A tiny shop set just off 14th Street is now offering D.C. a taste of Havana by way of Loudoun County.
Colada Shop opened at the start of February, tucked into a small space at 1405 T St. NW. This Cuban social spot concept got its start in Sterling, Virginia, opening there last summer before expanding to the city.
At the D.C. location, a vibrant pastel blue paint job, patio, and garage-style window fronts a cozy cafe inside. Enter and you’ll find a small counter serving Cuban-style coffee drinks, pastries, snacks, and sandwiches. It adds an enticing (and affordable) cocktail menu as the morning turns to afternoon and evening.
It’s a tight squeeze when more than a small handful of patrons are lined up inside the warmly-lit shop. The small space is made for grab-and-go with just a few stools for those who wish to linger over a coffee, cocktail, or quick meal.
Caffeine seekers can come in for the espresso-like beverage from which the shop derives its name. The four ounce colada cup is meant to be shared as done traditionally in Cuba. But if you want to down the whole thing yourself, go for it. Other coffee options come enhanced with evaporated or condensed milk, as is popular on the island, or with a scoop of Ice Cream Jubilee, walked over from next door, for an affogato. Drinks can be ordered half sweet, Miami style (which means countless spoonfuls of sugar dropped in), or “sin azucar” for those who take their coffee straight up.
But it’s not the type of cafe that can accommodate camped out laptop users for hours on end. At least not until the spring comes, that is. A pop-out picture window about five chair-lengths wide opens to a welcoming patio. In all, it probably trips or quadruples the seating and vitality of the shop when opened.
In nice weather, the patio hums with tables downing Colada Shop’s wallet-friendly $8 cocktails that would cost at least $12 elsewhere. A constantly-spinning beverage machine swirls the coconut-cream base for pina coladas. Classic daiquiris and mojitos, as well as specialty cocktails created by restaurant partner Juan Coronado—formerly of Barmini—are also popular.
At a preview event DCist attended last month, Coronado was behind the bar artfully mixing an old fashioned flavored with a syrup of cascara, the flesh that surrounds coffee beans before they’re extracted. The unseasonably warm February gave crowds an early head start on a great new al fresco day drinking spot.
Sweet, flaky little Cuban pastries make the perfect accompaniment for cafe con leches and cortaditos. Make sure you try the guava and cream cheese mixture. Or for something savory, choose the spinach and cheese empanadas with the green of the leaves showing through the golden, fried shell of the pocket.
For something heartier, a pleasing, traditional Cuban sandwich, pressed with its ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles goes for $10. The classic also has a couple of cousins. The Media Noche has basically the same ingredients as the Cuban, served on a sweet roll instead of regular bread. It gets its name, midnight in English, from being a late-night party staple in Havana. Cuban revelers may not recognize a vegetarian Cuban sandwich as well, but the concoction is revelatory. The inventive combination substitutes roasted cauliflower and mojo-marinated portobello mushrooms for the meat.
If you crave a trip to Miami for croquetas on Calle Ocho, head to Calle “T” for a fleeting transport to Little Havana instead.
Update: This post originally said that Colada Shop moved into the spot that formally housed Salt & Sundry, but that shop was on S Street NW, not T Street NW.
