DCReview
photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
Heat Da Spot
Included In
DC is in no short supply of spongy injera, peppery kitfo, and garlicky misr wat. But until you’ve started your day with Heat Da Spot’s berbere spiced chechebsa, you can’t truly say you’ve experienced DC’s best Ethiopian food.
On weekdays, the line at the corner cafe in Petworth forms as soon as the doors open at 7:30am, as drowsy-eyed commuters grab fuel for their Monday morning Zoom calls. It’s a ritual of freshly brewed coffee, caramel-colored iced cinnamon honey lattes, and freshly melted bacon-egg-and-cheese.
Heat Da Spot is a corner cafe in Petworth.photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
Posters of the all-day menu hang along the counter.photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
The grab-and-go crew spends most of their time staring through the glass ordering window, looking at tattered and bruised images of bagels, hash browns, lattes, and sambusas, even though the group of mostly regulars already knows exactly what combo they need to get them through the day. If it is your first time, the gargantuan array of mismatched photos and captions can be overwhelming. So start with a BEC, Heat Da Spot's classic breakfast sandwich with the perfect cheese-to-bacon-to-egg ratio. Add berbere peppers for some spice.
On weekends, those same sleepy eyes snap wide open as the cafe buzzes with excitement for the end of the work week. The Monday-Friday takeout crowd now relaxes on plush gold-adorned couches with friends, sipping tart blood orange iced teas and savoring hearty fava bean sandwiches.
Heat Da Spot's dining room is a hodgepodge of tables and couches.photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
Howard students catching up on problem sets sit on well-worn black stools leaning against the restaurant’s canary yellow walls. And diners pass bottles of green sauce like gossip, each labeled “secret sauce,” a mystery blend that's tastes like peppers and garlic. Whatever’s in there, it’s magic. Sprinkle it on your sandwiches, wraps, and veggie platters for an instant flavor boost.
Heat Da Spot makes mornings something to look forward to, even on days filled with unexpected fire drills, 9am meetings, and small talk with your boss.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
(Turkey) Bacon, Egg and Cheese
photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
Ethiopian Breakfast
photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
Ethiopian Veggie Platter
photo credit: Nina Palazzolo