirty dishwater. I threw it away after two sips. While the U Street neighborhood has seen its fair share of coffee shop closures recently, let's hope Cafe Collage can stay open for good.
Cafe Collage
1346 T Street NW
Metro: U Street (green/yellow)