Caffe Vittoria

One doesn't go to Caffe Vittoria to work. One goes for pleasure. One goes for the cappuccino and the conversation and perhaps the pastries as well. There are no laptops propped on tables or coffee drinkers with headphones stuck in their ears. There is no pretension here and no championing of elitism, as so often felt in other cafes.  Caffe Vittoria has already won the race against time, having established themselves in 1929 and still just as popular. You can linger in your seat for as long as you like, and when you are done sipping your cappuccino you can stare at the walls, covered like a gallery with the institution's most precious memories. Caffe Vittoria tries to be nothing but what it has been for 85 years, and what it has been is authentic, satisfying and successful. 

The Thinking Cup

As humans, we form habits. As cafe dwellers, we build attachments. My own particular attachment in Boston is to The Thinking Cup. Two locations-one on Tremont Street and another on Hanover in the North End-make it all too easy for me to maintain this attachment and further my regard. But beyond the convenience of their two locations (Hanover street is pictured above), is an appreciation for the drinks they serve and the space provided to enjoy them. The combination of exposed brick and comfortable, tufted seating, along with tables adorned with newspapers of the past, do collectively inspire a beautiful union between my thoughts and the cup I drink from. So the name Thinking Cup is satisfyingly appropriate, almost as satisfying as what they serve so well. 

Bloc 11 Cafe

The clouds threatened rain when I set out for Bloc 11 this morning. I went for their chai and the kind baristas who serve it, along with the plants that fill the cafe's interior and the ivy that decorates the walls outside. Owned by the same people who run Diesel Cafe in Davis Square, one can expect the same delicious pastries and drinks-though I must say, I greatly prefer this Union Square spot, with its exposed brick and peaceful patio.  Removed from the bustle of Davis and yet planted in the burgeoning Union Square, there's a greater sense of calm at Bloc 11 but one senses that won't always be the case. More and more people will find their way to Union Square, and once the expansion of the T has started and finished (who ever knows when that will happen??), I imagine it will be a struggle to find a seat at Bloc 11. It's a wonderful space with a comfortable vibe and even though I live something of a distance from it now, that won't stop me from visiting-even when the clouds threaten rain. 

Algiers Coffee House

A few photos from Brattle Square's Algiers Coffee House, one of my favorite cafes in the area.  It's exoticism-if you can call it that-feels natural and unforced; the teas are lovely and rest upon even lovelier tables and the staff are consistently pleasant. Algiers Coffee House always feels like an escape-a step within its walls and I feel far removed from the bustle of Cambridge and nearby Harvard. Be sure to sit on the second floor, where you can feel the full effect of the decor and architecture. 

Diesel Cafe

In two weeks time, I'll be moving my little life across the Charles and starting anew in Brookline/Allston. I LOVE Somerville and am quite sad to depart this area but circumstances have left little choice to stay put where I am-so I'm packing the few belongings I have here with me and getting ready for the change of scenery. Diesel Cafe is one place I will miss sorely-it is one of the beloved institutions on Elm Street in Davis Square, where students and hipsters and young families all gather for a reliable cup of coffee and the assurance that one will see a lot of flannel and backwards baseball caps. It is cool and sleek and nearly always packed (though the first picture suggests otherwise-a fluke of a moment, really). When I go on the weekends I make sure to go extra early if I want a seat to call my own. Unfortunately, the chances of doing so are dwindling-but whenever I return to Davis I'll surely stop at Diesel. And you should too. 

Voltage Coffee & Art

Voltage Coffee & Art in Kendall can be found tucked away on Third Street, a few minutes walk from the Kendall Square T stop. I read of its existence from a number of different sources and made my first visit in December when I went to the nearby cinema. Unlike so many of the cafes I frequent, this one is considerably roomier which is refreshing. There's space to sit and sip a latte, but also space to view the artwork sprawled across the walls. As its name suggests, Voltage is not only a coffee shop but also an art gallery. I so respect establishments that try to be more than just one thing, because then they often become community hubs as well (perhaps I just believe that all cafes should be community hubs). Kendall Square is not my own community, but whenever I am in the area I do like to stop. As I mentioned in a previous posts, I'm in love with the names they have chosen for their "exotic" lattes. 

Here's a list of some of them:

Paper Plane

-Cardamom' rose water & honey

Devil May Care

-Molasses & lemon zest

Beyond the Sea

-Homemade caramel & salt

The Thieving Magpie

-Traditional almond rapture

Atticus Finch

-vanilla with burnt sugar

How perfect, right?? 

L.A. Burdick Chocolate Shop and Cafe

Whenever I move, the first places I become attached to are cafes. To me, they are like little welcoming homes dotted across the landscape. When I studied in Berlin, I spent much of my free time exploring the dozens upon dozens of cafes, finding myself delighted with each one.  The very words cafe, coffeehouse, chocolaterie are near holy words in my mind. I love conjuring up images in my mind of the institution through the ages, from the eighteenth-century coffeehouse to the cafes in Central and Eastern Europe at the turn of the century, filled with individuals seeking change and innovation as they slowly sipped their drinks. I love imagining them as sites of both intellectual activity but also quiet comfort. The doors of the cafe are always open to me if I want to write the next great American novel or simply drink an espresso and stare at the ceiling. I can do as much or as little as I like and it is still the perfect setting for either. 

I am slowly picking and choosing my favorites in the city, but the L.A. Burdick Chocolate Shop and Cafe in Harvard Square has quickly made it onto that list. You can see by it's colorful, striped walls how inviting and warm it is and every time I have visited, it's entirely packed. Most people come for one thing: the hot chocolate. For the first time since I left Europe, I have tasted true, rich hot chocolate just as it's supposed to be-so thick that only a little is what you need. But what perfection it is! They offer their hot chocolate using either milk or dark varieties and also have country-specific options. I confess that pour moi it has been the Peppermint Milk Hot Chocolate every time. 

Nothing tastes better on a cold, winter's afternoon in New England.