Organized by
Robe Coffee
Robe Coffee organizes this gathering to celebrate Ethiopian coffee heritage and create lasting relationships across the DMV’s coffee community—from curious first-time guests to future wholesale partners.
Taste ofEthiopianCoffee
Taste the coffee. Experience the ceremony.
November 14, 20265:00–9:00 PM ETWashington, DC
DMV Festival
Washington, DC
Organized by Robe Coffee
Connecting Coffee, Culture & Business
Discover the origins 
. Experience the ceremony. Meet the roasters and the people 
moving Ethiopian coffee forward. One evening in Washington, rooted in a much longer story.
Taste of Ethiopian Coffee
November 14, 2026 · Organized by Robe Coffee
Coffee is the invitation.Ethiopia is the beginning.
A welcome called buna
Buna is the Amharic word for coffee. Preparing and offering it to guests makes hospitality something you can see, smell and take time to share.
A living tradition
The coffee ceremony brings roasting, grinding, brewing and serving into the gathering itself. Practices vary, but the attention given to guests remains central.
A sense of place
Arabica coffee grows wild in Ethiopia’s forests. Its farms and growing communities give origin names a depth that a label alone cannot convey.
Heritage, here in DC
On November 14, this heritage meets the DMV’s coffee community. Come for the ceremony; stay to meet the roasters, café owners and curious guests around you.
01 / A coffee atlas
A country. Manyorigins
An introduction to five of Ethiopia’s coffee origins, from the southern highlands to the east and southwest. Get to know the places and processes behind the names.
Yirgacheffe
Gedeo · Southern Ethiopia
Coffee grows in the highlands around Yirgacheffe, within Gedeo. Smallholder cultivation and local washing stations connect a celebrated name to many individual farms.
Ethiopia01 / 05
Sidama
Southern highlands
Often sold under the coffee designation Sidamo, this southern origin spans many growing communities. Both washed and natural processing reveal the choices made after harvest.
Ethiopia02 / 05
Harar
Eastern Ethiopia
Also written Harrar. In Ethiopia’s eastern highlands, coffee is commonly dried inside the fruit—a natural process shaped by a different landscape and growing tradition.
Ethiopia03 / 05
Guji
Oromia · Southern Ethiopia
A southern highland origin with its own identity, alongside neighboring Sidama and Gedeo. Farmers and washing stations produce both washed and naturally processed coffees.
Ethiopia04 / 05
Limu
Jimma area · Southwest
In the southwest, Limu is closely associated with washed coffee. Its name leads into the broader coffee-growing landscapes of the Jimma area.
Ethiopia05 / 05
02 / Inside the experience
Taste. Learn.Meet someone new.
Four hours to move from tasting to understanding, from a first introduction to a useful connection. Here’s what the evening opens up.
Taste & ask
Explore coffees presented by participating roasters. Ask about where they grow, how they are processed and what the roaster wants you to notice.
Watch the ceremony
At 6:30 PM, storytelling accompanies traditional coffee preparation. Follow the craft and the meaning behind the welcome.
Meet the people
Bring your curiosity to Buna Chewata: an hour for coffee, cultural exchange and introductions that happen naturally.
Find your next collaborator
For roasters, suppliers, cafés and restaurants, this is a chance to meet potential partners face to face, beyond a product list.
The art of sharing
Prepare
Green beans are sorted and washed. The cups and brewing tools are readied for the gathering.
Roast
Beans are stirred over heat in a pan, their color deepening as the aroma fills the room.
Grind
The roasted beans are ground, traditionally with a mortar and pestle, ready for brewing.
Brew
The jebena, a clay coffee pot, brings water and ground coffee together over heat.
Share
Coffee is poured into small cups. Serving makes time for guests, stories and unhurried company.
03 / Buna Chewata · 7:15–8:15 PM
Stay for
the company.Buna Chewata.
After the ceremony, the evening opens into Buna Chewata: coffee and relaxed conversation. Meet someone whose experience differs from yours—a roaster, a neighbor, a café owner. There is time to listen, exchange ideas and make an introduction worth following up.
Coffee
Follow a tasting with a question. Ask a roaster about the decisions that shape their coffee.
Culture
Share what coffee means in your own home, and discover how someone else welcomes a guest.
Connection
Find a new acquaintance or a potential business partner. Introductions are part of the evening, not a separate track.
Together
For the people who grow, roast, serve
and simply love Ethiopian coffee.
Coffee roasters
Introduce your craft to curious guests and meet the cafés and businesses looking to learn more.
Café & restaurant owners
Get to know Ethiopian coffee beyond the menu. Meet roasters and explore potential supplier relationships.
Coffee enthusiasts
Bring the questions you have always wanted to ask. Taste, watch and discover something unfamiliar.
Cultural storytellers
Make the heritage behind coffee visible through preparation, memory and the experience of hospitality.
Business connections
Meet producers, suppliers and fellow professionals with a shared interest in Ethiopian coffee.
Community & friends
Reconnect with a familiar tradition, or encounter it for the first time. Both belong at this gathering.
At the table
Our vendors
Vendor participation is being finalized. Confirmed introductions will appear here.
Making connections
Our sponsors
Sponsor acknowledgments will be shared once participation is confirmed.
A few
good questions.
What is Taste of Ethiopian Coffee?
A cultural coffee gathering organized by Robe Coffee, bringing Ethiopian coffee heritage, traditional preparation and roaster discovery together with community and business networking.
When is it happening?
Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 5:00–9:00 PM Eastern Time. Guest access begins at 5:00 PM.
Where is the event?
At the Embassy of Ethiopia, 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008. Find directions in the event details below.
How do I register?
Use Register for the Event to open the official Luma registration page. Complete registration there; a calendar reminder alone does not register you.
What can I experience?
Coffee tasting and roaster introductions, Ethiopian coffee storytelling, a traditional ceremony, Buna Chewata and time for personal and professional introductions. See the evening program below.
Will there be a traditional coffee ceremony?
Yes. The 6:30–7:15 PM program pairs the story of Ethiopian coffee with traditional preparation, including roasting, grinding, brewing and serving as part of the demonstration.
Do I need to know about Ethiopian coffee?
No prior knowledge is needed. Come with questions, discover the origins and preparation traditions, and meet people who share your curiosity.
Will roasters and coffee businesses take part?
The program includes participating roaster introductions and time to meet coffee professionals. Individual participant names will be published when approved.
How can my business participate?
Interested roasters, suppliers, cafés and other businesses can use Contact the Host on the Luma event page to discuss participation with the organizing team.
What should I know before arriving?
Register through Luma and check your event confirmation for the latest arrival information. For access needs or other practical questions, contact the host before attending.
Who is organizing the event?
Robe Coffee organizes Taste of Ethiopian Coffee to celebrate Ethiopian coffee heritage and bring together the people who grow, roast, serve and enjoy it.
04 / The evening program
An evening
to keep.
Saturday, November 14 · All times Eastern. The latest evening program; timings may change.
5:005:15PM · ET
Guest Welcome & Arrival
Settle in, meet the welcome team and begin exploring the gathering.
Welcome
5:155:45PM · ET
Coffee Tasting & Roaster Introductions
Discover coffees presented by participating roasters and hear from the people behind them.
Discover
5:456:00PM · ET
Official Welcome
An introduction to the evening and its purpose: connecting Ethiopian coffee, culture and business.
Opening
6:006:30PM · ET
Special Remarks & Acknowledgments
A moment to recognize the people and relationships bringing this gathering together.
Recognition
6:307:15PM · ET
Ethiopian Coffee Storytelling & Traditional Ceremony
Follow the journey from roasting to serving, alongside stories of coffee’s place in Ethiopian hospitality.
The ceremony
7:158:15PM · ET
Buna Chewata: Coffee, Culture & Connection
Take time over coffee. Meet a roaster, exchange experiences and introduce yourself to a future collaborator.
Buna Chewata
8:158:45PM · ET
Photos & Final Networking
Gather for photos, recognize participating vendors and continue the introductions you want to take further.
Meet & mingle
8:459:00PM · ET
Appreciation & Closing
A final thank-you to guests and participants before the evening draws to a close.
Until next time
05 / Join us in Washington
Make an evening
of it.
Date
November 14, 2026SaturdayTime
5:00–9:00 PM ETEastern Time · Washington, DCPlace
Embassy of Ethiopia3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008Directions ↗
November 14 · Embassy of Ethiopia
Your next great introduction starts here.
Join us at the Embassy of Ethiopia for an evening of tasting, storytelling and introductions. Register through Luma, then invite someone to come along.
Register for the Event ↗Save & share
Bring a friend into the evening. Save the date, send an invitation or share the registration link.
A calendar reminder does not register you. Complete registration through Luma.