50 Best Cafes near Needham

“The decorative work on these pastries is 5 star. I tried the gluten free hazelnut chocolate cookie and did not like it. It was overwhelmingly cinnamon-y and the texture was like an oatmeal bar rather than a soft cookie. I also didn’t enjoy the vegan oat bar, which tasted overwhelmingly of coconut oil.

I DID enjoy the rooibos tea, which was a French tea brand I had never heard of: mariage freres.

It was a lovely subtle flavor, and the tea bags looked unbleached (though I did not verify that).

I would love to come back and try some of the not vegan or gluten free items, as my bakery impression was that things look amazing but have one controlling taste, but I know there was far more here than I tried.

Wheelchair accessibility: Two doors that do require a bit of force but all flat.“

“My partner and I went in on a Sunday morning. The line was almost out the door, but the line went surprisingly quickly. They made a big effort to ensure there is as short of a wait as possible. I got the spinach bagel with the lox cream cheese. It was very delicious, and the spinach bagel tasted perfectly of spinach.“

“Good food but the Mediterranean grain bowl is not nearly as good as the lentil one with umami“

“Such a classic diner! I love their French toast and steak fries in particular. My kids always happy with the pancakes and grilled cheese. I occasionally bring work colleagues and they always enjoy the atmosphere and non-rushed vibe. A few mentioned they weren’t fans of the omelet (1 was egg white, one was straight off menu), but scrambled eggs were a hit. Would love hash browns as menu addition instead of the breakfast potatoes (seems to be never eaten by guests), but otherwise perfection!
Prices are very reasonable, waitstaff is low key in a refreshing way (again, you don’t feel rushed, which is so nice these days), and seating is versatile and comfy

Parking: Free Parking lots to the side (both ends of street), and meter parking in front

Kid-friendliness: Weekdays are generally adults but wkds filled with families (in a good way), no pressure to quiet loud kids! My kids prefer silver dollar pancakes so they often opt for lunch items there at breakfast but works for us! Great neighborhood joint“

“What I love from a bagel place is when the bagels are handled by the employees only.. not behind a sneeze guard for people to use their sorry hands and get their own. This place might be busy, but the wait to order is not very long.. 10 minutes at most and then you can get your coffee as they give you a cup to put it yourself, sit down, inside or outside as they have tables outside too, and wait for your name to be called which again isn't long as they have 3 people preparing the food. Or even less waiting if you just order bagels to go as they just pack up what you want right after you pay.

The coffee might be self serve, but it was good and the bagel was great, I haven't tried the gingerbread man in my photos which I just bought cause I really liked his ugly face.

The only downside I see for this place is that there is no accessible entrance and they could invest in converting the rear entrance into a ramp.“

“Good food, but not worth the rushed experience.
My wife and I reserved a birthday brunch here. After traveling an hour, we were rushed in and out in just 25 minutes. The server was so rushed they missed several of our ordered dishes. The bill arrived right away, leaving no time to discuss the missing items.“

“i have gone here more than any other cafe in the world and i have lived in somerville for less than a year. this is my go-to spot when someone asks to meet for coffee. i will continuously update with more pictures (i often forget to take them) but here are reviews of everything ive eaten/drunk at 3 little figs.

overall: their prices are truly unbeatable for the quality. the most expensive coffee drink is a $5 mocha and a $4.5 latte and everything is lower than those two. incredible. their matcha latte is $4.5, chai is $4.5, london fog $4. yeah they’re my goat for this

pastries:
- apple cider donut muffin: i think of her constantly. beautifully spiced and a little crunchy on the outside but so melt in your mouth decadent on the inside. a wonderful donut in the shape of a muffin. she’s also like $3.50 or something nuts like that
- lavender biscuit: I also think of her constantly. crispy but airy but dense and slightly salty biscuit with the most yummy lavender glaze. ginormous for $3.5
- chai muffin: really soft and airy, the espresso icing is so delicious. i do not think of her all the time but she is what she says she is. the icing makes it so cupcake like but it’s the right amount of icing. for $3 im pogging
- goat cheese scone: YUM. it’s their biscuit again, huge, and has pieces of goat cheese that is salty and delicious. a great savoury pastry option
- chocolate pistachio cookie: she is DENSE. she is buttery. she is not that chewy. if that is what you’re into. just a very good warm dense cookie with melty chocolate

food:
- ricotta toast: ive only had it sweet here (cinnamon and honey) and it kickstarted my love for ricotta. airy, creamy, perfect sweetness, incredibly flavourful yet soft sourdough. banger. she’s $6 and a gateway to other toasts
- market sandwich: ive had better but i still enjoyed it (pic) - $11 is the steepest you can get at 3 little figs and this is it! it’s good though, and don’t sleep on the fig jam
- breakfast sandwiches: yum yum yum and smell so incredibly good. for $6 for a filling beautifully and artisanal crafted breakfast sandwich? aw yea. black pepper biscuit with sausage is the goat

cons:
- seating is ez if u come early in the morning like i do. if not then yea it’s hard
- too awesome
- not gate kept. because they deserve all the love and popularity

even more pros:
- free awesome water on tap (still and sparkling)
- swag too different, service too good, food too fresh, life is awesome“

“Nestled in Union Square is Maprang Café. Cute and cozy Asian café with endless pastry and sweet options. I have walked by this place a few times and was thrilled to finally try it and it wasn’t super busy when I walked in. I ordered the pumpkin spice latte and it was so delicious! The perfect amount of spice and a creamy finish. The food options also looked really pretty and colorful. I will mention the price points for the food options seemed a little pricey for the size and amount, but that is just my personal opinion. It is an adorable café and overall had a nice experience during my first visit.“

“Unique, delicious pastry. Best croissants and sourdough bread. Nice people. Can sit inside or outside.“

“great food, great service, and very friendly. worked with my nut allergy, which can be hard to find sometimes. Definitely worth check out if your in the area!“

“Finally, got to try This place. They had soft Opening which was not to best. The ordering process was pretty smooth . The wait was not to long. We got the infamous Sho-Gun Matcha/Vanilla Soft Serve Mix With Edible 24K gold , Maiko Special (Parfait) Hojicha/Strawberry Mix Soft Serve and Matcha Latte Float. Everything was so rich in favor. The matcha favor is probably the best that I had so far. You can taste the quality of the soft serve. It's a bit pricy but worth every penny. Definitely, need to try them out“

“Cute place and yummy baked goods as well as sandwiches and salads for lunch!“

“Neighborhood gem in Cambridgeport!! I was so thrilled to discover a cooperatively owned coffee shop near my house. Great vegan and vegetarian options, the staff wears masks and has free N-95 masks available, there’s reliable WiFi, an all-gender bathroom, and board games to play while in the cafe. I’ve had the lavender latte, maple golden milk latte, and have tried their pastries and sandwiches, and everything is delicious and fairly priced. I just wish they were open longer!

I haven’t WFH (worked from “home”) here before, but I’ve seen other folks with laptops out and it seems like a good place to work. Also a cute spot for a date or to hang with friends!

Be sure to support this local and cooperatively owned cafe!

Dietary restrictions: Vegan and vegetarian options!

Kid-friendliness: Board games available and enough space to bring a stroller in, plus a bathroom available“

“Our only go to for breakfast! Great food and the best staff!“

“If you’re looking for a place that’s clean, safe, and FUN to go highly recommend. Awesome food and drinks ($5 sandwiches during happy hour!), lovely outdoor patio dining, and there are still games available to play sanitized between people! So happy to come back here again and get the same great service.“

“Would give it 10 stars if I could! Fabulous place

Kid-friendliness: From their website: "Most of our game collection is geared toward people ages 10+, but we do have a small selection of kids’ games that can be brought out on request."“

“Morning Buns and great coffee!!!“

“Great coffee. Delightful owners“

“Whoever bakes their scones has a gift!“

“Amazing Staff, amazing food !!! If You’re in Harvard Sq. don’t miss out!“

“So nice, I went twice in one weekend!

Not to be dramatic, but their Pumpkin Spice Latte will change your life! Not the garbage 'pie spice' you get from other coffee shops, made with real pumpkin, this has a deep real-pumpkin flavor with a dash of pie spice making for the perfect fall beverage!

A friend had recommended it and I went in last Saturday and was so blown away, I met another friend there on Sunday! She is not a big pumpkin fan and even agreed how incredible this was! We both ordered avocado toast to go with it and that was delicious as well!

The staff here is so kind and helpful. We sat for a while and caught up and it was such a great vibe there.“

“smooth latte, nice to have a decaffeinated lattee.“

“One of our absolute favorite spots in town, we’re so lucky to have this in our community!“

“I have been enjoying this cafe for a few years now and am still always happy with the truly friendly service along with some of the best sandwichs ever. This is comparing to other great delis around the city. Their salami, capocollo, and provolone with everything on it, on a freshly baked and grilled toasted baguette has to be honestly in my top 3 sandwiches I have ever had in my life.“

“Awesome food and the staff is friendly. Also the hometown Cafe atmosphere is great.“

“TEBRİKLER... GÜZEL İNSANLAR“

“Dado is the best kept secret in Cambridge. A beautiful café that feels so peaceful, considered and thoughtful in its every detail—the perfect place to sit with a friend, or take some time to just be alone and read a book. The co-owner Namwon has great energy. He was always really kind and welcoming to me and my boyfriend (we are from Australia, but Dado felt like a little slice of home). The food is really tasty (I could never go past their egg-salad sandwich; my partner loves the bibimbap wrap), and Dado, of course, has an amazing selection of teas. More than just feeding the body, all the meals felt like they were nourishing the soul. Just good honest cooking—maybe the rarest of things today. We’re about to leave Harvard this semester, and one of the great things we’ll miss is Dado.“

“Stopped in on a whim and had a great meal. I was with my mother and my daughter all of us enjoyed the place. There was a little something for everyone even had a cocktail; we will be back.!“

“Awesome little cafe that brought me back to how cafe’s should be. A space for people to meet, gather, and enjoy good food/drink. It’s absolutely not just a coffee shop. The kitchen with a full menu and baked goods are fantastic. Highly recommend if you’re in the Boston area.

Parking: Parking in Boston is difficult and these locations rarely have dedicated parking.“

“Love this cozy spot! The location is ideal either to sit in, outside, or take your goodies for a walk down to the pond. They have a large variety of meals as well as breakfast and bakery items. I love that they sell day old baked goods when they have them as well. They also have a huge variety of milk types to add to your coffee, and hot sauces for food at the 'coffee/creamer station'. They have events here too!“

“Adorable little cafe. Feels very mom-and-pop shop-like.There are tons of sandwich options and cofee and tea (I think I saw about a dozen flavors of Stash tea).They had muffins and homemade cookies. They were closing within the hour so maybe that’s why the case was pretty empty, but the cookies were gooey and soft. No complaints.Plenty of cooler drinks too (like four massive coolers).And the seating on the street out front is GORGEOUS. Look at those trees!Plenty of parking and the t is just across the street.“

“I stumbled into this cozy little café on a rainy day without checking Google reviews, which I usually do. I was pleasantly surprised by the warm atmosphere and the friendly owner. The menu offers a nice selection of sandwiches and bagels. I ordered my usual hot caramel latte with oat milk, and it was delicious—not too sweet or over powered by the caramel but just having the underlying notes of it which is exactly what I love.“

“We knew we wanted Magic Bites to cater our family event and we were so pleased that we did! Atilla and Elif were helpful and patient planning the menu and everything was top notch delicious. They knew we had some allergies in the family and they made an extra effort to create large labels with all ingredients. I highly recommend them!!“

“please check out my friends place“

“I expected more than corned beef out of a can from the description on the menu. The home fries were cold. Good sized portions and the service was adequate. We chose another breakfast place for the next day. Great location, though, in a walkable neighborhood .“

“my favorite place to get my iced latte in the morning ♥️ and allergy friendly coffee flavors (brown sugar caramel is my fave)!“

“loved the chick pea fries❣“

“Adorable little café with indoor and outdoor seating behind the café. There is a limited amount of parking out front and they close around 6:30 so the parking ends around the time that they close. The store is fully accessible, they have a wide variety of looseleaf tea as well as Stash bagged tea. I got the Genmai cha.

I did one of the Bento boxes with pulled pork, tea eggs, edamame, rice, and veggies. It is absolutely delicious but definitely a little pricey. It was $19 for my tea and my food. But I do love the cafe and the people are super kind.

There is also a lot of knitting work that is for sale. Somebody there makes scarves and hats and such.

I really appreciate that they have notes all over the store and on the front door and on there to go bags reminding customers that they are going to be closed from August 26 until September 9. I really appreciate it when a business does right by their customers and make sure that they know That the place is open or closed. Thank you!

Wheelchair accessibility: No stairs“

“Great spot for coffee and croffle! I’m a fan of the cloud foam latte.

Update 10/5/24
I've been back a few time and they've added more items to their menu. I still think they have the best croffle in Boston. Their pistachio latte comes. which comes with a delicious layer of sweet foam, is heavenly!“

“There is a fabulous vibe in the space. Yummy egg scramble and avocado toast. Smooth cold brew coffee.“

“This charming coffee shop is the perfect spot to warm up with a cup of coffee and a quick bite on a cold morning. The ambiance is laid-back, with soft music in the background and immaculately clean tables that invite you to relax. The menu features a wide variety of coffee and tea options, we sampled the latte and mocha—both rich and flavorful, a great start to the day.

For food, we tried the French Croque Madame and the ZenZest Tuna Toast, both of which were delicious and carefully crafted. The pastry selection is equally impressive, with everything looking irresistibly fresh. The Portuguese Pastel de Nata, while good, would benefit from a quick toasting before being served to bring out its full potential.

While the prices are on the higher side (in the case of the sandwiches doesn’t appear in the menu) the overall experience, from the friendly staff to the quality of the offerings, makes it a worthwhile stop. The convenience of accepting credit cards adds to the appeal of this cozy, inviting café.“

“Everything :), The homemade bread and rice pudding are amazing. The omelette is so flavorful. I’m eager to try more:) they make you feel welcome :)“

“Crazy busy, but a phenomenal tea collection! They have Spirit and Kilogram teas.

I got to try two, and they were both delicious!!!

Ramp access makes it accessible.

Everyone was friendly and service was efficient.

Wheelchair accessibility: Ramp“

“great food friendly atmosphere anall the staff are top notch“

“My favorite Cafe in the neighborhood. I am there every morning for my coffee and some reading time, and then there all weekend for the different music and cultural events they host. I love the ethos of Faro. It is a comforting, warm, and inviting space that helps remind me to slow down and take a breath. Fantastic Cortado and amazing ambiance. The employees have always made me feel so welcome.“

“Coleen will immediately make you feel part of her community. We popped in for brunch on a recommendation and we're so happy we did. Small town community feel in the heart of Brookline. Excellent food, fair pricing, owner operated; and you can see she's well loved in the community. I will always come back here if I'm in the area looking for a bite to eat and a break.“

“The Square Root has great coffee, beer, and food and is fun intimate place to catch LIVE music!“

“I'm not sure why the not great star rating! I came here on a weekday afternoon and I personally found it to have a really nice ambience. The food was perfectly decent and came quickly. I got the chilli scrambled eggs and found the dish to be flavorful and fresh. The waitress was really sweet, and I felt calm and soothed!“

“Excellent food and service, big portions. Relaxing and friendly“

“I absolutely loved the fresh bagels at Cafe Fresh Bagel! Plain and cinnamon bagels were so good! They were super flavorable. I loved every bite! I definitely encourage others to come stop by.The customer service here was really sweet and polite. They put me at ease.“