Black Lion Cafe Coffee & Pastry

My husband and I finally got around to visiting after seeing this neighborhood cafe & we are so glad we did.

We got the burger sliders & roast beef croissant sandwich to eat & an iced caramel macchiato and iced chai latte to drink.

The sandwiches come with potato chips and pickles on the side, which was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. Both sandwiches were very good but my husband and I raved about the roast beef sandwich- very tasty!

The drinks were perfectly sweetened, we didn’t have to add anything to them.

Lastly, the location is beautiful ! I loved the coziness of the store, the art and the overall vibe.

Support your local coffee shop, you won’t regret it!

Loved the atmosphere. It's a cozy coffee shop with a good selection of sweet and savory pastries. They have some sandwiches, too, which we'll try next time we come.

Great coffee shop. Workers are very friendly and the smile too.. 😂 😂

The food was great and the drinks were also nice. I am not a coffee person but my wife loved the place so it gets my vote 😆.

Very cozy place to relax with friends and chat about life and such.

I went here with a friend to study. I really like the art & the design of this cafe. We both got Chai Tea’s. Great study atmosphere in downtown silver spring!

Strong Habesha (Ethiopian & Eritrean) community in this area.

Very nice coffee shop, absolutely excellent coffee, but only (mostly sweet) pastries on the menu. I am not a morning sweet person, so that is not great for me; but the croisssants are first rate. The coffee makes up for it. I take it from the name that this is Ethiopian, a land with a deserved reputation for being the original source of all coffee and growing among the finest.

Cute cafe and hangout! Great for getting some work done as well! When we came it was really busy so our order took forever - maybe it was a little understaffed. The Nutella scone was amazing 😍 I loved the decoration and layout of the cafe.

Absolutely beautiful coffee shop in downtown silver spring. This space was long awaited and exceeded all my expectations. The coffee is great and the space is amazing for working. There is ample space, sunlight and outlets. There are many things on the menu I have yet to try, but am excited to continue exploring. The staff are also very friendly.

Love this unique place! First time visit there - I enjoy breakfadt that I ordered hot chai latte and egg with cheese. The atmosphere is for a little social, relaxing, studying, and enjoy your favorite drink. ☕ I'd definitely come back again - chai latte tastes so gooood!

The interior of this cafe is like no other. It is so breathtaking that I saw numerous people who took videos and pictures. Their London Fog was one of the best drinks that I have ever had in my life, as the tea was so flavorful. Their bread pudding was on point, as well! Perfect combination of flakiness and richness. Very happy to have supported this local business. Definitely looking forward to trying their lava cake next time I visit :)

Delicious French Pastries. Beautiful spot to work. A hand-selected range of tasty Ethiopian cofees. My new favorite spot in Silver Spring, you should definitely give them a chance!

What a gorgeous space with the best coffee and delicious food. We've been going to their Gaithersburg location for years to buy their decaf beans (REALLY good). Now that they're so close, and with so many food and amazing pastry options, we'll be back here regularly. Congrats on the opening this week!!

Just got a drip coffee, it was darker than I usually go for but still delicious. The ambience is phenomenal, with plants and tons of seating options- it is decently spacious inside. Writing this just days after it finally opened, will warn that it’s packed; I waited 20 minutes to get my coffee.

What a great atmosphere to socialise and work as well. The coffee is strong and rich. Excellent service. I can go there everyday if it wasn't for the location bein far away from my residence.

I love the mood of this cafe and am glad it came to Silver Spring. It is perfect to sit and read,study or meet a friend for coffee- which is excellent! The pastries are delicious as well. You won’t be disappointed.

Every thing was fresh. Nice decoration. Great for work or hangout. The latte arts was inconsistent and in some cases didn't even exist!

Got the special and a mocha. First time coming was crowded. Bakery sections need more trays and should be a designated sign where to put the plates when you dine in. Other than that i'll keep coming to try new things.

March 2023 update:
They did indeed make it up to me and have also corrected the price of the chai latte on the menu (offering small sizes now). Thank you Black Lion for that! I’ve been back a few times and it’s consistently great coffee/teas, pastries and food. Awesome addition to downtown silver spring!

Long review ahead:

I went to Black Lion Cafe for their soft opening. I ordered the chai latte and an opera cake (to go). The total was ~$13/$14 which in this inflated economy is probably accurate but I still thought was a bit pricey for just a coffee and cake. I was mostly shocked that the chai alone was $7.00. I think it would be help if I was able to order a smaller size. The smallest size available for the chai was a medium (I believe) which was too big in my opinion. However the taste was good. It tastes pretty much like an Oregon chai (for any tea connoisseurs out there). The opera cake was tasty especially if you have a sweet tooth. If you don’t, I think it would be perfect to share. There were plenty of other baked goods and a few other cakes to choose from. Since it’s a soft opening I’m sure there will be an even a larger assortment of items to choose from in the future. The few staff I saw there seemed friendly and affable. It certainly will be/and already is a great addition to the selection of downtown silver spring coffee shops. My prediction is, that in a few months it will be the ‘go-to’ spot.

Note: I have not been to the Black Lion Cafe in Rockville so I cannot compare my experience to there.

Overall
Pros:
- Beautiful decor/environment
- Lots of food, pastry, and drink options
- Rather empty (at least for now) during soft opening
- Friendly staff

Cons
- Range of size offerings for drinks/price of drinks
- Current unpredictability given the several changes in opening dates. When I arrived there was a ‘temporarily closed’ sign but either the owner/manager came and let a few of us inside. Had that not happened I would have left. Others that tried to come inside after us were locked out so I can only imagine their confusion seeing people being served but not able to get inside.

Great coffee and pastries! The iced americano was really good with unique flavours. There were a good selection of pastries too and we packed some home.

Amazing coffee, tea, and sandwiches! Looking forward to frequenting this new place in the future as it is only a couple blocks from our apartment.

Love the coffee, love the breakfast sandwich, love the atmosphere. I love this place. I was in Silver Spring and needed a bite and a place to do some work. Found this on maps, and even though it was a further walk for me than other cafés, I could tell it was where I wanted to go. I'll be back in SS in a couple weeks, and I will be back to Black Lion