It’s a tight squeeze at the 14th Street location, but you’ll be so antsy to window-shop the surrounding boutiques you won’t be tempted to linger long. Peregrine serves a rotation of sustainably sourced beans from Counter Culture in nearly every form, including macrobrew filter-drip coffee until 11 a.m. weekdays, 4 p.m. weekends.

Peregrine Espresso, 1718 14th Street Northwest, between R and S Streets (202-525-5127 or peregrineespresso.com).

The legions of fans who flock to Dolcezza for the artisanal gelato may be surprised to learn that it also serves coffee. Before you assume that the joe isn’t as good as the sweets, sip on this: You can order award-winning beans from Intelligentsia, MadCap, Handsome, and Stumptown (Dupont locale only).

Dolcezza, 1704 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, between R and S Streets (202-299-9116 or dolcezzagelato.com).

A cultlike clientele and heavy community involvement mean the bear is out of the bag on this formerly little-known gem. You could even argue that Big Bear single-handedly turned around Bloomingdale, a once-shady neighborhood. But why argue when you can chill with friends over hot coffee and gossip rags instead?

Big Bear Cafe, 1700 1st Street Northwest, at R Street (bigbearcafe-dc.com).

If you’re lucky enough to snag one of the two plush armchairs in the window, you get a front-row view of Mount Pleasant’s finest. Counter Culture coffee flows, while Hawthorne pastries and Whatsa Bagel you-know-whats keep your hunger at bay. Idling is encouraged, so this is the ideal spot to work on your memoir.

Flying Fish, 3064 Mount Pleasant Street Northwest, at Irving Street (202-299-0141).

From the people who brought you Tryst comes Open City. Perched on the border of Woodley Park and Adams Morgan, the coffeehouse and diner is a sugar cube’s throw from all the action — minus the sometimes-obnoxious crowds. Ample outdoor space means groups of all sizes are welcome.

Open City, 2331 Calvert Street Northwest, at 24th Street (202-332-2331 or opencitydc.com).

This Capitol Hill coffeehouse serves coffee from PT’s, a direct-trade supplier that works with farmers around the world according to fair practices. It’s a fact that makes drinks such as the famed Nutella latte taste that much better. There’s free Wi-Fi, which means your joe might come with a side of clickety-clack.

Pound the Hill, 621 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast, between 6th and 7th Streets (202-621-6765 or poundthehill.com).

Founded in 1992, Firehook has a stronghold on the city’s fresh-baked bread market. The menu has expanded over time to include pastries, cakes, pies, and Swing’s coffee. There are four locations in Virginia and seven across D.C. A tip: The Cleveland Park location has secret garden seating in the back.

Firehook, 3411 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, at Ordway Street (202-362-2253 or firehook.com).

 When a cafe’s website lists the brand of milk the joint serves with its coffee, you know you’re working with a detail-oriented crowd. The result? Impeccably prepared drinks made from roasts from around the world. The bean selection rotates every few weeks, so stop in often.

Chinatown Coffee Co., 475 H Street Northwest, at 5th Street (chinatowncoffee.com).

As the name implies, you won’t leave this Georgetown gem without a little buzz. Located on a side street just steps from the canal, Baked and Wired provides a respite from the M Street hustle and a refuel for weary walkers. Stumptown and MadCap coffees accompany cupcakes so good you might forget your name.

Baked and Wired, 1052 Thomas Jefferson Street Northwest, between 30th and 31st Streets (202-333-2500 or bakedandwired.com).

No discussion of cafes in D.C. would be complete without Tryst. The Adams Morgan staple opened in 1998 and looks like it was outfitted care of Gran’s attic: Diners loaf on vintage furniture while eating with mismatched silverware. Good luck getting a table on a weekend afternoon, and mind the laptop cords.

Tryst, 2459 18th Street Northwest, at Columbia Road (202-232-5500 or trystdc.com).

Now you see it. Now you don’t. That’s because Blind Dog Cafe wears its coffeehouse guise just up until 4 p.m., when it reverts to its neighborhood dive getup. The pop-up cafe serves seasonal salads and fresh-baked cookies alongside coffee in a space you could easily mistake for a friend’s living room.

The Blind Dog Cafe, 944 Florida Avenue Northwest, at W Street (202-290-2865 or blinddogcafe.com).