Washington, DC: A walk through Eastern Market with Cam’s Kettle 🇺🇸
Based in Washington, DC, Cam’s Kettle is a coffee subscription club sourcing coffees from Latin America. Photos courtesy of Cam’s Kettle
Each weekend in Washington DC’s historic Eastern Market you’ll find the pop-up cafe by Cam’s Kettle, a member-based subscription offering coffee sourced from small farms across Latin America. Cam, who founded Cam’s Kettle, takes us on a walk from Eastern Market to the National Mall and beyond.
Filter: If a good friend came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?
The day would begin with a cup of coffee at Eastern Market, a bustling hub for local products and art located in historic Capitol Hill. It would continue down the hill to the mall where we would stroll through the diverse ecosystems of the U.S. Botanic Garden. It would end with a nice meal at Ristorante La Perla in Foggy Bottom, a popular spot for an authentic Italian meal and to spot local celebrities.
Filter: What do you like to do to escape the city?
To escape the grind I hop on my bike and head down the Anacostia River Trail. This little gem of green space in DC's east side can calm even the busiest of minds.
[Also], explore the urban nature around Kingman Island.
Filter: What touristy things in DC are worth the hype?
The cherry blossoms in spring really are beautiful. It may sound cliche but spring has a way of cleansing our souls from a cold winter and a busy past year.
Filter: Where are your favorite quiet corners there?
The Framers of the Constitution Island, located in the mall—your only company will be a family of geese.
Filter: What's a coffee shop there that you really admire, and what about them stands out to you?
Vigilante Coffee. They build a familiar brand and have provided steady jobs for their team even during turbulent times like Covid.
Filter: Where are you from originally, and how did you end up starting Cam's Kettle?
Boston, Massachuessetts. I started selling coffee on the streets of Arlington, Virginia when I was in college and then we became Cam's Kettle one year later.
Filter: What makes DC feel like home to you?
Being in my grandma's house, it has familiar smells and sounds that bring me back to my childhood visiting DC in the 90s and early 00s.
Filter: What’s rewarding about running Cam’s Kettle?
Connecting with people! I know most of our base of over 250 coffee club members on a first name basis. My current goal is to get to know 1,000 people, names, and interesting facts about them. It is also rewarding to connect with our coffee farm partners, real people who put their lives into producing the coffee we serve our club members. We have been buying from our farm partners for over 5 years now.
Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move, and what shop would be the biggest reason?
I would move to Barcelona, Spain. Strolling down the street on a sunny European afternoon and popping into a neighborhood cafe to enjoy a nice cortado and say hello to the three old men in the corner reading the paper and smoking cigarettes.
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Based in Washington, DC, Cam’s Kettle is a coffee subscription club sourcing coffees from Latin America. Each weekend, Cam’s Kettle operates a cafe stand at DC’s historic Eastern Market.
Food & Beverage
Neighborhoods & Areas
Parks & Gardens
The Framers of the Constitution Island
Outdoors
