Windows Cafe & Market

Washington, DC, United States

2.6

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 202-462-6585
Website:
www.windowscafedc.com
Address:
101 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC, DC, 20001
b/t N 1st St & N T St
Bloomingdale
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.5 miShaw-Howard Univ
0.6 mi7th and Rhode Island Avenue NW Bus Stop
0.6 mi7th and R St NW Bus Stop
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
No

Today

Today 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Washington, DC) 06:42 Sunday, 22 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

For a refreshing alternative to boring fast-​casual restaurants in DC, look no further than Windows Café & Market. Located in the heart of DC’s Bloomingdale neighborhood, we offer a great selection of café items, coffee, groceries and more. This isn’t your typical grocery store — we carry upscale, natural and organic products from around the globe, including imported beer, wine and much more.

In addition to gourmet items and grocery staples, we also serve delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner in our café. From smoothies, salads and soups to sandwiches, paninis and desserts, you won’t leave Windows Café & Market hungry. Everything we serve is made with the highest-​quality, freshest ingredients available, including our bread that is baked fresh daily. If you’ve never visited before, you’ll be impressed by the extensive selection of products we offer, so make sure to stop by soon!

History

Established in 2001.

Windows Café & Market has been open to Bloomingdale customers since 2001. We are the first store of our kind in the area, combining delicious café food with high-​quality grocery staples under the same roof. over the years we have become a local favorite, and were even featured in the Washington Post’s Going Out Guide. We are proud of the great reputation we have earned so far, and look forward to serving our friends and neighbors for many years to come.

Meet the Business Owner

Hunegnaw A.

Business Owner

As Owner of Windows Café & Market, Hunegnaw goes out of his way to make your shopping and dining experience as enjoyable as possible. Growing up, he always wanted to own his own business in DC. He got the opportunity when he purchased the store, and wanted to turn it into something truly unique. He completely changed the layout and atmosphere of the store, fusing the elements of a coffee shop, café and grocery store into one convenient store. Hunegnaw and the rest of the Windows Café & Market team appreciate that you choose to shop with us, and are happy to help with anything you might need.

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Nearby

Near this location:
40
ft
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50
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20 reviews of Windows Cafe & Market

No registration required
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
Sometimes friendly, sometimes not. Sometimes their credit card system is working, sometimes not. Sometimes I get a really delicious sandwich in a few minutes, sometimes it takes 15 minutes.
Seriously though, Windows, please fix the credit card system.
Place rating: 3
Brookeville, MD
The food is ok enough. My friends usually ask for extra toasted for breakfast sandwiches. If you don’t, the cheese won’t be melted all the way,
And the bread won’t be completely toasted. Don’t order pick up — you’ll wait the 20 minutes they tell you to until your food is «ready,» but when you arrive they have no idea what you ordered and have to make it on the spot anyways. Only gets 3 stars for being close by.
Place rating: 1
San Antonio, TX
Had nothing ready by 10:30. Had to cancel order. If you plan on going here, I’d wait an hour after opening for fresher food and better service.
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
This place has such potential. I’ve had a few of the eat in options– all of which are solid, but if they were a little fresher, or a little more thoughtful they could add a lot more to the block. I haven’t had any bad experiences with the staff– some are appropriately apathetic, but no frank rudeness. Being from Manhattan, I really don’t care as much about the niceties of greeting every person and asking how their day and their families are. So, maybe my threshhold for attitude is a bit different than other reviewers.
The market has some good products. Not much from the fresh or refrigerated section– but its more of Harris Teeter type foods rather than every other corner mini market. With that, it comes with higher prices. Would love to see some good cheeses and breads in there!
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
went here about 12:30 pm one sunny Monday and got a FRESH HOT COFFEE and a quite tasty chicken salad croissant sandwich for lunch for less than $ 10 so was quite happy and thought I’d got there at a good time. Sat and ate there and watched the traffic go by and read the out-​of-​date local newspapers! A pleasant 40 mins!
Place rating: 1
Washington, DC
Terribly customer service & rip-​off prices. I kept giving this place a 2nd chance due to its convienient location & my desire to support local businesses but I am through. No more chances, I will take my shoping needs elsewhere.
to quote other Unilocal-​ers AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
Windows is awesome! They have everything that we need in a pinch and tons of local products. They also have produce and a good selection of wines.
Place rating: 2
Washington, DC
The staff is really rude. But the desserts are okay and the convenient store is useful. The food is nothing special but it’s inexpensive. If you don’t mind spending a dollar more, just head to Sankofa on Georgia Ave.
Place rating: 1
Washington, DC
I went into the market today to pick up a bag of chips this afternoon. I said hello to the cashier and the younger woman that was sitting behind her and asked how they were doing. Unfortunately, I was not met with anything but attitude in return. Although my small bag of chips came out to be $ 1.99 and I handed her $ 2.00, I wasn’t even offered my change. I didn’t say anything about it and wished them well as I left. I know it’s just one red penny, but a cashier should complete the transaction. The cashier rolled her eyes as I walked away. I’ll admit, I’m not pleased about that and find it completely rude and undeserving.
I have lived in the area for 11 years and I don’t go to Windows that often since their prices aren’t that great and the staff isn’t polite– ever. $ 1.99 for one tiny bag of chips is absurd and so is eye rolling after politely asking how people are doing and not even putting up a fuss. In the past, I’ve tried to order food from the café and I haven’t even been helped after waiting for ten minutes.
I’ve never had a good experience here and today reminded me that I’d rather not have my money go to jerks. Save yourself a trip and go elsewhere.
Place rating: 1
Washington, DC
I went here for breakfast today because the line at Big Bear was out the door and onto the sidewalk. I was punished for my impatience.
Their «western omelette bagel» sounded promising. It was not. When their description states that it comes with «tons of veggies,» they don’t mean «a lot of green peppers and onions.» They mean, «whatever vegetables we feel like giving you today.» Mine came with carrots, peas, green beans and corn. Surprise!!!
And of course, no ham was to be found. That’s probably for the best.
As the other reviews here suggest, complaining about your food is futile. I appreciate unfriendly service more than most people, but only if the attitude comes with a good product.
Plenty of empty seats though!
Place rating: 1
Denver, CO
We orders 3 omelets, 1 bagel and 3 coffees. They forgot to make everything. We had to reorder everything after 10 mins. Super hot inside even tough it was nice outside.
Not worth it. I would try somewhere else for breakfast.
Place rating: 2
Washington, DC
I can deal with a small café, I can deal with a $ 3.00 muffin, but I cannot (and will not) deal with awful services. The employees are rude, lazy, and don’t understand what «don’t touch» means.
I only buy the blueberry muffins from Windows Café. Everything else is, er, «lacking some freshness.» A few weeks ago I went into Windows and as I was checking out one of the employees asked me for my gold ring. I took it as a joke, laughed and moved on. However, she began to stroke my ring and pull my finger closer to her face to ask how much I wanted for the ring. I pulled my hand back and gave her my cash.
Note there is one worker there who wears heavy top and bottom liner. She may be the rudest one.
At different times I’ve had poor service here. I waited 20 minutes for a muffin because they forgot to heat it up… wow.
If you have to go here, keep it simple. Muffin, juice, things already made.
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
I LOVE windows as a resident of the area for 7 years! I enjoy their selection, yet it’s somewhat over priced for a neighborhood market. Unfortunately, arriving 15 minutes before closing time has its drawbacks as I experienced on many days. They tend to close early which is why I cannot give them 5 stars. I hope this review helps future customers. :-)
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
The staff were nice, its a small place and the coffee is good along with the sandwiches. I will be back to try the smoothies. Its connected to a grocery store so thats a added bonus!
Place rating: 1
Washington, DC
The employees are rude, completely incompetent, and lazy. The café’s «kitchen» consists of a dirty hotplate and an oven where they reheat packaged frozen baked goods. The market is wildly overpriced, disorganized, and dirty.
An example of their horrible service and awful quality: I ordered a plain bagel with plain cream cheese — easy enough, right? After a 10-​minute wait, I was handed a completely flattened everything bagel with a tiny package of cream cheese. Half of the bagel was cold and the other half was burnt. The whole thing was wrapped in an excessive, wasteful amount of aluminum foil. The employee was completely unapologetic and just stared back at me with cold, dead eyes.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
Place rating: 1
Columbia Heights, Washington, DC
I spent a year and a half living within 1 block of Windows. Living in the Bloomingdale Food Desert, I made frequent trips to Windows to pick up a few staples and occasionally a cup of coffee or sandwich.
The grocery items are EXTREMELY overpriced, the service is rude, and the food is lacking. When someone takes 20 minutes to make a sandwich, I expect it to be the best sandwich I have ever had, not the worst. I have found hair in my food multiple times. And no, the staff does not care that they got hair in your food. If you tell them, they most likely will not even respond.
Once, they accused me of stealing. The male owner yelled at me across the store. He had checked me out about 30 seconds before this incident.
I gave them 1 star because I have to and because their smoothies are legitimate hangover cures. It takes about 30 minutes for them to make one, but all that fresh fruit and antioxidants will certainly get you up and running.
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Great and handy market/​café to have close by. Can get staples like milk or eggs but can also pick up nice cheese, artisan snacks or wine. They Also have good coffee and sandwiches. They are more expensive than a normal bodega but they have a lot of specialty items.
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
Just this past Sunday, I was on the job, had a taste for a nice cup of coffee and did not want to go to Starbucks. I wanted to stay within the neighborhood where I was working for the evening. I whipped out my iphone, opened up the Unilocal app and began to search for a coffee shop close my location. The first location that popped up was this place, the Windows Café & Market. So I decided to go there and it turned out to be a great decision.
After I first walked into the place, I immediately fell in love with it. It is definitely in the «small and cozy» category. There were only two other patrons in the café part of the place. In the other part of the café, there is a small market that sells everything from beer and wine to regular small snack food items. Nevertheless, I walked up to the counter. Through the glass portion of the counter, I could see various types of cakes and pastries to include my favorite type of cake, carrot cake. Once I laid my eyes on that carrot cake, the rest of the menu «blacked out» in my mind. So I ordered a piece of carrot cake to go with my regular cup of coffee. I know that is a weird combination, but I absolutely loved it.
The coffee was perfect and did not have that burnt smell or taste like some other places. The carrot cake was perfect. No complaints whatsoever. Additionally, the café’s Wi-​Fi signal is very strong. While at the café, I surfed the internet on my phone and noticed the pages and graphics were loading quicker than normal. I automatically attributed that to the Wi-​Fi signal.
My experience was great. I enjoyed the Window’s Café & Market and will make this one of my regular spots that I visit when working in this particular neighborhood.
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
3.5 stars. This is a step above the typical neighborhood corner market: it’s clean, the market section is small but well organized, the people are friendly, and the food-​to-​go is surprisingly good. I had an egg-​and-​cheddar bagel — very good. There’s seating, too, which is a bonus. A pleasant place and space!
Place rating: 2
Washington D.C., DC
The sandwiches are not very good – certainly not for the amount of time it takes for someone to make it.
Also, why open at 10am during the week and miss the morning coffee, breakfast service? And please, offer fresh skim, whole milk rather than those awful creamers?