Java City Port

Java City Port is one of my favourite places to go for a coffee in Washington D. C.. It is situated within Eastern Market and, as I live very close by, it's a great place for me to go and relax while having a great coffee. I heard about it after a friend recommended it to me and, since then, I haven't stopped going.

Java City Port is a chain of coffee shops originating in the United States, but it's not as famous as Starbucks, which is actually a point in its favour. It has branches in Washington D. C., North Carolina, and South Carolina within the United States, and also internationally in Jordan and Abu Dhabi, but there aren't many.

The store itself is small to medium in size: it has tables and chairs, as well as huge sofas, but they are usually always occupied.

The menu is quite extensive given the size of the store, which very pleasantly surprised me. There is every type of coffee under the sun, as well as a selection of tea, smoothies and juices. They also have a wide variety of food that you can choose to eat: from muffins, brownies, bagels and cookies to sandwiches, wraps and salads.

The service given is normal and the staff are friendly. I don't think they do table service, however; you have to order at the counter, pay, they take your name, and when the coffee is ready, they shout for you to collect it.

In my opinion, the place is great: it's well-lit and quiet, and they have great coffee and sweet pastries. The best thing of all are the sofas that sit in front of the huge windows that face the street, and you can sit on them whilst talking with a friend, reading, doing things on your laptop, or even studying. It's usually never overcrowded, and it's a great alternative to Starbucks... sometimes you just get tired of the same old thing and the ridiculous number of people that go there.

The coffee shop's opening hours are as follows: from Monday to Saturday, 6:30am until 7pm, and on Sundays, 7am until 6pm. At the weekend, there is a market on the same street as the café, so it's possible that it is much busier. If you want a more chilled atmosphere that you can relax in, along with better service, it's definitely better to go mid-week.

To get to Java City Port, the best thing to do would be to walk from Eastern Market. There is, however, a metro station close by that's also called "Eastern Market". Upon exiting, turn to the left, cross Pennsylvania Avenue and continue along it until you reach the corner of the next block, before turning left once more and you will find it.