California’s freshness-obsessed Blue Bottle Coffee has arrived in D.C., and it’s a worthy destination for anyone with a passion for coffee that actually tastes like coffee—and not brown, burnt caffeine water.

The café opened this past Sunday in Georgetown (1046 Potomac St. NW), tucked away on a cobblestone alley just south of M St. It’s first of three D.C. locations the shop is planning to open in the next year.

Blue Bottle was founded in 2002 and is known for its focus on flavor, tasting each of its coffees individually to determine when it’s freshest, and serving them within days of roasting to avoid a stale product. Even if you’re not a coffee expert, you’ll likely be able to notice a difference, especially compared against larger chain shops.

A nice summer option is the New Orleans iced coffee, a smooth and slightly-sweet blend of dark coffee, whole milk, and chicory root. If you’re unsure, baristas are quick with recommendations and knowledgeable about the menu.

The one downside of that commitment to fresh Joe is that it means a more expensive cup of coffee than you can get most places. Drip coffee here runs between $3.75 and $4.75, with espresso drinks between $3 and $5 and iced coffees running $4. And just about everything comes a one-size-fits-all 12-ounce serving. This is not the place to come for a cheap 20 ounce fill-up.

The café’s design is modern and minimalist, opting for clean lines and wooden tables instead of mismatched furniture or cozy chairs. It looks like more like a fancy garage than a coffee shop. There’s no fireplace for winter refuge or quirky decor. It succeeds in showcasing the coffee, and there was still a sizeable group of people mingling and sipping pour-overs by their laptops on a recent weekday afternoon.

If you choose to linger, there’s a small selection of snacks and baked goods including English muffins with jam or avocado, granola, oatmeal, a ham and cheese baguette, and liege waffles. You’ll find a display of coffee gadgets and literature.

And on the way out you can purchase several varieties Blue Bottle whole bean coffee to take home and brew yourself.

Along with Georgetown, Blue Bottle expects to open at Union Market (1309 5th St. NW) this fall and will come to The Wharf (1100 Maine Ave.) development in early 2018.

It’s the second Bay-area coffee transplant in as many years, with Philz Coffee making a foray in Adams Morgan and Navy Yard.