Qualia and Commonwealth Cantina on Georgia Avenue (3917 and 3911 Georgia Ave NW)

After years of struggling with a building that was falling apart, Qualia Coffee has moved next door into the new Commonwealth Cantina at 3911 Georgia Avenue to renovate. The two business working together are creating a winning synergy.

This past summer, after successfully weathering the COVID-related quarantines that all area restaurants have had to deal with, Homestead on Georgia Avenue got a new Tex-Mex menu, a new look and a new name: Commonwealth Cantina.

The new restaurant, still run by long-time owner Nic Makris, is offering the comfort of delicious Tex-Mex cuisine, including all the welcome favorites like queso, birria tacos, quesadillas, guacamole, burritos, along with margaritas, cocktails and 75 tequilas and whiskeys.

Makris gave the restaurant a facelift, updating not only the menu for Commonwealth but also the furniture and painting the interior in bright colors. The popular third floor patio had a larger makeover, with the big bar removed and more comfortable seating added (along with heater and gas-fire tables). It’s still the same great space, but it’s more cheerful and the food is delicious.

Right next door to Commonwealth Cantina is Qualia Coffee, a neighborhood mainstay and the favorite coffee shop of many. Owner Joel Finklestein has been looking for ways to improve his storefront at 3917 Georgia Avenue for a few years but kept running into problems, especially with his landlord. Nic Makris bought the building, and now Joel’s finally getting the chance to make the changes he’s wanted.

Qualia moved out of its original building and into the first floor of Commonwealth Cantina, taking up the front space by the window. The Qualia building is about to be fully renovated, and Joel signed a new 5-year lease—meaning Qualia fans can rest easy.

“The renovations are largely infrastructure,” Joel said. “After operating in that building for 12 years, the nature of the building itself, in combination to the aging of our original buildout, had made it increasingly untenable to operate safely and efficiently in that space. Much of the work will focus on making the basement more functional, including resurfacing floors and walls and installing new plumbing.”

Joel hopes the renovations will take six months and they can go back into their space.

Alexis and Scott behind Qualia’s coffee bar inside Commonwealth

During the renovations, Qualia is serving coffee and breakfast 8am - 3pm Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays) out of Commonwealth, and selling bagged coffee as they always have. (Joel moved the coffee roasting out of Qualia six months ago.)

To help accommodate the new coffee shop and its early morning customers, Commonwealth also changed their hours and just started serving breakfast and lunch, including breakfast burritos, sandwiches and oatmeal. (I stopped by this week and got coffee from Qualia and a breakfast sandwich from Commonwealth, and it was a great combo).

Qualia customers can use Commonwealth’s seating and enjoy free wifi.

An egg, bacon and avocado sandwich at Commonwealth pairs well with a Qualia coffee.

Going forward, Commonwealth’s hours are now Tuesday through Sunday 8am-3pm (serving breakfast and lunch), then reopening for dinner from 4pm-10pm (with a happy hour 4-7pm). For now, there will be no dinners on Monday and Tuesdays, and fully closed on Mondays.

"We’re doing all of this for the good of keeping Qualia in business and keeping the block activated,” Nic said, talking about moving the coffee shop inside his restaurant and renovating the building next door. “We don't want it to be just another condo building. We're trying to maintain a community there."

Bags of Qualia coffee are now available for purchase all day long.

Nic said during the renovations they are planning on adding two apartments above Qualia. “We’re not expanding back or out front, just up a floor,” Nic said. He’s working with a local architect he met at the bar at Commonwealth.

During evening hours, Commonwealth will serve Qualia’s drip coffee, and customers can purchase Qualia’s bagged coffee beans even when the coffee shop is closed.

"We're both experimenting with something new,” Nic said. “We're both really optimistic about it. In a perfect world, customers carry over... maybe ordering a Qualia cappuccino during lunch. We can do so much more."

“It’s a collaboration for community,” Nic said. “It’s neighbors working together... win-win.”

Commonwealth Cantina
3711 Georgia Avenue NW
T-Sunday, 8-3pm, 4-10pm
commonwealthcantina.com

Qualia Coffee
T-Sun, 8-3pm
qualiacoffeeroasters.com