Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen

Andy Mekonnen, owner

Photo collage: Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen

Andy Mekonnen, owner of Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen, has a rich history with coffee given he’s half Ethiopian and half Italian. From birth he has been preparing to work in the coffee business. Andy was given his first cup of coffee by his Italian grandmother at the age of four. After completing a 21-year career as an Emirates airline pilot, he decided to pursue those origins by opening a coffee shop in Dubai. Later he moved to the US and chose Arlington after researching several states and numerous cities. Andy settled on Arlington stating that it’s so cosmopolitan, vibrant, cultural, affluent, and educated. Origin Coffee Lab is focused on made-to-order and on quality and consistency. The “coffee lab” in the name comes from the precision and passion behind the coffee brewing process. With meticulous calibration of the coffee grinders and onsite roasting, it’s much like lab work to create the consistency Andy is after. His idea is that when you come in to order a pour-over or espresso-based drink, it tastes the same each time.

Conveniently located in Pentagon Row in front of the ice rink, Origin Coffee Lab is easily accessible by foot, Metro, bike, and bus. In fact, of the 11 employees, half of them come by Metro and a few others use bus to get to work. Many of the customers simply walk over from nearby offices and apartments. In February 2022, Origin Coffee Lab celebrates its one-year anniversary with plans to roll out a new coffee membership plus coffee training to learn all the aspects of coffee. Stop by for a coffee however you like it and try something from their kitchen. Or take home a bag of their best-selling freshly roasted raw coffee.

Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen
1101 S. Joyce St.
Arlington, VA 22202
Go car free to Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen