Sonya Hu
Google
Outstanding little coffee shop serving phenomenal drinks (caffeinated, alcoholic, or just a nice treat), tasty pastries, and great vibes. This lovely little cafe is just barely over the Maryland border, a quick walk away from the Takoma Metro Station, and located along a car-less strip of historic restaurants, boutique shops, and cafes with a beautifully painted sidewalk and tons of outdoor seating. I stepped in after a long afternoon walk and was immediately warmly greeted by the friendliest staff. They walked me through the menu, pointed out some great happy hour deals, gave me solid recommendations for their favorite baked goodies, and had an impressive commitment to making sure my name was spelled and pronounced correctly for when they called out my order -- a small detail that I really appreciated. My latte was phenomenal; it was rich and smooth, and the espresso had a great hint of nuttiness. At the barista's suggestion, I also grabbed their chocolate chip cookie. It was giant and the perfect balance of chewy and crispy, with a decent amount of chocolate. It wasn't the *best* cookie I've ever had, but that's a tall order for any classic, and it was a great pairing with the latte.
I settled in for a few hours to wrap up a bit of work, and the vibes were fantastic. It wasn't too loud, but I loved the dull buzz of conversation and background music, and there was a ton of natural lighting flooding the space. If you ever find yourself in Takoma and are in need of a place to work, read, or just hang out, highly recommend Takoma Beverage Company!