Café Vita is perhaps the quintessential Capitol Hill coffee roaster / coffee shop. It’s got strong coffee, a well-designed interior, lots of hipsters, and plenty of room to work (or to pretend to work) — two floors in fact. It’s a large space without being alienating or empty-feeling, and it’s well lit by a huge bank of windows and there always seems to be the right number of other people to make the place feel vibrant.

The drip coffee is a bit ‘silty’ during the slow parts of the day, but it’s always solid. Getting a fresh drink (espresso, americano, mocha, latte, etc.) is usually the best choice.

No cook to order food, but a nice selection of pastries are available. Wi-Fi throughout, but you have to “click to start” before it works. Hoo-ha.

Location: 1005 East Pike Street
Best times to go: M-F anytime before 3pm, or after 7pm.
What to order: Mocha, Americano.
Where to sit: Upstairs, by the windows.
Wi-Fi: Pretty reliable.