St. Elmo's Coffee Pub - Old Town North

A colleague of mine wants to move to North Old Town from McLean. You probably are asking why? Perhaps it’s the retired senior with dogs vibe. It might also be the safe place for same sex couples area. This coffee place appears to be a destination cafe in the middle of the mix. Everyone that walked in was fit and trim. Do they all work out? Some in uniform, so I assume there is a military workforce nearby too. The cafe has decent coffee. Plenty of coffee add-Ins and all self service, so add as much sugar as you want and really nice staff. The staff are exactly what makes the place so comfortable. ST Elmo’s is the anti-Starbucks. Come and people watch, listen to the music, sit on the outside patio, or just grab and go. Just don’t order the breakfast burrito. Not good. Too hot. But the atmosphere makes the place a local destination for a quick break or meeting with a coffee.

My favorite coffee lounge. Beautiful cafe to dine in with friends, read, or work from your laptop. I usually grab Mocha with oat milk, and work on my laptop. They have sitting and standing tables. The servers are so friendly.

I loved my hot chocolate and apple danish! ( No I did NOT wait for it to cool. I burned my tongue- Worth it! ) The goods came fast and the staff is polite and friendly! The place is cozy and open. Seemed a nice place to chill. Very calm. My apple danish was delish! Next time I will try to heat it up instead of devouring it in the car!

We went for after work Cocktail ended up with a wine tasting and leaving with four bottles. Fantastic place and they're frozen Rosé are the bomb

Does not take coffee, seriously, based upon their failure to educate employees, about the coffee sold on premises. You will likely receive a blank expression when inquiring about the purchase of a single origin coffee. Two patrons exited this location, without making a purchase, directly in front of me. I should have taken that as a sign.

One employee is wonderful. The rest act like I've asked them to sacrifice their firstborn when I ask for no foam on my latte (which already should barely have foam on it!). They then give me a cup that is 1/3 full of foam and is essentially a flavored cappuccino; if I ask them (always nicely!) to make it again, it comes back with the exact same amount of foam. Then they stand there and look at me like I'm crazy while I use a spoon to remove the ton of foam I very specifically asked to not have placed in my cup. Not sure if this is a training issue, or they are all just rude? One girl no longer even tries, she just walkes away and makes the cashier (try to) do it when I make my, apparently unreasonable, request. Picture is my cup after the most recent foam removal. Today Iwas the last straw, as I was given a cup of lemonade that very clearly came from a container with mold in it. I could tell just from the smell, but took a sip to be sure, and promptly gagged. gave it to a coworker to taste, and the immediate response was "Why did you just give me moldy lemonade?". I'm done with this place, and I cannot believe the fact that I was served MOLDY lemonade. Disgusting.

This place has the best coffee in town. The coffee taste like coffee, not like syrup like Starbucks. It is well-made. The ingredients are simple. A coffee is strong and delicious. This will be the only coffee shop I will visit while I am in the area. Customer service is excellent and friendly employees. They are very knowledgeable about coffee and I wish them all the best.

My favorite of the three locations. Nicely set apart from the tourist areas of Old Town, free parking, and a great atmosphere. Not as loud as Del Ray and much better wifi than Shirlington. Very dog friendly patio!

Stopped in to grab a latte and LOVED the Chai I was made. It was super flavorful and tasty. Got my drink super fast which was nice as well. Only leaving 4 as I didn't try any food and didn't eat/drink inside so can't comment on food or ambiance.

We love this place but the last few months we've noticed an odd decline. The dirty chais now taste like vanilla lattes; the first time we thought it was a mistake but the second time we went back to exchange them, the young person working there was dismissive and showed us the powder she used was "vanilla latte powder" -- but kept insisting that was chai flavoring. Just seems like some new baristas need more oversight and training on what dirty chais actually taste like. The sandwiches continue to be good. They have homemade gluten free focaccia bread.

Been to St Elmos on a few occasions and everytime i have been. They have done great job. Seating is great as they have indoor and outdoor options. Very unique seating options as well. Have a great selction of music as well. If you go at the right time its a very chill spot to work or just have a bite or drink. Also let me not forget to metntion the piano (Not for kids) Thier coffee is delcious and never had a homemade pop tart until i came here. Today was my first time having a adult bevy here. They did awesome with my mule and they are actively working on a drink menu for this location. Highly recommend them for breakfast lunch and drinks....hmm i mean dinner.

I used to love their breakfast sandwiches. Not anymore. I went there on 2/19/25 and received two stale croissant bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches. Again, on 2/24/25, and asked if they were made to order, which the cashier said yes. Again, two stale sandwiches. I should have known based on how quickly they arrived. This used to be our go-to place. Time to find another.

Seriously? You just cannot serve a $13 untoasted sandwich in aluminum foil for people who are eating in. I am appalled. And the plastic bag. Shriek! The salmon sandwich was not toasted, only had one little piece of salmon (see picture), and was just not pleasing to the eye or mouth. And it was $12.99! The avocado toast sounded good on paper but was disappointing. The bread was toasted to resemble a wooden board, just super hard. Little avocado that didn't look fresh - see color. And the topped cheese was not feta but some sort of odorless and tasteless cheese, and HARDboiled eggs. Yikes! Costed $9.99 The coffee had no kick. All together over $40 breakfast that was more than disappointing. The service was weird. They were not really welcoming. If you're not at the counter the very second your name is called, they scream it in 1sec intervals. Just why? The atmosphere is not inviting.

Found this location while walking around Old Town, farther up from the water due to flooding. Located in a busy area (no idea on parking) as we were walking. It was very busy, but line moved pretty fast. Plenty of seating inside & out, Staff was friendly enough. This spot seemed dog friendly as we saw three customers with dogs inside seating/ordering area. We went with a medium drip coffee and a breakfast burrito. The coffee was hot & very good with a smooth flavor. I tried Oat milk as the half/half was empty (pretty busy), it was actually pretty good. The burrito was delicious, loved the flavor and it seriously will bring me back. Coffee & Burrito was around $14 which is in-line with area.

It's not only a Cafe but also a Pub. I've passed this spot so many times on the way to Hot chicken next door. On a Monday, after a long flight, I needed coffee so time to give them a try. Semi-busy around 1. A good selection of Coffees, Teas and an All Day Breakfast. In addition, Salads, Quiche and Sandwiches. Ordered a Cappuccino. (With added Mocha) Strong and tasty coffee. I was missing the Mocha though and asked if it was added. The response was that it wasn't added as it would've spoiled the drink. Okay, I was tired and just needed coffee so settled for some sugar. On a brighter note, I ordered the Cookies and Cream Pop Tart. (Cherry was also available). Chocolate filled and so much better than the toaster variety! Service was upbeat with a smile (outside of the missing Mocha) The Bar area is in the back so guess you go to the pub first and finish with coffee? -next time. Don't miss the Pop Tarts!

They have such great service and I love their coffee. They also have the best GF donuts and baked goods by the difference baker- so good!

The food and coffee were alright. A couple YouTube videos on properly steaming milk for lattes and cappuccinos could greatly improve the quality here. But I'm honestly leaving a 3 star review because of the disregard for the environment. I dined in. Why is my coffee in two paper cups, and my avocado toast in a plastic container? You can't be this close to DC and not care about the environment. Buy some pretty mugs and plates! Stop being so wasteful, please.

Two days ago I waited 12 minutes for a chai latte. Today i ordered a small latte, so did the person behind me only she obnoxiously ordered two different kinds of milk. They must have liked that because they made her drink before mine. Food still sucks and sandwiches are horrible compared to the sandwiches at Market 2 Market, their original sandwich location. If only there was another place to get coffee.

Very cute neighborhood spot for coffee and a light bite. I stopped in here in between appointments to knock out some work. A small black coffee and an avocado toast for about $17 (with tip) is about the going rate these days. There is lot of seating inside and plenty of areas with plugs. I'd highly recommend it as a cafe to work out of if need be, (I was there from 8-10am).

They were out of large cups so had to get a medium. Got an iced latte, tasted like every other iced latte I've ever gotten from anywhere. I did enjoy the outdoor seating as they have some huge umbrellas to keep out of the sun. Spent a couple of hours enjoying the patio, drinking my latte and getting some work done. Will come back whenever I'm in town staying at the Sheraton next door.

The ambiance is great. I love the windows/bar area that opens to the outside when the weather is nice. The inside is also very light and airy. The coffee though is only so-so. I got a vanilla latte and it was fine, but not worth $6.

I've stopped by three times this week: twice for breakfast and once for lunch. The staff is very friendly and service is quick, even going for a quick meal during work at times I'd expected it to be busy. I'm obsessed with their asiago bagel and jalapeño cream cheese - stunning. I wasn't a fan of the tomato soup and grilled cheese that I tried for lunch one day, and I also thought the iced dirty chai I ordered tasted off. I can't comment on their coffee because I haven't tried it but I will say they have a LOT of flavors. I'll keep coming back for the bagels and staff alone. One quick side note, if you're like me and like a lot of cream cheese, then I'd recommend ordering 2.

I stopped in here as I was staying in a nearby hotel and needed some coffee. I was pleasantly surprised that they had bakery items, specifically made to be allergen free and the donuts were SO GOOD. I have celiac disease so finding a donut is hard. They also had a gluten free waffle but I didn't have enough time to inquire about the protocols, however it was the only waffle on the menu so I bet that it would be safe for celiac! I will update this review when I go back. The coffee was also excellent. This will now be a regular spot when I'm in town!

Oooo this is a hip coffee shop! And it had a good amount of people here! I'm not from VA but a few stores recommended I get coffee from here since the Starbucks is not walking distance. They also serve alcoholic drinks in the back of the house which was new to me but how cool is that. It's like a one stop shop for coffee and happy hour haha. But I just ordered a drip coffee with creamer for $4.69. Definitely comparable to Starbucks pricing. Lol The staff was nice. The lady in the front with the short blonde hair was super friendly and recommended I come back to try their Frozen Rose drink. She said it's popular. I will definitely come back for sure! Park in the garage it's more convenient than finding street parking, I just had to mention that part lol

I think I officially found the cutest coffee shop in Alexandria. Some pros: Cinna bun iced latte- a must! The syrup is made in house and absolutely the best! The chairs are so comfortable I want to buy them for my own house Dog friendly- the even have free treats at the counter Music selection- this really tied the whole vibe together- they played a mix of Adele, Olivia rodrigo and Justin Bieber to name a few- I sang along while I drank my coffee Honestly so great. I 10000000% recommend!

AMAZING. By far the best lattes we've had in a long time. We had just left a (terrible) lunch just down the street and wanted to stop for a treat after a bad meal. We walked by this place and saw many people going in, so we decided to try it. The coffee here was fantastic! We both ordered off the special menu and we were both blown away. We love lattes, especially flavored ones, and love trying new places and these were so filled with flavor. We got the chocolate stout and emerald isle chai. You never know what you are going to get when trying a new place, and these were so worth it! Anytime we are in the area, we will be back. There were lots of tables and many of them were full. They have fun decorations on the walls and had it all decorated for st. Patrick's day. Their desserts looked unique and good as well.

St. Elmo's is a charming little spot offering quality coffee. I consistently receive a delicious and flavorful cup of coffee every time. But St. Elmo's isn't just about coffee - they also serve up some of the best breakfast sandwiches around. The sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients and are the perfect way to start your day. They're hearty, filling, and oh so tasty. One of the best things about St. Elmo's is how spacious it is inside. There's plenty of seating to relax and do work if needed. And if you're looking for something a little stronger than coffee, St. Elmo's has an alcoholic bar that's a nice touch. Whether you're in the mood for a craft beer or a glass of whisky, there's something for everyone. Finally, St. Elmo's is a dog-themed place, which adds to its charm. The walls are adorned with adorable dog pictures. Overall, I highly recommend St. Elmo's. The quality coffee, delicious breakfast sandwiches, spacious interior, alcoholic bar, and dog-themed atmosphere make it a great place to visit any time of day. Staff members are always friendly and quick to serve.

Coffee was fine, but it wasn't a nice surprise to learn that oat milk costs a dollar extra, even though it's not listed as such anywhere on the menu, nor was there any sort of verbal mention of an upcharge for oat milk (which honestly should cost the same or less than cow milk). The staff seemed totally uninterested and spaced out. The inside was messy and staff belongings were blocking the customer water faucet. Chalk it all up to a Halloween hangover I guess?

Love St Elmo's and it is conveniently located to our apartment. The Chai Latte with Oat Milk is absolutely delicious, and we love their Egg Sandwich on sourdough too. Great food and drink and good prices-love.

This location is so poorly managed. I live nearby and I can't tell you how many times the employees show up right at 7am for a business that opens at that hour. There is only one person taking orders and executing which leads to long lines. I waited in line for 10 minutes to place an order for light roast drip coffee and it wasn't ready as they clearly just showed up to work. This continued poor experience + horrible breakfast sandwiches and this is my last visit. See you at Mischa's

St. Elmo's Coffee Pub is my go-to for great coffee whenever I'm in town. Chill vibes, friendly service, and reasonable prices make it a winner. Their Peppermint Mocha is a must-try!

I was staying at a hotel nearby this coffee shop and was intrigued by their pastry options, so decided to stop by! I ordered the following items and would rate them as: Lavender chai with oatmilk - 1/5 Seasonal poptart (blueberry, strawberry, peach) - 4/5 Apple cider donuts - 4/5 I'm someone who absolutely hates to waste food and drinks, but this was the first time I had to throw out a drink because of how bad it tasted. The lavender chai was extremely sugary and tasted more like a syrup in drink form than an actual latte. The chai flavor was nonexistent, and it was unfortunate that I had to pour this one down the drain. Despite my drink experience, the reason why I'm rating this place a 3 is because I really enjoyed the poptart I ordered. I love poptarts that have more of a thick crust and frosting than actual jam, and this hit the spot. I wish they toasted it for me though, as it came cold from the fridge when they gave it to me. I ended up having to heat it up later on my own. The apple cider donuts (not pictured) were also pretty good too! Not too dense. I would come back here to try their other poptarts.

Brought my friend here after some Thai food and she absolutely loved it. We are going to plan another time here when weather gets warmer. I've had drinks before here and no -issue but my mango green tea was really really watered down today...hardly any flavor.

The coffee, bakery items, and service are all great. I've also tried most of the sandwiches and salads and enjoyed them all.

First time here. Found it from walking by. Happy we did. Service was great, its a very quaint place. Food was great. Recommend the Avo toast

I'd like to give them more stars because I really like their muffins and the homemade kombucha. But friends with allergies and gluten intolerances BEWARE. One time my friend with celiac came and order gluten free toast, only to be given gluten toast that made her so ill she had to call out of work for two days. A month later, I took my friend there where she got a fruit cup, however, it had clearly been cut on the same cutting board with mango or apples (both offered in the smoothies & salads) and ended up having to leave work early and then call out the next day. Needless to say, their food and drinks are good but if you want to bring someone here with an intolerance or allergy, best to stay clear since they don't follow careful protocols.

Honestly used to come here all the time. I don't recommend ordering online, they will not have it ready. I put in two different orders because I accidentally forgot something, and they were super rude about it when my fiance went to go pick it up. They didn't believe him when he said both orders were his. There was only two people working and it's so busy, no one could help. We just left the third drink because they wouldn't give it to us. Their pastries are always so stale. I got a blueberry scone and it tasted stored, like it was in a refrigerator for too long. So disappointing.

My sister and I love coffee and pastries and wanted to visit this joint per the amazing reviews. We both got almond croissants and their nitro cold brew. They had a great muffin selection that I would love to try in the future. We both enjoyed the pastries but they ranked low on our scale compared to others we have had. Their nitro brew was good but it was supposed to have hints of chocolate and they were definitely not detectable. The outdoor seating area was nice, although it could definitely use more shade. Service was pretty slow for what I ordered.

Vibe is thirsty workers on laptops, with a few sandwiches and friendly meetings or hangouts. Outlets along the bar and table in the back as well as the wall to charge up your devices by USB or outlet. Kombucha on tap for the non-beer drinkers, local brews for those that do, wine, liquor, and yes... coffee of various potencies too. I like the high ceilings and outdoor seating options with umbrellas, cozy high top chairs that don't hurt your butt, and plenty of space to get in your own zone.

I have to be honest bc I'm a coffee snob. Both the gingerbread latte and the PSL left MUCH to be desired. Sad about it bc the spot was cute! I'd give it one more try.

"Just OK" is an apt description of the drinks, food and atmosphere. Draws a good crowd because it's the only coffee shop walkable to a vast sea of apartments/townhouses in North Old Town. If somebody opened a better (non-Starbucks!) option nearby, they'd either have to up their game or face the end.

I've come here twice. The first time, I had a simple coffee and muffin. The coffee wasn't that great and the muffin was decent, but not memorable. Since, the experience was neutral, I decided to try again. While this place seems to be a very popular place to hang out, has good energy, and service moves quickly despite the crowds, I don't think the food or coffee is that great. Overall, a nice hangout spot and a nice stop if you're walking by, but I wouldn't go out of my way.

Love this place, all I need is coffee and sometimes quick breakfast and they got it covered. Service is always nice and pretty fast (yes if you come in the morning you will be in a line just like in any other coffee shop in old town). People that work there are quick and accommodating, ambiance is nice and you can take your time and it isn't loud.

This location has great music, a friendly staff, and good ambience. They make the best BLT east of the Mississippi. The espresso is a slightly better on its own but goes well when paired with a splash of milk. Outstanding overall.

This is a good coffee place and even grab a quick beer and he said some coffee afterwards as well. He can smell the coffee outside to sit there and chill while eating a chicken sandwich from next-door.

Coffee is good. The staff here does the bare minimum. Nice outdoor seating. Their location in Del Ray is better managed.

This place is awful. Slow. Coffee sucks. Layout is odd and not cozy at all - sterile feeling environment with no personality whatsoever. My latte was basically coffee-flavored milk. Never again.

Really enjoy the drinks and location, but I think the Del Rey location may have a little better ambiance. The only reason I didn't give St. Elmo's 5 stars is I feel like their food options are limited and not the best quality. I really enjoy coming here on the weekends because everyone brings their doggies and it's just a nice neighborhood vibe. Staff is always friendly and helpful.

Absolutely love this place - it is everything a neighborhood coffee shop should be and I don't even drink coffee. The staff are all incredibly friendly, welcoming and hard working. The sandwiches - both breakfast and lunch - are huge, fresh and delicious. Full of flavor and just delicious. And their have multiple flavors of iced teas - which are also all tasty. Inside chairs are comfy and they have a huge outdoor patio too. I'm a frequent customer and glad this shop is here.

Not open during hours on the door. Closed at 6pm. Saturday Dec 23. I see Holiday hours are different for tomorrow, but not today. Sad, drive all the way here after checking hours.

This place has great reviews so we decided to try it out... we were not disappointed.. the coffee (Latte) was fabulous and the breakfast sandwich just as good. This will be one of my go to place. Customer service was great, which is he's to come by these days, so that was appreciated. Fresh pastry's; homemade pop tart , & huge muffins. Not to mention the atmosphere is very comfortable!!

I ordered an oat milk latte, which is my go-to drink. It wasn't bad. They also had a vegan muffin so I had to try it and it was delicious. Unfortunately that was the extent of their vegan options. They had lots of other food options though.

St Elmos is forever my favorite spot in Alexandria. I love the people, the coffee, and the vibes. It's a great spot to meet up with friends or get some work done.

An ok place to stop for breakfast. Somewhat charming place that locals come to grab and go foods. Had the avocado toast which was good however the "fire sauce" was Tabasco which was disappointing. Prices were a bit high. If eating there know that they bring it in a to go box with plastic fork and knife. Overall, it is not somewhere I would not go out of the way to have breakfast.

This is a great place to hang out, read, converse, and relax. The varied beverage menu is good (Imperial Oaxaca Choca Mexican Choc Stout - WHEW!!!). Staff is friendly, coffee smells good, AND THE MUSIC is really great, a very careful and delicious selection. As a visitor from afar, I was grateful for this sanctuary.

Cute little coffee shop tucked away in Old Town..great coffee, wonderful quiches & fresh salads...def worth a stop!

Personally with all the cafes in Old Town I wonder why anyone goes here. The coffee is mediocre, the staff not very nice and only have disposable cups.