St. Elmo's Coffee Pub

I absolutely love this place. Great coffee, great vibe, delicious pastries! I’ve gone every Sunday for about 3 years. I’ve brought so many people with me who have now also become regular patrons.

My only critique is from something that occurred today. I walked in without a mask (truly not thinking because every place I’ve been to in Alexandria/Arlington has not required them- I was not trying to be rude or disobedient or anything!) and there was no visible sign asking for masks (I checked later to see if I missed it). The girl who checked me out was sooo rude about it. I understand it is staff’s job to enforce mask wearing, etc. as I, too, work in the restaurant industry. I’ve never been rude or mean to people for forgetting a mask or something similar. NEVER.

I immediately put my mask on when she asked me to. When I went back in to grab my coffee she placed a paper mask in between my two coffee orders and told me not to come back without a proper mask (?) next time, in a very rude and condemning tone.

It’s disappointing to me because this is the only time I’ve been greeted with hostility at St. Elmo’s. It makes me very sad and I don’t want to come back. I left in tears.

Uncontrolled chaos. Orders, once placed at the register, evidently are stored nowhere but the mind of whomever checked you out. To say they’re forgetful would be charitable.

Long wait for anything other than coffee. Yes, even the pastries, which are already prepared. Mango smoothie was forgotten about not once, but twice. On receiving it, after a twenty minute wait, it tasted disgusting and immediately wound up in the trash. Not drinkable.

Nitro coffee was incredibly bitter. No sweeteners were available, and the only milk container was empty and remained so. Tossed the nitro halfway through. Pop tart was mediocre. Iced tea was fine, so they have that going for them.

I’ve been in the past and remember St. Elmos being better, so maybe it was an off day? But this was an across-the-board awful experience.

The coffee and baked goods are excellent. Prepared food is okay. Lately it takes them longer and longer to get orders out. Not sure if they are short staffed or what is going on. Big roach spotted during last visit. I've also noticed mistakes being made on other people's orders though I've never had this issue. Still worth going for the coffee, though if they don't find a way to increase their efficiency it might affect their business. Don't go if you're in a hurry and it's a weekend morning.

Clean, people properly masked and distanced, safe. The peppermint chai latte is AMAZING, a bit sugary, but that’s what I was going for. The gluten free bread is probably the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had. It’s like your sandwich was made on the freshest Italian garlic bread. Perfection. 10/10!

Great local coffee shop smack in the middle of Del Ray. Combine it with a trip to our classy and classic Farmer's Market (25+ stalls) for a fun Saturday AM. I've been a regular since it opened 20+ years ago.

This has a great cozy environment and fantastic drinks. I am not a big fan of the extra charge for the alternative milk choice (Almond milk), but since I have no choice, I suck it up. This is an ideal place to do some work or meet up with friends. They stay open pretty late too which is very nice in the cold months!

Slow…extremely slow. By the time you get your cold cut sandwich you’ll start to wonder if they had to kill the cow and cure the meat in order to make it.

Update: after 30 minutes of waiting for half a sub I just walked out. To the owner of this business..you own a cafe…not a fine dining restaurant…I shouldn’t have to wait more than 10 minutes for a cold cut sandwich to be thrown together!

Unfortunately only had the opportunity to pick up food, when the aesthetics of the café were absolutely adorable. There were some small tables set up for proper social distancing while eating in. We got their iced mochas which were the BEST lattes I've ever had, and some of their muffins. The blueberry/banana muffin was the perfect pick me up. I look forward to hanging out here in the future!

I'm a big fan of locally owned and run coffee shops. This one felt really open and family friendly. I noticed toys for children in one corner. They also had a book club meeting when we visited on Sunday, which (though nice) also caused a dearth of seating. They also provided free wifi. Beyond that, the tea was good, the people are really nice, the staff is nice, and the ambiance is great. I didn't order any coffee, so I can't comment on the coffee quality.

This place is big and welcoming and friendly. They have tons of patio seating. I haven't tried their food, which according to other reviewers is amazing. The coffee is not something I would ever buy again. They have delicious syrups for Italian Sodas and people who drink coffee but don't like coffee. But, seeing as it is a "coffee pub" I must review them based on their coffee, which is horrible. For some people that okay. Whatever.