Highest-rated cafes in the Boston area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Boston area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Boston were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. Home.Stead Bakery & Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1448 Dorchester Ave. Dorchester, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Bakeries
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#29. Cuppacoffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 Merrimac St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#28. Donut Villa Diner
- Rating: 4.4/5 (246 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 Highland Ave. Malden, Massachusetts
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#27. Tatte Bakery & Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (290 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 200 Pier 4 Blvd. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
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#26. Blunch
- Rating: 4.4/5 (548 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 59 East Springfield St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#25. Flour Bakery + Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 209 Cambridge St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#24. Dolce Vita Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1698 Commonwealth Ave. Brighton, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bagels, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#23. b艒m dough
- Rating: 4.4/5 (195 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1271 Cambridge St. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
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#22. SALT Patisserie
- Rating: 4.4/5 (112 reviews)
- Address: 792 Beacon St. Newton, Massachusetts
- Categories: Patisserie/Cake Shop, Coffee & Tea, Desserts
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#21. Tradesman Coffee Shop & Lounge
- Rating: 4.4/5 (395 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 58 Batterymarch St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Lounges
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#20. Common Ground Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 4.4/5 (190 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1727 Revere Beach Pkwy Everett, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
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#19. Nine Bar Espresso
- Rating: 4.4/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Holland St. Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#18. FoMu
- Rating: 4.4/5 (333 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 655 Tremont St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Bakeries, Coffee & Tea
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#17. Abigail's Tea Room
- Rating: 4.5/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 306 Congress St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Soup, Sandwiches
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#16. Boston Barber & Tattoo Co.
- Rating: 4.5/5 (322 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 113 Salem St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Barbers, Tattoo, Coffee & Tea
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#15. Butternut Bakehouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 787 Massachusetts Ave. Arlington, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Desserts
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#14. Coco Leaf
- Rating: 4.5/5 (308 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1480 Dorchester Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Bubble Tea
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#13. 3 Little Figs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (708 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 278 Highland Ave. Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
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#12. Toasted Flats
- Rating: 4.5/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 53 Chelsea St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#11. Caf茅 Rustica
- Rating: 4.6/5 (355 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 356 Beacon St. Somerville, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
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#10. Phin Coffee House
- Rating: 4.6/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10 High St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Vietnamese, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#9. Big Bear Cafe & Espresso Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3 Eastern Ave. Dedham, Massachusetts
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#8. Solid Ground Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (128 reviews)
- Address: 742 Huntington Ave. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Sandwiches
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#7. Pralin茅
- Rating: 4.6/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 203 Belmont St. Belmont, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#6. Curio Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (276 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 441 Cambridge St. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Waffles, Wine Bars
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#5. Cafe Bonjour
- Rating: 4.7/5 (981 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 55 Temple Place Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#4. Bikeeny Caffe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 62 Summer St. Malden, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Cafes
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#3. The Well Coffee House
- Rating: 4.7/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1-1A State St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Community Service/Non-Profit, Macarons
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#2. Polcari's Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 105 Salem St. Boston, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Herbs & Spices
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#1. Recreo Coffee & Roasterie
- Rating: 4.8/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1876 Centre St. West Roxbury, Massachusetts
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Breakfast & Brunch
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
