Are you looking for the best coffee shops in Boston? Well, look no further than Cambridge, MA! There are so many cafes and restaurants near MIT and near Harvard. People ask us all the time about essential greater Boston coffee shops. Check out coffee shops near me:
Best Coffee Shops in Cambridge, MA
Curio (East Cambridge)
We’ve been going here since it opened, ad we really love their liege waffles and hot chocolate as well. Close your eyes and be transported back to Belgium!
Broadsheet (Porter Square)
If you want to visit a place that knows its coffee flavor, check out Broadsheet who is also a local coffee roaster. They roast everything nearby in a facility in Somerville, MA. In fact, if you like their coffee you can also buy it and some eats at nearby Pepita within Lamplighter Brewing.
Revival (Alewife and Davis Square)
We visit Revival on our Davis Square Food Tour. Oh how we miss their previous Crema Cafe in Harvard Square! Currently their classic coffee has “orange notes” and is a Guatamalan roast from Maine. We certainly trust their picks!
Faro (Harvard Square)
Opened in late 2022, Faro is also a bookstore and cares about climate change. The space was formerly a beauty salon and does not have a kitchen, so their menu is fairly simple and was inspired by one of our favorite cafes, Cafe Pamplona, that closed in 2020. Looking for the best coffee Harvard Square? Did you know that the original George Howell coffee was inside the Garage?
1369 Coffee House (Central Square and Inman Square)
Have spent many many hours inside 1369 – the one in Inman Square is the original and feels slighly cozier, but they’re both integral parts of their communities and sort of no-nonsense. Their housemade chai is also delicious.
Cicada Coffee Bar
A newer addition to Central Square is Cicada, which is an artisanal Vietnamese coffee bar. Check out our Central Square Food and Mural Arts Tour! They also have a veggie and fish menu available and are inspired by the teachings of a Vietnamese monk – Thich Nhat Hanh. The area is definitely full of folks who appreciate intentional eats, and so we really enjoy the vibe and food of this intriguing spot.
We visit Cambridge neighborhoods on our Food Tours. Check our tour calendar for more information on booking a tour.
Elmendorf Baking (East Cambridge)
Okay not technically a coffee shop, but we really like their coffee and more importantly their chocolate chip cookies! They are currently sourcing coffee from Barrington roasters out in Lee, Massachusetts.
Simon’s (Porter Square)
One of the OG coffee shops in Cambridge is Simon’s. We also really like their yummy chai and soups, which aren’t always in rotation.
Barismo (Inman Square and Arlington)
Also a coffee roaster in nearby Arlington, Barismo is a nice place to sit while it’s cold outside. They offer a full bakery goods menu in Cambridge, whose building is historical: previously the F.B. Hubley Auction House.
Vester
We used to visit here on our Kendall Square Food Tour – these folks love coffee culture and have brought over an Amsterdam-inspired cafe. They serve Counter Culture coffee, which is from NC but actually has a brewing and training facility in Union Square that we visit our on Union Square Food Tour.
Happy sipping,
Lizzie and Sam
