Day three of my journey to find the best coffee experience in DC brings me to Dolcezza in City Center. This is really my first experience with a chain like coffee house. Dolcezza has several locations around the DMV area. This does not cast a negative light on Dolcezza in and of itself. In fact, it might mean that they offer something other coffee houses do not. The spark for this upscale coffee house was formed in Buenos Aires in 2000 and the owners opened their first US based coffee house in 2004 in Georgetown. The fact Dolcezza has been around for roughly 12 years is somewhat impressive in a hyper competitive market like DC.
Ambiance
This is definitely meant to feel and look like a higher end coffee house. You won't find Dolcezza in just any neighborhood and in most cases they are tied to higher end retail locations. City Center is one such location, although I do enjoy the City Center experience. It is a beautifully designed retail spot and has some nice shopping and restaurants. The interior does not feature a ton of art work or any artsy designs. It is very modern and right angled. This is not to my taste, but some might find it appealing. The interior was very clean. The major downside to the feel of the place is that Dolcezza doesn't have that inviting feel to it that you will find at some of the more neighborhood coffee houses.
This lack of coziness is reinforced, again, by the fact that there were no comfortable seating options to be found. What is it with coffee houses and making people not feel comfortable? The main seating area featured high top stools with bar tops facing towards the windows. This makes for great people watching, but not a good option for holing up to do work or for reading. One bonus point for Dolcezza is that there are tables outside in the City Center. I sat outside because it was a chamber of commerce day and frankly it was freezing inside. There is nothing like sitting outside in the city on a beautiful day. It is a wonderful way to start your day. In addition to the temperature inside, the music was just not good. It was a little too loud and just didn't have that coffee house feel to it. Disappointing for sure. The employees were friendly and helpful. My drinks were made with efficiency. The only issue was that my pour over was put into a to go cup and I ordered it for in house. The barista was more than happy to transfer the beverage to a mug, which she did with great proficiency so no harm no foul.
Ambiance Rating: 3
Coffee
Fortunately for Dolcezza, the coffee was stellar. They feature Stumptown Hair Bender beans for espresso drinks and it is worth it in every way. I first tried the pour over Colombian roast. It was really delicious. I tasted fruity overtones with just a hint of bitterness. The color was moderately dark, but intense. Overall, a fairly easy drinking coffee. It set me back $4.40 which seems awfully expensive. I then tried the espresso (thank you J-Bird). It featured a strong bitter after taste, with a creamy sweet and savory flavor profile. The cost was $2.50 which is reasonable for espresso. The kicker here is that Dolcezza specializes in coffee and gelato. The obvious and amazing result of this fact means you can order the most amazing affogato. I actually went back later in the afternoon to get one, because it rocks like freshly washed socks. So delicious and a must try for anyone who loves espresso and gelato, which might just be everyone. They also sold nitro cold brew in a can also from Stumptown. I have never seen those prior to visiting Dolcezza. Once J-Bird drinks her purchased can, I will post her thoughts. --UPDATE-- J-Bird has finally gotten around to drinking the nitro cold brew. Here are her thoughts: "I've never chewed on cigarette ashes. But if I had to imagine what that would be like, it would be close to the first sip I had of this coffee. I almost spit it out all over my desk. Unless there's some kind of pouring or mixing trick to this coffee--which there shouldn't be because it's coffee in a fucking can, you should be able to pop the top and lay into it--I'm giving this Stumptown canned nitro brew one solid star (out of 5). The one star is for the design. The can looks like a beer. Which I freaking love." Wow! Not exactly the glowing review I would have expected. She is not only beautiful, but has a knack for words. Thank you J-Bird. You are officially my first and only guest reviewer.
One additional note about the coffee selection. Dolcezza sells Stumptown coffee beans for take home brewing! I have previously purchased these beans from this store location and despite the high cost, $12.00 for a small bag, I will never complain about having Stumptown to brew at home.
Coffee Rating: 5 (While J-Bird's review of the Stumptown cold brew in a can was similar to a recent review of the second Independence Day movie, I cannot ding Dolcezza as they only sell it. It would be probably serve them well to stop selling it however based on J-Bird's experience.)
Food
The food selection was larger than my previous two stops on the coffee express. They had some hot food sandwiches that could be ordered. I did not try one so I cannot speak to the quality, but the fact you could order something hot was something different. J-Bird ordered a granola bar that was prepackaged. I tried a bit of it and was not displeased. The bar was more chewy than crunchy. It had grape jelly in it which was surprisingly good. I am not sure it was worth the price of $4-5, but at least it tasted good.
Food Rating: 3
Overall, there is a lot of good to be had at Dolcezza. While it is a higher end coffee house with prices to reflect its status, you will not be disappointed with the coffee offerings. The outside seating in City Center also adds some value to the experience. While the ambiance could be better for my personal taste, it fits the desired feel. The price of the items brings down the score a little here. However, if you want to taste a bit of the good life, stop in and grab an affogato. You will not be disappointed.
Overall Rating: 3.5
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