There’s not much I love more than a good cafe. Wherever I go, I compile lists of my favorite spots, but they’ve always had to meet two requirements. First, they have to be local. Small businesses often take better care with each item to win over regulars, and it shows. Second, they have to have an inviting environment — what is a cafe if you can’t sit, sip and enjoy? Northeastern has its fair share of nearby coffee spots, but if you’re eager to explore the city, plenty of other options await you. After six months in Boston, I can happily recommend the following for all of your citywide conversations and studying.
Leather District: Grab your book for Gracenote (Lincoln Street location)
Taste: 10/10, Atmosphere: 8/10, Accessibility: 7/10
Gracenote Coffee’s small space only adds to the charm. I love to line up with a book at its wooden bar that wraps around the small room and read for hours. Its specialty, Kuromitsu coffee, is the type of drink you want to make everyone try just so they know what the coffee standard should be. It’s a hot latte with Japanese black sugar syrup, making it perfectly sweet with a slight molasses flavor. From the mugs to the windows framed by air plants, it’s the best place to catch up on a good book because there’s no Wi-Fi. It’s easily accessible if you take the Orange Line to Chinatown.
Cambridge: Broadsheet is worth the T change
Taste: 9/10, Atmosphere: 8/10, Accessibility: 3/10
Broadsheet Coffee Roasters may be a long walk, but on a spring day, it’s the perfect destination. The lively atmosphere, big windows and wooden accents makes it an inviting spot to study or chat. Although its pastries can only be found in the early hours, the coffee makes up for it. The cafe’s house espresso is served with a shot of sparkling water — a classic combination for good reason — and it’s the perfect jolt on a lazy afternoon. Broadsheet’s blue mugs offer a unique and cozy touch. It also has no Wi-Fi, but it’s a great spot to work if you have a personal hotspot. Located a few blocks from Harvard University’s campus, it’s about a 50-minute walk or T ride.
Cambridge: Turn it off for Faro
Taste: 9/10, Atmosphere: 10/10, Accessibility: 4/10
Another beautiful and laptop-free spot, Faro Café is a small space full of plants and wooden tables with readers and chatters living in the moment. Sitting at the short bar with no devices in sight with a good book is my favorite way to spend an afternoon. It’s settled a block from Harvard University’s campus with low ceilings. It’s an hour away whether walking or taking public transit, but it’s worth it for the atmosphere and for trying your first cortado.
South End: Grub with Greystone
Taste: 9/10, Atmosphere: 7/10, Accessibility: 8/10
A popular spot in the South End, I wouldn’t recommend Greystone Cafe on the weekends given the wait time, but for a weekday pastry and coffee, it’s perfect. Greystone makes some of the best pastries you’ll find in Boston, at least if you’re willing to spend $5 on a croissant. Even if the line makes for a long wait, the Greystone guarantee is that you’ll always find a cute dog to pet, which makes it all worth it. On a cold day, its mocha is exceptional, but an iced latte when the sun comes out with the various homemade flavored syrups are the move. Only a 15-minute walk from campus, the cafe only has a few seats at the bar that allow laptops.
Prudential: Focus at Flour
Taste: 9/10, Atmosphere: 8/10, Accessibility: 8/10
Flour Bakery + Cafe is a cozy corner of the Prudential area with its delicious meals, pastries and, of course, coffee. Its big windows and convenient location make it a must-go. There’s always an open seat, and its location makes it perfect for an errand-filled day. The coffee is amazing and its pastries are perfectly complementary. Only a 10-minute walk from campus, Flour has Wi-Fi and makes an amazing raspberry iced latte.
Downtown: Take a class at George Howell Coffee (Washington Street Location)
Taste: 8/10, Atmosphere: 9/10, Accessibility: 7/10
Not only does it offer global and ethical suppliers, George Howell’s free coffee classes are a game-changer for making coffee at home. Its downtown location with Wi-Fi is another great study spot, and if you’re lucky, your cappuccino could come with an especially detailed design such as a dragon or a unicorn.
It’s hard to pick a favorite from my go-to list; it depends on how far you’re willing to travel and what drink you’re craving. If you desperately need to get off devices and enjoy a leafy green cafe with a book or a friend, I hope the above can give you a starting point to a successful Boston cafe experience.
