Tryst is a great place to stop either for coffee or a quick and very affordable meal in Adam’s Morgan. The menu is decently sized although not huge, and they serve breakfast all day (which for me is the sign of a great place!) The interior is cosy and very chic – it is a bit nicer than its sister restaurant, The Diner (also quite good, located next door).

The food is very good – as far as breakfast items, the granola with milk is my favorite. It is home-made and the portions are quite generous. The pastries are fresh-baked throughout the day and are a great addition to any cup of coffee – I recommend the scones.

For small lunch plates, the Spinach-Artichoke dip and hummus plates are generous enough to share and are delicious…it is hard to find good hummus in the city! The salad and sandwich platters are generous as well.

I have not sampled the desserts, but if the pastries are any indication, I’m sure they are good!

Tryst is one of three restaurants owned by the company – as mentioned above The Diner also in Adams Morgan is really good as well (and has a bigger menu) and Open City Diner in Cleveland Park also has a larger menu.

Tryst would be the go-to for coffee and breakfast, but look into The Diner if you are more interested in lunch.

It is a bit more rowdy at night when bar goers take over – the cocktails are a bit pricey but the martinis are creative and very good.

$ – affordable

I’m very picky when it comes to my chai: spicy, please, and not too sweet. Tryst has been the closest (next to homemade and at the Mudhouse (Charlottesville)) with a pleasant frothy-creaminess in a large cup. They also offer the Chaippucino, which is, you guessed it, chai + cappucino. Also very, very good. I haven’t eaten here, but the desserts seem simple and great to accompany a conversation. “Real” food and alcoholic drinks are also served at all hours, 6:30AM to 2 or 3AM.

The decor is broken-in comfort with mix-and-match couches, loveseats, and singles. Books and art line the wall, guest artists perform (when I went, it was jazz…tres chic!), and (at night) the air is buzzing with intellectual discussion, political talk, laughter, and the occasional confession. It felt indie-trendy; not flashy, but definitely stimulating. It’s one for the artsy/creative type and a completely different vibe than the other lounges and bars that line Adams Morgan.