Café Cino Finds a Permanent Home in DC’s Bridge District

After two years as a pop-up favorite, Café Cino is preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar location in the Bridge District, marking a significant step for the locally owned café and for a neighborhood still taking shape along the Anacostia River.

Owned by husband-and-wife team Ron Collins and Carolina Meurkens, Café Cino will occupy a 1,100-square-foot space at the foot of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. The café is expected to offer espresso drinks, pour-over coffee, loose-leaf tea, pastries, and smoothies when it opens in early 2026, with plans to expand its food and beverage options and host community-focused events.

Café Cino first appeared on the DC coffee scene in November 2022 as a pop-up inside PLNTR, a local plant store. What began as a small, rotating setup quickly developed a loyal following, drawing customers who appreciated the café’s carefully sourced coffee and emphasis on creating a welcoming space. The café is named after the couple’s first child, and that sense of family and intentionality has remained central to the brand.

The café is particularly known for its pour-over program, which features single-origin beans from local roasters such as Others Coffee and Southeastern Roastery, as well as beans sourced through direct relationships with family-run farms in Colombia and Brazil. Over time, Café Cino has expanded beyond coffee, offering a growing selection of loose-leaf teas and hosting events ranging from book swaps to DJ sets.

“Café Cino was built on the idea that coffee brings people together, and that idea has shaped our business and our family,” the owners said in a statement announcing the opening. They described the new location as an opportunity to deepen connections with customers while creating a space that feels intentional and accessible.

The Bridge District itself is emerging as a mixed-use neighborhood, combining residential buildings with retail, public parkland, and recreation space. The eight-acre development sits near the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail and a 100-acre national park, and is accessible via the Green Line. Recent openings, including Atlas Brew Works, have begun to draw attention to the area as a developing hub for local businesses.