Updated December 29, 2015. Here is a list of coffee shops and other spots with free wireless internet in DC, and parts of VA and MD. I am sure there are more I haven't listed yet... Please add any additional locations in DC or next to a metro in MD or VA along with the address, area, and link if you have it in the comment section and I will add it to the list! If you know of any changes, please let me know of those as well. You can comment tweet me @FreeinDCBlog or message me on Free in DC's facebook page or send an email to freeindcblog@gmail.com if you have any updates to this list (new places or places listed here that may be closed, etc...) Thanks!
My personal favorite independent coffee shops to work from, listed alphabetically: Blind Dog Cafe, Bourbon, Chinatown Coffee, Coffy Cafe, Filter, Flying Fish, Pleasant Pops, Tryst, Tynan and Vigalante. All are self serve except for Tryst which has waiter service.
INDEPENDENT COFFEE SHOPS & CAFES (without waiter service)
For ease of use, this list is organized alphabetically by neighborhood, and rest is alphabetical too.
ADAMS MORGAN
The Potter's House
Now Renovated! "Cafe, Bookstore, and Community Space - Rooted in Adams Morgan Since 1960"
1658 Columbia Rd NW
between 16th & 17th St NW
beautiful space, light food available, variety of coffee drinks
Monday - Friday | 7am - 9pm Saturday | 8am - 10pm Sunday | 8am-6pm
Pleasant Pops
delicious veggie sandwiches, soups, salads, a great section of local foods and really good espresso drinks from Ceremony Coffee
1781 Florida Ave NW
near the intersection of 18th & Florida Ave, by Mint Gym
at the bottom of Adams Morgan, north of Dupont
Sugar Daddy's
2006 18th St NW
bakery near Florida Ave
at the bottom of Adams Morgan, north of Dupont
BLOOMINGDALE
Big Bear Cafe
Note - they have a cute outdoor area
really delicious coffee drinks, cute spot
1st & R St NW
nearest metro is NoMa, closest by bus
CAPITOL HILL
Jacob's Coffee House
8th & D St, NE
walk or bus from Eastern Market
CHINATOWN
Chinatown Coffee Company
standard benches and chairs, delicious espresso
if you're looking for cushy sofas, not your spot
now serving beer, wine and absinthe!
475 H St NW
Compass Coffee
650 F Street NW
New location opened in May 2016
Bakers & Baristas
501 Seventh St NW
click link to read more about the venue
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS & MT PLEASANT
Coffy Cafe
At Park Rd, across from the Tivoli large community space, retro vibe.
Large space with a small upper level, yummy coffee and espresso from Ceremony coffee, and crepes
3310 14th St NW
Flying Fish Coffee
smaller venue, community table and some smaller tables
Counter Culture espresso, hand poured coffee
3604 Mt Pleasant St, NW
Tynan Coffee and Tea
You get a 2 hour free wifi ticket with purchase
open 'til 8:00pm daily, next to metro and Five Guys
1400 Irving St NW
Sticky Fingers Bakery
*vegan food only* good for gluten free too
Note: they do not offer cream for your coffee
pink glittery furniture with old school diner vibe
Note: I heard that they turn off their wifi on Saturdays
so check first if you go on a weekend
1370 Park Rd, NW
DUPONT CIRCLE
Dolcezza
gelato and coffee bar, ritual coffee
some seating and community table
1704 Connecticut Ave, NW -near R St
Note: locations also in Bethesda and Georgetown
but not sure if they have wireless there
Filter
note - they also have a small outdoor area
nice place, good coffee, but super small
inside can be hard to find seating sometimes
1726 20th NW (between R & S)
Soho Tea & Coffee
note - they also have an outdoor area
one of DC's very first coffeeshops!
(didn't see website, reviews online) please
call for info 202- 463-7646
2150 P St NW
EASTERN MARKET
Peregrine Espresso
660 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Note: They have a small shop also on 14th St, near U, that does not offer wireless internet
Port City Java
701 North Carolina Ave. SE
FOGGY BOTTOM / WEST END
Bourbon Coffee
"crop to cup" beans from Rwanda!
Super comfy, nice decor! Great story/mission.
try the ice kaffe in summer - ice cream + espresso!
2101 L St NW
GEORGETOWN
Baked and Wired
Cupcakes and coffee, the only indie coffee shop in the area.
Just past canal from M St between 30th & 31st St, K & M St
1052 Thomas Jefferson St NW
H ST CORRIDOR, NE
Sidamo
417 H St NE
LOGAN CIRCLE
Dolcezza - New location with late night hours!
at the corner of
14th & P St NW
Monday - Thursday: 7am-11pm Friday 7am-12am
Saturday 8am-12am Sunday 8am - 11pm
They also have a location in Dupont Circle
Metro: best reached by the Circulator bus, Woodley-McPherson route that also goes up 14th St and by the Columbia Heights Metro, right to 14th & RI Ave or P St, you can also take any bus along 14th St.
PETWORTH
Qualia Coffee
"fresh off the roast" coffee beans roasted on site
note - they also have a small outdoor area in the back!
3917 Georgia Ave NW
just a few blocks north of the Georgia Ave - Petworth metro
SHAW
Kafe Bohem
Viennese-style coffeehouse, open until 5pm daily, attached to Bistro Bohem
600 Florida Ave NW
Compass Coffee
One of the newest places in DC, beans roast in house!
Interesting story behind this place too, learn more here.
Daily form 7:00am - 8:00pm
1535 7th St NW - near Q St
Note: They have two additional locations now! One in Chinatown and another in Shaw
Compass Coffee at The Shay
located inside The Shay building
1921 8th St NW
U ST
The Wydown
Now on 14th St right next to the Trader Joe's
Mon - Fri 6am-10pm Sat & Sun 8am-10pm
1924 14th St NW
The Coffee Bar - TCB
1201 S St NW
they also have a large area for outside seating
UNION STATION
Ebenezers Coffeehouse
201 F St NE
OTHER PLACES (without waiter service)
Steam Cafe & Lounge
note - they also have an outdoor area
1700 17th St NW around R St
Dupont Circle/ 17th St
Bruegger's Bagel Bakery
2101 L St NW
(next door to Bourbon Coffee)
See their website for hours and more info.
Foggy Bottom/ K St Area
INDEPENDENT CAFES & RESTAURANTS (with coffee, food, and waiter service)
Busboys & Poets - two locations in DC
(waiter service only)
1025 5th St NW - 5th & K
Chinatown/ Mt Vernon Sq
2021 14th St NW - 14 & V
U St Area
Open City
large outdoor seating area and semi-outdoor space
Sister restaurant to Tryst, good coffee drinks
2331 Calvert St NW, close to Connecticut
Woodley Park
The Coupe
upscale diner, coffee shop and bar open late
owned by the same folks that own Tryst, Open City and The Diner
Sun - Thurs 6:00am - 12:00am
Fri - Sat 6:00am - 1:00am
3415 11th St NW
Columbia Heights
Tryst
(waiter service only)
Note: Wi-Fi turned off on weekends
great espresso drinks, good food
2459 28th St NW
Adams Morgan
OUTDOOR PARKS with Free WiFi!
Farragut Square
17th St & I St
Yes, there is Free Wifi in the Park!
Select Golden Triangle Wireless
it will direct you to Golden Triangle BID site
which is also a great resource for local spots
Farragut West or North
Crystal City
free wireless in courtyards and park areas, see map
Crystal City
CHAIN STORES & CAFES in DC
Au Bon Pain
Free wifi, locations all over the city
Metro Center, L St, Chinatown, etc...
Peet's Coffee
13th & G - 601 13th St
Metro Center
15th & M - 1156 15th St
McPherson Sq
17th & L - 1101 17th St NW
Farragut North
1800 M St NW
Farragut North
Corner Bakery
locations throughout the city!
Pret A Manger
11th and F 1155 F St NW
Metro Center
14th and H 1399 New York Ave NW
McPherson Sq
15th and K 1432 K St NW
McPherson Sq
17th and K 1701 K St NW
Note: No WiFi at this one
Farragut North
18th and I 1825 Eye St NW
Farragut West
19th and L 1828 L St NW
Farragut North
Union Station 50 Mass Ave NW
Union Station
Saxby's Coffee
Hours vary at each location
Georgetown, near University
3500 O St NW
Downtown, near K St
1000 Vermont Ave NW
Dupont Circle, South exit
1309 19th St NW
CHAINS in DC with locations also in MD & VA
Barnes and Noble
All Barnes and Noble's now offers free wifi!
Locations in MD and VA, all DC stores have closed unfortunately. Clarendon, Bethesda, Springfield and Rockville are close to metro I believe. Tysons Corner, Seven Corners and Potomac, car required.
Cosi
locations throughout the city and in MD and VA!
Dupont, Downtown, Capitol Hill, and Ballston in VA
Harris Teeter - Citadelnow has a fancy coffee machine and wifi in their cafe
1631 Kalorama Rd - between 16h & 17th St
Adams Morgan/ 16th St
IHOP - Open 24 hours!
**This is the only free wireless spot I know of open 24 hours**
Irving &14th St, NW
Columbia Heights (not sure if the one in Ballston has internet)
McDonalds
New: Apparently, most all of the McDonalds in the area now have offer free wireless internet! To see which ones in the area have wi-fi and to learn more, please click here. You'll want to type in your zipcode and look for the ones with a green box on the far right.
Panera
1350 Connecticut Avenue
Dupont Circle
Irving at 14th St, NW
Columbia Heights
Wisconsin Ave, above the metro
Tenleytown
H St NW between 6th and 7th
Chinatown
Panera also has locations by metro in MD & VA:
just north on Colesville at Georgia
Silver Spring, MD
in the Ballston Commons Mall
Ballston, VA
Safeway
many Safeway stores now have free wireless in their cafes so you should call first
some are run by Starbucks. I know for sure that these two have:
1100 4th St, SW
Waterfront Metro
5th & K St, NW
Gallery Place, Mt Vernon Sq, Circulator bus
Starbucks
Read their post about their new Free easy to use wi-fi
lots of locations all over the city
BARS & RESTAURANTS IN DC
Angelico
pizza and sandwich place, casual
multiple locations, see list online
Tenley has wifi, not sure if the others do, please call
4529 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Tenleytown
Breadsoda *Late Night Spot*
beer, billiards, sandwiches, open late!
2233 Wisconsin Ave, NW
Glover Park (bus access from Tenleytown metro)
Buffalo Billiards
1330 19th St NW
Dupont Circle
Commisary
1443 P St NW
Logan Circle
Domku
821 Upsher St, NW
Georgia Ave - Petworth
Red Derby
3718 14th St NW (at Quincy)
Georgia Ave/Petworth
Z Burger
4321 Wisconsin Ave, NW
Tenlyetown
MUSEUMS
Smithsonian American Art Museum & NPG
Kogod Courtyard + The Luce Foundation Center - 3rd Floor
Open 11:00am - 7:00pm
Two great spots to work from, Luce has a community table and places to plug in
8th & F St NW
Chinatown
Smithsonian Castle
Open 8:30am - 5:30pm
they have free wireless in cafe area
coffee and food is pricey if you are hungry
you may want to pack snacks or food
1000 Jefferson Drive, SW
Smithsonian
DC PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Great quiet places to work throughout DC!
View the list of Library locations!
MLK Library at 9th & G St, NW is open latest
Chinatown
I know that these are right near metro:
Tenleytown (new library! right by metro)
Shaw (new library! right by metro)
Cleveland Park (about a block or so from metro)
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Arlington Central Library
1015 N Quincy St
Virginia Sq or Ballston
Artisphere *Late Night Spot*
open late! free wi-fi art space
Wed - Fri: 4:00pm - 11:00pm*
Sat: Noon - 11:00pm
Sun: Noon - 5:00pm
Mon - Tues: Closed
Open later pending programmed events
Rosslyn
Busboys and Poets
Shirlington, VA (not near metro, take bus or car)
Buzz
really great coffee shop with cupcakes and other baked goods
I was thrilled to discover this one in Arlington! Try their 9:30 cupcake, it is so good!
818 N. Quincy - entrance is on Wilson Blvd, near sweetgreen
Ballston (walk to Wilson, turn left and go a few blocks)
Note: They also have a second location in Alexandria, VA but I haven't been there so not sure if it's accessible by metro or if they have wireless there
Cafe Amity
1000 N. Randolph St
Ballston
Java Shack
2507 N. Franklin Rd
Arlington, VA 22201
Free wireless on Weekdays and
Until 1:00pm on Sat, Sun & Holidays
Courthouse
Northside Social
the food and coffee here is quite good
3211 Wilson Blvd
Clarendon
Panera
in the Ballston Commons Mall
Ballston
INDEPENDENT CAFES IN MD
Jason's Deli
7356 Baltimore Ave.
College Park - about a 10 min walk from the Metro