The Best Coffee & Tea in Boston

Thinking Cup

★★★★☆ 4.2 (1335) • $$

"Very friendly service! My latte was very good. I also ordered a bagel with jam. I did enjoy the vibe of this place!"

Cafe Bonjour

★★★★★ 4.7 (935)

"Service is fantastic, even when they're packed. The owner and owner's brother along with a couple servers befriended my husband and I'd say took extra good care of us the three mornings we went there, but also I saw they treated everyone really well. A French and middle eastern flair, but also a lot of general breakfast plates. Food is fresh and tasty, service is fantastic, located close to Boston Commons Park and many popular landmarks, it's just each day so be prepared to wait a little bit, but well worth it."

Thinking Cup

★★★★☆ 4.2 (961) • $$

"Been a while since I've been here as there are so many dining and coffee places in the Back Bay Area . Enjoyed a nice delicious matcha latte while strolling thru the neighborhood. This place has delicious food and drinks. Definitely recommend you trying it out!"

Ogawa Coffee

★★★★☆ 4.3 (813)

"My second time here and came for the sandwich and drink. The vibes are pretty chill and is clean and welcoming to work or have a catchup with your friends. I got a hojicha latte and love that it's not too sweet and you can taste the good quality taste of the tea. I love their sandwich and always got the bagel with egg, bacon, avocado. I think the sweet chili mayo (not spicy at all) makes a big difference and a nice addition taste to the sandwich. The staff are very nice and friendly. They are also pretty knowledgeable. Will definitely recommend to check out if you love coffee or tea lattes. I heard it's a franchise from Japan and only have one location here in the US. :)"

Diesel Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (1006) • $$

"Saw this place had tons of reviews so decided to check it out. This place was packed during lunch on a Sunday. Not an empty seat in the house, and considering how spacious this place is, that was a good sign. It wasn't good however for us when we were trying to find a seat, but it didn't take toooo long. I ordered the Monkey Wrench sandwich and an Iced Vietnamese Coffee. The sandwich was high quality and had really fresh ingredients. I especially loved the focaccia bread it came on. My coffee was good too, and I'm glad I tried it.I will say it took quite a long time for our food to be made. Considering how packed it was I understand, but it was loooong, like over 15 minutes long. Drinks came out fairly quickly though. I ordered a hot coffee too and the guy mistakenly gave me an iced, but another barista quickly apologized and gave me the correct one. I also liked the pool tables in the back and their photo booth. This is definitely a place I'd love to come back later in the evening and vibe with friends at. Oh, and they also serve ice cream! They also have monthly specials but the tiny menu is only by the registers so I didn't get a chance to look at it before ordering. I wish they had it on the board also because they looked good. Overall a cute garage themed coffee shop in the city with quality drinks and food, & great vibes."

3 Little Figs

★★★★★ 4.5 (703) • $$

"Affordable, tasty, & Boston metro area aren't usually in any of my sentences together, yet for the quality of their food & service, 3 Little Figs delivers on all three!I had a scratch made biscuit breakfast sandwich and a brewed coffee for $10, which was a great way to start my day.Lunch sandwiches are $10 and looked delicious as well. I'll definitely return next time I'm in Somerville!"

South End Buttery

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (1061) • $$

"Such a hidden brunch restaurant gem located in the South End. After eating here I was about to make my next reservation. Truly delicious brunch food!I came here with my best friend on a Sunday morning and we were seating on the lower level restaurant floor. It was so cute and decorative inside, I loved the vibes. Half of the business is a cafe, and the other half is a sit down restaurant. The service was good and we got our food at a reasonable time despite the restaurant/cafe being on the busier side. I ordered Huevos Rancheros, which were AMAZING! Definitely one of the best in Boston. My friend ordered a smoked salmon breakfast dish, which she really enjoyed as well. The scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly, and there was a party on my plate. I really enjoyed the fresh salsa w/ cojita and mashed avocado as a compliment to the dish. Great food. The home fries, were truly something to write home about. I am not usually a home fries person, so I was hesitant, but these were one of the best I've ever had. My only wish was that were would be more corn tortillas to fill up. By the end of the Sunday brunch, I completely cleared my plate clean. Highly recommend if you're in the South End!!!"

Jonquils Cafe & Bakery

★★★★☆ 4.3 (650) • $$

"Such a cute, trendy cafe located on Newbury Street. They are mostly known for their desserts, which are made fresh daily in-house. Their desserts rotate regularly and I always get to try a few new ones. During peak hours, it can get very crowded here, and it may be difficult to find seating. I've tried their drinks but they are a bit expensive and were alright. However, they have the cutest pastries that you cannot miss out on. They come out super photogenic, and the craziest part is that they taste as good as they look!I've tried a good amount of their desserts by now, and I have to say that Rose is my all-time favorite. I also really love Love and Green Apple. Geometric Apple is a popular one made for those chocolate lovers! One is usually not enough for me because they are too delicious.Sometimes they will sell out of certain items if it's busy, so it's better to go earlier in the day. We tried taking the dessert to-go before, but it didn't taste the same. Don't forget to get a stamp card if you're a repeat customer!"

Blunch

★★★★☆ 4.4 (541) • $$

"This has become my go to lunch spot in the South End. Love that you can place your order online. They serve a variety of sandwiches and salads which are always delicious and fresh tasting. Be sure to order dessert as well because they make outstanding chocolate chip cookies. The staff is also very friendly and clearly care about their customers. The shop is very small but I promise it's worth the wait."

Zinneken's Belgian Waffles - Harvard Square

★★★★☆ 3.9 (644) • $

"Stopped in as sounded different and was by Harvard University. There is dangerous step up as approaching counter... I almost tripped over then saw small sign mentioning it? A Harvard lawyer will have field day law suit as measures not adequate of warning the patron... an older person would be on floor... should be marked in Yellow paint or caution lines... or eliminate step with ramp step ?Law suit waiting .... Now to the waffles Ordered the zinnekens with chocolate sauce, homemade whip cream... waffle itself wasn't anything I will write home to grandma about at my visit to Harvard... was freshly made; was very good expected more of a Belgian taste or a sugar crunch texture.Fudge sauce ok, the homemade whip cream was excellent and what it needed. I would have like the waffle with a scoop of French vanilla or a vanilla bean ice cream ? I didn't see option for vanilla ice cream ; but after my initial review the owner or operator responded mentioning vanilla ice cream option.... So my error or make ice cream more visible as a good add on and price upgrade except one to sub whip cream for Oreo ice cream for 2 dollars extra... vanilla better with a waffle...Was fair priced, good desert but not the extra pizaz or higher level I wanted... should add ice cream offerings, waffle ice cream sandwich Chocolate chip or shortbread or other flavor waffles... orange fruit waffle with scoop orange sherbet would be a summer weather treat... Coffee offerings looked like a good compliment to waffles ... a sugar cookie waffle again with coffee expresso ice cream or vanilla bean would be a draw me in desert... employees all cool and friendly atmosphere to mingle over a coffee expresso... a s'mores waffle with chocolate, marshmallow, Carmel, vanilla ice cream with expresso bean shavings... I'd buy in heartbeat at high end price..."

Kane's Donuts - Downtown

★★★★☆ 4.2 (551) • $

Ula Café

★★★★☆ 4 (537) • $

"A nice option for lunch, the curry chicken sandwich was good but not too heavy. The place itself has a nice ambiance and conducive for conversation. I also was tempted to get their coffee due to other reviews but opted for an iced latte which was much needed to get me through the afternoon."

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (488) • $$

"Food is great. The injera is the perfect level of sour. For the meat, we got Kega (beef) Tibs. Really rich flavor and tender meat. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.For the veggies, we got:Gomen (collard greens)Miser Wot (red lentil stew)Dinch Wot (potatoes+carrots)Tikle Gomen (cabbage+carrots+green beans)It was all very rich and delicious. Also very filling!"

Cafénation

★★★★☆ 4.1 (479) • $

"We stopped in on a busy weekday morning. I had looked at menus online before our visit, but their menu has changed and they no longer offer omelettes or crepes. They do have great breakfast sandwich options.I ordered an egg sandwich and a latte. Both were served pretty quickly. The latte was perfect, it hit the spot. The sandwich was piping hot, good portions, and very filling.Great place to grab breakfast & coffee while in Brighton."

Café Rustica

★★★★★ 4.6 (349)

"I used to live right down the street from this cute little cafe and decided to finally give it a try a few days before moving away! Definitely regret not stopping by sooner, it was a nice experience!The staff were very friendly and kind upon entering. There were no other customers ( I came on a weekday in the early afternoon ) but in the mornings, I know it can be a lot busier as people are grabbing breakfast and coffee. I got a sandwich and coffee, both things were made relatively quickly. I ended up taking out, but they have seats inside and outside which I'm sure would've been a pleasant experience. The food itself was great - I highly recommend ordering in person rather than on any third party food app as the prices are noticeably more expensive if you do ( I saw that the sandwich I wanted was ~$11 on the app but only ~$9 in store ). I decided to go with prosciutto and provolone and didn't regret it! It was very cleanly made and very filling for the price. The coffee I bought as well tasted really fresh and had just the right sweetness ( they asked if I wanted to adjust it before I left as well ).Overall I loved this place and wouldn't hesitate to come back to try more of their menu. Thanks for the great food and kind service, Cafe Rustica!"

Mr Crêpe

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (597) • $$

"I love eating crepes, especially more savory ones. I have a hard time finding some crepe places that offer lots of selection that I choose (I think..the last time I ate BOTH savory + dessert crepes in one go..yes..one go!! was in Long Beach, CA back in 2017!!). So..I've been drooling/wanting to have good crepes for a long, long time!!My most recent trip to Boston, I managed to resolve my need for crepes multiple times! I think I went 3 times...trying 3 different crepes for breakfast in the 5 days I was there! I love that they have a lot of selection for crepes, so you are bound to find something you like/want to try there. The crepes are made to order...so..you need to be a bit patient if many people are there..and they will come serve you at your table. I also like that they are open pretty early..and into the evening, so you can grab whatever you want (actually..not just crepes..but some other snacks/drinks as well).The only thing is..I don't think the place is super conducive to working. I wished the seatings were more comfortable and there was internet to do work..so I can munch on multiple different crepes in a single visit while there for a few hours. However, I like that the place is in a good, convenient area, a few minutes walk from Davis Sq...so it's just a super convenient place to get to!Mr Crepe is definitely one of the places I would want to visit again when I'm back in Boston next time!"

Coco Leaf

★★★★★ 4.5 (304) • $$

"Wow, Coco Leaf has changed a lot, since the last time I've seen them. The newest installations they have are the cute Instagram-esque backdrop with neon lights and the Buddha corner with comfy chairs. -- Totally the vibe.They serve the same amazing food fare that I love and enjoy. I always get the spicy garlic popcorn chicken and sweet potato fries. Both are delicious and not fatty. Their dipping sauces (I believe it's ketchup mayo) are delicious and a must have!"

Simon's Coffee Shop

★★★★☆ 4.1 (347)

"I came here to grab coffee on a Saturday morning around 9am. The cashier was super nice and patient with me while I figured out what to get. I picked up hot coffee, a Gibraltar (cortado), and a maple oat scone. The coffee was good, and the scone was the perfect fall snack. I'm a little hesitant to order them because they can be quite dry, but it was fresh and cakey. The cortado had cooled off and the foam had separated by the time I got it; perhaps it had been sitting behind the bar for a while? Oh well-- c'est la vie. The inside of the cafe is super cozy and it would be the perfect place to curl up with a good book."

Polcari's Coffee

★★★★★ 4.8 (238)

"If you are a serious coffee fan then stop at Polcari's Coffee in the North End. There is is a fragrant coffee atmosphere inside Polcari's. They have a wall full of coffee varieties. The rest of the store is coffee accessories, sweets and cups of all kinds. Stop in for a souvenir or for a bag of high end coffee. Its well worth a visit. Highly recommend."

Kelly's Diner

★★★★☆ 3.8 (375) • $$

"Menu prices are off by about $2 but you do get a large portion of fries and a nice big homemade half sour pickle (not dill).This is a local business and not tech savvy so just be prepared for that. It's a cash only business. I got the BLT and it was goodBut it was $5.69 online on the menu from their websiteAnd then in person on the menu for $10.99 with fries and pickleBut the final price on the bill was $12.99. It is stated on the menu that all prices are subject to change. Staff are nice ladies who run a tight ship. I came for lunch on Monday and it was easy to be seated. Calm crowd and classic diner feel. Very retro frozen in time from an actual point in history -- not like donut villa diner where they retro-fit an existing space into a diner in a way that uses cheap wall decorations. Kelly's is authentically old and they have cool non-functional mini juke boxes on each table booth"

Cafe 26

★★★★☆ 4 (333) • $$

"My goal was to find a good breakfast spot while visiting Downtown Boston that offers tasty food and coffee but that would be filling enough since I was going to do a lot of walking.I was initially deciding between Café 26 and a breakfast spot across the street but saw that this café didn't have a wait which initially worried me because the spot across the street had a long wait. I'm so glad we gave it a try because this turned out to be a great spot. So good that we ate here for breakfast both days. There was no wait, and even if there is...people usually pop in and out pretty quickly. The first day I ordered the build your own omelette with a mocha latte. The following day I ordered the French toast with strawberries, Nutella, and whipped cream, and another mocha latte since I liked it so much. So pleased with my selections.Both days we didn't have to wait and we were in and out pretty quickly to continue our day strolling around Boston. This café is small but big enough to accommodate. Seemed very clean. The only complaint I had the first day was it was warm inside the restaurant because they don't typically run their AC and we went during a warm week. Other than that I have no complaints. The service was good. The café is in the middle of downtown, so not sure on the parking, but you would typically walk here. Good breakfast spot you should def check out."

163 Vietnamese Sandwiches & Bubble Tea

★★★★☆ 3.7 (383)

"So this is a funny little place in Chinatown because it's not Chinese it's Vietnamese. I've been frequenting here and grabbing a sandwich or a spring roll referred to as fresh roll for at least a decade or two. The sandwiches are always fabulous. My favorite on the crunchy extremely messy crummy rolls which are delicious. Is the beef sandwich with a variety of vegetables and they pickle very tasty. I've posted some photos. You definitely have to try one. And don't forget to order extra nothing Vietnamese butter. It's freaking amazing. As for the fresh roll. You always get two whole shrimp plus your veggies and noodle in a nice thin wrap and it comes with some fabulous peanut sauce. I could drink the sauce it's so great. Now the people behind the counter are extremely efficient but a little bit on the rude side. Basically you go in you order your food then they ask you to go outside and wait because there's only about 3 feet where someone can order food so on a rainy snowy day it's not the place you wanna head out to but on a sunny day during good weather definitely, you'll always see a crowd or at least three or four people standing out front on a nice day, waiting for their sandwiches and food. As it's in Chinatown the parking is extremely tough so plan ahead just as if you're gonna go to any other restaurant in Chinatown even if you're just picking up a sandwich or say a prayer and do what everyone else does, double park and hopefully not get a ticket. This place is well-established and has been there for approximately 20 years give or take and the food is always good."

Brothers & Sisters Co Coffeehouse + Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (325) • $

"Very cute coffee place, centrally located to the T. I don't drink coffee so I can't weigh in on the caffeinated options but I do love a good bagel sandwich. I went with the green egg and cheese on a plain bagel. Hailing from the land of excellent bagels, the bagel here was okay, but hard to judge the true quality of a bagel when it's been toasted. I liked the combo of spinach, eggs, and cheese, though wished the eggs were a tad fluffier - I'll try making this at home. We got out food pretty quickly despite the long line of people waiting. (With that said, I thought there could have been some better crowd control with the massive line in front - everyone was clumping together right in front of the door, which made getting in and out difficult.)The menu has a ton of other options, including avocado toast, grilled cheese, a variety of pastries, and cold sandwiches/salads. Jamie's ice cream is right next door - there's also a refrigerated section in Brothers & Sisters with pints. To no surprise, Saturday mornings are absolutely packed, but we didn't have to wait very long for a table to open up. They have some indoor seating as well as tables outside."

Black Sheep Bagel Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (280) • $

"Friendly service and fast, first time trying out this spot for bagels and was very happy with the quality. The bagel was nice and crispy once toasted, the right amount of chew and texture. Good cream cheese as well"

Flour Bakery + Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (277) • $$

"Flour has long been a part of our Boston food plans when we visit. We stumbled across this Cambridge location when we were eating nearby. I was lucky enough to get the last Sticky Bun, and it was great as always. We also bought two brownies. They were good. Seemed like maybe they had a bit of cinnamon. If not that, they had something that gave them a little different vibeService was good. The bakery was nice and clean.4.5 Stars"

Caffébene

★★★★☆ 3.9 (316) • $$

"Caffébene started in 2008 in Korea and is now an international coffeehouse chain with 81 stores. They serve medium roast coffee, Bingsoo Shaved ice, Desserts, Hot & Cold Beverages & Breakfast sandwiches. Love the asian flavors offered like Green tea, Black sesame, sweet potatoes & Injeolmi (roasted soy bean). $13.45 Shaved icewas huge and is very shareable for 2-4 people! Got the Misugaru shaved ice, asked for extra misugaru powder and they gave noticeably more. Appreciate that. It had plenty of sweetened red beans and Mochi (which were not as soft as it should be though).Seating Getting a seat can be a challenge. Came for a late night quick snack. Most of the seating was still occupied (looked like students) just before closing but luckily there was one empty table for us.Located-on the south corner of Massachusetts Ave & St St Botolph St"

1369 Coffee House

★★★★☆ 3.5 (390) • $$

"Good esspreso with a variety of hommade syrups which I love. I tried the salted caramel and it was a very muted flavor but the taste of the beans was good enough that it was okay. Next time I would ask for more syrup. They were super busy so it took a while but not too bad on the wait. I also tried their coffee cake which was good, nothing special though. Would definitely recommend the coffee"

Phin Coffee House

★★★★★ 4.6 (222) • $

"5 stars for the most insanely amazing pho burrito you can imagine (I loved it so much I went back the next day for another!).When staying in Boston recently, I was searching on Yelp for an interesting lunch choice and came across Phin and their pho burrito. I'm a huge fan of Vietnamese cuisine and had to try it. Luckily it was a short walk from the hotel.The pho burrito comes with a side of pho broth, but the second time around I opted for no broth since I was on my way to the airport and the broth was honestly the least impressive element of this dish (which is a bummer for a soup themed burrito, but the burrito itself is absolutely worth it.)The burrito is packed with all the flavors you would expect in a bowl of pho. Every bite will leave you shocked about the new vessel for the familiar, comforting dish. Like I mentioned before, the broth wasn't my favorite part as it lacked the depth of flavor (and salt/acid) that I'd expect, but it didn't detract from the main draw of the dish. I ate the first burrito in the shop, while sipping on some good coffee. The next day I took it to-go and ate it in the park. Both times were impressive and made me wish someone was making this dish near me (in Central Florida). Oh well, guess I'll have to go back to Boston for my next fix!"

Donut Villa Diner

★★★★☆ 4.4 (239) • $

"Have been going to Donut Villa for years & years, this past weekend we were craving breakfast and didnt want to get out of bed (The kids have the flu) and I just didnt want to cook - but being that breakfast is one of those things that cold it doesnt re-heat well, Eggs actually... But to our surprise everything showed up still warm, Eggs still runny as certain people love... Waffles, Pancakes - Everything was packaged all neatly in separate containers with sides & sauces and everything all neatly wrapped up. Food was great, just as delicious as in person which scares me because now I feel like this will be an every weekend event. Love their homefries - might be my fave from many places. You wont be disappointed, my only one take away - Benny delivery could have used more Hollandaise, so if thats your order - pay for the extra side!"

Farmers Horse Coffee

★★★★☆ 4.1 (273) • $$

"A nice cozy coffee shop hidden away next to the T stop. The warm and welcoming decor invites you to sit awhile and enjoy your coffee. There is even a greenhouse to keep you warm if you want to enjoy the fresh air on a sunny day.I ordered the strawberry vanilla latte , and it was fine. I didn't get much flavoring but it still ended up being a quality latte. There are all kinds of specials for drinks and food that don't show up on the website menu. It wasn't too busy for a Friday afternoon. Mostly Northeastern students working on their laptops. They do have wifi but I couldn't connect to it. Luckily I have Comcast so I could get onto a separate Xfinity wifi. Not really any parking on Mass Ave but if you swing around to Huntington Ave, you should be able to find a few spots."

1369 Coffee House

★★★★☆ 3.5 (352) • $

"Although I've never had any coffee here (I've only had the Thai tea here), I got a recommendation to try out their Rwanda beans. Holy cow I can't get enough of these beans. Everytime I'm in Boston I have to make a stop to pick up a bag to brew at home.Their Thai tea is very good too :)"

Martin's Coffee Shop

★★★★☆ 3.6 (310) • $

"Great neighborhood gem, exactly what we were looking for. Large breakfast portions with that old school ambiance. This is how I want my diners always! The service was quick and friendly."

Temptations Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (271)

"Solid casual place to grab a bite or hang out and do some work without feeling pressured to leave. We came on a Friday afternoon and was able to get a seat and read for a few hours without any problem. Decent amount of space, even though, like other reviewers said, it can get kind of dark. The menu of sandwiches, salads, wraps, pastries was standard cafe fare, but I went a little wrong with the hummus and feta wrap. The wrap itself was nicely toasted but the distribution was off (it reminded me of eating a Chipotle burrito where you get one bite of just sour cream, then another bite of just guac) and it was very clumsy to eat. I also thought $10 was steep for a veggie-only wrap (as well as $3 for a can of Spindrift!!) but such is the time of insane prices. My neighbor's cream cheese and lox sandwich looked a lot better. Food came out briskly, not much of a wait. Coolidge Corner is for sure a walker's paradise but if you're driving, there's a big lot along Centre Street."

Big Bear Cafe & Espresso Bar

★★★★★ 4.6 (184)

"A great spot!I chose to try Big Bear as a treat for my wife (coffee enthusiast) and she loved it! Her recommendation was the double expresso. I focused more on the food. The baked goods are great, particularly the berry muffin, full of tart flavor that hits the taste buds just right. The grizzly sandwich was awesome - it is a BLT with avocado and garlicy mayo. I recommend Big Bear Cafe to everyone."

The Danish Pastry House

★★★★☆ 3.7 (283) • $$

"Marked this place for a while and finally had a chance to go.Got Kringle, which was so flaky, and buttery and I absolutely loved it. Mayer snail and French waffle with cream and raspberry filling were also delicious. Was having a hard time debating whether I want marzipan cookies, so the owner was explaining how it would taste like, and decided on the spot to let us have one instead -- wasn't my favorite so I went for other items. But instead she additionally packed us a huge bag of regular cookies, for free. Since we just went for the pastry and didn't know the anything about the neighborhood, she even gave us tips on exploring the neighborhood -- Shannon beach turned out to be a lovely little place we enjoyed much :) Loved the cute little place, bakery and the whole experience! So far I've been having amazing experiences with Danish food and pastry place, now I definitely want to visit actual Denmark at some point"