Go find out what an espresso is supposed to taste like. Espresso is one of those things that can't be perfect every pull, and they are one of the only places I've encountered that embraces that fact. If it doesn't look right, they throw it out. If you don't like yours, just tell them and they'll make you another one. Their beans are also my favorite of any roaster I've tried (we're talking hundreds), and I go through a bag of espresso and a general purpose bag a week. read more

This is one of the better places to have coffee in the Boston area, and I've enjoyed their product at various shops around town. At Barismo ground zero the baristas take care in all steps of the glorious and time consuming espresso making process, and the extra care shows in the drinks. However, it's mainly a roastery and if you're expecting a typical cafe experience, you'll be disappointed. This is definitely not sit-down with a laptop and while away your time type of cafe and they have a very limited drink menu. So, if you want a ton of different options for your brew, like a lot of milk options, flavors, etc. you probably want to try a different place. However, if you want really good coffee/espresso drinks, care about high quality and/or are a coffee nerd, and could care less about the somewhat uninviting locale and/or don't mind carryout, Barismo will probably fit the bill. read more

Barismo - Coffee Roaster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

My husband loves this place - it appeals to his nerdy side, the side that stays up til 5 AM on a workday. Every time we pass by Barismo, I have to pull him (salivating) off the window, and explain that we do NOT need another piece of coffee paraphernalia - no matter HOW amazingly it cradles the glorious beans. It's pretty mysterious when you walk by, leaving you to wonder, "What is Barismo? Is it like Starbucks?" - NO, and shame on you for even thinking that. They don't sell individual cups here, nor do they sell trans-fat free pastries and stuffed monkeys that benefit zoos in Tiajuana. Tastings are fun, but I wish I appreciated this store more. I like the enthusiasm the staff has for what they do, but it's not really my cup of tea. read more

Barismo didn't rock my socks like I was hoping it would, but they did serve me a good latte. Not an earthshaking one, but a really solid, tasty latte. The place is spartan. You walk in, and it's clear that the roasting operation is number one, and serving schmoes off the street is not exactly a priority. They also don't do fancy drinks, just coffee and milk. That said, I shouldn't say "just coffee," because they definitely take their coffee seriously. In fact, they probably think I'm a chump for wanting to corrupt my black gold with milk at all. So, I'll be back, and I'll make sure to bring along the snobbiest coffee snobs I know, to show them how hip to their jive I am. read more

For a cup o' coffee, go across the street to Quebrada. But if you live in or near East Ahhhhlington, you already knew that. If you want some good beans to grind up at home, then get yo punk ass into Barismo. They have a damn cool roaster machine thing made out of yellow-painted steel that takes up damn near half the space. Badass. read more

After walking in to Barismo with a big head, thinking I knew the world about coffee, I left feeling completely castrated. These guys know their @%&#!!!! Three types of alternative brewing methods: pour over (V60), woodneck, and siphon. Not knowing what woodneck was, I grabbed that. Oh good heavens, was this a good cup of coffee. It's like they took the pour over and made it even stronger and more aromatic. I had a 10 minute discussion with the barrista about the different coffee brewing methods and roasts they had. If you're a coffee buff, head over to Barismo. These guys supply wholesale beans and grinds across all over Boston. Not only that, they've got siphons, V60s and woodnecks for sale. It's legit!! read more

Coffee is dynamite - but the service can be a challenge if there's more than one of you in line - but thats more due to the fact that they're not going to rush what will be a superb cup of coffee. Starbucks seems like the worst of things after having a coffee from here. This is the only time I can recall ever drinking a coffee without sugar. We make weekly pilgrimages here to buy their roasted beans - seems to be just about the best we can find around town for making coffee at home. read more

These people know their stuff and I love popping over for a cappuccino or latte. Simple shop, no sit down, just stand around while your coffee is poured and chat with the barisma/o. smaller size cups help me to enjoy the coffee slower as their shots are some of the best in the Boston area. simple, clean, knowledgeable. read more

I love Barismo coffee. I used to live near Dwelltime (their cafe in Cambridge). It completely spoiled me, and I thank Barismo/Dwelltime for that. I just wish they would get started on improving the Arlington space already, since the roaster function has moved to Somerville. Or is that plan dying? read more

Ok. I was really looking forward to a great experience at this place and like others, it was not that great. Where do I start. The interior needs a bit of an upgrade. When I got here around 2:30pm, the place was empty and dirty. Floors look like it wasn't swept and cleaned in days. I asked for a flat white though the barista compared it to a cappuccino. I said I don't like the foam in cappuccino but she said their cappuccino is not foamy. My flat white was foamy as a cappuccino. I also said I'm staying but I received a togo cup. As a Arlington resident and coffee enthusiast, we can do better. I'll try this place again hoping second time is better but first impressions was meh. Cheers! read more

I absolutely love Barismo! The care and effort they put into each cup of coffee brewed with the woodneck is fantastic. I walk other there at least once a week, ask for a woodneck drip of whatever they recommend and I have yet to be disappointed. I love that they can tell you about where the beans are sourced and details about the farms and any unique processes the beans go through (ask them about the difference between their decaf and regular decaf coffee for a real lesson in coffee). The twenty minutes I spend in the small storefront are totally the best twenty minutes of my day. If you go, order a woodneck drip. Drink it black. read more

The owner and his coworker are a bit cold. So what? It's (Greater) Boston! I just came back from a short (though it still felt all-too-long) exile in Chicago, and let me tell you about rude baristas! (They don't even give you the Midwestern Nice shit!--except for the people at Cafe 57 on the South Side... that's a quality place.) And they know their stuff. I'm so glad to find a place to make me forget that Intelligentsia exists. My wife and I love the coffee so much we bought a hand grinder and a drip brew set. But it would take less time to walk down to Barismo and back, so we just do that. Looking forward to the sit-down coffee bar they're (apparently?) opening in Mid-Cambridge. I actually give a sixth star for playing the late, the great Townes Van Zandt the first two times I went. I take it away because neither the owner nor his employee knew who the hell Townes Van Zandt was. read more

These guys KNOW coffee. They live and breathe it. I've been in their store perhaps 4 times and every time they're conducting some new kind of lab experiment to see how they can elevate their coffee roasting to a new level. I think that before too long they'll be earning national awards for their coffees. They roast right there in the store, and they take their coffee really seriously. read more

Barismo is a great place to learn about every aspect of coffee, from buying beans to brewing a great cup. The baristas clearly take a lot of pride in their work but still have a great sense of humor. Impatient customers can sometimes be a bummer. This definitely isn't the place to go if you want a really quick coffee drink. However if you can afford the time, it is a delightful place to relax and enjoy a tasty beverage. Cool music and people make the wait downright pleasant. While I am a sucker for americanos, I've been meaning to dabble in their woodneck brewed coffee. read more

I got some beans a couple of weeks ago and they have been really good. Espresso Soma: Sweet, chocolate, hint of fruit/berries. Very good espresso, better as a shorter shot or in cappuccino. Espresso 7: Burnt caramel, citrus. Delicious. Works really well as straight shot, but holds up in milk too. While Soma is their flagship espresso blend, I actually preferred Espresso 7 slightly. It just worked a little better in my home espresso machine. So if your portafilter size limits you dose (I can only fit about 17g in my 53mm portafilter), then you might enjoy Espresso 7 a little more - it works better at lower(ish) doses. Plus, $12 a pound? That is such a deal. read more

The coffee here is fine. Having only one employee on the weekends makes the line move very slowly. It doesn't seem like it's fair to that barista to not have some assistants. Typically you would see one barista ringing up customers and handing out pastries while a second barista makes the coffee drinks. But mostly, opening at 8 on weekdays makes it impossible for me to get a morning coffee before work. The service is always fine, I'm just saying hire another person and open earlier. read more

The staff is extremely knowledgeable about coffee. I am very impressed and have been telling everyone about this great place. My only concern is that the coffee (by the pound) is expensive. Also, this place is hard to find, even if you know where it is. The sign in the window is white against a white background. Who does that? read more

Barismo has the best coffee in the area by far. There is really no other place that I can think of as a close second. The seating area is very sparse and simple but making really good coffee is their focus. read more

They have a just right coffee for me always. Cozy and comfortable place for a break. Service is easy and quick. I like latte here a lot! :)

Spent a working-from-home day here and loved it. The latte was excellent, employees friendly, and the space was very comfortable. The negatives: * There's not much to eat with your coffee. Food selection consists of a few types of cookies. Nothing savory. * There's not much seating: only one table that seats about 7. Not an issue for me as I was there on a quiet day. This could actually be a plus as there's a lot less activity, so it was easier to focus on work! And this isn't Barismo's fault, but visitor beware: I got a parking ticket!! There's no sign outside so it looks like the parking is free, but in fact there's a 2 hour time limit on Mass Ave. I believe side streets are unlimited. Plan accordingly! read more

They regularly open later than their posted hours and close earlier and their hours are inconvenient to begin with. There is always only one person working who makes one drink at a time, so even if you have 4 people in front of you it can take 20 minutes. The coffee is awesome, it's just near impossible to get a cup. read more

Barismo people know what they are doing. This is the only place I can think of to go out of my way to get a cup of coffee. From day to day, the bean line-ups change so you may or may not like in any given day, but every cup is darn good to super. read more

A visit to Barismo is a special experience for coffee lovers. It's strictly about roasting and brewing coffee, NOT merchandising or wasting the day on your iPad. There's no place to sit, so you either take your drink and go, or you can mill about and learn the secrets of COFFEE. The only time I've had better coffee was in Costa Rica, where they prepared it with a reusable cloth bag, similar to one of the options at Barismo. So happy that it's in my town, and I hope they stick around a long time. read more

My first visit to this cafe was pleasant, the staff was courteous, and the cold brew was very smooth. On my second visit, today, I encountered the rudest customer service person in years. I do not know what motivated this rude behavior as she did not behave with the same level of nastiness with the next person in line. I would hate to think it was just the way I looked. I can only say that I hope that this behavior was a one-off. Unfortunately, this means that this cafe has permanently lost two customers and counting, permanently. read more

Great little spot. Great coffee and an interesting but fantastic selection to choose from. Went there for an entire week while I was visiting friends on the east coast. I even tried some blends that I didn't think I would like but was surprised that I did. My point, the place is so good that even when I expected not to like a blend, I did!! read more

Gave this place many chances but ended up having one too many negative experiences. The last straw was when I asked for cream, after waiting 15 minutes for an Americano, and the barista snidely commented that I should have ordered a cafe au lait instead. Living in the PNW over the years, I've been a part of the whole "3rd wave" of coffee thing that Barismo is riding on the coat tails of, so I get the whole "I know more about coffee then you" vibe that some shops and baristas give of. Been there and done that. Too bad because the place does pull a great shot. However, the customer should never feel they're having to put in an effort to get something that they're paying for. I know it's a crazy concept but the customer is actually the reason that you're there. read more

I dunno... I'm sure the coffee is really good but I couldn't stick around waiting until the staff finished their post-ironic discussions about their latest conversation pieces that they've put onto their bodies. Get over yourselves and if the boss is reading this, get a new staff altogether emphasizing customer service. read more

Sure, the coffee is really good. But at prices like these, you'd expect to get at least a little bit of helpful service. And instead you get treated like a moron child who just doesn't grasp the subtleties of coffee. Look, I grind my beans by hand every day in a fantastic German-made burr grinder. I *get* it, ok? I know why pregrinding is a bad idea. But when I needed to serve coffee to thirty guests without burning out my arms on the crank grinder, I made a special trip to Barismo immediately before my guests would be arriving, thinking they would surely help me out by running a bag of their beans through their nice big grinder, which I would take home and immediately brew. No way. Outright refused. "We only sell whole beans." Yes, I know, can I please buy these whole beans and then ask you to help me out by grinding them so I can go home and immediately brew them? "No, against our policy." There was nobody else in line. For ten seconds of hands-on time he could have been the good guy, and I would have happily told all my guests where this great coffee had come from. Instead he cites policy (not a very compelling reason when you're clearly in charge here) and leaves the customer in a lurch. So instead my guests got to hear instead about why they weren't drinking great coffee from Barismo. And unsurprisingly, several others shared similar stories. These guys just don't get customer service. If you go into one of the world's best restaurants and order your steak well-done, the chef may well think you're a moron. But if he has any class, he will serve it the way you ask. That's how customer service works. These guys are apparently too good for that. read more

Came in to Barismo early in the afternoon on a Sunday. Wanted to try their iced coffee, they said that they always sell out of their iced coffee early on Sundays, guess I'm not having any coffee. A coffee shop that can't keep iced coffee in stock, no thanks. They do not sell any pastries here either, this place is pretty bare bones. read more

Why am I waiting ten minutes for a $3 cup of coffee when there is no one ahead of me in line? Oh, is it because the barista can't be bothered to make my coffee? Yes, yes it is. I don't think I'm being unreasonable to expect the barista to start making my coffee within five minutes of me placing an order. Again, no one else is here. Slow and rude service. I don't care how the coffee tastes. read more

My favorite place to get coffee in the greater Boston area. I would not recommend going there if you are in a rush to be somewhere. The baristas take their time to make the best drink for you. Come to linger and enjoy the beans that have a story to tell. It is worth all of the wait! read more

So sad to give only two stars. I used to LOVE this place when it first opened. Simply the freshest and varied selection of premium coffees around. Best latte in Boston. Unfortunately the Arlington location has taken a nosedive in recent months. They no longer roast in house so bags of beans are scarce and run out very quickly. Nothing to chose from the past 3x I went. Also didn't have filters in stock or LIDS for my to-go coffee! It's a coffee shop, if there's no product....what's the point? Coffee is still great if you can deal with the pretentious attitude of the employees. read more

Barismo is a must miss. The unfriendly Barista told me they had no decaf espresso, as if asking for a decaf latte wasn't cool. I settled for a lukewarm "pour over" decaf coffee that was made more sad by milk, as they have no cream. No reason to recommend or ever return. read more

I had the loveliest Saturday afternoon at a Barismo coffee tasting/brewing demonstration. It doesn't get much better for me than being served free delicious coffee while listening to smart people speaking passionately about their work, which (if I may naïvely say) seems genuinely to not be about turning a buck, but good-doing and appreciating. My one disappointment was not being able to walk out the door with any Kiandu. This stuff is literally the taste of beautiful. Alas, I will have to wait some days until they restock. As someone with a science background I was really impressed by how well they understood the chemistry of coffee. Also, as someone who knew nothing about the logistics and chemistry of making chocolate while I worked for Taza, I found the scoop on bean farming and roasting extremely illuminating. This might be the only other thing that is delicious and educational besides eating a popsicle with facts about dinosaurs on the stick. read more

This small shop is a coffee roaster with a espresso machine. They do make Great (real) latte made with some of the best coffee beans and Highlawn farm milk, as for other coffee its basically just basic but properly made small lattes or espresso. Though not a happy customer driving from Peabody to purchase beans to only find out to sell whole beans and will not grind them! Prices do reflect the quality and are much more than the average bag of coffee. Service wise don't expect too many smiles or long chat's here or even a thank you! Don't be surprised if you walk in and you are not acknowled at all. The atmosphere could be more welcoming and cleaner to enhance this great little shop also it very hot in there. A great product does not make up for poor service. read more

Wow. 1. I'm a committed milk-(with-my-coffee)-drinker, and I'm drinking my second pot of their Pastoral straight. It tastes so good, I don't want to miss a thing. 2. I don't get that shitty crash after drinking, like i do after (local roasters) Terroir, or the unfortunate occasional cup of Dunkin' Donuts. I sail on a gentle cloud of Beauty, and am set down nicely... 3. It's nice to support people who do one thing and do it well. They're nice people, and they're motivated by quality, love of coffee, and serving their customers--not just chasing a dollar. And they're good at what they do, so you can taste it... 4. Their coffee tastes of the country, and region, and the farm it's from. This can help customers find their preferences, and it's fascinating to taste the different flavors typical of different regions. 5. They've opened a drinks bar. Simon's is still my chill spot, but after waiting 20 gawdawful minutes for the 77 bus, it's nice to get drinks on the level of Cafe Grumpy in Manhattan, etc. 6. These people know their stuff. So if you tell them that you like a more acidy cup, or prefer natural-process funk, or "bass notes" in your coffee...they will steer you to what might please you. It's all good stuff, and so it boils down after that point to preferences, which is one of the places connoisseurship really becomes fun, and only works if somebody--ideally both parties--know what the hell they're doing, and can have an intelligent discussion about it. And, again, the payoff? Taste. Flavor. Happiness. P.S. It makes me laugh (wryly) that in this town places like Diesel, 1369, and Crema, get four and five stars. Ah, Boston. read more

On my first visit, I was served a terrible, sour shot of espresso--simply awful. I tried to explain the problem to the barista, but he was too occupied with bloviating with his buddies about technique to offer to pull another shot to prove that he knew espresso from a hole in the ground. I've had better espresso at a highway rest stop in Italy. I'll consider another visit, but a smidgen of customer service would have created a lot more good will. read more

I get my hair cut at Mami, which is just down the street. I put my son in the chair in Hidemi's capable hands, and ran down the block in the snow to buy some coffee. The aroma of the store was enough to make any coffee lover go into sensory overload. The staff, both of them were busy roasting and packaging. I threw my $11 down and purchased a 12 oz. bag of Antigua, Fedecocagua COOP, Pastoral. Over the next several days I sampled this lighter roast and found it agreeable. The first cup I tried black and piping hot. I used an over sized cup to take in the bouquet. While I enjoy good coffee black, after that I proceeded as normal, with a tiny bit of milk and sugar. I went through the bag in 4 days, I was a little sad to see it go. I found myself having taste flashbacks like when I have a really excellent wine with a good meal. There is a local roaster I patronize and I detect a subtle difference in form and philosophy. I'm looking forward to my next haircut and my next bag of beans. I'm sure the local guy will understand my need to see other roasters. read more

I don't get it. They only use whole milk. They have no sweeteners or flavors except sugar. I know they want to do the fancy, focus on the beans kind of thing, but they are alienating a large customer base, including me. read more

I'm pretty sure this place might be either a performance art piece or an attempt to prove to the Pacific Northeast that they can be out-hipstered. It's really hard to order, because the menu is limited and the barista is monosyllabic and doesn't explain anything. It took 20 minutes to make a pour over. But - the coffee tastes good even though there's no cream, and any annoyance is easily dealt with by picturing what would happen if the store's occupants were all forced to go to a Dunkin Donuts. read more