Foundation Coffee — Restaurant in Fairfax

Some of the best-kept secrets don’t scream for attention — they whisper. And tucked quietly behind Fairfax’s Fair City Mall, this minimalist, mood-rich café is doing just that. It’s not visible from the main road. No big neon signs. No crowds pouring in from the front. You have to know it’s there — or stumble upon it like a local secret whispered between friends. But once you find it, you’ll never forget it.

This isn’t your typical espresso bar. With stadium-style seating, WiFi-friendly nooks, and a laid-back, design-forward interior, this café feels more like a creative hub than a coffee shop. Perfect for quiet meetups, deep work, or first dates that need just the right mix of privacy and buzz. “Unorthodox approach… a row of stairs for seating — absolutely cool!” “I believe all of their coffees and teas are better than the two corporate giants.” “The lattes are great! Iced vanilla, green tea, strawberry milk matcha — all on point.”

The menu blends specialty espresso drinks with subtle Asian twists — matcha, strawberry milk, tiramisu lattes — alongside cheesecakes, Oreo scones, and fluffy pastries that keep people coming back. “Basque cheesecake? Divine.” “The Oreo scone is life-changing.” “Strawberry matcha isn’t on the menu, but ask — they’ll make it for you.”

It’s the kind of spot where flavors are thoughtful, sweetness isn’t overdone, and staff are happy to riff off the menu just to make your day better.

With natural light pouring in, a layout built for thinkers and slow talkers, and just the right amount of hustle, this café gives you space — not pressure. “I love the stylish look from both inside and outside.” “Great for working with WiFi… even stadium seating!” “Parking’s tricky, but worth it.” Fairfax doesn’t offer many cafés that stay open late, but this one? Open till 9PM (except Sundays), giving creatives and night owls a warm landing pad.

Once you’ve had your fill of artisan lattes, cheesecake, and that soft lighting glow, elevate your evening with a visit to PullUpDC. Just like this café, PullUpDC offers a curated, elevated experience — except with premium cannabis strains designed for relaxation, creativity, or just vibing out. This is the café you’ll wish you found sooner — but now that you know, you’re in the circle. It’s quietly cool, deeply flavorful, and perfectly Fairfax. Pull up. Sip slow. Then pull up...

So I originally wanted to try a new coffee shop on an off day in the DMV, because that's what I do. I happened to find this place and it seems to be new, especially that in the Fairfax area. So that's exactly what I do today and head there. In getting there, it's actually in the back and not necessarily part of the city mall. Nevertheless when coming in, it's very spacious and aesthetically pleasing. There are folks doing their work and/or socializing as I go to order. I go for a pour-over and one of their pastries, and the barista gets to work on it and I settle at the huge bar/table area, getting ready to do some planned work. When he served me my coffee and pastry, I mentioned that it looked really nice. However, for his response, he said "Just enjoy your stay," but in the kind of demeaning tone. From that, as well as his body language, I felt really out of place and the first time, unwelcomed to a coffee shop, as I've been to tons of coffee shops in the DMV and around the US, not having such experiences. Now while not being able to concentrate on my work, much more people start to crowd around my area; even one group made a single patron shift one seat towards me, now being only one chair away from the left. The same eventually happened on the right side too. If we were not in a pandemic, this would be okay. However, when we are and there's no social distancing or limiting of chairs per table/area, now that made me even more uncomfortable as the baristas didn't even try to address these. For reference if you think I wasn't here, here's the two photos I took during my visit. I really liked the food and the aesthetics here, honestly. When there's no regards to limiting some capacity or social distancing, that's giving me a reason not to come here again. More so, having this be the first time I felt genuinely unwelcomed to a coffee shop, this kept me from keeping the rating at 2 stars and at 1 star instead, as well as not coming back for any future visits.

EDIT: If you do not see the other photo with the pour-over and pastry I got, it is because google is deciding not to post it along with my review as I have tried to add it with the other photo...

This used to be my favorite cafe — not for their drinks, its not great, but for the ambiance and workspace. However, after my experience tonight, I won't be returning.

I was inside from 5 PM to 8:30 PM and left to find my car, parked very close to the entrance, broken into with shattered windows. This was especially shocking considering it's Fairfax, a safe suburb.

The worker on shift, whose name I didn't catch, was incredibly kind and empathetic - thank you once again for staying after hours to ensure my safety. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same regarding the owner.

I waited for the owner to check the security footage, however, when the owner arrived, he made it clear that he was very annoyed and inconvenienced to be there after hours. He only spoke cordially to the officer and never addressed me at all.

I am fully aware that external incidents aren’t directly his responsibility. However, helping customers deal with such incidents that happened on their parking lot, I believe, is. He displayed a complete lack of concern, failing to acknowledge the unfortunate situation. One of my family members came to help but he maintained the same demeanor to him if not worse.

Even more shockingly, the owner told the officer “this happened before too and we couldn’t do anything since our footage doesn’t cover that”, indicating this wasn't the first time an incident like this had happened, yet nothing has been done to raise awareness or warn customers of the potential danger happening within their own parking lot, making me question how much he values his customers.

If you're looking for a cafe that values your presence, I strongly suggest going elsewhere with better...