5 coffee shops to visit in Boston
Whether you’re an avid coffee drinker or more of a tea person, you’re always looking for cute places to relax and get some work done. Sometimes you just want to find a café to take a cute Instagram picture or two, so here are 5 coffee shops you’ll definitely want to check out to boost your energy and your feed:
1. Thinking Cup
Picture a snowy afternoon in a Hallmark Christmas movie: a woman walks into a café for a quick latte. The café in the movie is cozy, buzzing, chic yet vintage. That fictional coffee shop could easily be Thinking Cup. Here’s the low-down:
- There are three locations around Boston (Back Bay, North End and Boston Common), so no need to worry about finding one close by.
- The coffee itself is rich and bold. The menu ranges from coffees, teas and breakfasts to specialized gluten-free and dairy-free options.
- The aesthetic quality and “Instagramability” is well above average. The furniture and overall layout of this café is beyond adorable. So come alone or with a friend, and get those filters ready!
- They do some really good foam art here with their lattes. Isn’t that enough to convince you?
2. Tatte Bakery and Café
My friends India and Sophia are constantly Snapchatting this place. To quote my friend, “it’s literally the cutest place ever.” I was intrigued, and did my research using Instagram’s location search. I’ve concluded the following things:
- There are six locations around Boston, the nearest one in Brookline and the newest one in Harvard Square.
- The store is ridiculously cute. The theme is white, brick walls, marble countertops and lots of adorable plants. This place screams “Instagram me now!”
- The vibe is more outdoors-y, modern and fresh.
- It’s good for brunch! There’s just as much hype about the pastries and meals as there is about the drinks. It’s the best of both worlds!
3. Neighborhoods Coffee And Crepes
My friend I stumbled upon this place after going to the Museum of Fine Arts last weekend. I was craving coffee, we were both a little hungry and a quick Yelp search solved both of these issues. We saw the word “coffee” next to the word “crepes” and ordered an Uber in less than a minute. Here are some highlights:
- Great coffee. I remember getting a soy vanilla latte and it was so creamy and flavorful. Not too sweet, yet not too bitter. It was probably on the verge of magical.
- We both got the “Bananas Foster” crepe. For just $4.65, you can get a warm and fresh crepe with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana — oh my!
- Seating is very limited and a little cramped, but worth the wait. Neighborhoods has a very cute ambiance and look. Its layout is a mix of both Thinking Cup and Tatte.
- Definitely Instagramable. There are photogenic houses and streets right next to this café so there’s inspiration everywhere.
- The staff was super nice and extremely friendly.
4. Render Coffee
I came here with my brother for the first time. He went to Boston University as well, and wouldn’t stop talking about the lattes from Render, so I got a latte from Render and holy moly. All I have to say is this: go try it for yourself. I can’t, and won’t, even try to describe the experience of this latte because I wouldn’t do it justice. It was amazing. I’ll leave it at that. But to get a little bit more specific:
- There are 3 locations: South End, the Financial District and coming soon, Kendall Square.
- The place is almost, if not just, as cozy as Thinking Cup. Warning: Several hours can easily be spent here.
- Aesthetic and Instagramability are an easy yes.
- Seating is spacious, the aura is relaxing and workers (and customers) are typically trendy.
5. Blue State Coffee
It’s a café for all: vegans, non-vegans, gluten-free people, etc.! Blue State has something to offer for almost everyone. Fun fact: this café chain is actually a family business. Did the adorableness of Blue State’s backstory persuade you yet? On top of that, this coffee shop is more efficient than it is leisurely. To elaborate, I’ll give you some more specifics:
- It’s small — really small. A lucky few can bring their laptops and sit by a table, but for the most part, it’s a get-your-coffee-and-go kind of place.
- The aesthetic and Instagramable part is a bit sub-par, mostly because it’s pretty small and focused more on its product rather than its aesthetic.
- But this isn’t a bad thing! In fact, it just means that Blue State’s coffee and pastries are super deliciously yummy (which they are).
- Get an iced soy vanilla latte. You’re welcome.