The bathroom is an experience. The roof is about 5'6, and is located in the "basement"? We decided to drop by Harvard before heading out of Boston. It's kind of crazy that we actually wanted to stop by a university on a vacation. We treated it like a landmark. I think that says a lot about the prestige and history of the university. When in the area we wanted to get a quick bite to eat and came across this small shop on Yelp. After reading the reviews we parked and headed in. The "People Love Us On Yelp" sticker was up...good sign! We ordered two tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto sandwiches. Yes! Devoured that thing! The bread tasted fresh and was just the right amount of crunchy. It had a delicious pesto sauce which made the bread easier to chew on. The rest of the ingredients were fresh and had the perfect amount of meat to cheese. We almost got another one to go! It's a small shop and there was a good amount of people in there. There were some houses across the street and the guy came over, picked up breakfast and went back home. I was very envious of him...what a sweet place to live! read more

Café Rustica - Love - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

See all

Going over some old pics to delete on my computer I came across some I took of my lunch a couple of years ago at Cafe Rustica. The pics brought back the wonderful memory of that lunch, the great service, great tasting food and of the time my son lived about 3 blocks from there. All I can say is I miss going there and wish he still lived in Boston. SO go there now, have a great sandwich for me and enjoy the fact that you have one great place in your area. read more

See all

Our experience at this restaurant has consistently been exceptional. The food is consistently wonderful, and the service surpasses expectations every time. This has become our go-to breakfast spot every weekend. read more

Café Rustica is awesome. My roommates and I moved onto Beacon street in March right as everything started to shut down due to COVID. Today was the day we got to finally try the adorable café on our street after reopening. A few points: 1) In a COVID world, they were incredibly cautious and clean. They had masks on and hand sanitizer was readily available. I felt very secure ordering food there. 2) Both gentleman in the shop were delightful. They were super friendly, sweet and really made us feel apart of the neighborhood. 3) The food was awesome! I got the rustica special- all the ingredients were fresh and tasty. My roommate got a roast beef sandwich and she loved hers as well! I would have included pictures but I couldn't wait to eat! We look forward to going here often in the future! I would highly recommend! read more

Great people, great bread, great vibe, great sandwiches. Loved this place so much. If I were a local this would be my study spot!!!! read more

Café Rustica - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

See all

This is now my second visit to cafe rustica and I have tried most of the cafes in this part of town. Cafe Rustica has bomb sandwiches. The bread is fire, the ingredients are fresh, and it's not thrown together haphazardly. Also the manager is super nice. read more

Wonderful coffee, pastries and bagels. An oasis to relax. Very nice staff. Highly recommend.

Good food. Very reasonable prices. Excellent customer service. Really nice folks. Particularly excellent. Highly recommend for good, simple food. read more

Cafe Rustica is the classic neighborhood joint. They have big portions for good prices. What more can I say!

This hidden Gem is my neighborhood go to when I am in Cambridge! The owners are super friendly & accommodating..I am vegetarian dairy free...110% satisfying!! Great coffees and drinks...amazing croissants breakfast or lunch...this is THE spot!! read more

We had the Rustica Special Sandwich and the Turkey Provolone - both amazing. I wish I had pictures!! I also dropped in the next day for an iced chai latte and I swear it was one of the best I have ever had. The service is always so fast and the workers are so kind. Check it out!! read more

Their roast beef and brie sandwich is one of the best sandwiches in Greater Boston. Comes with hot pickled peppers, roasted red peppers, red onion, lettuce, tomato and I think pickles on a really tasty baguette, it's unbelievably good. My other favorite is their Italian tuna sandwich, wicked good. They also have solid breakfast sandwiches, good coffee, and it's just a really nice cafe to hang out in, with a backyard dining area too. They also deliver on Grubhub now. Highly recommend, definitely worth traveling a bit or ordering delivery for the roast beef sandwich. read more

Café Rustica - Roast beef & brie sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Love this place! Love the food, the guys who run it, and the overall vibe which is friendly and where everyone is "known." It's hard to find a place like this in this day and age--good for them! read more

Rustica is absolutely my go-to for breakfast or lunch in Cambridge. The staff is incredibly kind and the sandwiches and bagels are always fresh and delicious. Highly recommend. read more

I've been going here for years and it's consistently well above average. Just the bread they make sandwiches with is elevated to European standards of excellence. There's just nothing like this around, and it's fun to practice my French with the kind staff & owners. read more

I had a great first trip to Cafe Rustica! It just looks like a coffee shop from the outside, but they have a full brunch and lunch menu. Everyone was friendly and helpful and the breakfast sandwich I had was served in a basket to me outside on their patio. read more

Café Rustica - The backyard is set up as a well spaced patio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I can't say enough positive things about this place. It is rare to find a restaurant/cafe/pub that you can genuinely say makes you feel like you are at home. The staff are some of the kindest, hardworking people I've encountered. Now the food? Top notch sandwiches, salads, coffee, and pastries. I personally can't ask for a better ham sandwich, but all there food is amazing. I recommend giving them your business! read more

Delightful place to go for breakfast and lunch. The owners are kind and make you feel special every time you walk in their place. My highest recommendation for this patient. I love their hot chocolate. read more

I live down the street from here, and it's the perfect place to just hangout and read a book, or grab a quick bite to go. They have cute little benches along the wall with tables in front. It's very cozy. The breakfast sandwiches are out of this world! I get ham, cheese, and egg on multigrain bread (or a bagel) and they are huge! I usually use a fork/knife because it's so large. They also have a good selection of tea, and will happily refill your mug with hot water. This must be family owned/operated, because the gentlemen who work here are always so polite and happy. They seem to really take pride in their shop & service. Overall great place. Happy to come here when I have time. read more

Café Rustica - Ham, cheese, & egg on toasted multigrain bread. A+ - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Tomatoes sliced fresh for each sandwich. Now that's the way to do things. Wonderful service, too. Just top notch. read more

Simply put: delicious sandwich, perfect cup of coffee and delightful service. Love that they have Al fresco seating in front and back. And the price is right! read more

See all

Friendly true Italian environment, with a wonderful back patio. The hospitality is through the roof as soon as you step inside. Great menu selections and delicious food. read more

After our yelp event here, I'll be coming back. The prices were unbeatable (2 dollars for a large iced T), the guy behind the bar was amazingly quick and friendly. The best part is the small back yard seating they have. You feel like you're hanging out at your friends house. (With the Yelp Event, it seemed like you were at a VERY popular friend's house). In addition to possibly the best iced t in Boston, make sure you grab a canoli. Very unexpected, but these were great. The Mozzarella, Tomato and pesto sandwiches were worth mentioning as well. For a cheap cold drink and a snack, if you're in the area during the day, there are few places quite as chill as this one. A must visit for the summer. read more

This sandwich was amazing. I can't express how much I loved the classic sandwich. I added avocado and prosciutto. The sandwich was huge and the service was great. I was liked on with a blister they offered of band aids and said take a seat and relax. Mind you it was 30 minutes before closing. If I am ever in Cambridge I will be sure to to stop in for a bite here. read more

Café Rustica - Rustics special - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Absolutely love this place! I bring everyone here to show them this hidden gem. Best breakfast sandwiches in the area, especially if you get it on ciabatta bread! Cute place with friendly staff too. read more

I've been here twice now and both times have gotten the Rustica Special! Sooooo amazing! It is a sandwich on a nice crunchy, chewy bread, with pesto, tomato, mozarella, and I add proscuitto. I forget what else, but soooooo good! Friendly, professional staff. Cute little cafe too, makes me feel like I'm back in Italy. Has a cute little outside area too. read more

At the risk of over-exposing this wonderful little gem of a cafe, I have to say that no place in Boston does better cappuccino foam. Hands down, the best. Do yourself a favor. Grab a book or a date, get a cappuccino for coffee and the rustica special caprese sandwich for lunch, and find yourself a table on the back patio. You won't be disappointed. read more

Café Rustica - Cappuccino with add-your-own cinnamon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Solid 4.5. For a little no-frills deli - very different than my normal restaurants - this place hit the spot! Tried it out today after seeing so many positive reviews, and I wasn't disappointed. When I got there, admittedly I was a little skeptical. The ambiance was nice though nothing out of this world (simple, clean, quaint). The menu didn't have too many choices so I ordered the Rustica Special: a crusty french roll (mini baguette) with pesto, thin tomato slices, and (lots of) mozzarella. The bread and cheese were fresh, the pesto well-seasoned. It was a really great sandwich - simple yet full of flavor. I usually reserve the last star/half for excellent customer service that goes above and beyond, hence my 4.5 rating. It seems that regulars know the drill (order, wait, then pay rather than awkwardly standing by counter after ordering), so lesson learned for next time. Would 100% return! read more

Such a perfect sandwich. I had a roast beef, Brie and roasted reds with mustard. It was perfect and served with a smile. Damn good fresh ice tea. In the 15 minutes I've been here, 3 people came in and were addressed by name. I love that sense of small town home in a culture so often in a rush. They just earned another regular. Heads up or you'll blow right by here. It's next to a laundromat with a similar front. read more

See all

Friendly hosts, great food, and a cozy ambiance. When the weather is good, their backyard is really great to sit.

Best sandwich in somerville hands down. Get the following: 1. Rustica special with prosciutto on French 2. Chicken salad on ciabatta 3. Italian tuna salad on ciabatta 4. Pasta salad read more

Café Rustica - She's happier than she looks! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This is definitely a local's spot. We stopped in here for breakfast before checking out Harvard. I ordered their daily special sandwich (mozzarella, tomato, pesto, basil) on 7grain bread (yea, for breakfast. It sounded good - and it was). My boyfriend got a breakfast sandwich on a bagel. Both were great and our lattes were strong. The owner was nice as could be and greeted us both as we entered and left. You could tell he takes pride in this little shop. My only complaint is the parking situation is a bit tough. All of the street parking seems to be resident only, though we didn't get a ticket. There was also construction going on so that could have been part of it. Overall nice little local spot! read more

See all

Love this place. Charming owner who can rock a statement hat is lively and seems to know everyone who comes in, and is welcoming to those new to the place . Super friendly and cheerful even early Tues morning. We also overheard him speaking fluent French to a customer. Chicken salad on ciabatta was light and delicious. Red onions fresh, so you really taste them. Prosciutto added to the Rustica Special on ciabatta was really good, fresh and tasty with fresh provolone that resembled something more like fresh mozerella. They served Barry's tea, which was a very pleasant surprise. Had the Barry's Gold. The owner serves you himself. Excellent atmosphere with uplifting classical music. Good prices. Filling servings. Definitely a gem in Somerville, if you can get out here. The place is cozy, maybe seating around 20 people at a time, but the ambiance is still fantastic, and the prices right. read more

This place has one of the most friendliest staffs around. In addition to that it is one the few real cafes in the area. Being a real cafe means having seating area and allowing guests to stay as long as they want. However this alone is not what makes Cafe Rustica fantastic, what makes it so great is its food. I prefer the roast beef sandwich, which has roast beef, Brie, and roasted red peppers. I've been living in this area for 3 years and no place makes a better sandwich. Forget going to the overrated Panera or Pot Belly establishments, they don't even hold a candle to Cafe Rustica. After the sandwich, be sure to get a chocolate chip cookie and a double iced latte. Few places if any do it better than Cafe Rustica. read more

Café Rustica - Roast beef specialty sandwich. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

My most favorite-ist cafe in the area. A European-style cafe run by the friendliest North African guys ever. Excellent coffee, sandwiches, and biscotti. I think they order in their croissants and some other baked goods, but these are pretty consistently good as well. My only qualm about reviewing this place? That it will get too crowded :) read more

Café Rustica - Baby Makes Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

We needed a quick bite after a redeye early on Saturday morning, were able to order online and pickup hot breakfast sandwiches within minutes! Felt healthy, humble and homey - nothing extraordinary in taste or presentation, just quality fresh ingredients, essentially packaged and made exactly to order. read more

The Rustica special is a staple of my weekly meals. Bread is super fresh and the workers at Cafe Rustica are always kind and smiling. I'd recommend a Rustica special sandwich with a large iced tea. Thank me later. read more

I reviewed local cafes in Cambridge since I was just visiting. Reviews sounded good especially for their specialty sandwich. Cafe is small but very comfortable with pretty decor. I don't like fancy and felt at ease immediately. Barista was super nice and the latte along with the sandwich was worth the trip, read more

This was my first time and I only had cappuccino, but I love the place. The place has a soul, with funny and energetic servers playing funky music :) read more

Omg so good I had the roast beef and Brie , the flavors going through that sandwich was on point. read more