There’s an adorable trailer in Aldie serving up seasonal coffee and crêpes — and locals can’t get enough of it.
After moving to Ashburn from Colombia seven years ago, Juliana Duncan noticed a hole in the local coffee scene. “I [had] been looking for real Colombian coffee, but it’s really hard to find,” she says. “So I decided that I should just bring Colombia [here].”
Duncan dove headfirst into the concept and opened La Selva Crepes & Coffee this June. La Selva, which means “the jungle” in Spanish, is meant to evoke the vibrant colors, flavors, and spirit of the jungles of Colombia.
Creative Crêpes
Located in a trailer parked off Little River Turnpike in Aldie, the menu features sweet and savory crepes named after animals native to Columbia, like “The Toucan,” “The Jaguar,” and “The Anaconda.” It also offers lattes and cold brew made from Colombian coffee.
Duncan fell in love with crêpes while living in France when she was younger. “I would eat crêpes every single day,” she says. “I remember how easy they made it look, and I thought, ‘crêpes and coffee — what a great idea!’”
While crêpes aren’t a traditional Colombian food, each flavor is inspired by the country’s traditional flavors, like Arequipe (Colombian Dulce de Leche), mango, and passion fruit.
Even though Le Selva has only been open for four months, there’s a clear favorite when it comes to the sweet treat: “The Manatee.” It’s a take on a Dubai chocolate crêpe that includes thick layers of Nutella and pistachio cream combined with pistachio crumbles, toasted kataifi, and strawberries.
Authentic Columbian Coffee
The mobile café is committed to serving authentic Columbian coffee and buys its beans directly from small farms in Colombia. The imported coffee is then incorporated into latte flavors including pumpkin cookie, tiramisu, and salted vanilla.
La Selva’s menu also features weekly specials, which include caramelized banana, blueberry cheesecake, or ube coco latte flavors. Each drink is made with custom, housemade syrups.
Duncan hopes to eventually open a brick-and-mortar storefront somewhere in NoVA. She plans to keep the trailer for events and farmers markets. “The response has been amazing,” Duncan says. “Everyone [in the community] has come and gotten a crêpe, and every day we’re doing a little bit better.”
During the week, La Selva is located at 39359 Little River Tpk. in Aldie. It is open Monday to Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays the trailer is parked at the Stone Springs Hospital farmer’s market from 9 a.m. to noon.
Feature image by Sophie Sanders
