Arkibuna Coffee’s latte-colored truck attracts a long line of regulars at local farmers’ markets who are fans of their rich, aromatic brews.

Husband-and-wife duo Eskinder Debebe and Selam Zekaros launched Arkibuna in 2014, turning a shared passion into a business. Both emigrated from Ethiopia in 2010 and began their careers in corporate research before turning their mutual love for coffee into a business.

“We started roasting at home, testing, tweaking—using commercial- grade grinders in our kitchen,” recalls Zekaros. Those experiments became the foundation for Arkibuna’s unique signature blend. But the heart of their approach lies in Ethiopia, where they source beans directly from small farm holders. “Coffee is our language,” Zekaros says. “Quality can’t be sacrificed for convenience.”

Their care shows. Fans describe Arkibuna as a weekly ritual, with one West End customer saying the coffee feels “more elevated than other options.” Another loyal drinker calls it “remarkably consistent—just as good the first time and the 30th.”

What started with selling beans at Alexandria farmers’ markets quickly grew into brewed beverages and, eventually, a fleet of three coffee trucks. And while the couple has big plans for a future DC storefront, they’re not rushing the process. “We’ve always done this step by step,” Zekaros says, “because we want to do it right.”

Arkibuna brings a piece of Ethiopian coffee culture to the capital, one cup at a time.