By Emily Cook & Nicole Bayne
Nova Coffee Labs
After starting as a mobile coffee bar in February—with pop-ups at The Whole Ox in The Plains and Drum and Strum Music Center in Warrenton—owners Alexander Gable and Tim Wyld opened a permanent, covered outdoor space. Nova Coffee Labs continues to cater weddings and parties as well as pop-ups and farmers markets. “We are still mobile, but we also have a home base,” Gable says. He and Wyld are in the process of building more mobile bars in order to host cafe pop-ups all over Northern Virginia.
“What separates us from most of the coffee companies in the Northern Virginia area is we don’t wait for people to ask questions,” Gable says. “Say somebody orders a cup of coffee—we have all the information about the farm, the farmers, the location, the soil, the other crops grown on it and altitude. Without the customer necessarily asking, we rattle it off to them in a short format and see if we can pique their curiosity.”
Continuing on the education trend, Gable and Wyld host coffee cuppings, which are akin to wine tastings. “Whenever we get our coffee shipments in, we open up all the bags and cup and taste them comparatively right next to each other and invite our customers to come out and try this cupping for free,” Gable says. “Here, we can really take the time to explain the origins and the sourcing. When you have a line of customers [at the register], you can only pump out so much information. You have to pick and choose what you say. Our public coffee cuppings are a way to explain how everything’s done at the farm level as well in the roasting process.”
Gable and Wyld are plotting a Kickstarter campaign this month to fund a specific coffee education facility elsewhere in Northern Virginia. / Opened July 13; 26 Main St., Warrenton
What’s New
Burn & Brew
This tobacco shop offers drip coffee—in addition to cigars, cigarettes, pipes, candles, smoke oils and electronic cigarette accessories—because coffee and cigarettes go so well together, says owner Taha Humayan. “It seemed like a natural fit.” Humayan is in the process of finding a larger, 5000-square-foot space in Arlington by 2016. / Opened March 18, new location to be determined; 566 S. 23rd St., Arlington
Cafe Kindred
This coffeehouse offers drinks from Vigilante Coffee Roasters. The menu features breakfast sandwiches, quiches, pastries, soups, salads and sandwiches such as a turkey and avocado BLT on a grain baguette, chicken salad on ciabatta with lettuce and tomato and a caprese with roasted and fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and parsley pesto. Cafe Kindred will also be adding beer, wine, cocktails, live music and a separate bar menu. / Opened April 12; 450 N. Washington St., Suite F, Falls Church
Trummer’s Coffee and Wine Bar
This European-style shop crafts drip coffee with seasonally rotating beans from Italian roaster Lavazza. Espresso, hand pours and lattes are made with beans from Oregon-based roaster Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Owner Victoria Trummer’s favorite drink is the Einspanner ($3.50), featuring a dollop of housemade, unsweetened whipped cream to bring out the bean’s buttery flavors. More on Trummer’s Coffee and Wine Bar here./ Opened June 6; 14013 Promenade Commons, Gainesville
Cafein
Chantilly‘s Coffeesmith changed its name to Cafein and will debut a new menu with more sandwiches and high-end drinks. A grand opening party is scheduled for next Friday. / Re-grand opening party Aug. 14; 13924 Metrotech Dr., Chantilly
What’s Coming
Jirani Coffeehouse
Its namesake, the Swahili word for “neighbor” or “neighborhood,” illustrates the coffeehouse’s vision for its community integration. Beyond live bands and open mic nights, Jirani offers a reservable space, called the Bean Box, available for private parties and corporate events. Jirani will be selling One Village Coffee, teas and pastries from local vendors Pies + Petals and Works of Wonder Bakery, in addition to a menu of sandwiches, soups and salads. / Opening early September; 9423 West St., Manassas
