Dero Coffee Shop — Restaurant in Columbia Heights

I recently visited Dero Coffee Shop and ordered an iced vanilla latte, but it ended up tasting more like an iced hazelnut coffee with a lot of heavy cream. I wasn’t expecting that flavor, but I guess it was due to it being a Somalian coffee, which I’m not familiar with.

The pastry selection appeared to be a mix of store-bought items, possibly from Costco, alongside some homemade Somalian baked goods I'm guessing. While they looked interesting, there weren’t any signs or labels explaining what they were. Since I believe many of them were specific to Somalian culture, having more information would have been helpful.

The shop had a strong scent of candles or maybe cleaning product, which could have been toned down to make the atmosphere easier to enjoy. During my visit, the employees disappeared for quite a while, leaving the shop unattended. Two customers came in, and it took around three minutes for someone to return and help them. However, the owner and workers were friendly.

Dero Coffee Shop had four tables, along with a couch, some chairs, and small coffee tables. The decor included a mix of fake and real plants. There was unfamiliar music playing in the background, which sounded like either Arabic or Somalian, adding a cultural touch. I would try this place again, but I’m not sure I’d make it my regular...

Love this place for several reasons. They stay open until 11:30pm nightly, reasonable prices, the owners are extremely nice and accommodating, the food and drinks are good. The Somali coffee has ginger, cinnamon, and sweetened cream in it. It's a must try and my favorite. A very close second is the Spanish latte. The sambusa has a soft like a pastry with a delicious combo of spiced minced meat and onion inside. I prefer it over samosa (Indian version). The fried potato egg ball thing (name?) was a pleasant surprise. It's basically like eating mashed potatoes around a hard boiled egg. The house hot sauce drizzled over it complimented it well (optional). The mango smoothie was creamy and yummy. I wasn't a fan often strawberry matcha though. Either too much matcha powder was used or it wasn't blended well because it was thick and pasty. I also could not taste the strawberry and it was not sweet enough for me. The pumpkin roll and milk cakes are super good. The owner always personally greets me and they bring your order to your table. It feels cozy and welcoming there. My only concern is that the toilet does not work probably. You have to hold the handle down but when you do it floods the bowl. If you use it I recommend not going #2 and limiting your toilet paper use. Update: WiFi issue fixed. Please...

I absolutely love this coffee shop! The owner and the staff are so kind and welcoming - if you don't know what things are? No problem! They will teach you! The sambusas are so tasty! Especially with the bis bas (a very mild hot sauce! Great for dipping!) And I love getting it with their chai tea at night, though there is also a big selection of smoothies, refreshing lemonade, lemonade/mango drinks, and also more traditional Somali tea and coffee!

The seating is so comfortable! And there are different types of comfortable chairs, one sitting on its own that's good for reading, and many different types of tables and layouts - it's a great place to come with friends!

Most of all, I love having a space that's open in the evenings, but is not a bar. Just a lovely cafe for reading, socializing, doing work, sitting and enjoying the green plants a nice environment... It's really welcoming to everyone! I can't wait to try their smoothies next! They also have cakes and traditional Somali desserts and snacks, too!

I can't wait to...