Cafe Diem

Super laid back shop with excellent coffee and service. All the flavor and none of the bad attitude. A great way to start any day!

Really love this spot. They have delicious baked goods and amazing coffee. The woman who is usually working there is a dear. They let our dogs in while we grab something too.
Support small businesses!

I’ve been on 18^th st a few times and havent noticed this shop before because it is tucked away inside another store as many have mentioned. Luckily, I often search Unilocal with the ‘offering a deal’ filter on. When I saw this pop up I decided to give it a try. The shop is a neat little room decorated with old school furniture with a coffee table. I’d imagine about 8 – 10 people could get cozy together ;) They have light music playing and wireless Internet.
The menu has assorted baked goods on it and a number of different coffee/​espresso options. I’m pretty lame when it comes to coffee so I got a french press. As for breakfast I went ahead and got a cheddar cheese scone and banana bread.
The coffee was excellent. I’m tempted to try their other offerings but will wait until I return with my girlfriend so she can help me order. She understands the coffee lingo. The scone and banana bread were tasty, but their serving size was a bit small. I was throwing caution to the wind having two breakfast items since it was Friday, but since the portions were on the small side I didn’t even feel guilty about it :) I imagine they could make the scones slightly bigger and banana bread slices a little larger without increasing their costs very much while improving value greatly.
The staff were super friendly and in an upbeat mood. There wasn’t a line when I arrived so i can’t comment on how it is when they’re busy.
I would say they’re on par with any other great boutique coffee shop and a solid option to give a try if you want to change it up from the large chain options in the area.

Best coffee in Adams Morgan.

Café Diem is unlike any other coffee shop I’ve seen in DC. It’s not a forced chill atmosphere — it’s a well designed and comforting space! I got the cheddar scone and it was very delicious. I’m glad I found this place just in time for winter, I can’t wait to return and test their coffee (that smells amazing) and settle in to read a chapter or two. That walls are bright and cheerful and have amazing art for sale which will be awesome this holiday season. Walk in for coffee and leave with a gift bought to mark off your list.
This place SAYS it’s a pop-​up, but fear not — they plan to stay for much longer. I’ve heard the truck is almost up and running, so it will be good to grab some quality coffee around DC from these cool people.

We had an excellent pour over and a perfectly spiced and not to sweet mulled apple cider. This is easily the best coffee in Adams Morgan, and the folks that work there are so nice they even brought out crayons for the toddler!

What a cute place. It’s like walking into a living room of an old friend. Great french press coffee too. I can’t wait for their food truck to take this place mobile but the owner garunteed they’d be at this Wyoming Ave location for through November.

This is one of the few café’s I’ve found in DC that serves almond milk! And not just almond milk, local hand-​crafted almond milk that makes the perfect latte. The espresso they use is also really high quality, I haven’t enjoyed espresso this much outside of Europe. The café is really cute and quaint, and the baristas are very friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is quiet and laid-​back, perfect for studying and getting work done. All of the baked goods are homemade and fresh, and truly enjoyable. I’m sad that the café is just a pop-​up, I wish it would have a permanent location in Adams Morgan! I highly recommend checking it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Come here and expect: Pure coffee bar with beautiful small lounge space. A pop-​up that will not be open forever!!! =\
What I got from it: I was enjoying Adams Morgan Day festival when I saw the sign advertising Café Diem’s location. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE finding new coffee bars, and so I had to stop in… and was not let down.
Café Diem is a pop-​up shop on 18^th, and shares space with a trendy clothing, furniture and accessory store called Skynear Designs. These two businesses are making a dynamic duo for sure! The space for the coffee bar is very cute, cozy, and feminine, which integrates well with Skynear’s layout. I also appreciated the music choice of the store clerk… it totally gave the place a positive upbeat vibe. =)
The coffee is from Madcap Coffee Roasters and is respectably served as a pour over or french press stored in thermos that is refreshed after a reasonable time. I tried the Columbia bean blend as a french press, and I was surprised that it had such vibrant character along with the usual smooth body. Many coffee bars actually don’t offer french press, and I realized then how much I miss this wonderful style of brewing! Thanks for reminding me, Café Diem!
The bakery goods are delightful and worthy of your dime! I loved my coffee crumb cake: enough density and sweetness. Then, the barista Nova offered a taste of the ginger snap cookie that was like no other I had! Ah! The taste of fall was definitely dancing on my palate that day!
I totally encourage you to hang out here. If you need a cup to go, just be patient and wait. Their slow brewing methods seize flavors you are supposed to experience with great coffee.

Fantastic pastries and great cortados. Make sure you visit soon; this pop-​up will decide whether to stick around based on the next few months!

Looking for a break from your usual Starbucks? Café Diem is the new kid on the block, & they’re definitely worth checking out — & coming back to.
They’re a pop-​up inside a home décor store, so you have to go into the home décor store (Skynear Designs) to get to the coffee shop, but don’t be scared away by the unconventional setup. Once you make your way into Skynear, you’ll find Café Diem to your immediate right, decorated in bright colors & quirky patterns.
Café Diem sells Madcap Coffee, a local specialty company not found many other places in D.C. The café’s coffee specialist really knows her stuff, & if you’re interested in getting into it, she can talk to you about coffee in the same way that a good bartender talks about craft brews. The employees’ passion & enthusiasm for the café & the products they sell is evident in exchanging just a few words with them.
Amanda, their chief coffee gal, creates the chai mix by hand, & it’s the best chai I’ve ever had. Like, ever. It’s sort of ruining Starbucks chai for me, honestly, which is a pain because there are a lot more Starbucks locations than there are Café Diems! But the trip to this somewhat remote spot in Adams Morgan is worth it, not just for the friendly staff & the incredible chai, but also for the homemade pastries, all cooked out of Union Kitchen. Try the cheddar chive scones; I don’t even like scones, & I’m addicted to these.
Coffeeshop campers — those with hours to spend hunkered down over laptops — won’t find Café Diem to be the best place for their needs, given the small space & the lack of tabling (most of the surfaces are low coffee tables, with one tall table with bar stools). But anyone who gives a damn about buying local & supporting a cool new business should give this fun new spot a try.

Happened to be walking down 18^th St the other day to find Café Diem DC posted up on the corner of Wyoming Ave. I had already had a cup of coffee and a sandwich from Adams Morgan Coffeeshop but I cannot turn down a new coffee place.
First thing I noticed as I made my way up the staircase was a sparkling new La Marzocca GB/​5 sitting on Diem’s counter and bags of Madcap coffee lined up in front. The girl behind the counter was super friendly and we had a nice conversation as to Madcap’s availability in our Counter Culture town. I only had time for a quick espresso but it was decent and balanced.
She also had an assortment of pastries and baked goods and was sampling a homemade gluten free bite of some sort.
I’ll have to go back for a more in depth review. Worth a shot.

Sometimes all you need is a Saturday afternoon in a quiet, slightly undiscovered coffee shop that doubles as a furniture showroom. Or maybe that’s just me. Because coffee and beautiful furniture make me happier than even I’d expect.
Madcap coffee is locally produced, and outstanding. It’s even more delicious with almond milk with just a hint of honey. Of course, the high end La Marszocco espresso machine plays a role in this too.
My Frenchman thinks that it’s not very Indian of me to prefer coffee to tea (I disagree), but with a places like this could you blame me?
PS — Yes it’s a little pricey. I may have to go back to using my french press after the newness wears off.

Operating as a pop-​up inside Skynear Designs, Café Diem is a welcome addition to the neighborhood’s coffee offerings.
The menu includes coffee drinks made with Madcap Coffee Co. roasts, and pastries baked at DC’s Union Kitchen.
I sampled an espresso when I popped in on opening day. While the drink prices were a bit high, the quality comes through. My espresso was a delicious and refreshing change of pace from the usual over-​roasted tar you get at Char-​bucks. The barista-​owners know their coffee.
Alas, I’m afraid my coffee vocabulary is no more elaborate than that, but I’ll be back!