Peregrine Espresso

Owner: Ryan Jensen
Location: 660 Pennsylvania Ave SE (off of 7th) - Capital Hill
Clientele: young Capital staffies and well-traveled Land End types who enjoy the Eastern Market and espresso as it's meant to be

Yeeeee-haw! Peregrine makes coffee as it was intended: with great care and precision. And lip-smackin', too (I thought upon first sip, "ahhhhh, I'm in Italy"). Actually, I could tell by looking at my cappuccino and my hubby's machiato that these were going to hit it out of the park. Nutty, complex, rich, and creamy... complete with characteristic Nick Cho-a-la-Murky florette design in the dreamy foam. They extracted the aromatics perfectly. Jensen brings his Murky training to life at this busy ex-Murky location. Beans are Counter Culture, tea is Rashi.

I rather like that the pricing is rounded to $2.50, $3.00, etc. and includes tax. Menu is simple and focused.

They've done a fine job renevating the shop: raw wood floors, minimalist, neat. 'Tis small and indoor seating limited. Hubby felt rather cramped in this small space. Outdoor seating consists of 6 or so tables (in the sun, so prepare yourself for a little Vitamin D, which isn't all bad). Peregrine is about a half block from Eastern Market, thus busy on the weekends, but tables come available as few linger for long.

Vibe: Excellent. A bit of hustle/bustle, hip crowd, good music, interesting and engaging. Most people chat with friends, some study, some laptop via the free Wi-fi.