Black Lion Coffee & Café

Kind staff, relaxing atmosphere, and great coffee. If you're looking for a quiet breakfast in Rockville I highly recommend.

Finding very good espresso on the East coast (generally) can be a challenge—But, Black Lion ticked all the boxes: roaster on premises, Ethiopian o&o, short shots standard pulls and very mellow. It took a couple of weeks of my family asking friends, “where’s the best place for my-in-laws?” But, it was worth the effort. Excellent espressos.

Single-sourced beans roasted in house. Coffee is excellent and service is even better. Food is limited, but the baked goods are similarly very good. The atmosphere is appropriate for quiet conversation and the seating is very comfortable. This is my "office-away-from-home-office".

I had a very bizarre experience this morning. If I'm at a coffee place at 7:00 a.m. I'm usually in a hurry to get some caffeine into my system because I'm an addict, and most coffee places understand this dynamic and slinging coffee quickly and cheerily.

At this place, this poor lady seemed like she was all on her own trying to manage the counter, some coffee roasting that was going on, and I guess having a conversation with somebody on her iPods or something?

I ordered a medium roast and she said it would take a few minutes, so we are already on the back foot here. When the coffee came out, I asked what was in the creamer container and it was difficult to communicate that I wanted milk but cream is what was in the container.

Finally, when I got the coffee, it didn't taste like a medium roast at all. It has to be one of the darker roasts I've ever had.

I've met the owner before and he is a very good host and very knowledgeable about coffee, but if I cannot get a consistent experience, especially first thing in the morning when I'm fiending for my coffee, I won't be going back.

Great coffee. Great snacks. Ordering online made it effortless to get it. Owners are very warm couple.

This place is a wonderful place for meetings and great place to enjoy a cup of coffee while relaxing.

I found it very hard to get a decent coffee in this area. This place had what I was looking for, go here

TL;DR—Great service, freshly roasted Ethiopian coffee beans, and a relaxing atmosphere to work, meet friends, or simply waste time!

I have been coming here since they opened—humble brag. Tbh, it is hard to find a local coffee shop that isn’t trying so hard to mimic Starbucks. When I find one, I become a loyal customer. I don’t just LOVE the taste of coffee, I am OBSESSED with it. What does that mean? It means that I’m into coffee for the entire experience. The type of coffee bean, how it’s roasted, whole vs ground (btw I always buy whole beans), region, method of preparation, smell and finally the taste. Never mind if it wakes me up—caffeine seems to have zero effect on me these days, but that’s a conversation for another business.

Three (3) things keep me coming back: Great Service, High-Quality Coffee, and the Coffee Origin Story displayed through the decor!

HIGH-QUALITY COFFEE. Black Lion has high quality coffee beans that are roasted IN HOUSE! If you’re lucky, you’ll visit while the in-house roaster is running. The whole places smells like delicious coffee! You even get to see the beans transition from green to brown.

COFFEE ORIGIN STORY. The coffee bean origin story is displayed on the wall on a gorgeous mural! It is such a beautiful addition to the African-themed cafe. I love the gold, browns and natural tones used to decorate the space. It creates such a peaceful, yet vibrant mood.

GREAT SERVICE. Emmanuel, the owner & mastermind behind Black Lion Cafe, and his family are the icing on top of this delicious cake! He is knowledgeable about all things coffee! I pick his brain from time to time because he’s so willing to engage with people on such a personal level. If you’re a regular, they even remember your order and start making it the second you walk in the door!! Take that Starbucks!

Friendly and knowledgeable owners. We bought a bag of Limu and Sidamo beans yesterday. The Limu was excellent. Can't wait to try the Sidamo!

The best tasting I have ever had and the best in the region! Everyone should try their drinks. Far, far better than anything in the area! Amazing owners from Ethiopia who have a wealth of knowledge about the history of coffee.