Rise, shine, and have a nightcap with Slipstream

Combining the favored adult beverages of the morning and evening, Slipstream blends together crafted coffee and libations to create a unique, trendy bar going experience in Washington, D.C.

Owners Miranda Mirabella and Ryan Fleming were inspired by the specialty coffee scene while living together in San Francisco. As the quality of coffee continued to rise, they realized they lacked a sufficient means of truly exploring and learning about what tickled their palettes.

Fleming came from a family of small business owners, and his interest in the story around craft coffee and cocktails sparked his inner entrepreneurial bug. Mirabella was instilled with a passion and love for food and quality ingredients at a young age from her Italian grandmother. This combination, much like the one of coffee and spirits that has been such a success for Slipstream, paid off in spades.

“Our focus is taking coffee from a commodity to something unique and special,” Mirabella said. “We felt people would appreciate the opportunity to explore the flavors and nuances of coffee and cocktails, and learn what they liked and why they like those particular flavors.”

Slipstream became the physical embodiment of that – a small, locally owned business that has the feel of a tastemaker hotspot while remaining accessible. It’s a comfortable environment where people can learn and develop their tastes around the complex flavors and attributes of coffee and spirits.

“A slipstream is the area of reduced resistance behind a moving object, and similarly our café hopes to provide a smooth path for the coffee and cocktail experience.”

It’s a risky venture for sure, and one that didn’t come without its unique set of challenges.

“One of the more difficult things about our concept is that we are pushing coffee service beyond what people are use to from existing shops. Our vision for true baristas behind a bar lent itself naturally towards also having spirits. There is so much to explore when the two worlds collide.”

Newcomers have three options when visiting Slipstream to find what sort of coffee experience speaks to them. The menu allows for the ability to try any of their single origin coffees three ways: filtered, espresso or espresso with milk. Beyond that, the menu is constantly in flux to try to stay ahead of the trend.

“Our baristas and bartenders are constantly researching and trying new coffees, spirits and house-made pairings. We make it a collaborative process so that every member of our team has influence over our menu.” Currently, people are flocking in to try their nitro infused iced coffee, Mirabella thrillingly notes.

“We are truly grateful for every single person that walks in our door. And when someone really appreciates the concept and wants to spend time chatting with us and our team, it really makes it worth it.”

The idea behind Slipstream is actually rife with opportunity. Just think of how many people wake up to a cup of coffee or enjoy any number of occasions with a cocktail in hand. Slipstream is a crafty small business making sure that people want to both start and end their days with them.

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Small Business Profile