My first article as the Law Weekly’s new restaurant critic was supposed to be a review of Sbrocco’s Donuts & Espresso in Charlottesville. Sadly, I was unable to make it over there this week. (I was lazy.) Fortunately, I was headed to DC for the weekend and thought “Hey, they have restaurants there, too, right?” When I arrived on Friday afternoon, I had some time to kill, so I went on Apple Maps to search for a place to relax and do work. Everything that popped up was a coffee shop, and I had no idea which to pick. Then, a brilliant idea hit me. Instead of reviewing a restaurant, what if I tested out a few of the biggest coffee shops in DC? Then I thought, damn, there is such a selection here, I wish some of these would come to Charlottesville. This article then took form. Please enjoy my review of DC’s popular coffee shops and my pitch for which ones should open a location in Charlottesville.

I first visited probably the most favored DC coffee shop: Tatte. I wish I could say this place is overrated, but it is not. It lives up to all the hype. From the moment you walk in, you are welcomed with brightness and a nice aroma. While each location looks slightly different, they all have the signature white and black tile, bringing natural light into the space. The shop is also spacious with a lot of tables to do work. As for their offerings, they have a complete brunch and lunch menu, along with a case of beautiful pastries, and, of course, any type of coffee. I got a flat white and the chicken pita and sat at one of their bar tables against the window. The vibes were so immaculate, it almost made me forget that I was working on a cite check. I appreciated the mix of people working on their laptops and others chatting with friends; not too quiet, but not too loud either. All in all, it was a great experience.

The second place I tried was Four Five Coffee Roasters. This is not as popular a spot as Tatte, but there are a few locations throughout the city. Having been to Tatte the day before, I found myself comparing aspects of my experience. The first thing I noticed was that the ambiance was not as bright and spacious as Tatte. It was a little bit smaller, the tables were closer together, and the lighting was slightly dimmer. But, like Tatte, they also offer a full lunch and brunch menu, a lovely—though a bit smaller—pastry case, and every type of coffee. I ordered the Country Style Breakfast Plate, a cappuccino, and my boyfriend got their signature Breakfast Sandwich. As we got ourselves settled at a table, we could tell this was more of an eat-and-chat place rather than a do-work place. But there were a few people on their laptops and easily accessible outlets, so it was still a feasible place to work. We were also delightfully surprised when our food came. In my experience, coffee shops like these usually skimp on their food, but not Four Five. The Breakfast Plate was filled to the brim with scrambled eggs, sourdough toast, candied bacon, and home fries. The Breakfast Sandwich was also bursting at the seams with avocado mash and bacon jam. The food is slightly more expensive than most coffee shops, but for a good reason; they definitely make it worth your cash.

Lastly, I went to Maman on Sunday morning. This was a great way to end my weekend. Out of the three, Maman probably has the best ambiance, even compared to Tatte. It is just as spacious as Tatte, but the lighting is a little dimmer, and the entire space is filled with beautiful florals and greenery. There are also a ton of tables and room for lots of patrons. They have very similar offerings as Tatte and Four Five, though I did not get real food from here, so I cannot speak to their lunch and brunch menu. I did, however, get their Nutella beignet and a cinnamon cappuccino. Delectable. Maman’s biggest fault, however, at least at the location I went to, is that they do not allow laptops on the weekends.

Out of the three, I would advocate for Tatte to open in Charlottesville. Even though Maman had the best overall ambiance, Tatte has what everyone in this town needs. It has a full breakfast and lunch menu, space for everyone (workers and nonworkers alike), accessible outlets, and is open until 8 p.m. No more having to bring real food into a place that only serves coffee or leaving at 3 p.m. for another location. If you know a Tatte franchiser, hit me up, please and thank you!

My Pitch for a New Coffee Shop in Charlottesville

Situationships and the Law