First, I want to make sure everyone knows: You DO NOT need to be a CapitalOne banking customer to come here. You do not need to use a CapitalOne card to get coffee. If you do, you get 50% off -- which is amazing, but not required. You always will not be hounded to open a CapitalOne account. Ok, onto the review...
I have been here a few times over the years to work for a few hours and grab a coffee and it's always been good but now is quite possibly the best place to grab coffee and work in the area (including the Boston area.)
What changed? The coffee shop parter. Before it was Peet's and now it's Verve Coffee. I never minded Peet's but have never loved it. I've had it in airports, I've had it in CA where they're from, and at this CapitalOne Cafe but always found it just fine.
Verve on the other hand is great. Feels like a great small coffee chain (since it is.) I would go out of my way to get coffee here, even if I wasn't working for a few hours - I would not have done this with Peet's. The coffee is high quality, more 'craft' than Peet's which is more like a Starbucks. Verve is based in LA and is SUPER popular there. If they opened a shop outside of LA in NYC or Boston etc. it would be reported on as a big deal, but since it's hidden inside CapitalOne maybe there's been less fanfare (or I just missed it.) On top of that I'm sure everyone in LA is jealous we get the same coffee for 50% off! (if you use a CapitalOne card.)
Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is the coffee is legitimately good. Oh! I also just had a Iced Cinnamon Hekla (similar to a cinnamon bun) and it was also delicious. No idea where they get their baked goods (can't imagine they are flying from CA daily) so bravo to where they source them.
What about as a work space? EXCELLENT. Tons of seating in various styles: Cushioned benched, low tables, bar window seating, long community tables are varied heights. They also have lots of wall outlets, and never make you feel like you are loitering. I'm happy that every time I'm here there is a good amount of customers (makes me hopefully it won't close). I just counted and there are 20+ people sitting around and still so many places to sit. In most coffee shops in the area if you put 20+ seated customers you'd have no option to fit more.
That brings me to my final point: the staff. Also excellent. Every time I've been here they are super friendly. This goes for the barista's and the CapitalOne employees that are hanging around the cafe. I wasn't a CapitalOne customer until recently, which they quickly and effortlessly helped me with. They do not push, upsell, or bother you if you're in the cafe. They greet you, and are here if needed but don't assume if you're here their job is to bombard you with CapitalOne promos or something: they don't. But if you need help, they will do so with a smile.
Really I can't find any negatives for this place. Great space with lots of seating and outlets, solid pastries, friendly staff, and now fantastic coffee. The only downside that I could see for someone if they want this to act as a traditional bank, but CapitalOne is a "digital bank" so you can't do *everything* you can at a "traditional" bank.)
Ok, back to my Verve iced latte. read more