• What is Cambridge, Massachusetts known for?
    • Resting on the banks of the Charles River in Massachusetts, Cambridge is famous for being home to the world-renowned Harvard University, which boasts beautiful old buildings, many cafés, bars and bookstores, and plenty of museums and galleries to browse.
  • What are some attractions in Cambridge?
    • Interesting attractions include the neoclassical Widener Library, which is located at the heart of the campus; the Harvard Art Museum; and the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
  • What is the coffee shop scene like in Cambridge?
    • Cambridge has an assortment of casual coffee shops, bakeries and hip cafés which draw the large population of students, researchers, and tech experts that call the city home.

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1. Tatte Bakery & Cafe


Savor pastries and sip lattes during a cozy weekend outing.

Tatte Bakery & Cafe

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Tatte Bakery & Cafe is a bright and spacious coffee shop and bakery in Harvard Square with two roomy floors, plenty of comfortable seating and a full-service coffee bar. Located next door to the Harvard Book Store, the friendly neighborhood café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a popular all-day brunch on the weekends. The second-floor coffee bar serves a variety of coffee drinks such as standard filter coffee, iced coffee, and nitro cold brew, as well as espresso, macchiato, cortado, cappuccino, flat whites, latte, and mocha latte, and is accompanied by delicious homemade fare such as avocado tartine, shakshuka, and mouthwatering pastries.

1288 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Phone: 617-441-4011

2. Andala Coffee House


Relax with Turkish coffee and explore this unusual, culture-rich café experience.

Andala Coffee House

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Andala Coffee House is a Middle Eastern coffee shop that serves traditional Arabic coffee and a menu of all-natural fare in a colorful and intimate setting. Situated along River Street, just off Central Square, the ethnic coffeeshop gem has plush, exotic décor with cozy pillow-seats, Persian rugs, gold chandeliers, soft lighting, and a pretty vine-covered patio for alfresco-style dining and enjoying an afternoon hookah sesh. The menu features more than 30 aromatic choices of tea, ranging from Moroccan mint to the cardamom-tinged house tea and strong, dark Arabic coffee, and the food menu features Eastern-influenced fare such as hummus platters, shakshuka, and delicious meat pies.

286 Franklin St, Cambridge, MA 02139, Phone: 617-945-2212

3. Caffe Nero


Enjoy espresso and pastries on an easy break from your busy day.

Caffe Nero

© Caffè Nero

Caffe Nero is a global coffee-shop chain with 1,000 coffee houses around the world that serves coffee made with ethically-sourced Rainforest Alliance certified and grown coffee beans, a variety of specially blended drinks, and Italian-style light dishes. Located in Central Square on Massachusetts Avenue, the London-based café boasts cutting edge design, ample seating, a coffee bar operated by friendly baristas, and serves a variety of standard coffee, along with specialty coffee drinks like single-origin French presses, nitrox, Chemex, and pour-over coffee. Caffè Nero is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.

589 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, Phone: 857-259-6077

4. Capital One Cafe


Recharge, work, or chat over coffee in this affordable downtown spot.

Capital One Cafe

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Capital One Cafe is a bank-affiliated coffeehouse chain located within Capital One bank locations where customers can enjoy freshly brewed Peet's Coffee® and light bites while doing their banking. The café offers high-speed wireless Internet and serves a menu of standard coffee drinks like cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, americanos, and single and double shot espressos, along with seasonal specialty drinks made with a variety of rotating local roasters. Capital One Cafés are open during bank hours.

24 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138, Phone: 617-299-2669

5. Curio Coffee


Try liege waffles and admire this charming spot on your next trip.

Curio Coffee

© Curio Coffee

Curio Coffee is a cool coffee shop in Cambridge that is a café-by-day and bar-by-night. Tucked in East Cambridge, the three-year-old café near Lechmere Station serves excellent coffee and sweet, crispy Belgian waffles in a variety of flavors, including orange, cardamom, and Earl Grey during the day and attracts a local crowd for the perfect cup o’ joe. When the sun goes down, the café becomes a trendy wine bar that serves a wide selection of casual wines from around the world by the glass and the bottle along with savory snacks. Curio owner Justin Pronovost hand selects the coffee beans and wine varietals himself, drawing inspiration from coffee shops within breweries, like Longfellows at Lamplighter and Night Shift’s new Lovejoy Wharf roasting company.

441 Cambridge Street, East Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2141, Phone: 857-242-3018

6. J.P. Licks


Savor homemade ice cream and enjoy fun flavors with the kids.

J.P. Licks

© J.P. Licks

Located in the Harvard University, J.P. Licks is a chain of Kosher-certified shops in and around Boston that have been serving homemade ice cream and other specialties for almost 40 years. The award-winning locally-owned and operated café is renowned for its intensely-flavored, creamy homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt, which is served with Fair-Trade and organic coffee. The coffee shop also serves a variety of made-from-scratch ice cream cakes and baked goods and also provides catering services for special occasions. J.P. Licks is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.

1312 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, Phone: 617-492-1001

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