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    Cafe on the Common

    3.6 (299 reviews)
    InexpensiveSandwiches, Desserts, Cafes
    Closed 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Cafe on the Common Photos

    CAFE ON THE COMMON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe on the Common

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    Croissant
    Courtney R.

    Service was very kind but a coffee shop with bad drinks is a problem. The croissant was good and the Caesar salad was fine. If you're getting a dirty chai, make sure to tell them you want it sweetened.

    Albert K.

    Excellent oat latte. Comfortable seating. Leather couches and lots of open seating. Only tried the coffee. Great staff!

    K R.

    Parking is tough in the area. The staff who waited on me was less than motivated and seemed bothered by me coming in. I was the only customer. I ordered an iced latte with vanilla but never got the flavoring. The latte was made correctly and was good. So would I repeat it, no but it was probably an off day for the establishment. The decor and setting was open and inviting.

    Egg sandwich
    Tom I.

    You have to love a local place like this. Lots of couches, mixed matched tables and rugs. Pastries, coffee, teas and a grilled cheese sandos. It is smart they keep their menu limited. I saw families, couples, single diners (like me!). Comfort for everyone. Ordered an egg sando on sourdough with tomato, cheddar and aioli. Also had a lemon ginger tea. Sandwich was good. Sheet pan eggs that were pretty moist, not typical for sheet pan eggs in my experience. Nice amount of cheese and aioli. A very solid breaky sando. It's served with a bag of chips, which struck me as odd. For breakfast? Hmmm.... Anyway, come support this spot. We need local businesses to keep our communities alive. Sort a no frills, get a solid cup of Joe and muffin. Nothing wrong with this at all!

    Matcha latte and an almond croissant- sweet and earthy bitter.
    Lois R.

    A lovely cafe in Waltham. Bright, open, plenty of seating without being crowded. The staff was friendly, the treats quality. The quiche might be confused for cheesecake initially for as luxurious and deep as it appears. Fantastic bathrooms. LOTS of bike parking nearby and a good amount of car parking options on Sunday. If I were in town longer I would for sure return!

    Near-empty cold drink chest, refrigeration broken, drinks were room temp.

    Pros: Cozy place, old fashioned cafe, spacious with comfortable seating, very nice atmosphere. Friendly staff. Food was good (had a breakfast sandwich, iced coffee and Apple Juice). Some cons: Yes, I agree a bit pricey. They did not have croissants as is advertised on their menu. The "cold" drinks were very limited (only apple Juice, water and cranberry juice), 80% of the chest was empty. No orange juice, no milk. AND, the refrigeration for the chest was not working so the drinks were warm. The major problem was that AFTER I ordered AND paid, I was told that they were out of bacon. At a breakfast cafe??!! This is a major no-no in food service (or any other consumer business for that matter). You tell someone you are out of something BEFORE you take their money. Or you at least offer some sort of compensation if they've already paid. Which by the way is not the purpose of the review. Would I return? Yes, for the sole purpose to see if these issues were addressed appropriately and in a timely manner. Stayed tuned for follow-up review.

    Avocado Toast

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    1 year ago

    Cozy little neighborhood cafe w/ charming staff. Baked goods look very yummy. Free wifi.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Amazing service, barista was very sweet. Only had the vegan snickerdoodle and good size for the price. It was pretty decent. Very cozy vibe.

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Delicious and big lattes and pastries. The cinnamon roll was out of this world (def ask to warm it up)

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Cafe on the Common

    Review Highlights - Cafe on the Common

    I ordered a "Waltham Fog" today (subbed Irish Breakfast for the Earl Grey) and it was delicious.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Caffe Ollo

    Caffe Ollo

    4.2
    (33 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    the "incredible "bagel sandwich was absolutely the most disgusting breakfast sandwich I've ever…read morehad. The menu says fresh, healthy, etc. etc. the only thing fresh about that bagel was the avocado and maybe the egg. Pretty sure it was Oscar Meyer "bacon" or some other form of microwavable bacon (which isn't really bacon ). Which is totally unacceptable in this day and age. And the sweet sauce they put on it was horrendous. My stomach hurt the entire day. If you're not going to use quality bagels and quality bacon, you should not be charging almost $13 a sandwich. your menu should also list the ingredients line by line. I asked the cashier what was on this and he did not mention a disgusting sweet sauce. It's no wonder there's a line out the door for the café down the street and two people inside this café. Although I did not get anything else, but that sandwich, I will not be returning based on that alone. You should be ashamed for even serving that.

    I love meeting up with folks here especially if you don't want the heaviness of a full meal! The…read morewhole ambiance with classical music and their menu of beverages, sweets and sandwiches. Everything I've tried here has been tasty. They have limited seating so I've seen it completely full if someone brings a larger group through the doorway. They have a bathroom that is keypad locked so if you've made a purchase just ask them for the #. The Hokkaido Toast sandwich was light and airy. The signature cream does make it on the sweeter side. It paired so well with the rose matcha latte which I've ordered twice now. The pastries and cakes look so tempting too in the display panels. I don't typically drink coffee but if I ever get there early enough I'll try the Crème Brûlée, Vienna Pistachio, or their signature latte. As a tea lover they also have some additional retail items for you to browse for tea steeping and gift sets. The only downside and maybe that's what makes it not as crazy busy on weekends as Tatte is that I want even more options. You can also order whole cakes too if one slice isn't enough. When it gets warmer I will try some of their smoothies and chilled drinks over ice!

    Photos
    Beautiful
    Beautiful
    Caffe Ollo
    Caffe Ollo

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    Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar

    Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar

    4.3
    (949 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    ** Updating previous review with more tapas rankings **…read more Yuca Frita (9.5/10): These are so freaking delicious, wow. The cilantro aioli was an amazing dipping sauce. They really are fried to perfection. Frituras de Maiz: (10/10): Wow, these fritters are also amazing. They come with such a rich sauce. The fritters are exploding with flavor. Cazuela de Coliflor Asada (9/10): Insanely good dish. The cauliflower has perfect texture, complemented by the pistachios. The sauce is SO good. The cauliflower soaks it up so well. Chicharrones (9/10): Melt in your mouth pork belly. The pork skin crust was perfect. The sauces really make most of the dishes here. This dish is no different - I loved the sauce. Ropa Vieja (9/10): Perfectly slow cooked meat. One thing that really stood out to me was actually the white rice. The rice was VERY high quality, and I appreciated it so much. It's rare to come by rice this good. It had the perfect texture, chew, and fragrance. Ropa Vieja de Hongos (9/10): Pretty much the same as Ropa Vieja above. The mushrooms are delicious, and the dish is just as good whether your order the mushroom or steak version. Empanada del Carne (9/10): Oh man, the crusts are so good. This is pretty on par with the ones I just had in Puerto Rico. Chuletas de Cordero (8/10): The seasoning is heavenly. I was licking the lamb chops clean. Croquetas (8/10): Very solid croquetas. Wouldn't say it's a must-order, but you can't go wrong with them. Costillas a la Guayaba (6/10): The first time I had this it was really nicely marinated, and the rib meat is so tender that it almost falls off the bone. The second time, the meat was dry. Maduros con Tocino (6.5/10): This dish was pretty good, but got overshadowed by the other ones. Pulpo (6.5/10): Octopus was tender and savory. The potatoes were too salty. Camarones a la Plancha (6.5/10): Solid dish, but I enjoyed some other ones even more. Ensalada de Aguacate y Pina (6/10): The salad was a bit too sour, and that sourness overpowered the dish. It was a great blend of ingredients, though. *** and one dessert *** Churros con Chocolate (8.5/10): Big crunchy fluffy churros!! The chocolate sauce is amazing (not really spicy at all). You have to get this for dessert!!

    Had a great dinner. 4 stars instead of 5 only because the service was a bit slow. They had plenty…read moreof runners but not enough folks taking orders. The sliders, which were not on the menu, were fantastic. The beef empanadas were good. The beet salad was excellent. The mushroom balls were good. Tres leches very good. I'd recommend. Nice place inside. Parking close by.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    CROQUETAS DE HONGOS
    CROQUETAS DE HONGOS
    Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar

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    Cafe on the Common - sandwiches - Updated June 2026

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