Perk Up: Coffee Hideout

May 5, 1:56 PMBerkeley Coffeeshop ExaminerMaddy Burke

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Perk Up is an adorable little café,  barely a block away from Firehook, on Washington Street. This tiny coffee shop is right in the center of a shopping center where the traffic goes so quickly that you often pass by before you know you’ve gotten there. It usually takes me a minute (or some unlucky traffic) to notice the cute little tables along the sidewalk and the happy shops interspersed between restaurants. None of this seems to hurt business, though.

When you walk through the door, you enter your creative aunt’s living room. It is colorful, it smells good, and is cozy. There are not many chairs but they are all comfortable. The big plate glass window allows all of the joys of people watching without the inconveniences. Tables are littered with today’s paper and a handful of magazines.  Handy power outlets and free WIFI help you coax your laptop out of its case when it is time to get to work. And the friendly staff doesn’t make eyes at you when you linger long after your coffee is gone.

If you aren’t a regular to the south end of Washington Street, Perk Up is worth making the detour. It is one of Old Town’s best secret hideaways and, if you are lucky, you will get a friendly hello from the old man with two different colored eyes who likes to sit on the bench out front.

Perk Up

829 S Washington St
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 838-2812

Everyday: 7am - 9pm

Website: Under construction

Wi-fi: free
Seating: limited
Coffee: very good
Food: ok
Staff: excellent
Location: sneaky
Other: a great find