I personally am not a coffee drinker, but I'm told theirs is only okay. The real shout-outs go to the delicious simple and healthy fresh rolls (vegetarian, maybe vegan?), their excellent tea, and their attempt to provide gluten free pastries. I'm not a huge fan of the particular provider of their gluten free pastries as she uses a lot of fillers like guar gum and xantham gum (which are, believe it or not, unnecessary) but even having it as an option is lovely. The carrot cake muffins are commendable. Also, best ever book store is attached to this sweet little find. read more

I'm a fan. The ginger lemonade is heavenly. Really, all the beverages I've tried have been pretty fabulous. Also, if you guys think the service here is bad, you should try the Hi-Rise. I've actually gotten kind words from the baristas here, which is more than I can say for a lot of places in the area. I'm just saying. Comments about the seating are well-taken- This probably isn't the best place to park with your laptop. Especially since there seems to be a preponderance of irritatingly entitled parents with toddlers who inevitably take over more than their fair share of chairs. read more

This place has a lot going for it - really delicious, amazing cold brew equal exchange coffee, for one :) They also make drinks with soy, almond or rice milk. It's in a bookstore, there are a lot of cool people around and other neat things in this plaza, including a great toy store and one of the outdoor pianos anyone can play that are now around Boston. The only downsides are limited seating and potential crowding, and a pretty slow moving line. read more

I love the combo of this little cafe with a great bookstore. And despite the small seating area, they usually have open seats (they just added a new long table along the opposite front window). The coffee is pretty good, and the pastries hit or miss. The staff have been rude and distracted often, which is never fun, especially if you're in a hurry and stopping in on the way to work. It's not that they're in a mad mood or mean, they just seem more interested in each other than the customer. The new pizza joint around the corner has had better service and so far better fare as well. But this is still a great stop, especially if you're in the mood to browse the latest books. remember to bring cash - i've had to give in to dunkin' down the block to satisfy my morning fix a few times because of this. read more

I love Café Zing! Their coffee is great; service is friendly and funny (in a good way). The food is delicious and has a nice range of appropriate coffee shop grub. The pastries are delicious; I especially love the lemon scone with my coffee. I love getting coffee and wandering around discovering new books. The folks at the book store are also super friendly and helpful. If you want a quick bite and a cup of coffee, or a place to hang out with your laptop, a good book or a few friends and you happen to be in Porter Square, pop in. read more

Awesome! all the baristas are great and so much fun...and they all remember my name--not surprising i guess since i'm there every day, but it still makes me happy. I love the soft rolls. And the baked goods. It's true they have the downside of very little seating--but I usually go at 7am, when there is WAY more seating available. read more

Always too full. Coffee is ok, but service is slow. I've been about three or four times. It's always the same. Last time I went, barista gave me some side-eye, so I went to Dunkin instead. Nothing of value was lost. read more

I really really like cafe zing :) It's a really cute little spot in the bookstore, which is so nice just to be able to sit and sip a hot chocolate while you read your new books. Cute coffee shops like this are the perfect fit for the green restaurant association's certification. Recently a fellow yelpie turned me onto certified green restaurants. i love that peet's coffee is certified. It's definitely something work looking into! read more

Cafe Zing is the best kind of coffee shop- part coffee and delicious baked goods (sourced from local bakeries like Iggy's, Petsi Pies, and Danish Pastry House), part bookstore. There is free wifi, a handful of window seats, small area with patio seating out front, and a hefty menu of drinks(coffee and teas) and baked goods to choose from. They have some of my favorite scones in Somerville- and I usually lean towards their berry scone. Generously sized, not overly sweet, and the perfect amount of dryness. They also have sandwiches and their popular Vietnamese Fresh Rolls with Peanut dipping sauce. This is also a great place to wander around and browse books while sipping on your beverage of choice. Nothing feels so good as supporting both a local coffee shop and a local bookstore. read more

I've been frequenting Cafe Zing a long time, three years probably, and if it's longer I don't want to admit it. They're great! All the good stuff - independently owned, in an independent bookstore, great for people watching (hello! cambridge!) tasty foods, friendly staff, yummy drinks, environmentally conscious, friendly staff, did I say that already? Really though, the staff are fabulous. I've seen them be wonderful to regulars and new folks alike. They are incredibly patient and very sincere in their friendliness. Nothing is worse than someone going through the motions, saying thank you, and obviously not giving a damn. Occasionally they hire someone who doesn't have stellar service, but they usually don't last long. (there's one exception but whatever, I just don't tip when she's working) The staff often brighten my day, and are always willing to make whatever inconvenient drink request I make. I don't drink coffee and they have several options for me to choose from. various hot chocolates, teas (lots o teas! and good ones too, I'm a wee bit of a tea snob) ginger lemonade (yum!) and all that bottled stuff I never get. On top of being accommodating of the stereotypical cambridge attitude (and the sane cambridge folks too) they're also accommodating of every dietary restriction under the sun - well, as many as they can be. They have vegan options, gluten free, assorted fat levels of milk to put in your beverage, soy milk, and rice milk. yes! rice milk! and not crappy watery rice milk, good rice milk! So I can avoid dairy, watch my soy consumption, and still get a daily aztec hot chocolate fix. over all Zing is awesome. yeah, there's an occasional good but not awesome experience, but I've never had a bad one there in three years (2-7 visits/week) That's a pretty great track record if you ask me. read more

I really really wanted to like this place. It's made of cute and it's on my way to work so they basically default to 4 stars if they don't screw up. Sadly, they have a credit card minimum of $5 and a coffee and muffin is about $4.50, the baristas are sticklers so about half the time I don't bother trying to spend my money there. This morning I randomly had cash so I gave it a shot...I got as far as the milk line before a woman who was blocking the bucket for overflow coffee decided to reeducate me about pouring my spare coffee into the cup marked "dirty" instead (apparently that was wrong enough she felt she had to intervene). Y'know, it's 8am, I want a fast, pleasant experience with minimal impact and interaction with other people, and this place seems to be reliably crowded. Luckily for the woman who clearly wanted her coffee shop her way, I'll be taking my business to Starbucks. But like I said, it's made of cute, if you have cash on hand, you aren't in a rush and you aren't bothered by crowded corners, it is awfully convenient. Though if the manager reads these reviews, if you take away just one thing: dude, taco trucks and ice cream carts take credit cards, you are literally turning money away at the door, get Square. read more

this review is not for the bookstore but the coffee shop. i usually dont come to this place to study but i am reminded today of why i never come. not only does this place have lackluster over priced drinks and food (i would rather buy from starbucks!), but they are also stingy with internet. they only have free one hour coupons for their internet! that is ridiculous. either go completely free unlimited like starbucks or create a better coffee shop, with way better food and drinks, where you can charge like diesel. needless to say, i will prob never visit this store again. i ended up going to brueggers bagels across the street, bought yet another drink, to finish what i was working on at porters. read more

After a great haircut from Hair Co in Porter Sq, I found the coffee at Zing great! Super friendly staff, great location to browse books after! read more

Love this little slice of heaven in the Porter Square shopping center. The gluten free pumpkin muffins are amazing (though I often feel guilty eating them as I my body can actually process gluten), and they have Petsi Pie scones, whose flavors change daily to interesting and intriguing combinations! Ama-zing! The sandwiches from The Biscuit are a great addition for a quick grab on the go lunch. I have found their coffee to range from good to great consistently, with the Love Buzz roast being my favorite. Also, free soy milk is always appreciated. For a special treat in the winter I get their spicy hot chocolate, which is actually spicy, and when you order they will ask you "sweetened or unsweetened chocolate?" How great is that? The staff is lovely, albeit a little quirky at times, but it always makes for an interesting visit. read more

Great local coffee house that has great service. I love the fact that I can order a coffee with Almond or Rice milk (and Soy if I wish). They also have Stevia. Monday's are $1 coffee days with the purchase of a pastry. read more

I'm in their coffee ring, a loyal customer. Addicted, one might say, to their lattes. Really friendly staff and a great atmosphere :)

Every morning I make my stop at Cafe Zing for my red eye cup of coffee - the coffee and tea are all fair trade, which is a great benefit, plus the place is an independent shop which I try to frequent as much as possible. Price is honestly about the same as Starbucks, but the coffee is much better and the standards are better. Bad: It's tiny. I know it can't be helped, but there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency, even in the morning when the line goes out the door. The baristas are hit or miss on the lattes - every so often you get one who isn't quite as adept at the machine. Good: Pastries, Iggys rolls, fair trade - the bookstore is fun to be in albeit slightly overpriced sometimes, but the mood is usually pretty young and fun there. The coffee ring is nice - you don't have to carry around another coffee card with you, and especially if you have a unique order, the workers there remember you. The people are pretty cool - seem like they have fun and they at least enjoy being there, contrasted to some of the chain coffee shop employees who just show up to work every day. read more

I love this place. I've spent many a weekend day parked in a tall, comfy chair by the window. The staff are extremely friendly and tend to remember all the regulars, and the people-watching (and eaves-dropping) is pretty fascinating. It's great for lunch--I love the fresh summer rolls and the assorted savory croissants (ham & cheese, feta & spinach--the offerings vary). The fair trade coffees and different teas are great (I love the white tea). My only complaint is that it's now almost impossible to find a seat there unless you get there when it opens, but it's my own damn fault for telling so many people how great it is. Oh, and I also feel like the Coffee Ring (buy 16 coffees, get one free, I think), should be brought down to 10 coffees, because 16 is a random number and it takes FOREVER to get that free coffee). read more

Although it's not the kind of coffee shop where it's easy to meet friends and hang out for a while-- it's just too small, at the front of porter square books--- Zing is great for a solo afternoon of studying or people-watching. I've usually encountered friendly staff and legitimately good coffee....and, best of all, Zing now sells gluten-free baked goods. They are under a glass cover, so you just have to ask what they've got. They'll heat stuff up for you if you stick around, and serve it on cute locally made pottery. I also appreciate that they have signs reminding folks to take their cell phone conversations outside-- the seating is just too tight to handle loud talking. read more

some secrets! tuesday: $1 tea day! last friday of the month: 10% off (sponsored by gogreenstreets.org) oh, and free wi-fi and hooray for vietnamese fresh rolls! read more

Awesome little neighborhood cafe tucked into the Porter bookstore. Nice selection of fresh and wholesome eats, including sammiches and pastries from The Biscuit, salads and noodles and pizzas from Zing Pizza, Vietnamese spring rolls from some mysterious place. Try the hot chocolate iced, it's quite delicious. Lots of vegan-friendly options, if that's your thing. Seating can get a little hectic on weekend afternoons, but there's enough turnover it's never been a problem. read more

I love this cafe inside Porter Square Books. Sipping coffee while surrounded by books, what can be better! Their drinks are awesome; I am partial to their Aztec hot chocolate (made from real cocao powder, not the syrupy stuff most places use) and espresso drinks. They also have a good selection of pastries, sandwiches, and spring rolls. Sadly they no longer carry scones from Petsi Pies and have switched over to Danish Pastry House's scones (which are dry and lackluster), and without the toaster oven only bagels (from Iggy's) can get heated, so you have to deal with limp and cold croissants. So come here for the drinks or bagels, but skip the rest unless really hungry! read more

This is a wonderful coffee shop. I stop by relatively often, and thoroughly enjoy it. The employees are always friendly. I often get a cafe au lait and the baristas are great at making them - a wonderful treat. They also offer many delicious baked goods which I often enjoy, especially the croissants. My only complaint is a lack of seating during busy times, but it is understandable given that they are in such a small space. Highly recommended for a nice breakfast or afternoon treat. read more

I work in Porter square and there are a lot of options for coffee but Zing has by far the tastiest coffee, and the best baristas around. They never give me a hard time about my order (quad espresso with a little water) and it comes out perfect every time. My other favorite thing here are the Vietnamese Soft Rolls - to die for! The staff are great and always remember my name. The only reason I can't give it 4 stars is that sometimes it's too crowded and the line just moves too slowly. read more

Go to Zing! Pizza first, then come here for a great coffee--and it's rare that I like any coffee I don't make myself in my french press. Yummy baked goods from various local bakeries: Petsi Pies, the Danish Coffee House. I just wish they'd take credit cards. I never have cash, and as a result, walk in and walk out often without a purchase. read more

They have the best coffee here! For all the starbucks snobs ( I worked there for 6 years), this is better. The baristas are always friendly and will chat with you about any questions or concerns you may have. I read a review saying they don't accept credit cards, but i have been going here for a while and I normally pay (and tip) on a credit card. They also have $1 day old pastries that are cool to scoop up if you want to try a new snack and don't want to pay full price. Lastly, this place is in a bookstore....it doesn't really get much cooler. read more

Excellent iced chai (whether its regular or herbal). I love the organiz and fair trade drinks and healthy foods as well as great breakfast goodies. The only down side is the limited seating. read more

Service is so amazingly slow here. It is a cool place with good product but come on, this isn't 1855. Churning out coffee and snacky breakfast has been revolutionized long ago. Read the manual. read more

I would give Cafe Zing five stars if they would fix the window shades. The sun is literally blinding and the seats at the window (basically all of the seats) are unusable on sunny days. It has been over six months like this. read more

This is the best cafe in Porter Square: the coffee is great (the almond milk mocha is particularly good!) and you can browse the bookstore while you wait. As an added bonus for pet-owners, it's dog-friendly! read more

Love this place. Just have to post a public service announcement and I'll remove it if the problem is addressed: _The fresh rolls come with long black hair in them._ This happened to me today and they did not seem surprised about it (were sorry and said they'd tell the catering company, refunded for roll). But I was surprised that it seemed like a known issue. I texted my friend about it and she said it happened to her a few months ago as well. Then I read a review on here from a person who'd experienced that 4x in 3 years. I realize this is not like finding a syringe in something, but I think my appetite is gone for a few days. Hair nets, for the love of God. Hair. Nets. PS To the reviewer who complains about the "entitled parents with toddlers who take up too many chairs"--please update your review if you ever have a toddler. read more

This is a cute, small cafe in the Porter Square bookstore. I'm sure the few seating spots are highly contested during busy times. I had the Vietnamese soft roll and a cup of coffee for their Monday special - $1 for any size coffee (hot or iced) with purchase of food. The roll: definitely NOT worth $2.25. Pretty standard Vietnamese spring roll on the smaller side. Disappointing, but at least the peanut sauce was good. The coffee: I'm a bit of a coffee snob, so I wasn't impressed. However, it's a fantastic deal for anyone trying to grab a quick and cheap drink before getting on the T on Mondays. Perhaps the specialty drinks are what's great here. I think the biggest advantage of Cafe Zing is its convenience and location inside of a bookstore, but I'm willing to make the effort to go to better coffee shops in the area. read more

In case you haven't heard, this place is magical. Great things happen here. Great people work here. That is all.

Update: I actually work at this cafe now, and I can still safely say that I love my fellow staff and our awesome customers to bits. Still kicking myself for only having given us 4 stars in my 2010 review when I was able to un-biasedly give 5 stars. read more

Great little cafe. Perfect outside spot in all seasons; catches the breeze in summer, sunny in the colder seasons. Great sandwiches and coffee. I'm especially fond of the beet reuben. read more

This is a small coffee shop within a book store and Porter Square. Service seems a little strange - for instance the guy who took my order the first time I went in definitely seemed stoned. But besides that the experience is good and the cold brew is pretty flavorful. read more

I start coming here more after discovering that they have almond milk and that they offer 1 hr free wifi! Their almond milk latte is delicious. Often difficult to find a seat here though. read more

i admittedly don't go there as much as i used to because bourbon coffee is closer, but i miss that red-eye. that drink packs the caffeine punch that helps me to focus, and sometimes bounce off the frickin walls. yea! also, they have petsi pie scones there, best scones around. and the fresh rolls make a really tasty light lunch. read more

Cafe Zing gets major bonus points for offering a variety of alternatives to cow's milk - not just soy, but almond and rice milk, too. My iced latte with almond milk (and an extra shot, on the house!) was fantastic. read more

Cafe Zing has a good business model and serves a decent latte. It's great that the bookstore and the coffee shop can compliment each other, because I'm sure both areas make money from customers who originally only came for one. That being said, the latte was decent at best. The microfoam was too foamy and there was no art. The texture was somewhat flat, as was the taste. It wasn't burned or anything like that, but it just wasn't great. They've got decent quality beans, but they lack a real professional barista to turn them into a wonderful drink. The beans are only the jumping-off point for the latte, yet I digress. The latte was also served way too hot. Anyway, it was good enough to buy the next time I'm in the bookstore. read more