Been a fan since its humble beginnings in the corner of Porter Square Books but love it even more now. Same rolls, same jet fuel level coffee, and a super cozy space perfect for WFH/studying. Vibe is very "old" Cambridge - quirky, cozy, excellent people watching. Staff is super friendly too - always a huge plus. read more

Zing is unlike any other café. It's a 3-in-1 experience. A three-fer if you will. Up front, it's a bustling café with communal tables of all sizes (think Barnes & N. vibes)- people sip, chat and type away. Keep walking and it transforms into a bookstore and beyond that, you'll notice small vintagey stalls selling clothing, jewelry and tchotchkes. We stopped by over Labor Day weekend while in town helping our kid furniture shop for her second apartment (the first one was a disaster back in May). My kid went for an iced coffee with almond milk and I had the Mexican hot chocolate. The texture was spot on, but the heavy hand with allspice or nutmeg ended up overpowering the chocolate itself. Service is nice though. read more

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Always buzzing. Always met with smiles from behind the counter. The people are super nice, the coffee is always great and a bunch of stuff happens all the time around them. Just a few days back, loungy vibes was provided by a local dj. Need a coffee in porter sq? Stop by. read more

Their matcha latte is amazing! If you want to add syrup to your matcha, I highly recommend coconut. I tried their pistachio syrup, and it tasted like Play-Doh. I also tried their vanilla.--It was okay and a tad better than pistachio. Weirdly, I tried the matcha with the lavender syrup, and I don't know why the entire beverage tasted like salmon... Anyway, I only recommend the coconut syrup for your matcha latter. Trust me! read more

Cafe Zing - Iced Matcha Latte with Coconut - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Love this place! Always such a cute vibe. They have a wide selection of drinks and pastries. Everyone is always so lovely here.

Cafe Zing is proof positive that Cambridge loves lingering...as long as you don't have your car in the parking lot for more than two hours! Walk, cycle, MBTA, pogo stick or coast your way for a leisurely time with good food, books to browse/buy, and artists/wise wanderers of all ages. Rotating events make this space cozy and caring for all read more

Cafe Zing - Solid wood table with space to make art or meet new friends - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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So glad to see a cafe back in this space after the awesome old one closed during COVID. Yummy drinks and pastries, and a cute bookstore attached! Nice place to hang and chat or hang and work read more

Staff were more focused on talking among themselves than helping customers. The front door was left open, making it uncomfortably cold--many of us were wearing jackets indoors. I asked for the door to be closed, and it was, but shortly after another staff member reopened it despite the obvious discomfort. Employees were dressed warmly while customers were left in the cold, which was frustrating and easily avoidable. I hope this is addressed to improve the customer experience. read more

Great bookstore w great coffee. What else do you need? Good scones n other baked goods. I was staying at a hotel nearby n was in need of good coffee. read more

Cafe Zing - Free cup of coffee w a bag of coffee purchase - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Was very excited to try this bookstore coffee shop but left disappointed. The only thing I appreciated were the vibes. My bagel was cold and hard even after being toasted. I think they forgot about it because it was sitting there for a few minutes hence why it was cold. I couldn't even finish it, it was so hard. I did not like the lavender latte at all but thats just my personal taste. They also have many tables but they were all full so I had to sit at the crowded counter and it was very uncomfortable. Would be back here for the books but not the cafe. read more

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Good coffee, pastry,my favorite the sticky buns with nuts, sandwiches, especially the chicken salad. Good place for Bards to meet on Saturday morning. read more

I often sit n chat with the Cambridge Zing cafe customers and sip tea. This cafe is unique, there are no fast rules to have to buy a drink or food. Thank you. I like your vibe. I also love your veggie roll! Denise Patnod Cambridge 02138 read more

Bookstore cafe with lots of seating available, my favorite spots are at the windows. Was there on a Sunday and they had live music as well as a pop up thrift market. I ordered the tofu summer rolls which were served in an instant (as they were already prepared) and came with delicious peanut sauce on the side. The baristas were attentive when I asked them to fill up the communal water pitcher. Great place to study, read, or catch up with friends read more

Cafe Zing - Tofu summer rolls - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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9am on 12/18/2024: the place was dirty. Look at this chair. There's crumbs, there's hair, and it was empty for a while before i sat close to it. The girl at the cashier was particularly unfriendly. read more

Cafe Zing - Dirty chair with crumbs and hair - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Their mocha is to die for. However, it's disappointing that they don't seem to have much environmental consciousness: -- The front door was left open in 83 degree heat! -- No customer-accessible recycling. read more

I was in need of a quick injection of caffeine, and Zing delivered. My latte was very tasty. To my delight, the beans that they used were not roasted to death; the coffee was a lighter roast that allowed the bean's flavored nuances to come through. Oh, and the chocolate chip cookie. Nom nom nom. read more

Great, friendly vibes! Stopped by for some coffee, sweets and books - was not disappointed. Was able to find a seat with a nice view while enjoying my Matcha Latte and Scone. The barista was very respectful and friendly as I was clearly out of my element when ordering a drink (I usually get a medium black coffee). They were able to recommend something to my liking and ended up with the Matcha Latte. The latte was nice but not as sweet as I expected. Still good. The scone was a bit harder on the outside but had a nice moist interior. Nothing to write home about but did do us good after a long morning. After all this we were able to explore the bookstore with their plethora of genres and Knick knacks. read more

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This has finally come a community space we needed. It is busy at all times of the day. Plus, it is going to remain as the anchor business, instead of being pushed to the back. It is full of creative people Bagel Bards, international folks, young people, older people- I go there as much as I can. GO ZING!! read more

lots of fun pastry options! i got a blueberry crumble which was pretty good and had a cold brew as well. lots of seating available but still feels cozy. so many books to browse through as well which is fun read more

While I am all about supporting small, local businesses; I find it annoying to have to pay extra for non-dairy milk. Simply ridiculous to have to do that. They have some tasty hot chocolate that isn't too sweet as you can add your own amount if you want. Definitely homemade & certainly tastes like it. They have a variety of baked goods but can definitely use some vegan items. read more

Sub par cappuccino. The drink was way too hot and the foam was all wrong. The baked goods are plentiful and very good! read more

Cute bookstore cafe with a modest drink selection. The coconut mocha was very yummy. Seating and outlet access are limited, fyi. Overall a great spot to curl up and read or get light work done. read more

Cafe Zing - Coconut Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

All you could ever want for a cute little cozy cafe within a local book store. Perfect for studying, study breaks, reading, and people watching. The workers are friendly and chill and the food and drinks are pretty good. My matcha was yummy and the fresh rolls were fine but very skinny, but you go here for the vibe not the food. Also the mugs for dine in drinks are beautiful. read more

Cafe Zing - Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I got a coffee from here and it was not very good. Still, I love this coffee shop to just study and hang out in Porter. I love the cute local book store. Come if you want to support local businesses read more

A very pleasant atmosphere and love having the bookshop to look around in. However, not the best chai latte.. perhaps I'll try something different if I visit again. read more

I love porter books- so the cafe has a great location to begin with. Just had the blood orange hibiscus tea, which is just the thing for a sweltering day like today. The summer rolls are a favorite here, with the tasty sweet peanut sauce. Saw that the pastries are made by the Danish pastry house. read more

My kid is OBSESSED with the spring rolls, so when he wants them i have a reason to pop in and visit Porter Sq Books too. Great local business. read more

My favorite local spot in Porter. Their vanilla iced lattes just hit the spot. I was hesitant to order matcha bc I always am disappointed in surrounding cafes. but I finally ordered it and it was quite amazing! I love their selection of pastries of danish pastry house. Their baristas are so caring, welcoming, and make a hell of a drink. read more

Absolutely charming coffee shop located in Porter Square Books. The pastries are delicious (I got an oatmeal cookie), and the coffee is even better! My lavender mocha was creamy, smooth, and floral -- perfect for my walk through the book store. My partner's matcha latte was great too! I highly recommend Cafe Zing! read more

Cafe zing is a small but bustling cafe located inside one of my favorite local book stores. Browsing piles of books and cards while drinking a fresh cold-brew is great for a hot humid day. The espresso drinks are great and so are he scones. Try a bag of their day old pastries for $1 each! The cafe doesn't have a huge amount of indoor seating but the there is almost always a seat at the outdoor tables with umbrellas or at one of the work bars. With the free wifi - it is a wonderful place to st and do a little work or read the new book you just bought. I recommend the aztec hot chocolate and their Vietnamese soft rolls with peanut sauce. Be sure to try their ginger lemonade if you are looking for something sans caffeine. read more

Cafe Zing - Cold brew and cranberry pecan bun - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Great space, lovely staff. Perfect spot for shot cup of tea and a read in the sun! I try to stop here whenever I pass through Porter Square. read more

Amazing and well-loved local spot nestled inside a bookstore. The food and drinks are great across the board, but the fun standouts include the vietnamese spring rolls and the drink specials. I usually get the spicier drinks here (e.g. Aztec hot chocolate, chai, golden milk), and I really appreciate that I taste actual flavour instead of the milky water or watery milk you get at most coffee shops. Note that they are not doing any dine-in right now, and the hours here look to be quite inaccurate, as I've never seen them open past 5 pm. read more

Lovely cafe and a book store. Super cozy and grab for a chill afternoon. The red chili latte is interesting. Not super spicy or sweet and I can't really taste the tea. So it's more like a mild form of hot chocolate read more

Cafe Zing - Red chili latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Auto-adoration for spewing Iggy's dough, Taza chocolate, Petsi scones and assorted Danish Pastry House treats. It's like a best-of farmer's market in the crook of my saucer! Bonus love for the beloved Vietnamese fresh rolls, which (upon initial round of Yelp-related research for a non-chain lunch option near Porter) I had confused to be bready in nature. Nay, nay. These tofu, rice noodle and shredded veggie stuffed "spring rolls" the size of gangster cigars can serve as a meal unto themselves, especially when doused with the sweet, nutty panang sauce. $2.25 each, or three for $6 - my advice is to skip the deal and know thy limitations. Two max, even for you Kobayashi. Peeps at the counter are chill and, well, what can I say: the products served carry themselves. Also, nice to see a reseller charging darn near what the producers price in their respective shops. Great concept: make money on the coffee, while the treats can be loss-leaders. I will say the sandwich we tried (basic panino with mozzarella, basil and tomato) was just okay, and for the $7 sticker, you're easily able to find better options nearby. But the rest of the lunch experience was totally bangarang. Except when Kara got attacked by a bird. Hilarious, but not bangarang. . Let's bring bangarang back. read more

Practically footsteps from the Porter T station, and nicely walkable from Spring Hill neighborhood. The space is in the front of a bookstore so it feels different than a traditional cafe. The dark roast coffee is actually good! (most dark roasts are never dark enough) The pastries always looked really good, and they also have spring rolls that I never got to try, but always looked good! read more

Cafe Zing is a little hole in the wall cafe. So much so that I've been wandering that plaza for two years before noticing it. We stopped in here looking for a late night spot to work (plus to them for being open later than most of the coffee shops in the area). They do have VERY limited seating. This wasn't an issue for us as not many people aren't looking for a nook to hole up and do work in on a Tuesday night. That being said, on a Sunday morning, I don't see there being a lot of or any open chairs. This seems like more the type of place to grab a drink and wander through book shelves. I liked the aztec hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was foamy and spicy. The regular hot chocolate was also good and had a real flavor, not the flavor of cafe trying to pass off Swiss Miss. For 2 dollars and some change, even better for a quick drink. read more

Love love LOVE the serve his here And the coffee coffee is great. I took a day here yesterdsy read more

Bookstores need coffee shops. Trident and Porter Square Books seem to be the only local options in the independent bookstore space. I sipped on ginger lemonade during my hour or so browsing PSB's collection. It resulted in a lovely afternoon. My only suggested improvement would be that they increase their seats by adding more tables which would enable one to sit across from one's companion. This is set up would be conducive to better discussions. Again, they don't seem to have the space. This would be in the nice to have category. read more

Cafe Zing - Ginger Lemonade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Friendly baristas, free wifi after 6 pm, and petsi pies' scones? What more could you want? (Ok, maybe a bit more seating, but c'mon, it's inside a bookstore.) read more

Cute little coffee shop in a bookstore. Got an Americano with sugar-free hazelnut, which I enjoyed. The person taking my order was very friendly, and answered all my questions. My only complaint is the lack of seating! But that's okay because browsing through books while sipping good-quality coffee on a cold fall day is one of many ways to nurture my inner grandma. read more

Cafe Zing - Browse through books while sipping your drink! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts