This New Eritrean-Owned Coffee Shop Is a Boon for Shaw | Eater DC

"I visited the new coffee shop that opened today in a renovated space replacing the corner liquor store at Rhode Island Avenue and 11th Street NW in Shaw: The Roasted Boon (1018 Rhode Island Avenue NW). The 2,000-square-foot, walk-up-only shop roasts its own beans on a touchscreen-enabled white roaster purchased from Idaho-based Diedrich Roasters that even bears signatures of former trainees, and it extracts flavor from beans sourced in Guatemala, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Brazil; the current espresso is a Brazilian–Ethiopian blend. Open daily 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to start, drip coffee begins at $2.50 and espresso drinks come in medium (two shots) and large (four), all served in disposable, recyclable containers. Local bakery Fresh Baguette supplies bagels, cookies, muffins, croissants, and pre-packaged sandwiches, and the shop also offers packaged protein bars, fresh fruit, and smoothies; packaged beans will soon be sold on a retail shelf by the entrance. A signature drink out of the gate is “the Shaw,” a hot mix of French vanilla and nutmeg made on a silver Casadio espresso machine, and other offerings include Americano, latte, macchiato, flat white, chai latte, and an icy Frappuccino. The industrial raw floor—the only element retained from the liquor store—features social-distancing stickers for walk-up orders, colorful woven baskets double as wall art, and the owners (who took over the space a year ago) plan to expand hours to midnight and serve wine and sangrias by early September once they secure a liquor license and add stools to a marble bar. I learned that the Boon (not “bean”) on the sign refers to a traditional Eritrean coffee-making ceremony, reflecting general manager Smret Tewolde’s homeland, and the logo substitutes espresso beans for the name’s vowels." - Tierney Plumb