Community •

Lime Rides: An Afternoon at Tryst, DC’s Community Coffehouse

If Adams Morgan wasn't on your"to ride" list before, we'd strongly recommend adding it. The storied DC neighborhood due north of the White House is equalparts charm and vibrancy - and perhaps nowhere are those two elements more perfectly blended than at Tryst cafe.

“Tryst opened in September of 1998 with the aim of ‘defining the American Coffee culture,’” says owner Constantine Stavropoulos, playfully acknowledging his “modest” entrepreneurial ambitions. Still, it’s hard to argue with results. In the nearly 20 years since its grand opening, his laid-back bar/cafe/restaurant has become something of a Washington institution, assembling city dwellers from all walks of life around a melange of delicious drinks, live music, and mismatched silverware.

It’s all part of what Constantine calls the “Third Place”: a community gathering spot between home and the office where the wifi flows as freely as the conversation.

“Tryst is the mold for the Third Place concept,” he says. For some customers, that means digging into laptops for an afternoon fueled by lattes and one of the cafe’s renowned Linda sandwiches. “For others, Tryst is the place to unplug from world around them and dive into a good book. But overall, it's a space where people meet up to feel connected.”

That connection, it turns out, extends into the surrounding neighborhood as well. As Constantine has pivoted Tryst’s success into other startup ventures (including The Diner just next door), his focus on community building has grown in tandem.

“Being a part of the communities and neighborhoods where our restaurants are located is central to our operations and our success,” he says. “We hire people that live in our neighborhoods; we partner with neighborhood and community organizations; we are open from morning til night to serve our guests.”Tryst.jpg

For LimeBike riders, an establishment like Tryst presents an opportunity to experience authentic local living in one of the city’s most engaging districts. And with its wealth of bike lanes, bike racks, and wide sidewalks, Adams Morgan is particularly accessible on two wheels.

“Adams Morgan is hands down the most eclectic and international small business corridor in all of DC,” says Constantine. “At Tryst, a LimeBike rider can expect great food, coffee, and libations from our bar, all served by a friendly staff and surrounded by folks from all walks of life looking to connect to the community around them.”

In other words, local flavors served up in a comfortable, communal atmosphere. After a bike ride around the nation's capital, it's hard to think of a more rewarding combination than that.

Cover photo: Google Photos. Image may be subject to copyright. Click photo for full attribution.

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