Italian coffee chain Illy, whose high-end beans have been making inroads in hotels and restaurants around the country, has chosen a District site for its first cafe in the United States.

The location, named Caffe, opened last week in Marriott's Renaissance M Street Hotel in the West End. It features sleek red-and-white decor and the chain's signature ceramic espresso cup. There are no tables, only a stand-up bar on which patrons can rest an elbow, European-style.

[ A Coffee Chain's Stand-Up Effort on M St. - washingtonpost.com ]

OK, not much of a trip, but my Dad's got me hooked on the Illy, so I should see how they do it up.