Sidamo Coffee & Tea

I love Sidamo. They got great coffee and a very cozy feel inside. The decor doesn't feel overly curated. Just a wood finished, homey coffeehouse. Baristas take their time which could be frustrating if you're in a hurry, but the quality is always admirable.

Every time I come to town I make sure I stop at Sidamo Coffee and Tea for some of their amazing coffee.

Best chai I’ve ever had. Far less crowded than Ebeneezer’s, much softer atmosphere and friendly staff.

Best local coffee shop on H street. Go check em out!

Friendly staff and good drinks! My Cafe Americano was nutty.

Worth the wait!
Nothing here is fast, but the quality and flavor are topnotch! I had the Sidamo Chai Laben and later the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and a side of Rice. After I ate and drank every morsel, I seriously considered reordering everything a second time.

The food was very flavorful and well balanced. The portion was perfect to finish and not be stuffed or hungry, simply satiated. The staff was friendly, even during a jammed-packed rush period.

The Wi-Fi was strong and there's both indoor and outdoor seating, though inside, only 3 tables have outlets next to them. All in all, it's been a good working atmosphere with most of the music either instrumentals or vocalization; only a few had words, but not in a language I understood, so it felt more like the vocalizations.

I would recommend and come again, just be certain to have the time to wait; both to order during rush periods and to get any item in general.

I just moved to the H street area, and this is my new go to place. Cozy environment, great service, and best chai latte in DC. The breakfast sandwich I had was great, and my husband enjoyed the coffee. The Ethiopian influence gives this place a unique vibe that I really enjoyed. Definitely a great place to WFH or meet a friend

No seats 💺 no greeting 👋 hawker outside wanted $3 to enter and told us to go to SB, we settled on WF AMEN 🙏

worst service i’ve ever received, but the drinks are worth it. i don’t think i’ve ever felt welcomed by the couple behind the counter, but the chai is to die for

I wanted to like this place a lot more than I actually did! The latte I got was decent but it seemed like the milk was scalded unfortunately. Hopefully the barista was just having an off day. I was interested in a bag of their Ethiopian coffee beans however I didn’t see a roast date on any of the bags, and the staff were too busy to bother about that. Also, I’m not sure why “cappuccino/latte” are considered the same thing on the menu. Both are offered in small and large for the exact same price, but really those should be two differently-prepared drinks of two different sizes, as is the standard in the majority of other coffee shops.

In terms of interior layout I think there’s room for improvement. The shop is really small and has often-occupied tables lining the walls, so there’s basically nowhere to stand unless you’re in line to order. Confusingly they put a big table with two chairs RIGHT in front of the barista handoff plane, so while you’re waiting for your drink you’re forced to either block the ordering line, the door to the restroom, or the area containing lids/napkins/sugar/etc. Be prepared for lots of “excuse me”s and “pardon me”s while you and others navigate the space.

I do want to come back and try the Ethiopian coffee pot (I believe the price was a reasonable $12.90, with enough coffee for 1-3 people) and some of the food, but I won’t be making this my daily coffee shop. In my opinion, better espresso drink options in the immediate area include Wydown, Maketto, Ebenezers, and Union Kitchen’s coffee bar.