Spill the Beans opens near Hollin Hills! The cat is out of the organic coffee bag - Restaurants Alexandria Virginia

By Susanne Seidman, Style Editor

In the tradition of Janet’s Java, a new, welcoming neighborhood hangout coffee shop, Spill the Beans, opens on Elkin Street just off Ft. Hunt Road in Alexandria.  Local resident mom and entrepreneur Donna Memmo officially opened her doors on Friday, beginning to finally realize her dream by pouring one cup at a time.  

Alexandrians are lucky to have many places in Old Town to grab a quick cup of quality coffee in local favorites like Perk Up and Misha’s.  But down the GW parkway and Ft. Hunt corridors, Dunkin Donuts is one of the only options with seating and almost guarantees a sugar high for little ones and a potentially expanding waistline for all from those tempting donuts. Just point to the orange logo and my son will tell you all about it. Long-time neighborhood staple Hollin Hall Pastry Shop’s friendly crew steams a mean latté, but the constant loyal traffic in and out the door does not make for a relaxing experience for lingering parents with eager to escape minis.

After moving to Alexandria from Philly, Donna found a haven in Janet’s Java. You may recognize her pretty smile and reddish short hair. She spent time learning the ropes there, waiting and watching for the right time and the right space closer to home near Hollin Hills.

Donna is spunky and fun, and she loves to plan parties. Friends encouraged her to pursue career party planning but as a mom the crazy hours did not appeal. Donna hopes her days at the coffee shop will be like a party to plan for each day.  Her favorite job was waitressing at Chi-Chi’s and her skills show. She wants your coffee done just the way you like and served with a smile by her team of fresh faced barristas. Donna moves lightning fast but in an effortless and easy, next door neighbor kind of way.

If you’ve just dropped off a child at one of many Alexandria preschools down the Ft. Hunt corridor and need a place to camp out with the remaining minis or have a new baby and are looking for a change of scenery, Spill the Beans is your place. Many days you will find Donna’s own children ranging in age from 4 to 15 there, too.

The space is light and bright. A well stocked children’s corner keeps little hands busy with creative toys.  With a race track rug, active crawlers have a comfy spot to sprawl and busy toddlers can spread out to play with cars. My  two minis put this play space to the test! A great big restroom has plenty of room for even a monster double stroller and a changing table for freshening up. Spill the Beans plans to offer a weekly story time on Wednesday mornings at 10 am. You may never want to leave, just don’t be late for pick up.

Donna stocks the case with healthy easy to grab snacks for minis like organic juice boxes and cheese sticks, too.

As for the coffee, Donna is proud to serve organic roasts to meet different palates. The iced café au lait and vanilla latté exceeded tasty expectations for an afternoon pick-me-up.  The loose leaf tea is brewed in minimalist yet pretty glass tea pots. Donna cares about what goes into her own family and her customers’ bodies, and her healthy attitude is contagious.

Spill the Beans is open weekdays from 6:30 am until 5 pm and weekends from 9 am until 2pm.

Spill the Beans Organic Coffee and Chat House
1900 Elkin Street, Suite 4 Alexandria, VA  22308
703-780-3561