Noms: Favorite Coffee Shop in Arlington

Some times last year, I had a craze for coffee shops and set out on a mission to find my favorite coffee shop in the neighborhood. This frenzy spurred from my desire to work from home but inability to concentrate in my apartment (there is a TV, my bed, and so much stuff how does one focus?!), so I figured I spend some time coffee shop-shopping to scout out the best one in Arlington. I limited my search to just Arlington and excluded Washington, D.C. because the point was to be close to home, ideally somewhere walking distance from my apartment in Ballston.

Now, Arlington is bougie AF, filled with recently graduated young professionals eager to live the pretentious and upscale lifestyle, so coffee shops are not a rarity. My standards for a coffee shop were pretty high and my criteria were:

1. Location & hours – It has to be walking distance and needs to be open during times when I am most likely going to visit.
2. Available seating – The last thing I want to do is stand by the door with my coffee and diving for a seat the second someone stands up.
3. Ambiance – If I am spending a good chunk of my day here, I want a good ambiance and a homey and cozy atmosphere.
4. Coffee – It is simple, good coffee at a coffee shop is a must.
5. Wifi – I have a hotspot on my phone so lack of wifi is not a dealbreaker, but available and fast wifi would be nice.
6. Staff – A friendly and welcoming staff is important.

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After several weeks of coffee shop-searching and experimentation, I found my happy place at Boccato Gelato & Expresso in Clarendon. Boccato’s standards did not pass all my criteria with perfect scores, but it passed most with superb scores. It’s impossible to find a place that meets all my needs, and Boccato exceeded what I had expected to find. Let me break it down:

A typical weekend afternoon at Boccato.

1. Location & Hours
Boccato is located at 2719 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201 in Clarendon, just 1.2 miles from my apartment in Ballston. Walking it takes me roughly 20 minutes and if I bike or skateboard it would take even less. A 20-minute walk is bearable because even when I work from home, I like to get some outdoor time and this is perfect. Plus, being in Clarendon means I can wander to the Barnes & Noble or shops nearby if I want to take a detour on the way home. 

The hours are from 9am – 10pm. Ideally I would like it to open a little earlier, like at 8am or 8:30am, but 9am is doable. They typically open a little earlier anyway so I can probably get in by 8:45am.
 
Location & Hour: A

2. Available Seating
The space here is huge and can probably accommodate close to or over 100 people. There are different types of seating for to choose from depending on preference or mood: high tops, square or circular tables, and loveseats or singular couches. I have never had trouble finding a seat here, but to be fair I usually come in the mornings when the crowd is thinner. Towards the afternoons, it tends to get more populated, especially on weekends, but the turnover rate is pretty high. One caveat though, on weekdays, Boccato is a “co-work café,” meaning most of the area is reserved for people who mostly permanently work from home and pay a membership. The remaining section has roughly 15-20 seats, so if you come early it is still possible to snatch a spot.
 
Available Seating: A

3. Ambiance
The ambiance at Boccato is the best. The interior feels a little like an industrial setting but set up to be very cozy with lights, lamps, and pieces of art hanging from the walls. They use yellow light which is less harsh, and the lighting tends to be on the dimmer side, so it may not be the best for reading a book. Along the walls and sides there are artworks of Marilyn Monroe, photography, cabinets, and plants. All the decorations remind me of fancy pieces taken from antique stores or thrift shops – they are not dirty or janky but they are genuine. The feel of Boccato is very ‘gram-worthy.
 
The music at Boccato is also on point. They alternate between a throwback pop playlist (Savage Garden, Michelle Branch and the likes) and smooth jazz, so it is the perfect white noise for doing work. The crowd also does not get too rowdy so the noise does not get too distracting.
 
Ambiance: A+

4. Coffee
I usually get their latte when I come here and it is very good. They also have some specialty drinks like Nutella Latte (my go to) and they are so delicious! If you get it for here, you order at the counter and then find a seat, and the staff will bring out your drink in a ceramic mug. Plus, the latte comes with latte art on it, although not the best sometimes but it is the effort that counts.
 
Another huge plus is that Boccato also serves gelato! Their gelato is bomb and is my favorite in the area. There is a ton of flavors and I usually get all the fruity ones and they are all equally good. Some memorable ones include Lychee Peach, Passionfruit, and although not fruity, the Guinness Chocolate is amazing. In addition to coffee and gelato, they also have other food like sandwiches and empanadas. I have never tried them but from the looks of it they looked noms.
 
Price-wise, their coffees and lattes are less than $5 depending on what you order, and gelatos and empanadas are around the same. So overall it is very reasonable priced and definitely worth because they are so noms.
 
Coffee (and Gelato): A+

5. Wifi
When you order something, you can ask for a wifi access code and each code provides you with 1.5 hours of wifi usage. The wifi speed is not the fastest so you may have trouble buffering YouTube videos. My main complain about Boccato is their 1.5-hour wifi limit. Most other coffee shops have unlimited wifi, and many people stay at coffee shops for over 1.5 hours, so the cap on wifi usage is a little frustrating. But I have hotspot on my phone so I just go on that after my time is up.
 
Also, they have plenty of plugs so no need to worry about your laptop running out of battery!
 
Wifi: B

6. ­Staff
Boccato’s staff is awesome. They are always super friendly at the front and very quick and helpful taking your order. I love that they bring out your coffee to you so you can get settled in while they brew your drink. Also, they are very patient with you when you ask to try multiple gelato flavors!
 
Staff: A+

Overall
Looking at Boccato as a whole, I am very happy I found this coffee shop. The ambiance, staff and coffee (and gelato) are superb so it keeps me coming back whenever I need a place outside of my apartment to work. I can overlook some of the flaws such as limited wifi because the pros outweigh the cons. If anyone is ever in the neighborhood, I would highly recommend this coffee shop, either to spend a couple of hours here or stop by for some coffee and gelato.

Overall: A