US visitor looking for good cafes in Washington, DC, Williamsburg, etc.

[PD]

I'm hoping the good people of HB can help with a request for a friend. He is planning to visit the US in July for a holiday and he would like details of any good coffee bars or cafes selling good coffee in the ares listed below. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Washington- Georgetown & Dupont Circle
Staunton Virginia
Williamsburg
Chincoteague
Annapolis

These are all the places he intends to be visiting, so i'm hoping HB members will help me out.

Many Thanks.

[HB]

Nick Cho's crew at Murky Coffee regularly places in the top five of the SERBC and they're located in DC. For other suggestions, I recommend CoffeeGeek's US East forum.

UPDATE: I see you cross-posted on CG (link). Many of our members frequent multiple coffee sites. Please avoid cross-posting your question, or mention the other site(s) to avoid repetitive responses. Good luck with your recommendations.

[Psyd]

In DC, ride your bike (well, that's how I did it...) down Pennsylvania Ave. in the opposite direction of the White House from the Capitol building for five or six blocks. On the other side of the road, look for a place called 'Bread and Chocolate'. While they have decent pastries and sammies, if you got your espresso there it would be such a shame, because Murky is right behind/next to them on the side street. Coffee arteests in Murky, PBTC's in the B&C.

[bobdc]

Just a little more definition. Murky Coffee is on 7th Street SE, 7 blocks east of the U.S. Capitol and very convenient to the Eastern Market Metro (subway), the Blue/Orange line, about $1.25 each way. Worth the trip. They also have a place across the river in Clarendon, Va. Hope your friend enjoys DC. We do. Also, in DuPont Circle, on 17th St. NW at R Street, NW, is Steam. No match, in my opinon to Murky, but way better than the commercials here, Starbucks and Cosi.

[dbartramr]

We should suggest that Steam have its baristas take Murky's barista training course.

I think Nick Cho could make some serious money if he were to leverage his competition wins to create a barista certification, try to get Washingtonians to recognize it, and make it such that the better restaurants and other coffee-selling outfits wouldn't think of putting espresso on their menus without a certified barista on staff.

I'll do my part: if Nick does this, I'll start asking at every restaurant "is your barista certified?" If enough of us do this, before long, restaurants will feel pressure to drop the few bucks, and decent espresso will no longer be a rarity in DC. One day may end the irony of spending $500 for dinner only to have the same restaurant's espresso be a bitter disappointment. I see top quality espresso machines in many locales throughout the city, but while the restauranteur is willing to drop heavy change for "the best" macchina, they fail to train staff to use them.

[bobdc]

We should suggest that Steam have its baristas take Murky's barista training course.

I think Nick Cho could make some serious money if he were to leverage his competition wins to create a barista certification, try to get Washingtonians to recognize it, and make it such that the better restaurants and other coffee-selling outfits wouldn't think of putting espresso on their menus without a certified barista on staff.

Great idea and I hope Nick sees this. I am sure Nick, Dan and others have considered such certification. I don't understand why it is not yet happening. IMHO, certification seems to be the next logical step in the field and would have to be nationally established as a single-source or many, including the McCoffees will set up their own 'certification' programs.

Possibly, this should/could be a new, separate topic. I would really enjoy hearing the ideas from the experts and those who have labored to make this field so representative of solid knowledge, information and appreciation of fine specialty coffees that it is.

[Nick]

I'll do my part: if Nick does this, I'll start asking at every restaurant "is your barista certified?"

I understand what you're trying to say here, but here's the thing: Name one restaurant with a "barista."

I can't.

Servers, and often support-staff (bussers, runners, etc.) are the ones making espresso drinks.

That said, I get your point. I do believe that something of the sort will develop over the next few years, and whatever it is, it will likely require a grassroots element like you've volunteered for.

Don't stop believing.