Mm, coffee. Photo by María Helena Carey
I’ve been mourning the closing of SOVA, the long-time resident coffee shop on upper H Street, so it’s taken me a while to try the new H Street Coffee House. I stopped in yesterday morning and was thrilled with what I found, and quite enthused by the caffeine jolt.
My expectations of chai have gone downhill with the proliferation of super sweet mixes, but my spicy dirty chai was perfect. Light foam and just enough sweetness to skip a teaspoon of sugar. The bostock pastry, a tasty almond paste and raisin treat, was the perfect accompaniment. I see a habit forming. The croissants, muffins and other sweet offerings looked yummy too.
The breakfast sandwiches and paninis were hefty and filled with high quality ingredients; the honey tomato goat cheese panini and the spicy meatball sandwich looked particularly tasty. I was happy to see a variety of salads that go beyond the cardboard Starbucks varieties. (HSC chefs, less is more with dressing, an extra dollop post-purchase is always an option).
I’ll be heading back to get some quiet WiFi time soon and to try the promising collection of teas, or I may abandon all control and splurge on this week’s coffee special, the almond turtle latte.
The decor is light and airy and the back room features small tables rather than the eclectic comfy, if not all enveloping, couches. I’ll miss great wine selection at SOVA and the regular bluegrass nights. The banjo pickin’ has moved a few doors down to The Argonaut with a show each Thursday from 8-11 pm. Catch Chesterfield Runoff on April 18th.