Peregrine Espresso

My experience at Peregrine Espresso was unacceptable and worth sharing so others know what to expect. While my wife’s espresso was being prepared, I watched the barista brush the top of the ground coffee with her bare hand. That raised an immediate concern about sanitation. When I asked that my Americano be made without hands touching the coffee, I was met with a dismissive response asking if I wanted a refund rather than addressing the request. After clarifying that I simply wanted the drink prepared appropriately, the interaction became noticeably hostile. My drink was placed on the counter carelessly, causing it to spill, and there was no apology or effort to correct the situation. Immediately afterward, I observed another customer’s drink being served with care and professionalism, reinforcing the impression that my experience was handled differently. Between the dismissive attitude, careless service, and questionable handling practices, this visit fell far below basic expectations. The coffee itself did not make up for the experience. I would not recommend this location based on this visit.

Peregrine Espresso delivers great-quality coffee with smooth flavor and consistent workmanship. I enjoyed my macchiato, but the add-on pricing was a bit surprising $0.90 just for syrup made the total $7.10 for a small drink. The baristas were friendly and the shop was clean and efficient, but the cost may feel steep for simple customizations. Still, a solid spot for a well-made coffee.

Peregrine Espresso at Union Market is super easy to find—it’s the first vendor you’ll see as soon as you walk in through the easternmost door. Although I’m not a big coffee drinker, this place is always busy, and I’ve been with several people who’ve ordered espressos, cappuccinos, and regular coffee. They all say it’s fantastic! The staff is friendly, efficient, and quick, and I really admire that some of the employees are hearing impaired, yet they consistently deliver excellent service. The only downside is that on busy weekends, finding seating can be a bit tricky, but it’s totally worth the visit. Highly recommend!

Very rarely you come across a business that is operated with employees who have physical disabilities and top of that make it look like everything is just completely normal. I was pleasantly shocked and surprised to know that the baristas who work here were hearing, deaf and hard of hearing. I swear I couldn’t even believe that they were, while interacting. I got myself a flat regular coffee and got it in no time. The coffee was made to perfection and had good aroma too. If you are at the Union Market, please show some love to these lovely folks and enjoy a good coffee or tea, here. And whoever owns Peregrine, big salute to you!

The coffee was good. Although I just ordered an iced vanilla latte which wasn’t anything special but I got what I asked for. It is located inside the union market. The staff were all very nice and service was quick. The market is crowded on a Saturday mid-day but there wasn’t a line for the coffee. I’m just a little picky on how much coffee places charge for coffee. For $6.45 I probably wouldn’t return for a run of the mill vanilla latte. However I came for the experience of the market and got a decent coffee.

A decent and strong 2oz espresso for a little bit of an elevated price compared to other coffee shops. The wait was about 10 minutes even though it wasn’t busy and there were five employees who didn’t seem to care for the customers—they just wanted to chat with each other. I’ll probably go elsewhere.

Tried their iced cappuccino and it was great! Sadly iced americano was a bit too watery. Situated in the midst of a busy and vibrant market place. No seatings.

Great service I forgot the name. But thanks it was really great. love the macchiato ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Had a delicious iced chai from peregrine while in union market. Everyone working were super nice and I liked seeing them making the drinks in front of me. I'll come back!

I'm not going to lie, I only ordered a black coffee and the barista just poured coffee into my cup and handled it to me. It was a very short encounter but can I really say much? It was still a busy saturday though. There was a line and it went quick but my interaction probably lasted much less than five minutes. I got my coffee, paid for it and left to started drinking it. It's black coffee, hot, dark roast coffee brewed to perfection. I love a good cup when made right. I did hear that their drip coffee is pretty good, so perhaps that'd be the next step in what to get if I come back to their store in Union Market!

I was headed to Eastern Market and decided to go stop on my way for coffee. There was a long line on a Saturday morning but it moved quickly. Service was friendly and prices were standard. Coffee was good, not my favorite, but not bad. Bathroom is through the back door and down the hall, shared with the neighboring businesses. I don't think there's any parking over there, I took the me

This was probably the best drip coffee I have ever had. We originally wanted a pour over but they don't do pour overs on the weekend. However, the drip coffee did not disappoint. It was so flavorful and complex, especially for a drip. Hope to try their pour over someday. They were also really nice!

Loved the lavender latte!! Service was great, will be coming back here! Easy ordering experience

The coffee was good. Although I just ordered an iced vanilla latte which wasn't anything special but I got what I asked for. It is located inside the union market. The staff were all very nice and service was quick. The market is crowded on a Saturday mid-day but there wasn't a line for the coffee. I'm just a little picky on how much coffee places charge for coffee. For $6.45 I probably wouldn't return for a run of the mill vanilla latte. However I came for the experience of the market and got a decent coffee.

This is a coffee shop within Union Market. The staff were friendly. My latte was a bit on the bitter side but it is like the only coffee shop I saw within the market and I really needed a pick me up. Would I rush back here to try other drinks...Probably not but if I found myself in the area again.. maybe. Ambiance was nothing special as it is located in the market so it is surrounded by other booths/ restaurant.

It's a coffee counter at Union Market so will get you that caffeine fix you need but it's not very attractive. Limited menu altho' the had a hot & cold "special" it looked like they were testing to see if customers would venture beyond espresso, Americanos, lattes & cappuccinos. No one in line so ordering was not an issue but service was slow.

A special review for myself as this is my 200th Yelp review and the timing can't be more perfect! Very rarely you come across a business that is operated with employees who have physical disabilities and top of that make it look like everything is just completely normal. I was pleasantly shocked and surprised to know that the baristas who work here were hearing, deaf and hard of hearing. I swear I couldn't even believe that they were, while interacting. I got myself a flat regular coffee and got it in no time. The coffee was made to perfection and had good aroma too. If you are at the Union Market, please show some love to these lovely folks and enjoy a good coffee or tea, here. And whoever owns Peregrine, big salute to you!

They've started to bake in a 10% automatic tip into the price and still ask you to tip on top of that. That said, I was the only customer and the barista took a very long time to make my drink.

Had a maple latte which was good but my sister got a chai latte and the first time there was no sweetener in it, I was going to add some syrup to it but the girl offered to remake it which I thought was nice. However she decided to be vindictive instead and the 2nd chai tasted like straight spice so strong that it burned your throat. I was going to leave a 5 star review bc I thought they were being so nice by remaking it until we tasted it. Terrible service, find a new job if you hate yours so much.

Doing some last-minute shopping for a New Year's Eve party at our house and went to Union Market. While there we decided to get an expresso and we asked for decaf. The wait was forever as they were backed up and the coffee was so bad and burnt that I could not finish it.

Wonderful first visit to Union Market and Peregrine Espresso-- I loved it! After lots of driving and meandering on a Saturday, I was in dire need of a coffee fix. It was time for lunch and my dad wanted to check out a different place entirely. While he was placing his order, I hopped over to Peregrine to ask if they have milk alternatives and they do. "Only oat milk," the barista said (perfect because that is indeed the superior milk alternative). I ordered an oat milk cappuccino for my dad and an iced oat milk latte with simple syrup (not pictured) for myself. My dad liked his drink and I loved my latte, especially on a hot, humid DC day. While ordering, it was difficult for my barista to hear what I was saying because of the plastic barrier, the surrounding commotion, and the face masks, but they were very patient and asked questions until they made sure they had the order right. Thank you Peregrine Espresso for excellent customer service and an excellent coffee pick-me-up! I hope to be back soon.

For a place that specializes in drinks, it sure is disappointing when you order a tea that tastes like water. The peach blossom tea is $3+ a cup and tastes as bland as water. When we went back to tell them how bland it tasted, the cashier said "it's pretty watery"... so why is it offered on the menu?

Peregrine is the absolute GOAT of coffee. You know who you see when you watch Barista (a film about the World Barista Championships)? Someone from Peregrine. Over more than a decade, I had hundreds of drinks and everything on the menu. Loved it all. These folks do coffee so well, it's incredible.

Love this place. Have been there twice now, and they've had great service each time. They're espresso is fantastic, and I loved their cortado and flat white. The vibe depends on how busy Union Market is. On weekdays it's a nice place to order a coffee and sit down but less chill on weekends.

When I first got to union market for my weekly weekend recap with my friend, I wasn't sure if I was up for coffee or juice for the day but the woman at the cashier had such a great smile I couldn't resist! I tried ordering a dirty chai and while they don't have chai, the cashier recommended a London Fog which actually might become a new favorite of mine! Service was fast and the drink was perfect for a beautiful Sunday!!

Popped by this shop for the first time. The staff weren't very welcoming as they barely noticed us. When we were unsure of what to get, no recommendations were suggested. We settled on a iced turmeric ginger tea. When taking the order we were not asked if we wanted sugar/sweetener etc ( I bring this up because we forgot lol). When we asked did they have any, the lady responded blah manager but completed the request. We got the drink and left. Once we got to the car we realized the drinks still don't have sugar in it. Unfortunately the customer service missed the mark and it reflected in the drink as well.

Some of the baristas here are unbelievably rude. I ordered an iced latte and one of the baristas accidentally spilled it all over my clothes and computer when trying to set it down. Instead of acknowledging the situation or giving me a towel, they threw the towel at my friend and continued making coffee. They refused to make eye contact, explain what happened, or even say they were making another coffee. I didn't even realize what had happened and it felt like a coffee was just thrown on me from behind with no explanation. Is it that difficult to treat someone with kindness or rectify a situation of this sort with an apology? I don't think I'll ever get coffee from this place and I would recommend finding a different place if you want to interact with baristas that are warm and welcoming.

Things have changed here. Under new management? If you're going to charge $3 for a small cup of coffee, you best be on top of your game. Staff used to be friendly, super professional, and skilled at the craft. No longer the case -- poor training? For example, would be nice to actually get 12oz of coffee in a 12oz container. Clearly a pattern since every Yelp review in the last 6 months is negative and every single one is focused on staff ("patronizing," "abrasive," "snippy," "weren't very welcoming"). Hope they turn the ship around soon! Until then, head over to Buffalo & Bergen or Cafe Unido at La Cosecha for service with a smile.

Definitely know how to make a decent espresso. I actually felt like I was in Italy again when I drank the coffee I ordered. They are located in Union Market where a lot of places have super inflated pricing. However, they do not. Reasonable prices for an exceptional cup of coffee.

Iced lattes and drip coffee are good. Not the best, but not bad by any means. Counter is pretty quick and people are friendly.

If there is one stall you absolutely have to try in the Union Market, then it would be this small coffee stall. Currently this is one of the three Peregrine Espresso locations in Washington DC. This stall has one of the longest waiting lines in the Union Market (TaKorean is a close 2nd) and the menu is pretty straightforward (espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, latte, mocha, Americano, regular coffee, tea, and hot chocolate). *** Latte ($4.40): Just a plain vanilla latte, nothing too fancy about it. Don't let its simplicity fool you! This cup of latte had a really smooth finish and didn't taste watery at all. Latte art was certainly a plus and this was an extremely well made latte. *** This is for sure the best coffee I have had in the East Coast (I visited multiple coffee places in Buffalo and Baltimore due to red-eye flights - this tops all of them). Heck this place will give Philz Coffee a run for their money.

Cappuccino made fresh daily!! The smell of beans are just as addicting as crack. A cup is all you need to taste the difference. Great tasting not watered down. Grab it to go or sit down on one of tables inside or outside of the market. Pair it with an AVO toast or a bagel. I'm a fan!

When it's time for a mid-shopping jolt of caffeine in a full flavored espresso beverage, Peregrine Espresso is the place to be. We really like visiting Union Market for a fun lunch from one of the small proprietors. Then, we shop for bread, cheese, meat, knives, vegetables and anything else we can find! The baristas here do a wonderful job with cappuccinos and lattes, providing an artistic statement rather than a generic pour covered with a plastic top found at a large chain that shall remain nameless. My only ask is perhaps more seating but the space is limited so we make do. Life is good, with caffeine!

love the peeps there, they got me through finals and a whole semester. Shoutout to danny!

Peregrine Espresso was my last stop in Union Market with my friend recently. After trying food from several of the vendors in the market, we grabbed some coffees to go from Peregrine. Solid iced coffees (it was a warm, humid day). Wouldn't hesitate to get coffee here again.

Best latte in the city is now available at Union Market. Since Union Market is non-compete, it's the only coffee shop at Union Market. You can find this coffee stand when you walk in the doors farthest to the right when facing the market. There's usually a line in the mornings, but Peregrine fully staffs itself so the line moves quickly. Staff take the art of coffee seriously so they make each cup with perfection. I always prefer my latte a tad sweet (Who am I kidding? I like it a lot sweet) and they provide simple syrup at the end of the stand (Which by the way, why would a coffee shop that sells iced lattes, NOT have simple syrup. Sugar cane never works well in cold drinks! I'm looking at you Compass Coffee on 8th St NW). Once you have your coffee in hand, go explore all the other shops at Union Market or grab a table inside (There's free, strong wifi throughout the market) or enjoy DC's fine weather at one of the tables outside.

This place is not that good and overpriced. These people in DC that are rating this place so high are either high themselves or from parts of the US that don't have good coffee like the midwest, southwest, south-- basically anywhere outside of the West Coast and NYC; these people wouldn't know good coffee if they got tea bagged by a civet cat.

Inside the bustling Union Market is Peregrine Espresso, named the best Coffee in the Eastern US at America's Best Coffeehouse Competition. It's joke! I was genuinely surprised how much I liked their lightly sweetened vanilla latte. As a coffee snob this is a sign of really good coffee beans! No need to cover up the coffee flavor. Excellent staff at this location as well. Easy to get to, just find s free 30 min parking spot and go right in the main market building. I can't wait to go back and try their pour over coffee!

Love this place, try to go at least once a month since I have to drive down to the city but so worth it. The expresso is amazing, you can tell that they take pride on making the drinks. Great place and awesome baristas .

3.5 stars. Got an iced vanilla latte, and it was just ok. There wasn't really a strong vanilla or coffee flavor in my opinion. I like that they use drinking lids instead of plastic straws! The servers were super friendly tho!!

My go-to shop for almost 6 months now, definitely keeping me sane. Pros: * Definitely better than Starbucks up the road, both espresso, cold-brew, alternative milk, etc. * Good service, seems to move fast even when the place is busy. Cons: * The Jo coffee app goes on the fritz sometimes but it's not bad -- definitely make sure that you don't have a duplicate order (two of your drink). * Different baristas definitely have different quality of coffee. I haven't picked up names yet but the slender deaf woman is the best. Food options: I've only purchased one cookie here, it was fine.

As a coffee addict visiting District Market before noon without a sip of my favorite vice, Peregrene Espresso had a monopoly on my wallet before I even stepped in. The line for the only (visible) coffee stand in this crowded market was understandably long. They seemed to have cornered the market for caffeinated gold, and thankfully, they deliver a quality cup of coffee. The latte ($4.40) I got was nice and smooth, though not as sweet as a lot of other places. So for those of you who prefer sweeter drinks, it's something to keep in mind. Despite the long line, they kept it moving along pretty quickly and efficiently. The employees here were very friendly, and happy to answer any questions you may have.

Recently added coffee back into my life - I went two years without it! But now I only drink it black and what I've noticed is that I can clearly taste the difference between coffee. I used to add a lot of sugar and creamer and it would just muddle the flavor. Today I arrived a little after 9am, got iced coffee for $2.75 and it was super smooth with a slight sweet finish. They also have a variety of sweet and savory snacks. I already bought two donuts from the b.doughnut pop-up so I didn't want to be too much a fat ass but my mouth was watering from seeing the Prosciutto croissant and the cheddar, bacon and spring onion scone. Next time!

Quick little visit here after grabbing lunch with friends. Seems like everyone on staff is either fluent in ASL or from the hard of hearing & deaf community themselves. I wish I knew more sign language to order completely in it - but I did manage a thank you. The iced coffee was strong and tasty, even on a chilly day.

Peregrine was one of the first places I fell in love with in DC and it remains so. I love that this location was also one of the first stalls to open in Union Market. I stick to their mochas, either iced or hot, with oat milk. I don't care for the pastries here. I recently tried a scone and it was hard, dry, and flavorless. I really appreciate that they carry Taza chocolate, which is one of the best chocolates you can buy. And staff is always friendly.

This Peregrine is located inside Union Market. I'm a regular at their Eastern Market location, and I think this location's coffee and staff stack up, despite operating out of a cramped location. Peregrine's strong black coffee and oat milk are the draw for me, but I haven't been disappointed by other drinks I've ordered. There is fairly limited seating and it is not a good place to work from. However, the experience this location offers is having a great coffee to walk around the market with in hand. It's not the cheapest coffee (black coffee is $3), but it's a quality cup of joe.

Yay wonderful hipster coffee shop! The espresso is delicious and the staff is always knowledgeable/lovely. Do not take your father-in-law who only drinks 711 coffee here - he'll hate it. The "normal" coffee is not normal. Think, fruit forward and more acidic. I got a great coconut and rose tea cake with my Americano this morning - heaven. The staff is really friendly and knowledgeable, so don't be afraid to ask for recommendations! The line is really long on the weekends, but they're open every morning except for Mondays.

My friend and I were wandering in Union Market with our caffeine headaches kicking in, desperate for coffee, and stumbled upon Peregrine Espresso. However, instead of ordering their famed coffee, we ended up going with a different drink - "All my friends are on vacation so I'm going to order this fancy drink" (or, "The Fancy," for short). Given that most of our friends were out of town for labor day weekend, it felt fitting. It was a white tea - pink lemonade fusion drink and absolutely delicious. I ended up having a vanilla latte afterwards as well and loved it - a perfect pick me up on a Saturday morning. The baristas are mainly hard of hearing or deaf (not a coincidence being next to the historic Gallaudet University) and are incredibly friendly. It was cool to see other customers signing to them as well and opened up a great conversation between my friend (who speaks ASL) and I about DC's deaf community. Just make sure to have their attention if you're asking a question (something their helpful signs will remind you of)!

Was in Union Market yesterday and ordered an cappuccino ($3.75). Quality: High end, outstanding quality coffee. Made with care. This is a great coffee location in DC. Prices: Fair for craft coffee. Sizes: I would ask that they start making a slightly bigger cup (offer two sizes potentially). I finished with my coffee quickly - but still very enjoyable.

I normally write more thorough reviews, but Peregrine Espresso is quite literally a coffee stand in an upscale/hipster market place. They have different organic / responsible coffee and provide espresso's, drip coffee, pour-over, and coffee drinks. In short a solid pour-over, but nothing-spectacular...just good ($5.00) tall (pour-over) coffee. So if you are into the hipster scene and want something different than your local Starbucks give Peregrine Espresso a try. They have several locations in the DC area; we visited the one in Union Market (East DC). Solid place, capitalizing on the hipster scene...a bit over priced hence the three stars.

My body can handle poisons such as absinthe, moonshine, dairy and gluten on an almost daily basis but coffee? To quote Whitney Houston: "HELL TO THE NAW!" As a mobile worker, this is quite unfortunate since coffee houses are pretty much the only reason we see daylight/people in a regular work week. I was computerizing one chilly day in Union Market and in need of some liquid love. I had heard about and was curious about the wonders of Peregine Espresso but was not willing to risk an elevated heart rate and day sweats for their delicious sounding coffees. Luckily, I spotted that they had hot chocolate on the menu. Not expecting much (I'm used to the pathetic Swiss Miss like cocoas I've had at coffee shops in the past), I was pleasantly surprised to see my barista put as much care into my hot chocolate as he did to the other espresso drinks on the line. My hot chocolate was rich, creamy, easily drinkable, and the perfect temperature. It even had a cute little steamed milk swirl on top! This was the best "chocolat chaud" I've had since leaving France a few weeks ago. Thanks Peregine, you get five stars from me!

I had a $5 hot latte and it's very good! Im not sure which blend I had but it doesn't have much acidity which I love. But I think it's a little bit overprice.

Cyndy's Bottom Line: Coffee for the caffeine only. Stopped by for a cup because of the Yelp reviews and was surprised to find that the flavor of the coffee was burnt. Great if you like burnt coffee.

I visited Peregrine at Union Market to participate in "Espresso Fundamentals", a class that was advertised at their Capitol Hill location. This new location for Peregrine is really amazing! It's an open air location that basically shares space with other restaurants and shops. The renovation on the buildings is stunning. The class was also amazing. As you might expect, i am really into coffee and have visited every shop in town before I noticed this course. I watch the baristas work. I am really into it. But this class opened my eyes and I strongly recommend it. They start with basics, teach you all about beans, roasting, their amazing grinders, and the espresso machine, itself. It's an ambitious undertaking, but if you are willing to take a few things on faith, you can get through the information and get to the point of making the same drinks at a similar quality to the ones they sell in the shop! And depending on how good you are, you could easily be making those cool milk designs. I seriously want to take this class a second time. It was everything I expected and more!

These people are coffee experts. They actually hold classes on it. So, as expected, their coffee is really good. The coffee and drinks (such as cappucino or hot chocolate) are all freshly made, and not rushed - they take their time making them. Then, they call you when it's ready, and all of the coffee I've had there has all been delicious - none of those bitter, acidic, or burnt tastes I sometimes get in coffee. There are a few small tables right there by the window, if you want to sit and enjoy your drink away from the busier dining area of Union Market.

Imma' lay down the coffee law, because I've been hunting for a honest-to-goodness at-least-with-foam decent cappucino in DC, and you would think that the most hipster-looking place I've found so far would get it right. You guessed it: they didn't. I went early in the morning, shortly after they opened, and I ordered my apparent latté with a chocolate croissant. They have a broad selection of coffee brands from distinct places around the world, which does motivate me to come back and try them (though I question their "Fair trade" advertising). To be quite honest, that chocolate croissant was stale from the day before. The taste and presentation were fantastic - bitter chocolate filling, buttery flavor with each bite of the croissant - but a stale baked good is a stale baked good wherever you go. I understand if it's a lot of work to make them, but the least the shop could do is reheat or store them appropriately. The staff that day was two men dressed in casual plaid who, while they were attentive and efficient, did not seem to care much for their customers. It's either that or I have different standards. I'd recommend coming at a different time, when food is fresh and maybe someone else is at the front. But if this is the best the shop has to offer all day, all I can say is that it's only thriving because of the growing trend towards fair trade organic artisan coffee.

Last time I was here I had their Iced Americano which was pretty good. This time I wanted to try something new and one of their baristas recommended that I tried their Latte which was also pretty delicious. I appreciated the cute latte art the barista created and the taste was the perfect amount of sweet and bitterness of a well made latte. One thing I was bummed out was that they didn't have a cup sleeve. Maybe they ran out of it? But I don't remember them having it last time either, so I had to carry my coffee with my bare hands (which isn't a big deal but if my coffee was hotter that would've been bad). Overall, I really enjoy their coffee and I give extra points for the location convenience!