Whit H.
Yelp
How do I love Black Coffee- let me count the ways! I've been living in the Palisades for going on 3 years now, and this is *by far* my favorite place to go. Even if I didn't live here, the food, drinks, service, and atmosphere are enough to warrant an uber or a bike ride. I can't stay away for more than a couple days!
The food is always amazingly executed, with at least a few vegan and gluten free options available on any menu. I love just about every soup and pastry they make- especially the cold ones in the summer! They keep their menu and daily offerings creative and inspired which obviously keeps me coming back and eating more gluten than I should. I had their pastry chef make whoopie pies for my birthday party in April and they received rave reviews from everyone who had one. They also change their menu seasonally which always gives me something to look forward to, lol.
Their drinks are also well executed and seasonally updated. I believe they make their syrups in house and they're a lot more natural and less sugary than many other syrups I've had from various chains in DC. The lavender especially tastes light and floral, it can often taste perfumey or artificial and I get none of that from theirs. Their cold brew is delicious and their nitro is my favorite by far. When I was drinking more I used to get their mimosas as a weekend treat- there was a time they had bellinis where they made the peach puree in-house (i think it was peach season) which made my whole summer that year.
If not for the staff and service maybe I wouldn't come so often, but everyone has always been so sweet and accommodating to my frankly, high maintenance requests (see aforementioned whoopie pies). Whether it's making an herbal tea over ice with a drop of simple syrup, ice water for my pooch, or gluten free requests, I can trust that it will be done with the utmost care. I have witnessed customers be truly awful to the baristas and staff at register, which only speaks to their entitlement. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND that many businesses are still recovering from the past 18 months, still training new staff, etc. Barking "I ordered a large!" or "is that oat milk??" does not help anyone and will not get you service with a smile. You're not that important, even if you do live in the Palisades.
Sorry for the novel x_x Finally the atmosphere is and has always been adorable. Clean bathrooms, cute accents, expansive outdoor seating with heating during the winter- tbh I never sat inside even pre-pandemic, but they have greatly developed their patio space and it is hands down the best outdoor seating of any Palisades restaurant, bonus that they're (very) dog friendly, with bowls and ice water provided on hot days! My dog is always excited when he realizes where we're going, despite a general unwillingness to walk in his advanced age. There is often good music playing and a water station too. I will say I miss their dinner menu/hours, and I hope they bring it back someday!
And so I must conclude my ode to BCDC, in whom I would purchase shares if they were available. I wrote this review after witnessing the above customer interaction and feeling a lot of disgust at the audacity. While it may seem like I have some stake in this business with my glowing praise- I do not- and I almost never leave 5 star reviews either. They're just thatttttt gooooood.