Caffè Vita - Pike Street aka: Cafe Vita

These people really know their coffee beans. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they recommend for say… your French press or espresso machine. They are like the “wine guy”, only for your coffee beans.

The display case that you walk by when you order… Yeah, that’s for display only.

Don’t reach in there.

I walked to Caffe Vita today with Ivan, and got an Americano. I’m not sure if this is true, but the menu seems to indicate that the 16 oz. Americano is the largest size they serve.

But I got coffee here occasionally when I lived in the neighborhood, ten years ago.

Seven minutes ago, as I walked in, out walked a fellow Capitol Hill denizen from back in the day.

This nostalgia tour is a strange trip.

Caffe Vita is now my new neighborhood cafe. When I moved here, I was bewildered, thirsty, and had no internet access. Thanks to their delicious roasted-on-the-premises coffee and free wi-fi, they cured me of the last two. I may be bewildered for a long time, however.

Also, if they have them, have the ginger muffin. It’s wonderful.

Second time in as many years visiting, where today we bought fancy coffee-which I ended up spilling on the counter-and croissants with ham inside. Outside we ran into the Robots, whom we met almost exactly a year ago today.

with some robots as friends….....

Rumor has it that one of the baristas is a lurker here on 43 Places.

Actually, I have a tip for the folks at Vita (whom I love). What’s up with the new-ish tea condoms? As a tea drinker, they’re not good. They leak. Even when they’re tucked into the second cup. The water immediately travels up the paper trail and leaks on hands or over the top of the cup.

A friend recently visited from NYC and told me that he’s seen two places that use these loose leaf tea bags correctly—they fold the entire bag up like an envelope and don’t hang the bag out of the side of the cup. Instead the whole bad sits in the cup, where it belongs.

So, that’s about as much of a complaint as you’ll get out of me as the actual tea is delicious. I think a better loose leaf tea delivery system would be much appreciated by me and other loyal customers. Rock on.

I spend way too much time here. Lack of comfy chair dis-heartening, but if you have to study or get some work done upstairs is the place to do it. Downstairs great for business meetings.