Roaster Christopher Vigilante of Vigilante Coffee - Biography

Christopher Vigilante’s passion for coffee grew among rows of coffee trees in Hawaii where he spent years working. Living in the ideal place for coffee lovers (where coffee is grown all year round!), Vigilante worked closely with industrial pros, learning his craft and developing close knit relationships with farmers on Hawaiian Islands. He helped establish Manoa Valley, whose coffee won the best of Oahu in 2011. A year later, his reputation at Manoa Valley earned him a chance to present Kopi Luwak to President Obama as a gift.

Moving to the mainland, he decided to tackle Washington, D.C. just because it lacked an in depth coffee culture. Vigilante Coffee was born in his back porch in Trinidad, and quickly marked itself as D.C.’s top-quality micro roaster specializing in direct source coffees. His deep understanding of the beans from farm to foam has earned him accolades. Vigilante Coffee, which offers a wide range of options from Hawaiian to Colombian, is served in top D.C. restaurants, and apart from his primary roastery, Vigilante also runs a full espresso bar in Hyattsville, Maryland.