Best 9 Coffee Shops in Boston

The vibrancy of Boston’s coffee culture can hardly be overstated, with its quaint university coffee shops, Financial District lounges, and century-old family bakeries offering Boston’s best pastry and coffee roasts. So let’s take a closer look at Boston’s best roasteries and coffeehouses, both well-established within the community and those of the more obscure variety.

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PAVEMENT COFFEE BOSTON

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Operating from eight locations across Boston and Cambridge, Pavement Coffee serves as one of the more accessible sustainable coffee shops and retailers in the city providing fresh roasts and baked goods daily.

Though Pavement Coffee has grown into quite a franchise locally, the company is independently-owned and guarantees ethical sourcing of coffee beans from family farms and co-ops on a global level, solidifying its position as one of the best coffee shops in New England.

The in-house and delivery drink menu includes coffee and tea classics, with espresso, sweet coffee drinks, drip and iced coffee as well as cold brew prepared and served fresh.

Pavement’s famous homemade bagels are another point in their favor: the shops prepare all bagels from scratch and bake every batch in a stone-hearth oven for the next three days to achieve the traditionally aromatic and delicate crust.

Bagel selection is pretty generous, from multigrain and sesame to rosemary salt and cinnamon raisin. They can also be paired with delicious cream cheeses or vegan spreads like hummus or spicy diablo tofu. 

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George Howell Coffee

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Perhaps one of the best coffee roasters in Boston, George Howell Coffee succeeds immensely as an artisan coffee shop chain and retailer, providing gourmet roasts and espresso drinks at more accessible prices compared to other elite coffee sellers.

With the main Boston shop conveniently located near Boston Common, George Howell’s works as a weekend brunch spot for tourists and locals as well as a weekday lunch break choice for busy professionals.

The shop’s signature espresso roasts are served in shot form or as one of the popular espresso milk drinks, while their elite coffee brews are available hot, iced, or ‘cold wave’ with the hot coffee exposed to flash chill before it’s served.

George Howell’s light breakfast and lunch menus feature sandwiches, toast, and parlor ice cream desserts. In colder months, the shop serves delicious fall-themed coffee cocktails like La Niebla Rosa that uses maple coffee as its base for the hibiscus tea and rosewater mix or the unique Curcuma Smash with an aromatic mix of saffron-infused turmeric, ginger, lemon, mango, and fresh thyme.

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Tradesman Boston

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Located near the Northeastern’s Financial District campus, Tradesman Coffee Shop and Lounge has become one of the favorite coffee spots for students and professionals alike, making it one of the best coffee shops in Boston to study or work or take a short lunch break.

As a part of the Batterymarch building, Tradesman was devised as a mix of old and new, harkening back to the historic trade days of newly independent Boston with its antique decor and retro coffee equipment while recontextualizing it all in a more modern light worthy of Boston’s brightest.

The coffee shop prepares all its coffee using elite blends from Barrington Coffe Company, named the best roaster in the US according to Forbes, serving espresso shots and drinks, hot and cold classic brews, and a multitude of delicious non-caf beverages.

The lounge part of the shop’s name refers to Tradesman’s artisanal breakfasts, featuring sandwiches, wraps, croissants and much more, as well as a rather decadent selection of cocktails and shots that could be just what you need in the evening at the end of the long week, with the signature Espresso Martini as the menu’s stand-out option.

So if you’re looking for an alternative to popular campus venues like Gracenote Coffee or Urban Leader, Tradesman’s might just be the perfect spot for you and your friend group.

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Boston Common Coffee Co.

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If you are looking for a Boston coffee company that guarantees fresh local roasts and purely Bostonian brews, then the Boston Common Coffee Co roasters will be the ideal choice for all your weekday coffee needs.

With roasteries and tasting facilities located all over Massachusets, Boston Common concentrates its coffee shop spots in downtown Boston, serving classic espresso drinks, brews, and non-caf specials. Their affordable yet delicious food menu features breakfast sandwiches, wraps, pressed paninis, soups, quiche, strata, baked goods and desserts.

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Kohi Coffee Company

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With two bright airy coffee shop spaces in downtown Boston, Kohi Coffee Company serves as a neat pit-stop for your mornings, lunchtime breaks, and early afternoons. The shop not only provides a wide range of espresso, batch coffee, pour-overs and cold brews made from single-origin roasts and custom blends but also offers nutritious breakfast and lunch foods, baked goods, and light snacks.

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Ogawa Coffee USA

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The first international branch of the renowned Japanese coffee franchise, Ogawa Coffee USA in Boston works towards serving the best of Kyoto’s coffee culture on the other side of the world and giving Bostonians and city visitors alike a chance to have a taste of Japanese coffee roasts, coffee desserts, and small lunch bites.

If you are looking for something a little more special, be sure to try out Ogawa’s specials like the deconstructed Cortado, Kiyomizu Decaf, or Houjicha Latte. Ogawa’s food menu offers light breakfasts toast, bagel, and sandwich selection as well as delicious brioche sandwiches with tonkatsu chicken, smoked salmon, and much more.

For the lovers of something sweeter, Ogawa offers classic coffee and ice cream desserts as well as intricately-prepared specials like matcha and houjicha cake rolls.

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Polcari’s Coffee

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Started as a family business in 1932, Polcari’s Coffee is an independently-owned coffee shop and retailer in Boston’s North End that serves not only as a great spot for getting your morning coffee fill but also as a trusted seller of artisan roasts, loose leaf teas, spices, herbs, and Italian delicacies.

Anyone who’s looking to restock their pantry while getting the best of espresso on-the-go is recommended to try out Polcari’s, both for their light+dark roasts and friendly atmosphere reminiscent of the city’s old trade community.

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Red Barn Coffee Roasters

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Though Red Barn Coffee Roasters mainly operates as a roast retailer and wholesaler, they own several lowkey coffeehouses in Boston and neighboring towns where the best of Red Barn blends and single-origin coffees are served in espresso, pour-over, and classic brew forms. The shop on Longwood is ideal for a quick bite and a coffee on-the-go before work or on your way to classes.

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Jaho Coffee

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Coffee artisans that would prefer their elite blends and fresh pastry to be lighter on their wallets may have a hard time finding that in Boston with a few trusted exceptions, Jaho Coffee & Tea being one of them.

One of the best coffee shops in South End Boston, Jaho is able to accommodate coffee lovers from the early hours of the morning to quite late into the weekday evenings. In addition to preparing a variety of espresso drinks and brews from locally-roasted beans, Jaho functions as a cozy teahouse and bakery in one, serving Zodiac-themed tea and fresh pastry every day.