In my opinion, Boston’s love of coffee isn’t all that surprising if you think about the city’s history. After the Boston Tea Party, where citizens dumped tea into the harbor to protest the British rule, they of course would have had to pivot to another hot beverage. Some say that Boston is now a city obsessed with coffee, especially of the iced variety. You’ll see people walking around with a cold brew even in the dead of winter! Bostonians drink A LOT of Dunkin Donuts coffee in particular, likely thanks to the chain being founded just a 25 minute drive south in Quincy, MA. Personally I’m not a fan, but to each their own. According to the Dunkin website, as of 2025 there are over 60 locations in Boston alone! Besides the large coffee chain, there are also an abundance of local roasters and specialty shops to choose from in Boston.

Reminder: I don’t use stars or number ratings for the coffee shops I visit. Reviews like that tend to be pretty subjective, and in my experience not all that helpful. We all have different tastes, and there could be a coffee shop I loved that someone else hates! So instead I focus on relevant details like: the vibes/decor, my thoughts on what I ordered, recommendations/tips, and overall if I enjoyed my visit or not. Then you can decide whether or not you want to give them a shot. Interested in my other coffee-related travels? Check out the rest of my Will Travel for Coffee series!

Wake Up. Drink Coffee. Travel. Repeat.

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• Planning a trip to Boston? Check out these things to do during your visit!
• Need somewhere to stay? Check out my rundown of all the Boston hotels I’ve stayed in.
• Hungry? Check out my favorite places to eat & drink in Boston!

Phin Coffee House

It’s safe to say that this Vietnamese cafe within walking distance of South Station is my favorite of the coffee shops I’ve visited in Boston so far. They serve a variety of uniquely flavored coffee drinks (think coconut coffee, ube latte, and citrus espresso) along with baked goods, spring rolls, salads, and banh mi sandwiches. The interior is minimalist with a hint of neoclassical design, with a few key geometric accents like the crown molding and giant central circular light. There is some seating, but not a ton, so I’d say you should probably plan to take any food to-go if you visit during the busy breakfast or lunch rushes.

My personal favorite coffee order is their Boston Cream Latte, a Vietnamese iced coffee with your choice of milk. It is SO GOOD. If you’re looking for something super strong after a long travel day, it’ll perk you right up! I haven’t tried the food here yet, so unfortunately I can’t speak to the quality, but its on my list for my next Boston visit. I’ll say that the only real negative I have about this spot is that service can be a little slow. My last visit was around 2pm on a weekday and I was the only one waiting, and it still took about 5 minutes after ordering to get my iced coffee.

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Tatte Bakery & Cafe

Apparently it’s so common for people to ask how to say Tatte (pronounced like latte) that they’ve put it on shirts, bags, and even the coffee sleeves! The bakery and coffee chain got its start in Boston in 2007 and has since expanded to include over 40 locations throughout the Northeast: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. They’re known for their baked goods and brunch dishes, with a mix of rotating seasonal specials as well as year-round favorites like shakshuka and massive slices of French toast.

There are so many great options on the menu that I got a little overwhelmed trying to choose! I opted to go simple my first time, getting a cortado and a morning bun. Both were solid but not necessarily all that memorable. I did enjoy them enough that I’d stop in again if I was passing by, and maybe this time grab a sit down meal instead.

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George Howell Coffee

If you do a search for “Best Coffee in Boston”, George Howell often ranks pretty high on a lot of lists. I visited the flagship Downtown Crossing location at the Godfrey Hotel. The decor inside is modern, with floor to ceiling windows giving off a lot of natural light and contemporary art lining the walls. They also have 2 other locations within Boston, including one inside of the Boston Public Market, as well as a roastery and 2 other locations in the greater Boston metro.

I’d honestly recommend sticking to only coffee here, as the bakery items I tried were a bit disappointing. I tried a mixed berry muffin that tasted more like lemon than anything, and the berries just weren’t distributed very well. The iced caramel oat milk latte that I ordered was a little sweeter than I generally prefer, but delicious nonetheless! Service was fairly quick – I visited at 8am on a weekday morning and even though there was a bit of a line I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.

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The Well Coffee House

This non-profit coffee house landed on my want-to-try list because of their community-focused mission and the fact that they donate to a different local charity each month. The Well is known for their wide variety of coffee options to choose from, including so many different seasonal flavors! Its a very casual, no frills spot. They have plenty of different seating options, whether you want to grab something to eat, get some work done, or just read a book in a comfy chair.

We visited on a warm fall morning to fuel up before walking the Freedom Trail. I ordered an iced cinnamon roll latte and a blueberry muffin, while my mom went with a caramel latte and lemon poppyseed muffin. My coffee tasted okay, just a little too sweet for my taste. My mom on the other hand said her coffee was perfect, but she has more of a sweet tooth (and prefers a subtler coffee flavor) than I do! So I’d say this probably isn’t the spot for serious coffee purists.

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For Next Time

Gracenote Coffee – 108 Lincoln Street.
A minimalist coffee roaster that I often see rated as one of the best coffee shops in all of Boston.

Sip Cafe – 0 Post Office Square.
This coffee bar is located inside of a cute conservatory/greenhouse-esque building with tons of windows and natural light.

Thinking Cup – 85 Newbury Street.
A patisserie and coffee shop with multiple locations around Boston. According to their website, they’re the first spot in Downtown Boston to serve Stumptown Coffee (one of my favorites) exclusively.

Little Wolf Coffee – 51 Sleeper Street.
The first Boston location for this specialty coffee roaster based out of Ipswich, MA.

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What coffee shops in Boston do you think I should try next? Let me know in the comments!
See the button below? You could buy me my next coffee!