Sweet Science Coffee

This is my favorite neighborhood coffee shop! I come here almost every day. The coffee is excellent and has only gotten better with the recent efforts to evolve the shop and its offerings. My favorite part, though, is the friendly and welcoming staff. Reggie is always ready to answer my questions about the various coffee processes they use. Brittany makes a point to greet me every time I come in, even if she’s busy in the kitchen and only has a quick moment to peek her head out and wave. Queen and I have connected over our beloved pets, and she always asks how my puppy (the second love of my life) is doing. Nat has made it their mission to dial my coffee order in perfectly (and, trust me, they make a heavenly latte). These and the other wonderful people I have the pleasure of seeing here regularly elevate this store from a simple coffee shop to a local staple.

I love Simona in Arlington so was excited to get another chance to have it, this time in noma! I came early Wednesday morning about 30 minutes after they opened. It was pretty quiet so I decided to eat there. I got an iced coffee with milk and a chocolate croissant. The employees were so friendly and welcoming, and I love when cafes have actual plates and mugs for customers that eat there. My iced coffee was great and my chocolate croissant was delicious! So warm and soft. I like that each table has a little flower pot which has the Wi-Fi password listed. It makes it convenient to not get up to find the password at the counter or asking someone. Their fall specialty drinks looked good too, especially the brown sugar pumpkin. I hope to come back and try it before it’s gone!

Walked in and was greeted by a lovely woman who had a smile on her face. I ordered a cold brew and a quiche. She did mention that they did not have almond milk only whole, which was not a problem for me. $12 for both after tip. I ended up coming back and ordering four more coffees for the adults I was with and again, great ordering experience. $25 for all 4 after tip. If you're in the area and looking for something other than chain coffee, check them out!

I was looking for a place to meet up with a friend, and so I googled "Best specialty coffee in DC" on a whim, and this was the first café that popped up. Now that I've been, I feel comfortable saying that the sentiment behind this label is well-earned. The nerd branding is spot-on. The staff is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and the food is novel and delicious. SERVICE Upon arriving, I spoke at length with the barista about the coffee selections and suggested items from the menu. She shared the flavor profiles of the available beans and discussed her own favorites, which sounded delicious. During this conversation, I learned that Sweet Science doesn't "do" dark roast, even in their espresso, which they understand is unconventional. They had a medium roast option, if you're looking for something more traditional. However, all their beans are high-quality. They're light-to-medium specialty roasted in MD and have single-origin options. My friend and I ordered light roast single origin cortados, "biscuit sammies", and a coffee cake muffin. I did not mind waiting for our sandwiches, (and actually I don't know if I even would have noticed how long they took), but the barista would periodically give us updates, was really apologetic about the wait, and gave us free drinks of our choice for "our trouble". It was a very nice gesture that speaks to the quality of the service here. CORTADO: I've never had a cortado before, and I enjoyed it. The presentation in the glass cup was impressive as well (pictured). The cortado flavor had a little bit of an edge to it, as light roast espresso is a little more astringent, but the texture was was creamy and smooth. I would order it again, if I was in the mood for something smaller. I'm usually the kind of person that puts some kind of sugar in my coffee, but that did not feel necessary. The taste was pleasant, even with the astringency. COFFEE CAKE MUFFIN The muffin was great, and I feel like the sweetness had been really dialed in enough to be satisfying without overwhelming. I'm glad I went for it. BISCUIT SAMMY The biscuit in the biscuit sammy is a cheddar jalapeño biscuit with a heavenly texture and a noticable but moderate kick that really elevates the sandwich. The eggplant, onion jam, egg, and greens are a great compliment to the biscuit. I'm a real sucker for a good egg and biscuit sandwich, and this one did not disappoint. LATTE: I also got a hot Latté with the single-origin light roast. The milk foam was surprisingly thick and creamy compared to other milk foams I've had. As before, I felt no need to put anything additional in the latte like I usually do, as the astringency wasn't overpowering and the flavor was bright and enjoyable. I also noticed that the temperature was also just right. Starbucks coffee will burn your tongue because high temps keep the coffee fresher for longer, but this coffee was good to drink fairly quickly. This is also kind of weird, but I loved the ceramic cup it came in. It didn't have a handle, but it didn't need one. the finned design looked very stylish and provided comfortable temperatures on the surface of the cup. It was very chique. VIBES The vibe was nerdy and cute. There's coffee cherry mural on the wall, little caffeine molecules on the floor, and some pipe-based-decor behind the counter. It was pretty quiet at 1PM even with jazz playing on the speakers. The vibe was very relaxed. SUMMARY I typically end these reviews by considering whether or not I'd hypothetically come back again at some point, under what conditions, and for what items exactly. Well. I'm making concrete plans to go back and do work in the corner with a biscuit sammy and a latte to keep me company. And I live an hour away. So I don't think hypotheticals and conditions are necessary. It's going to happen. I guess that means I'll have to rate Sweet Science an 11/10. See you next week!