Café Unido Shaw

I’ve been a fan of Unido at Union Market for a while — it’s a charming café with a thoughtful design and used to offer consistently interesting coffee. But lately, the quality has been slipping. What always made this place special wasn’t just the coffee (which is decent but not extraordinary) — it was the people behind the bar. When Alex or Zoya are working, the experience transforms — their presence brings warmth, care, and professionalism that’s hard to find elsewhere. Unfortunately, when they’re not around, the atmosphere and service drop noticeably. To Alex and Zoya — 5 stars. To the management — a weak 3, and that’s only out of respect for the beans and the farmers behind them. If anyone from upper management reads this, please recognize and support your frontline staff better — they’re the real value of your brand.

This is one of my favorite coffee shops and they have an amazing latte: Orange raspadura. The coffee is high quality and this latte in particular has fresh flavors with the orange peel used on top of the orange syrup. This location is gorgeous. Very spacious and tons of natural light.

Unido Coffee Roasters is a great little spot conveniently located just off Florida Ave NW. It’s a cute café with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, perfect for catching up with friends or getting some work done. They serve all the standard coffee, tea, and hot chocolate drinks, but the food menu is a pleasant surprise—with options like breakfast wraps, açaí bowls, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The prices are a bit on the higher side, but totally worth it for the quality and atmosphere. The staff is always super friendly, the space is clean, and there’s a steady crowd of people on laptops—so the Wi-Fi definitely holds up. Great vibe overall.

Solid spot! Really in between a 4 and 5… the beignets are meh and the egg was overcooked on my sandwich, but everything else was great! Super cute and they have a side that’s laptop friendly and a side that’s laptop free - cool vibe! Great service.

When I say I savor every bite of the food here omg I really mean it. Feels like every cent is worth it because the food and coffee really is that good. I have gotten the Unido breakfast sandwich both times I’ve been here recently cuz it’s really just been what I’m craving but I tried a bite of the pancakes from a friend and they were absolutely delicious as well. The coffee is great, very smooth bold flavors. I’m very unsurprised with how busy it is on a Saturday at 10:30/11:00 am. They have laptop rules about which tables you can sit at but it feels very reasonable given the space and the number of people cycling through. Honestly one of the best cafes in DC and I get proven right every time I come back.

Great vibes, super friendly staff, and solid coffee. I came by this lovey Panamanian coffee shop with a few friends on Saturday morning, and I immediately fell in love with its clean and modern, yet super cozy and welcoming aesthetic. I love the floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the space with natural light, smattering of plants, and slightly aggressive "no laptops allowed" signs placed on every table (at least during the weekends). It was the perfect place to hang out and it would be a good place to work on the weekdays (when laptops are allowed). Our barista was super friendly and gave great recommendations; we eventually settled on a hot dirty chai, hot latte, and iced orange raspadura latte. The orange raspurada latte was definitely the highlight -- I loved the combination of citrus and cinnamon, and, while it was a smidge too sweet for me, both of my friends absolutely loved it. The dirty chai was similarly well-spiced and super tasty, also with a bit too much sugar for my taste but well-received by both of my coffee buddies. The plain coffee was solid, but I didn't think that it had a ton of flavor -- it mostly just tasted like milk. I would love to come back to try their drip coffee or an americano, or perhaps a cortado / something else with a little less milk to really appreciate the flavor of the beans.

Cute little spot to go and get some work done. I was confused though about why there are certain tables that are marked as laptop free? What difference does it make lol. Also, the iced chai was really good, but the grilled cheese was the star of the show. I really enjoyed the tomato salsa that it was served with.

1st and LAST time visiting! I stopped by for an afternoon coffee and mentioned to the cashier, Jorge, that it was my first time visiting and asked if they offered any hot teas. He simply pointed to the menu without saying a word — as if I was inconveniencing him. I then asked if they had any creamers available, and he responded, “Only milk.” So, I decided to order a small coffee with oat milk. When I received it, I took a sip before adding sweetener, only to realize the coffee was ice cold. I went back to the counter to politely request a refund and explained that the coffee was cold. I asked if it had been sitting out since the morning, and he said, “No, the milk did it.” Without apologizing or offering to make a fresh cup, he just said, “The money will be back in your account in 3–5 business days.” As I gathered my things, I watched the barista pour my returned cup of coffee back into the coffee urn — completely unacceptable and unsanitary. To the management or ownership: I recommend reviewing your cameras for this incident, as I have the exact date and time if needed. My entire interaction was a total of 3 minutes.