Northside Social’s Clarendon location turns 14 in April—but the vision behind the coffee shop is unchanged. “We wanted it to be modeled on the old-fashioned idea of a coffeehouse, where there are people having lengthy conversations,” says Stephen Fedorchak, one of the partners with parent company Liberty Restaurant Group. Today, Northside has a second outpost in Falls Church, which, like its sister, offers creative café fare, house-made pastries and a roomy, pet-friendly patio. You’ll find Counter Culture Coffee brewing at both spots and providing a proper buzz in specialty drinks such as a pumpkin spice latte made with anti-inflammatory ashwagandha, sarsaparilla root and maple syrup infused with real pumpkin. –Adele Chapin
Other top vote-getters:
Compass Coffee, Idido’s Coffee & Social House, Kaldi’s Social House, La Coop Coffee, Rare Bird Coffee Roasters