The coffee is good - the service is good, but sometimes slow as it seems very single threaded. But I will take that over the automated world of Starbucks and Dunkin anyday. And while I am not a huge fan of crepes - their tuna salad crepe sandwich is a great lunch option, especially if you like a little spice in your food (cayenne and capers in it, I think). They have free wifi - so it's a good spot to hang out in the front window and just hope the windows are open, and the bus stop is not full of smokers read more

Nice cozy neighborhood low-key cafe to enjoy a cup of coffee, pastry or crepe (try the delicious raspberry almond muffin or good broccoli/spinach/cheese crepe) and surf the internet for free. Bottom line: one of my favorite cozy neighbor cafes in Boston area to whip out your laptop. read more

dammn man, i slept on this place hard. but for good reason, its across the street from Jim's. i mean, give me a break. Any way, i've dropped in a few times and enjoyed a nice lunch (dammn good tuna salad sangwitch) sitting in the open window over looking brighton center. then another time for a lip smackin good crepe for bfast. I'll still veer towards jim's, but this place offers the nice non-foodcoma creating lighter meal alterinative to the spot across the street. The Ambiance here is pretty coffee shop typical without being too pretentious, or hipster, but offering just enough of it. good food, good coffee, good music. its good. dammn good. read more

Cafenation - Front seating area photosynth pano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Please let me start by saying this: Cafenation is amazing. I visited Cafenation a handful of times while living in Allston. The trek to Brighton Center wasn't the best, but it was worth it. I really enjoy the vibe and layout of Cafenation. It's extremely conducive to getting homework done, meeting with some friends, catching up on reading, or my favorite activity: people watching. The food here is delicious. I've only ordered the spinach sandwich on a bagel. Guys, it's really good. Seriously, get it. I've ordered a few iced coffees and I wasn't as impressed. But, to be fair, I am a coffee snob and I love my coffee extremely robust and dark. I would love to come back and try some tea, I bet it's delicious. The only downfall: 1. Cafenation is in Brighton Center. I hardly ever venture out there anymore. 2. The hours aren't that great. I wish they were open later read more

I must say every weekend I come into Cafenation the place is always packed and busy. What I really like is they offer a lot on their menu. It ranges from paninis, sweet crepes, savory crepes to salads and breakfast sandwiches. Not only is their food menu extensive but their drink menu is large as well. They offer all sorts of coffee drinks and teas but the best is their Italian sodas. You can choose any flavoring you'd like. I would suggest getting the Raspberry Italian soda. Yummy! On this particular day, I ordered a Californienne panini, which was delicious. It was packed with turkey and sprouts and oozing with brie. The best isn't the salad that accompanies it but the dressing. I can't pinpoint what exactly it is but the taste is just right...not too salty, sweet, or tart. At this point, I was already stuffed but I couldn't resist getting a strawberry & nutella crepe. The way the crepe was presented on the plate was very cute. It was centered, sprinkled with powdered sugar, decorated with a slice of strawberry. Oh and I can't forget to mention that the side of whipped cream was decorated with a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips. There was definitely some thought into making this crepe =). I would definitely recommend anyone to come out and try this cozy cafe. It's a great place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. read more

I'm only in Brighton Center for the summer and I was pleased to find Cafenation amongst the plethora of bars and sketchy restaurants that really aren't my scene. I first stopped in one mid-afternoon for a scallion scramble with prosciutto. I like prosciutto and I, like other prosciutto fans, know that most prosciutto found in the U.S. is sheer shit, so I wasn't expecting a miracle. Despite my own expectations, the scramble was amazing. I came in on another weekend and settled on the ham and brie sandwich. The apple compote make me eat the sandwich so fast I nearly hurt myself and to be honest, I wasn't really that hungry. Even the mesclun greens in balsamic that come with the sandwiches are serious business. I wasn't aware a mesclun salad could taste so damn good. As if I didn't have enough to be impressed by, I returned for a panino, a panini sandwich featuring caprese combined their more-than-decent prosciutto, and found the best panini I've ever had in my life. My one complaint is their wireless policy: no wireless during heavy business hours. I mean, I know you want to prevent people from parking for hours in what is often sweltering full house, but do you have to be so abrasive about it? Fortunately, their ridiculously friendly staff and well food made more than make up for this flaw. read more

Breakfast delight! Omggg get the Otom! It is sooooo tasty! The Otom is bacon egg and cheese with lettuce and tomato and spicy mayo, I get it on the Jalepeño-cheddar bagel! So satisfying! If you have a sweet tooth get the strawberry banana Nutella crepe, it's so good! read more

Cafenation - The Otom! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Spendier than it needs to be ($8.50 minimum for a sandwich), but the vibe here is defnitely a healthy, focused one. A great place to do work, grab a hot beverage, and scarf some noms. A word to the wise: if you want a sandwich to satisfy your carb craving, think about getting something comparable as a bagel instead. Their hummuswich and hummus bagel are identical with a much smaller pricetag. Oh, and THE MUSIC. Funk-a-licious. If you like some good soul and funk music, the Cafénation sound system is the one for you. Everything from Wild Cherry to Aretha Franklin! read more

It was a little unexpected to find this place in Brighton center ... On a Sunday afternoon I was happy to find a spot at a long wooden table because most seats were taken! The bagel I ordered was perfectly toasted, and the iced caramel latte was just the right amount of sweet. The staff was friendly and patient (I like to take my time to order!). Definitely recommend this shop for it's modern feel and ideal noise level. Can't wait to try the crepes and other beverages. read more

Cafenation - Small iced caramel latte and an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Fantastic customer service by the cute black cashier. Trippy bathroom. Average bagel sandwich. I'd come back just to flirt with the cashier. :) read more

Friendly service, great coffee, kinda hipster and high prices- that's how I'd sum up Cafenation. Scones are good, flavorful with a good crumbly texture, and the iced coffee is great! I wouldn't say amazing, but it's definitely a step up from the commercial chains in the area. I've tried to come a few times with friends to get crepes, but the line is INSANE and there are never free tables open. Maybe one day.. They sell Taza chocolate here :) Delicious mexican chocolate. read more

A good little cafe right in Brighton Center. Nice warm atmosphere, great coffee selection, and free wifi, gotta love that. Came in for a ham and brie sandwich, very rich sandwich because of the strong brie, but it was balanced nicely by the carmelized apples and smoked ham on top. The side salad was just mixed greens in a maple dressing, which was a bit too sweet on its own, but a good pairing with the sandwich. At $6 its a good price for lunch, especially when its a warm day amd they have the windows open. read more

First time here. Had the whole wheat everything bagel egg, spinach & mushrooms. It was delicious. The veggies were perfect. I only wish I lived around here. read more

Cafenation - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

I live right around the corner from Cafe Nation and go there fairly frequently. The staff is always very nice and the coffee is quite good. In the morning I might get a bagel (they are from Bagel Rising, so of course they are good). Sometimes they aren't toasted too well, but whatever, it's just a bagel. I've had the sweet crepes before and I like them. The chocolate isn't always too melted, but that's not the end of the world. It can get quite hot in there even in the winter but if you get a seat by the window or the door it's not so bad. I enjoy the art work that is on the walls. It usually is local artists and changes every few weeks, so there's always something new to look at. All in all, an enjoyable experience. read more

I love cafenation and go here often, however I have had more and more experiences lately where I've gone in for something quick like a bagel or coffee and it has taken forever! I'm not sure if they're understaffed, but I was in the other day to get a bagel. 3 people behind the counter, place was dead, and it took almost 20 mintues. I will continue to go here because it's convenient and the food/coffee is great, but I know I need to budget my time because you never know how long it's going to take. read more

Perfect cafe experience. They have an impressive selection of MEM teas by the pot for cheap among other standard cofee drinks. Their crepes are fantastic I had the cheddar chicken broccoli crepe (~$8) and was more than satisfied. the tea is served to your table in pot and not steamed to super high temperatures like other cafes allowing you to enjoy your oolong the way it is supposed to. also the wifi is free and the street parking nearby as well; making it the perfect place to spend a day. read more

A must for a French woman like me! Good coffee, good crepes AND sandwiches on baguette! Extensive menu for everyone to find a yummy breakfast, lunch or dessert. Great portions. Plus, the owner and his parents are adorable! And the location is perfect when you have to wait a good 30min to catch the 57 bus! read more

My first time at Cafenation was actually not a good one. We came for brunch on a busy Saturday and there was little seating and slow service. However, I adore Cafenation for one simple reason: great coffee and friendly service when stopping here on my way to work! The staff is chipper, even at 7am! Also, their prices are incredibly reasonable. Cafenation is the reason I've ditched my long-time love of Starbucks. Support local small businesses, folks! Cafenation is a great place to start! read more

We stood practically in the middle of the street... Jim's or Cafenation? Jim's or Cafenation? Husband picked Cafenation... sweet. He got an omelet with black beans and corn and avocado and the plate was practically licked clean so I guess he liked it. I got the mushroom, carmelized onion and cheddar crepe... omg so good. The filling was so flavorful and the whole wheat crepe was tasty on it's own. I ate the whole thing. Bonus points for amazing artwork on the walls... as an artist, I dig that even if it's almost become the norm in coffee shops. Minus one star for the worst caramel latte of my life. I so wanted to like it too but lukewarm with no caramel taste... and the "large" mug that secretly only holds 8 ounces... sorry. read more

Wait times for food seem to have gone down and I'm loving some of the new lattes on the menu. My go to's lately are bagel sandwiches. read more

Cafenation - Nom nom nom. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

I love the non-overly commercialized feel of this place. It's a true neighborhood joint, but not at all dingy. It's true that students take up tables to study/talk, but isn't that what a good cafe is for? Absolutely love the local art, and I must reiterate Heather S.' comment about the tuna melts, they are truly fabulous. I also adore the balsamic glaze that they put on their salads, and they won't give up the recipe no matter how often I ask. read more

I have been going to this Cafe for the past 5 years since it opened up. It is a cool and hip place with chill waitstaff. However today I was treated rudely on several occasions by one particular waitstaff by name of Cara . She wouldn't take my order because I was on the phone. She also wouldn't let me use the bathroom after I had purchased something. I don't recall ever being treated like this before at any cafe. read more

I like this place. I've been working around the corner for the past few weeks and have hit it often on my way into work. The coffee is great, staff is friendly, but not too-too friendly, and the food smells great (cookie no eat breakfast). If I needed to get out of the office, I'd bring the computer and chill here for hours without reservation. The downside of this place (and its a big one for me) is that it opens at 7:30. Now, not everyone if a morning person, but I need pre-7:30 caffeine and the AM rejection is a big downer...I take my morning fix down the street, though I would prefer to keep rolling on to my free cup! read more

I'm sorry to do this , Cafenation has taken a turn for the worse. Gone are their whole wheat crepes, as well as all of their savory crepes. Their hours have also become more reduced, and their baked goods less interesting. Frankly, they've gone from one of my favorite restaurants to a place I have no use for anymore. Their changes are so draconian I suspect it's a desperate measure to keep from closing. Whatever the reason, they've lost one loyal customer and it makes me sad. read more

I originally wanted to try out Dash Cafe, but it was closed for the labor day weekend. Never have I ever been so happy that a cafe that I wanted to try out would be closed! Cafenation was a wonderful alternative - which i would totally adopt as my go-to study/breakfast/lunch spot if it was a tadbit closer. + Wild Alaskan sandwich (smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, romaine & homemade pesto sauce). Ordered this on multigrain bread. an absolute must. I've tried my fair share of wild alaskan bagels, sandwiches, etc. this was definitely among the top. generous portions of smoked salmon? check. enough ingredients to ensure a tasty bite each time? check. perfect amount of cream cheese? yup. the side of mixed greens (& its yumm balsamic glaze) was the perfect sweet finish. + Service is great. & Awesome study spot You order at the counter but they'll bring the food to you. Internet worked fine. Cafenation was packed, but the lady/owner(?) was around to politely ask individual customers if they'd be willing to share a table - which, as I was studying/eating there for a good 3+ hours, completely understandable. then, when it slowed down a bit, she'd come by to tell the ppl she originally asked to switch tables that they could move back. (i actually never interacted with her) the people i joined/shared the table with were all nice, no convo necessary, but definitely no rudeness either). And the regulars seemed content to chat with her. + Iced Coffee. sadly, no free refills. read more

Cute little place. I went and had coffee and crepes with Yao W., and it was a nice experience. I'll most likely be turning this into a good weekend lunch place. Yao was sharp to point out, though--what's with all the TVs in every restaurant/bar/cafe in Boston? Why does a place like this, a cool little cafe with art on the walls and real coffee, need a television? Can Boston really not exist without their feed? Why is the television-in-the-restaurant so endemic to Boston? Weird. read more

Lucky for me my biffle and my big sister live right up the street from this tasty little joint. I lost my crepe virginity here and, oh!, was it memorable! I am, however, addicted now. I've been here twice and each time have been impressed with my crepe order. I can't really speak for the rest of their menu, but I've heard their hot chocolate is delicious, too. It can get a bit crowded, but they move pretty fast behind the counter. All in all, a tasty place with friendly staff which is always a plus. read more

Yelpin' yelptastic place to eat out!!! Let me tell ALL YA ALL now, listen the fuck up... Their salad dressing is TO DIE FOR. You will be mind-blown... Trust me on this dish. I'm a pretty huge fan of lettuce and salad and shit, and this salad just rock my fuckin' sock...s...!!!! LOVE IT. A ten! By far.. And, big plus, I can take my peanut handicapped pals there for a delicious, worry free meal! Anytime baby! Woot woot!! Cannot forget the most orgasmic sandwich ever there; THE caprese! Am I turning vegan?! One may never know..... Tune in to find out! Heheh. read more

I thoroughly enjoy this place on a non-busy day, both for coffee and for the crepes. Check out the balsamic glaze served with all the salads. It's amazing. They serve Bagel Rising bagels (delicious) and also have the tofu "cream cheese" for the vegan diner, so that's pretty sweet. One thing that displeased me was the spinach on my hot breakfast florentine style sandwich was raw. I expected cooked or even slightly cooked spinach when I ordered it. One time I brought in my reusable plastic Starbucks iced coffee cup which is designed to look like one of their disposable cups and they gave me a dirty look and a sigh when I asked for an iced quad espresso in it. Sorry you guys HATE Starbucks so much, but I was being green. I definitely recommend Cafenation and all it has to offer. read more

Dear Cafenation, I am a big fan. I love your music selection, your baristas who dance behind the counter, and your iced coffee. Which has a slightly chocolatey tinge to it. I love that you are a mere 20 minute walk from my front door. And that I can smell your crepes all the way down Washington St. As long as I am a Brighton resident, I will remain true to you. Love, Kristina read more

When I moved to Brighton Center, I was underwhelmed with the available food options in walking distance, TILL I FOUND CAFE NATION! This place rocks. Their iced coffee is cold brewed and incredibly delicious. And they have great breakfast sandwhiches and other goodness. My recommendation is the "Otom"...a bagel sandwhich with egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese...and wait....SPICY AIOLI. Bad ass. Its clear this place is family run, and they are efficient as well as friendly. You may have to wait a bit in line during peak times, but its worth it. read more

The friendly staff noted in other reviews must all have this Saturday morning off. This place is clean, the order took a while. There were two older people a few feet away from the staff and register standing with arms folded, staring at the people in line giving off a vibe of daring us not to take the open table for three when there were just two of us. I wanted to like this place and see good places in Brighton. The ordering and pick up system here is not intuitive to first-timers. Probably a breeze for the regulars. read more

I recommend this place for the coffee and atmosphere but NOT the food. My drink of choice: The Bee's Knee's latte - so delicious hot or iced. Food critiques: 1) Their bagels are not well toasted, so it's good to ask for 'extra toasty' (or it comes out a bit soft). 2) I used to order their pastries until one day while waiting in line I saw how many flies crawled across them... SUPER gross. They need to put up some kind of barrier over the food to prevent this! An employee who was walking by waved her hand as if to scare them away but after she walked away the flies came right back. read more

What's not to love about this place? It's by far the yummiest quick breakfast spot in Brighton. As other people have mentioned, it can get crowded on a weekend, and finding a table can be a little difficult if you come after 10 a.m. But in all the times my husband and I have been here, there was only one time in which there were absolutely no tables and we had to take our food to-go. They have pretty basic breakfast offerings - bagels, bagel/english muffin sandwiches, omelettes, crepes, and some baked goods. I would like to think the baked goods (scones, muffins, coffee cake) are baked there, but I'm not sure that they are. Nevertheless, they are excellent - I highly recommend the buttermilk currant scone. The english muffin breakfast sandwiches are wonderful and nothing like the pre-packaged crap you get at DD - the english muffins are incredibly fresh and BIG. As far as the omelettes go, my favorite is the spanish sunrise, but I also enjoy the three pigs, mediterranean, and the omnivore. In fact the only thing I don't really care for are the crepes but that's just a personal thing, because I don't like crepes anywhere. Their coffee is great and they make a mean latte. To top it all off, their staff is very friendly too. In fact they helped coordinate my then-boyfriend's proposal to me there last year! read more

LOVE....LOVE....LOVE.... Not only does this cafe have a great selection of coffee and teas, but fantastic paninis and crepes as well. I didn't realize how awesome everything was until I tried some of the other creperies in the Boston area. The staff is friendly and super accommodating. Will be back again and again! read more

Cafenation has been my reliable go-to spot for breakfast, brunch and coffee since I moved to Brighton last summer. I usually order to go, but its a popular place to hang and the service is spectacular. The servers and baristas are friendly and genuinely ask about your day and make the most delicious coffee drinks. I went out on a limb and ordered a rooibus soy latte last week and it was heaven. I am also hands- down obsessed with their "morning harvest" omelet. The caramelized onions and mushrooms have so much flavor and fresh fruit and toast comes with the order. You can tell the owners really care about this business, I'm psyched its so close to me! read more

Cafenation - Morning harvest omelet to-go - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

So far, this place hasn't given me any reason to dislike it. Location is great--right next to my house. It's a lovely homey cafe place. The coffee is delicious both on-the-go and sitting in. I'm going to try the crepes soon, but this definitely isn't going to be my last time here! This place is now my new crepe place (when I'm at home). read more

QUICK CAPPUCINO REVIEW: Um, if I ask you if I can put sugar in first and you say no, you're an idiot. Tossing sugar on top of cappucino foam ruins the cappucino. I understand that you're more Starbucks than home-made, and won't take the time to put the sugar in yourself, but at least hand me the damn cup and let me do it myself, rather than make a face at me. Despite the quick-dissolving foam under the weight of sugar, the cappucino was pretty damn tasty. It also came to me quickly, and there was ample cinnamon to top it. Okay, that wasn't quick. read more

The coffee here is great. They have a big selection, and it is a great alternative to getting Dunkins & Starbucks everyday. The location is very convenient if you live in the Brighton/Allston area. Service is always quick. I don't like when its too crowded because the space is tight, so beware to feel clustered on a weekend morning/afternoon. Food is very good for a breakfast/lunch spot in the Brighton area. The crepes are very good---and where else can you get a crepe around here?! Paninis, salads, bagels--everything is good. No complaints here. One of the best coffee/breakfast spots in Brighton. read more

Everything is good here! I have yet to try something I didn't like! The iced mochas or the lattes are my fave by far. Even the food is out of this world and all reasonably priced. I love it because of the homemade goodness and you can tell your drink was handcrafted. read more