boston coffeeshops — a tl;dr guide

Jason Brillon
Jul 23, 2017 · 7 min read

25 local coffeeshops, cafés and espresso bars in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville. There are many fantastic spots and neighborhoods beyond what I list here — I just go to these because they’re near me.

BOSTON

BLUE STATE COFFEE
957 Commonwealth Ave (~Boston University)
A notable percentage of everything you buy from Blue State goes to charity (i.e. The Northeast Animal Shelter).
Table Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: hand-painted walls

CAFÉNATION
380 Washington St (Brighton)
Throwback to when there was that Gilmore Girls popup across the country, and Cafénation was literally the only coffeeshop in Boston to get chosen. But it’s Luke’s, so you know the coffee is good.
Table Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: red

FUEL AMERICA
152 Chestnut Hill Ave (~Boston College)
Breakfast options here live at that brilliant intersection of basic and delicious. Fuel is “inspired by freedom” — which probably explains why they’re right next to the college with a bald eagle as its mascot. They also sell their own merch, which is pretty rad.
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: Reagan, but he’s hipster

IN HOUSE CAFÉ
194 Harvard Ave (~Allston’s Tavern in the Square)
With a menu that’s diner-level long, In House Café is more of a sit-down brunch place than it is a coffeeshop. But I dig its eclectic vibe and cheap prices, so I’m putting it on here anyways.
Table Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: NO | Aesthetic: whoever did the design for Friendly Toast

GRACENOTE COFFEE
108 Lincoln St (~South Station)
Easily some of the best coffee in Boston. Gracenote is one of my go-to places. A fantastic espresso bar, words cannot describe how much I love this place. The smallest of spaces, but absolutely adorable. They have some counters you can lean on. Also, plants.
Standing Counters | No Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries
Date Spot: NO | Aesthetic: Pomona Sprout

JAHO
1651 Washington St (Chinatown)
Between coffee, wine, bubble tea, red velvet hot chocolate and killer desserts, Jaho has a stacked menu. And let’s not forget about their next-level aesthetic. The “JAHO” sign, the light fixtures, the giant playing cards they give you, the army of toilet paper rolls in their bathroom. When it comes to Boston-Proper’s coffeeshops, Jaho is The Supreme.
All Possible Seating Combinations | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: Every inch is Instagrammable

NEIGHBORHOODS
96 Petersborough St (Kenmore~Fenway)
Besides having an amazing assortment of sweet and savory crêpes, Neighborhoods has: well-seasoned board games (aka they’re missing some pieces), patio seating, and the most beautiful wallpaper this side of the Mississippi.
Tables | Wi-Fi* (*I don’t remember TBQH) | Bathroom | Crêpes
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: that red & white picnic blanket from movies

PAVEMENT COFFEEHOUSE
1334 Boylston St (~Kenmore)
There are other Pavements. For example, the one by BU that has the typewriter and chalk artwork. But between its mural and its succulents, the Pavement at 1334 Boylston is the best Pavement. Good day, sir.
Table+Booth Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: a wall of terrariums

REFUGE CAFE
155 Harvard Ave (~Allston’s Tavern in the Square)
They have beer and they have coffee. The ideal option if you don’t know where to go for a date.
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: christmas lights

THINKING CUP
165 Tremont St (Park St)
Thinking Cup is simultaneously crowded and cozy. They have lots of specialty drinks, as well as some baller pastry options (i.e. macarons). All the tables at this location have historic newspapers, so you can take a ‘Gram in the 21st Century while reading about the end of the Romanoff dynasty.
Table+Bar+Booth Seating | No Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: your friendly neighborhood spider-man

BROOKLINE

4A COFFEE
419 Harvard St (~Coolidge Corner)
A standing-room, grab & go option for truly dope coffee and hot tea. They also have a fridge with some cold teas, if that’s your kind of thing.
No Seating Whatsoever | Wi-Fi | No Bathroom | Pastries
Date Spot: NO | Aesthetic: yellow walls & green ceilings

CAFÉ FIXE
1642 Beacon St (~Washington Square)
A bit on the swankier side, what Café Fixe lacks in size they make up for in pastries. Specifically, tebirkes.
Table+Bar Seating | No Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: smooth jazz and posh lighting

CAMBRIDGE

1369 COFFEE HOUSE
1369 Cambridge St (Central Square)
+1 for a dank logo and for having their own punchcards. 1369 can get packed during peak coffeeshop hours. Keep that in mind if you’re trying to snag a seat.
Table Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: a traditional coffeeshop

CREMA CAFÉ
27 Brattle St (Harvard Square)
There’s a second floor, so even though it’s always bustling, seating shouldn’t be an issue. Similar to Thinking Cup, the macarons are dope.
Table Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: noise juxtaposed against ecotourist wall art

CURIO COFFEE
441 Cambridge St (~Lechmere)
A hole-in-the-wall with just a chalkboard sign to indicate their presence, Curio Coffee has a lot to like. For instance, waffles. Also, I’m pretty sure that everywhere you look, there’s a plant somewhere in your frame of view. Or at the very least, a giant cow head.
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Waffles Only
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: tasteful taxidermy meets antique roadshow

DARWIN’S LTD
313 Mass Ave (~Central)
With exposed brick and tall wood-beam ceilings, this Central Square Darwin’s has a bit of a loft feeling to it. Its tall ceilings pay off though, because the place comes with a second floor.
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: lavender

HAUTE COFFEE
One Canal Park (Lechmere)
Huge round of applause for Haute Coffee. Brand new to Boston (its other site is in Concord), Haute is absolutely amazing. The pour-over coffee and pastries are quality, the ginger turmeric iced chai is just an amalgam of beautiful ingredients, and their breakfast sandwiches are fantastic. The bar has been set, Cambridge. Don’t @ me.
Table Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: poppies

LONGFELLOWS COFFEE (@ LAMPLIGHTER)
284 Broadway (~Central)
It’s in a brewery, so what’s not to love. Plus, there are board games and also did I mention that it’s a brewery?
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: brewery chic

NOCA Provisions
156 Rindge Ave (Alewife~Davis)
New kid on the block that’s still getting settled in, NOCA Provisions has a lot of potential. The space — a corner-shaped shop with its own parking lot — is aesthetically pleasing and that compass in their logo is beyond awesome. The espresso fizz is pretty cool.
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: a nautical color palette

PETSI PIES
594 Cambridge St. (~Lechmere)
This homey, Cambridge St location is one Petsi Pies’ best shops. Featuring: a door to storage that’s diagonally half-yellow and half-white. Also featuring: literally every flavor of pie that ever existed.
Lots of Seating Possibilities | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: your living room

SOMERVILLE

3 LITTLE FIGS
278 Highland Ave (Davis~Porter)
Pastry game is off the charts. I see you, apple cider doughnut muffins.
Table Seating | No Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: wallpaper

BLOC 11
11 Bow St (Union Square)
The shining star of the Somerville sisters (Bloc 11, Diesel, Forge). Indoor seating? Check. Outdoor seating? Check. Seating inside a literal bank vault? Check. Pastries — from Forge, of course — are the best. One of the best places, IMHO.
Lots of Seating Possibilities | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: what Capital One Cafe should’ve looked like

DIESEL CAFÉ
257 Elm St (Davis Square)
Like Bloc 11, Diesel carries Forge pastries. Unlike Bloc 11, Diesel has no wifi. They do have pool tables though, which may account for why it’s always so packed.
Table+Booth Seating | No Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: the rubbery red booths from your local diner

FORGE
626 Somerville Ave (~Union Square)
The pastry place itself: Forge. Forge has a nice vibe to it. There’s a lot of places to sit — whether you want a table for two, or a counter where you can look through a window and watch bakers do their thing. Forge is also located in a shopping lot, so that’s clutch if you can wanted to nail down parking.
Table+Bar Seating | Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: OK | Aesthetic: warehouse chic

JULIET
257 Washington St (Union Square)
Juliet is absolutely stunning. Aesthetically, it’s space-efficient, light and extremely open. The whole place is basically one giant room, without a wall between you and the kitchen. The food is, again, stunning. Though somewhat expensive, Juliet is truly amazing.
Table+Booth Seating | No Wi-Fi | Bathroom | Pastries+more
Date Spot: YES | Aesthetic: methodically minimalistic

Jason Brillon

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coding. concerts. coffee. continents.

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