Photo by erin m.

By DCist contributor Elia Powers

When I walk into a coffee shop, my eyes dart past the baristas, baked goods and selection of brews etched in chalk. Instead, I survey the room for open seats, sturdy tables, unused electrical outlets, a local wi-fi password and, if not asking too much, a little ambience and personal space.

A coffee snob I am not, but I am picky about where I put down my laptop.

I’m one of many Washingtonians who can often work remotely. I like a change of scene from my home office. I prefer ambient noise to silence. I’m most productive in a room filled with people talking quietly or working simultaneously on separate tasks. Because of this, I am constantly in search of what sociologists call “third places,” sites to gather outside the home or office. I’ve tried libraries, lunch spots, even hotel lounges, but the best option is almost always a coffee shop.

Bored with my usual booth inside a neighborhood Starbucks, I decided to explore many of D.C.’s coffee shops that are independently owned or small chains. As I read through online reviews and best-of lists to figure out where to visit, I learned plenty about menus and service but little about workspace and comfort.

So I have evaluated coffee shops for their suitability as temporary offices. It may not please owners of crowded cafes who prefer that their customers drink and dash, but sometimes we’re here to linger and work.

To make this a manageable task, I set three ground rules: no major chains, no places known more for meals than coffee, and nothing outside the District.

On weekdays this summer and fall, I worked and sipped at dozens of coffee shops. Instead of compiling one comprehensive ranking, I’ve created categories that take into account the varying wants and needs of coffee shop regulars. The accompanying map below has my full reviews of all 37 coffee shops I visited (click on the coffee mug icons).

I’ll leave a review of coffee quality to someone more qualified. But here are my thoughts on the best places in D.C. to do some business and get a buzz.

As you read on, ask yourself: Which of the following statements apply to you?

I like being where the action is. I don’t mind waiting for an open seat or sharing a table with a few strangers.

There are plenty of options for people with patience and limited need for personal space. The epicenter for packed, trendy coffee shops is the U Street, Logan Circle, and Shaw corridors. One of the most consistently crowded is Shaw’s Compass Coffee, where MacBooks line the tables and sharing a workspace is the norm. Logan Circle’s Wydown Coffee Bar and The Coffee Bar are filled with energy and several shared tables. Beyond the14th street coffee hub there is Filter Coffehouse & Espresso Bar, a compact café in Dupont Circle that’s packed with people. Modern Times Coffee in Upper Northwest is always buzzing thanks to the popular Politics & Prose bookstore upstairs. Tryst, on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, is perhaps D.C.’s best-known coffee shop. It’s not short on space but seating is still highly competitive.

I want ambiance and a modern coffee shop feel. But I’d like a table to myself—even if it means a short wait.

D.C. has no shortage of coffee shops with exposed brick, high ceilings, and a modern-industrial décor. And they are scattered throughout the city. Three of the most spacious are Capitol Hill’s Bourbon Coffeeand Ebenezers Coffehouse, and Logan Circle’s Slipstream. Each is filled with individual tables and plenty of charm. Chinatown Coffee Company is lined with two-person tables along the brick walls. LeDroit Park’s The Royal DC is a newcomer that is coffee shop by day, trendy bar by night. Bloomingdale’s Big Bear Café, Mt. Pleasant’s Flying Fish Coffee & Tea and Eastern Market’s Peregrine Espresso are smaller but enjoyable places to spend a few hours working.

I don’t care about trendy. My main concern is finding an open table when I want it.

You won’t find baristas wearing flannel, nor will you marvel at the interior design, but you will find plenty of space and a relaxed work environment at these spots. Tynan Coffee & Tea is steps from the Columbia Heights Metro and has plenty of pleasant places to rest your laptop. Around the corner is Coffy Café, which has two levels, a surplus of tables and a distinctly 60’s/70’s décor. Shaw’s Kafe Bohem has a modern look and is attached to a popular restaurant. Dupont Circle’s Soho Coffee & Tea is packed with tables, some of which have quaint mini-lamps. Anacostia’s Nurish Food + Drink has a nice mix of tables. Foggy Bottom’s Casey’s Coffee, the most plainly decorated of the bunch, is wide open for workers.

I’m gonna be awhile. Give me some comfortable chairs and couches to sink into.

If you’re fine putting your laptop where the name suggests it should go, here are some viable options. Eastern Market’s Port City Java has leather seats near a window. Flying Fish Coffee & Tea has a pair of armchairs by the front window. Brightwood Park’s Culture Coffee is made for lean-back tasks with several armchairs lining a wall. Tryst is filled with an array of well-worn, not-so-modern living room furniture. Georgetown’s Baked & Wired has comfortable couches and armchairs (if you can stand the crowd.)

Get me on my feet. I want to stand and work.

People, haven’t you heard? Sitting for too long is bad for your health. Luckily, many D.C. coffee shops can have you on your feet. Compass Coffee,The Royal DC and Park View’s Colony Club have raised shared tables that are well-suited for standing. Slipstream, Ebenezers Coffeehouse, and Kafe Bohem have individual raised tables with seats that can be pushed aside. Big Bear Café has an actual bar facing the baristas (though it’s a little low for working). Baked & Wired, The Coffee Bar, Petworth’s Qualia Coffee, Park View’s Harrar Coffee & Roastery, and Takoma’s La Mano Coffee Bar have bar seating that’s facing a wall. For better views, try Tynan Coffee & Tea, and Swing’s Coffee Roaster near the White House. Zeke’s Roastery & Coffee Lab in Woodridge has a standing-optional bar that faces the street and a raised table that faces its roasting operation for great views of coffee making behind the scenes.

Put me near a window. I want natural light.

Plenty of coffee shops have a few window seats, but many are in deep, narrow rooms that don’t offer much natural sunlight for the majority of patrons. Here are your best bets for widespread indoor light. The real gems are corner locations like Ebenezers Coffeehouse, Port City Java, and The Royal DC, all of which put the most comfortable seating near the windows. Shaw’s La Colombe is bright as can be with a clear garage door running the length of one wall. Soho Coffee & Tea has views on two sides.

Give me the most natural light. I want outdoor seating.

Putting a few chairs on the street doesn’t count. These places have serious patio seating for the sun worshipers among us. If you’re looking for the most outdoor space in the most serene setting, Cleveland Park’s Firehook Bakery & Coffee House is a sure bet with grapevines, shaded tables, and Adirondack chairs near a fountain. Equally serene, though not quite as spacious, is Bourbon Coffee’s shaded back patio with mosaic tables. Colony Club has a fantastic patio with neighborhood views. Qualia Coffee has picnic benches and other seating options in its quaint, fenced-in back patio. Big Bear Café has a front patio with plenty of seating, overhanging leaves, and ivy covering the walls. Ebenezers Coffeehouse has a U-shaped front patio with ample seating (though little shade). The Coffee Bar and Peregrine Espresso pack tables into their relatively small but lively front patios. Capitol Hill’s Jacob’s Coffee & Café and H Street’s Sidamo Coffee & Tea have patio seating on a smaller scale. Anacostia’s Nurish Food +Drink and Cheers at the Big Chair have nice outdoor spots.

I want a place that’s off the beaten path.

Georgia Avenue has several coffee shops that, given their distance from a Metro, are likely less-well known beyond their communities. Brightwood’s Wapa Café is a calm coffee shop/restaurant with a unique split-level design. Culture Coffee caters to a creative customer base, with live music performances and works from local artists. Harrar Coffee & Roastery serves Ethiopian coffee and is filled with art. Away from Georgia Avenue, Sidamo Coffee & Tea is a cozy Ethiopian shop with a colorful interior. And while a shop just steps from one of Wisconsin Avenue’s busiest stretches isn’t really off the beaten path, Friendship Heights’ Coffee Nature has the feel of a neighborhood hangout.

It’s all about Metro-accessibility for me.

You’re covered for the most part. With the exception of several Georgia Avenue cafés, Zeke’s Roastery & Coffee Lab, Modern Times Coffeehouse, and Baked & Wired, every other coffee shop we reviewed is roughly within a 15-minute walk of a Metro station.

I’m reliant on local wi-fi for an internet connection.

Again, you’re mostly covered. Although some coffee shops use backless seats and keep electrical outlets to a minimum as signs they don’t want you to stay too long, most offer free, unlimited wi-fi. Baked & Wired, La Colombe, La Mano Coffee Bar, and The Wydown have outright wi-fi bans. Several other shops limit weekday wireless use or have weekend bans.

Photo by Ted Eytan.

And because a review calls for some kind of ranking, here are my selections for the five most- and least-work-friendly coffee shops:

Bottom Five

35. La Colombe : limited seating, hard, backless stools, small tables, no wi-fi
34. La Mano Coffee Bar : tiny footprint, very few seating option, no wi-fi
33. Baked & Wired: few tables, competitive seating, no wi-fi
32. Swing’s Coffee Roasters: backless stools, tiny tables, competitive seating, noisy
31. The Blind Dog Café: love the lounge vibe, just not for working

Top Five

1. Bourbon Coffee: roomy, comfortable, variety of seating, gorgeous patio, plenty of outlets
2. Ebenezers: spacious, bright, indoor/outdoor options, comfortable seats, full of energy
3. Slipstream: spacious, modern décor, great seating variety, big tables, lots of outlets
4. Flying Fish Coffee & Tea: Quaint, calm, comfortable seating, infused with art
5. Compass Coffee: Space is tight but for good reason—great ambiance and bright, lively interior