Vivace roasts some of the best coffee in the city, and the brew is for serious coffeeheads. The coffee is full-bodied, with a rich oiliness. And although pretentious coffee drinkers like us might sneer at add-ins as a general rule, we confess a particular fondness for the lightly sweetened Café Nico—a shot of espresso with a tiny bit of milk, orange zest, and nutmeg.

Despite the “seriousness” of this coffeehouse, Vivace holds wide appeal: a popular drink is the “White Velvet,” a creamy, foamy, sweetened confection that’s like the more sophisticated sister to the in-your-face coffee-flavored milkshakes of Starbucks. (For the hardcore coffee geeks, you’ll be pleased to know that Vivace only serves ristretto shots.)

With two brick-and-mortar locations plus a walk-up café, Vivace still retains that small-quantity quality, even in a big-coffee city. The new Capitol Hill location is an expansive, 2000-foot space with a curved stand-up Italian bar and under-counter murals. The downtown location is similarly large, with glassed-in meeting areas that can be reserved at no charge. Delicious carby offerings rotate seasonally, but we’ve indulged in both “Top Pot” and “Mighty-O” (vegan) donuts here, as well as locally made cupcakes, cookies, chocolate biscotti, and Whoopie Pies.