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“Let’s meet for coffee.” It’s a great way to catch up with friends these wintry days — or if going solo, a comfy place for enjoying a latte with your laptop. Not all coffee shops are created equal — or are all things at once, however. Some are stronger and weaker when it comes to the coffee, pastries and atmosphere. Perhaps you already have a go-to spot of your own. But if you want to vary your coffee routine, here are six of our favorite locally owned shops.

— Carole Sugarman

Bold and flavorful coffee is the focus at Black Lion Café, an Ethiopian-owned roastery that sources its beans from the owners’ homeland. Check out the onsite roaster, and relax in an espresso-colored chair as you glance at photos and graphics that tell the story of the café’s three different roasts. We especially like the Harrar. With its notes of dark chocolate and mocha, it’s divine to sip, especially with bites of butter cookies. Traville Village Center, 9705 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, (240) 907-2992. blacklioncafe.com.

More a bakery than a coffee shop, Boulangerie Christophe turns out an eye-candy array of beautiful croissants, pastries, cakes, cookies, breads and sandwiches. The seating is somewhat limited (at least during the cold months when the outdoor café isn’t open), but wait around to snag a table and an almond croissant or hazelnut pound cake with an Illy coffee. At lunchtime, head for one of the terrific sandwiches served on homemade baguettes. Cabin John Village, 11321 Seven Locks Road, Suite 100, Potomac, (301) 298-9878. boulangeriechristophe.com.

A lot of regulars camp out with their laptops to work or study in this cozy neighborhood shop, which offers a range of coffee drinks (beans from Disco Coffee, a roasting company created by Coffee Republic owner Sean Flynn) and pastries (outsourced from Fresh Baguette and Baguette Republic). The counter service is friendly and welcoming, there are games and books for the kids, and the vibe is chill. King Farm Village Center, 801 Pleasant Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, (240) 347-3782. coffeerepub.com.

The multi-layered Pistachio (pistachio syrup, espresso, milk and foam) at this locally owned shop is both pretty and pretty fabulous. Or, as befits an Italian coffee shop, stick with straight espresso and call it good. Regulars like Filicori Zecchini’s patio (in warm weather), the striking copper bar, the community feel and the “Cheers”-like atmosphere. Pastries are from Fresh Baguette, sandwiches made in-house. Park Potomac, 12430 Park Potomac Ave., Unit R-3, Potomac. (301) 444-4417.

Java Nation is way more than a coffee shop. It’s a bar, a wine shop, a bakery, a roastery, a music venue, a place for lunch or dinner, a coffee bean and tea purveyor, and a gathering spot for a wide range of folks. The cardamom latte is fun for fans of the spice. But we’re happy with a cortado and a house-made alfajore — the Argentine sandwich cookie filled with dulce de leche. With a large enclosed patio and an upbeat atmosphere, it seems a world away from Rockville Pike. 11120 Rockville Pike, Rockville, (301) 836-6022. javanation.com.

We stick with Sunday Morning’s basic brew — beans courtesy of Ceremony Coffee Roasters — to complement the offerings at this stellar bakehouse. The croissants are crackly and buttery; the brioche donuts are lovely and surprisingly light, and even the standard coffee cake and quick breads are elevated to best-of versions. Our only complaint is that sometimes there are long waits for orders and seating; in other words, everyone else has figured out what a wonderful place it is. Park Potomac, 11869 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda, (240) 669-8202, sundaymorningbakehouse.com.

Breakfast sandwiches show how creative restaurants can be with three simple ingredients: eggs, cheese and bread. And it’s not just the style of eggs, the type of cheese, and the variety of bread that can be fiddled with; different meats, vegetables and condiments also enter the comfort food mix. Available at an increasing number of local spots — and not only for breakfast, but for lunch (and sometimes dinner, too) — we scouted the offerings and settle on five favorites.

— Carole Sugarman

Between its ‘sammies’ — soft scrambled eggs and other appealing ingredients nestled in a brioche roll, and its ‘toasts’ — lovely toppings on organic whole wheat sourdough — Butter Me Up is a mecca for breakfast sandwiches. For a totally worth-it splurge, check out the Feels Like Home, a jazzy collection of buttermilk fried chicken, scrambled eggs, caramelized onions, dill pickles, smoked cheddar and sriracha mayo on one of those brioche rolls. The velvety eggs are perfect partners for the super crisp chicken — a testament to the old adage that opposites attract — and the condiments play important supporting roles. Aside from the good eats, the decor at the restaurant — which opened its first brick-and-mortar location in the spring — is fun and photogenic. Butter Me Up at Westfield Montgomery mall (Entrance #4), 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, (301) 347-7370, buttermeupdc.com

This popular chain-let, with its distinctive turquoise and hot pink color scheme, serves up a host of zaftig sandwiches. Great for those who go for sweet and salty combos, The Thunderbird combines a round of maple chicken sausages, Bodega-style eggs, melted American and Cheddar cheeses, and a schmear of spicy honey on a maple salt and pepper bagel. There’s a lot going on here, but it works. Just save room for a chocolate babka muffin. Call Your Mother at Pike & Rose, 11807 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda, (240) 800-3964, callyourmotherdeli.com

The most interesting part of the Breakfast Le Sud is the bread — in this case, a cro’gel, croissant dough in the shape of a bagel. We’ve seen the online references to a cro’gel craze dating back to 2014 or so, but here Fresh Baguette resurrects the hybrid for a sandwich filled with a bacon omelet and sliced tomatoes and avocados. The flaky dough, sprinkled with Everything Bagel seasoning, comes out thinner and less bulky than a croissant, making it easy to eat — and the filling goes along nicely for the ride. Fresh Baguette at 804 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, and 4919 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, (888) 648-0009, freshbaguette.net

We love just about everything at this skillful bakery — opened in 2018 by former Pike Central Farm Market vendor Caroline Yi — and the signature Breakfast Sandwich is no exception. Like the shop’s other offerings, it excels in both ingredients and execution, with a tasteful result. Inside a buttery toasted brioche bun spread lightly with house aioli, the thick-cut bacon is smoky and crisp, the scrambled eggs are soft and silky, and the melted Swiss oozes gently. Neither unwieldy nor overly filling, it’s just right. Sunday Morning Bakehouse at Pike & Rose, 11869 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda, (240) 669-8202, sundaymorningbakehouse.com

A few aspects of this bakery’s breakfast sandwiches make it special: Aside from being served on a slider-size roll showered with Everything Bagel seasoning, it’s made from pretzel dough. That dense and malty roll turns out to be a wonderful carrier for the Breakfast Sliders’ contents — a thick eggy layer, melted sharp cheddar and a slice of bacon. After a decades-long stint with their Capitol Hill Pretzel Bakery, MoCo residents Sean Haney and Chad Anthony opened this Potomac outpost in April, and we’re glad they did. There are a lot of carbs to explore here. The Pretzel Bakery at Cabin John Village, 7961 Tuckerman Lane, Potomac, (301) 242-3539, thepretzelbakery.com