There is nothing better than a finely crafted cup, using the best golden, roasted beans, to get you started in your day/ your day started. Our cafes/ cafés today are saturated with different blends, which can be a confusing experience for the average consumer. There are a number of factors that can affect your cup of coffee, such as the type of coffee planted, the region where it was grown, the blend, the roast and the freshness. Of course, when you are visiting a city for the first time, you don’t have time to shop around, you want to know where the best coffee is – and fast. Whatever your indulgence: flat white, cappuccino, latte or soy milk low-fat caramel infused macchiato, discover where to find the best coffee in Boston.
Whether you’re in Boston for a family vacation or a business trip, mixing caffeine and culture is always a winner. There are plenty of things to do in Boston, and Trident Booksellers and Café should be on that list. They have been providing sustenance for the mind and body since 1984, so if you are looking for a place to recharge your batteries, then why not do so with their award-winning magazine selection or a good book. Their coffee selection is just as unique, with Viennese espressos, chocolatinos and maki lattes to choose from. Offering free Wi-Fi and located on Newbury Street opposite the Skywalk Observatory (a great tourist attraction), it’s hard to pass up.
If quaint is more your style, then make sure you pop into 3 Little Figs. Nestled in the bustling neighbourhood of Somerville, two miles out of Boston, it is worth the detour. Their bakery is stocked with homemade, unique muffins, scones, cookies, cakes and biscuits, and their coffee and espresso beverages are based on elite barista craft and execution. They use an ever-changing variety of coffees that are bound to leave your taste buds buzzing.
George Howell Coffee’s mission statement pretty much sums them up: “To seek out the best coffees on Earth. We buy the finest regional and single farm-sources coffees for coffee lovers who share in our quest for the ultimate cup!” Their Newtownville location (a little out of the way of the main attractions, but well worth the trip), was the first café opened under this name in 2012 and is also their testing lab, where they brew new coffees to offer to customers before selling them in their webstore. Their coffee of the day changes frequently, with two espressos always on the bar – Alchemy and a rotating single-estate. You can also purchase from their full range of coffee beans, sold vacuum-sealed in nitrogen-flushed, 12-ounce bags to guarantee freshness.
Another Somerville location, sitting in the heart of Union Square, Bloc 11 may not look like much from the outside, but it’s full of character. They offer sustainably-sourced coffee to calm and a relaxing background of indie-folk tunes, making it the perfect pit stop on a busy sightseeing day. Their specialty drinks will have you mulling over your choice, with lattes infused with homemade cacao shell syrup and a seasonal latte made with Highlawn Farms’ Eggnog. With a game room and outdoor seating area to keep you entertained, you may find yourself lingering a little longer than you intended.
If quirky is more to your taste, Barismo will be right up your alley. There are no tables or seats (so if it’s a rest you’re after I would keep looking), but the coffee is fresh and brewed one cup at a time. They are well-known for the care that is put into each cup, with their expert brewers enjoying a chat as they pour. Their flagship store is located in mid-Cambridge in the historic F.B. Hubley Auction House.
Thinking Cup was the first coffee shop in Dowtown Boston to serve ‘Stumptown Coffee’ and ‘Third Wave Coffee’ products exclusively with beans freshly obtained directly from Stumptown’s roasting facility in Brooklyn, New York. Opening in 2010, the café is ideally located across from Boston Common, with plenty of other sightseeing attractions nearby, including Chinatown, Boston Opera House and the aquarium. Take a break and soak up the atmosphere with one of their signature drinks, choosing from a vanilla ginger latte, honey cinnamon latte, or a hazelnut latte.
With more than 100 different flavoured iced coffees to choose from, you are spoiled for choice at P.S Gourmet Coffee. There’s Sugar Cookie, Mocha Mint, Nutty Irishman, White Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Nutcream, Toasted Almond and Banana Foster – just to name a few. Located on Dorchester Street, it is close to The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Children’s Museum and Boston Convention and Exhibition Centre, making it an easy stop on a busy day.
If you’re lucky enough to find some cheap flights to Boston for a quick getaway or a longer vacation, then add one or two of these great coffee places to your to-do list.