After conquering the coffee scene in the Quarter, it hopes to expand its reach throughout the metropolitan area and then the rest of the caffeine-loving world.
I met Panton at Zeke’s Coffee in downtown Washington this week. Since launching her vlog series “Trying Every Coffee Shop in DC” on Instagram AND TIK Tok in August 2022, she had visited 74, and at that point she wasn’t very confident that she’d meet her summer goal of testing 100 coffee shops before fall. Still, she exuded energy, even without her first dose of caffeine. She wore a white skirt and a sweatshirt with a teddy bear and the words, “It’s okay to just have a coffee today.”
Panton is a 26-year-old lifestyle content creator who fell in love with coffee when she was a professional athlete. She began visiting coffee shops at the end of the pandemic to explore Alexandria, where she moved in 2019. Those visits quickly became her passion and one of the few ways she could connect with her fresh community. She moved to D.C. in 2022, retired from professional athletics, and continued her mission on a larger scale. Earlier this summer, she decided to record her experience and share it on social media, hoping her reviews would facilitate other D.C. residents get the tastiest caffeine fix possible.
“If I give it a seven or eight, I mean it’s a standard or just a good cool brew. It’s not too bitter, and the customer service was probably good. If I was in the area, I’d come back here” she told me. “Nine out of ten is amazing. I will recommend this coffee shop to you if you are in town. I will Uber, fly, bike, scooter, teleport to buy this coffee. This is a coffee shop I will go back to and have a few cups of because it is so balanced and sleek. And then 10 is the perfect rating.”
So what does she recommend? Here are nine of Panton’s top-rated coffee shops to check out on your next visit to Washington:
3221 Mount Pleasant St NW.
Elle (pronounced El-ee, according to its website, which stylizes the name as Ellē) is both a restaurant and a coffee shop in Mount Pleasant. Its cool brew earned a near-perfect rating from Panton. During a visit in March, she ordered a second round of coffee in one sitting and skipped adding sugar for the full flavor.
Three Fifty Bakery and Cafe
Three Fifty is beloved for its pastries, but Panton also loved its coffee. This visit also justified Panton omitting the added sugar, because she liked the taste so much. The shop is cozy, which creates a cozy atmosphere when you’re having a drink or a bite.
1346 Fourth St. SE and 1524 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Even though Yellow offers specialty coffee instead of Panton’s beloved cool brew, she couldn’t facilitate but give the cafe a uncommon “perfect” rating. She ordered a cardamom coconut latte, and although she doesn’t like coconut, she fell in love with it immediately. “I thought, I can’t leave here without having a 10,” she said.
Tryst is an Adams Morgan staple for both caffeine and spirits, and Panton understands why. She ordered a Cuban iced coffee and was particularly impressed by the spaciousness of the place. Although Tryst was one of the first places she visited, it has managed to remain one of her favorites.
With its minimalist aesthetic and affable service, Doubles Cafe in Columbia Heights earned a near-perfect rating from Panton. The space, which also doubles as a ping-pong club (hence its name), also hosts a variety of events, including fundraisers, dance parties, and book clubs. Panton appreciated the ample seating area for remote workers and occasional guests.
Somewhere Cafe serves customers in front of the chic streetwear boutique Somewhere’s Navy Yard. While it may be out of the way if you’re not planning on shopping for clothes, Panton was surprised by how much she liked the place and recommended it for its stylish atmosphere and aromatic cup of coffee.
1201 S St. NW and 1200 17th St. NW #150.
Another early addition to the list that has proven its durability, Coffee Bar prides itself on providing a affable atmosphere alongside its excellent coffee. On her TikTok, Panton notes that she enjoyed the music and seating area while she was there, and the cool brew coffee she ordered remains at the top of her list.
731 15th St. NW, 2300 Rhode Island Ave. NE and 4602 14th St. NW.
Panton suggested Zeke’s Coffee as our meeting place so she could grab a cup on the way home. The balmy, newfangled setting and central location make it accessible to downtown workers like me, and the international variety of coffees makes it appealing to connoisseurs like herself.
