Mayorga Coffee Roasters

As an added bonus, Mayorga now offers free WiFi access in what seems like all of their locations. With an espresso milkshake and a big comfy chair, it ain’t bad.

Note that the Bethesda location still lacks the necessary blender to make said milkshake. Fie on them!

original review dated 2004-11-18:

If you’ve been to the roasteria, you’ll find that it’s much like the one at Quartermaine’s...a dimly lit industrial space with a roastmaster lording over the occasional roasting batch, and tables of Spanish-speaking women measuring and filling bags of the finished product.

Or was I remembering an episode of Miami Vice?

The retail branches are more like west coast coffeehouses, and that’s all good. Alas, they’re nowhere near the level of the top Seattle joints, but the coffee’s pretty good for this area, and a damn sight better than what you get at that *$ chain.

Recently dropped in to the Georgia Avenue location. Much larger space, larger menu, looks like they serve booze. But the espresso milkshake, which has become a favorite of mine, was terrible. At King Farm it’s thick, luscious, seductively bitter with coffee and nuanced with chocolate. In Silver Spring it was icy, wan, and tasted of freezer burn. Caveat emptor. Oh, additional note: the cubano is outstanding, as is the hot cocoa.

original review, from 9/24/04:

I was suprised to learn that the King Farm location has been open since December of 2003, because when I strolled in this morning, the shop was spotlessly clean. No cake crumbs, open sugar packets, spilled milk, little wooden coffee stirrers, or newspapers lying about. It looked new.

I really like clean food establishments.

It’s a beautiful space, with granite counters, rich woods, tile floor, leather sofas. If I lived in King Farm I’d be here all the time.

I haven’t yet had one of their coffee beverages. I did try the espresso milkshake (vanilla and mocha fudge ice cream blended with a shot of espresso), which was so much better than the frozen concoctions the Ubiquitous Coffee Shop sells. I have purchased Mayorga beans, though, direct from the roasting facility, and I really like them. Caveat emptor: they tend to roast on the dark side.

The shop also has a nice selection of pastries and sweets from Marvelous Market, and a half dozen or so toasted sandwhiches.

Conclusion: if you’re anywhere nearby and in need of caffeine, give the Ubiquitous Coffee Shop a pass and head over to Mayorga. It’s worth the trip.