I'm so happy to see common ground still exists in Hampden. This coffee shop has gone through it from operating a different location in Hampden to opening at this current spot and then closing and then now becoming employee owned. Common ground is really why I love Hampden. They are so community and employee driven. The line here is always very long, people love their biscuits. I usually come here just for their coffee - the most popular being their drip. I always forget they have expresso here and always regret my coffee au lait as its drip with milk. Common ground is always bustling and they have a lot of tables and main sitting area. The bathroom here is super cute with a giant pink flamingo mural and for how busy it does they maintain it really well. They offer their bathroom two customers of Maillard Pastries, which is across the street which I love. Super solid choice for coffee I know it's a very popular neighborhood spot and beloved for 25 years! read more

Common Ground - Outside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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My wife and I have been to this coffee establishment at least 3 times. Each time we have tried different coffees and breakfast items. The employee-owned staff are delightful people. The wait can be a little long but the coffee and food are scrumptious. The seating inside is a little tight and the outdoor seating could use better chairs, but it's just a small gripe, nothing to pass up on visiting this place again. read more

This is a rustic coffee shop with ample seating for doing work or simply enjoying your food/drink. The people at the counter are very nice and they have a punchcard for returning visitors. I got a strawberry banana smoothie with oat milk that was really thick and quite filling, along with a chocolate croissant that they heated up for me. They had a sparse amount of pastries as we went closer to closing, so if you want the full selection be sure to get there early. I enjoyed my quick stop in and will surely be back. read more

Common Ground - strawberry banana smoothie, chocolate croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I hadn't been to Common Ground since they became employee-owned and I'm happy to report that the menu has not changed significantly and the quality continues to be consistent. They still have a lovely selection of pastries including a couple gluten free muffins! The sandwiches are still yummy and creative along with some crowd pleaser classics. I chose to get the Hampden special which comes with two eggs, candied bacon, swiss cheese, and greens. It was pretty good! I opted for sourdough instead of the ciabatta. The cold and hot lunch sandwiches come with potato chips whereas the breakfast sammies come by itself. I will definitely be back to work on their deck and enjoy a gluten free pastry and coffee! read more

Common Ground - Hampden special on sourdough - A sandwich featuring lettuce, cheese, bacon, and bread is held in a person's hand, with a background of crumpled brown paper. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Ordered the NOVA bagel and matcha latter for $21.10, friend ordered masala chai and hickory sandwich for $20.66. Just very mid compared to other cafes. Matcha was mostly milk, chai had no milk only tasted like water and spices. Sandwiches were fine. Friend found vegetable sticker in her sandwich, not my favorite cafe in Baltimore. read more

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The service was great and quick! There was a lot of seating inside and it was comfortable. I loved listening to Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" while devouring my breakfast sandwich. The Hampden special is a favorite of mine. The candied bacon is delicious as is the aioli. I tried the That's my Jam! sandwich for the first time and it was perfectly sweet and savory. The biscuit was huge! It was not dry nor crumbly and held everything in place. read more

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I come here because the food is always good and I like the inclusive atmosphere. What I don't like is that they used to have brands like Diet Coke, and now the only option is "Palestina" soda with a logo that implies support of Palestine in the conflict. I believe that's injecting politics into a place where it doesn't belong and the lack of choice doesn't seem so inclusive to me. read more

Common Ground is my favorite lunch spot for a great sandwich. My go to order is The Powers (hummus, red onion, cucumber, tomato, avocado and spinach on toasted rye). Located in the heart of Hamden, this worker owned business is a charmer. Laid back, hyper local and slow paced. Don't come in a hurry though, good food can't be rushed. Order the matcha too! Sourced locally from Wight Tea Co. read more

Common Ground - Powers (hummus, red onion, cucumber, tomato, avocado and spinach on toasted rye. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This has become one of the my favorite coffee spots. If I'm in Hampden, I find a way to get here. Smaller, cozy interior with a spacious outdoor seating area. The large Cappuccino is perfect as it has quad shots and the coffee/milk balance is perfect. I order mine with Oat milk. We've tried the frozen Mocha smoothie which was amazing. We always pick up one of their Vegan and/or Vegan/Gluten free Muffins or scones. They rotate the varieties-strawberry, orange cranberry, apple/cinnamon to name a few. Bonus-all of the baked goods are made in house. They also offer day old items. Service has always been friendly and engaged. One of many must stop spots in the area. read more

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I've always had good food here, and I like the vibe. I like seeing people from all walks of life sitting and eating lunch together. What I did not like is what I feel is the restaurant interjecting their political views into the peace I'm looking for on my lunch break. I always get a can of Diet Coke. When I went to get my Diet Coke out of the case, this was my only choice. I came back two weeks later and it was the same. If they want to sell the Palestina soda, fine. I can deal, but just bring back the Diet Coke too so we have a choice. read more

Common Ground - Only option for a diet soda. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

When you have a matcha craving, this is the best!! Fair prices with amazing pastries. Will definitely need to go back and try their sandwiches, however, my strawberry rhubarb scone did not disappoint. Very quick service and friendly staff. Cute space with tables for eating and leisure. read more

Common Ground - Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Lots of tables and nice patio space to enjoy your treats. Inside felt kinda cramped, but the availability of seats are endless. Well off coffee and good Danish. read more

Common Ground - Danish and coffee blended - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Support your local co-op!! The staff are some of the best in Hampden, the coffee is lovingly made, the food is wonderful. They hold events for the community, truly a coffee shop for and of the people. It's homey and comfy and the porch is my favorite place to relax on a Saturday. read more

First the positives: Lovely staff, great ambiance and mostly good food Cons: Food and drinks can be inconsistent in quality. Biggest disappointment are the muffins. They are always over mixed and over baked making them dry and tough. Every time. Once I got a blackberry muffin and there was only a single berry in the whole thing. I know they are capable of doing better but after more than a year of this poor quality I won't be going back until they can fix their issues. read more

Place is surprisingly expansive. I enjoy how the seating and ordering area is sectioned, so when you take a seat, it feels like you're in your own space, apart from a lot of shops where it just feels like a cafeteria. They packed the bagel with content, which I appreciated. Each bite was filling. The mango chutney that I added for $0.50 wasn't as prominent as I hoped. The bacon was cooked perfectly. It felt like there was seasoning on it, and it was the perfect balance of chewy and crispy. The cheese was actually melted on the egg, which I appreciated. The bagel had a great consistency. I didn't need to do much to break it apart. read more

Common Ground - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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3543 chestnut ave Baltimore, Md A very cute place for coffee with a comfy funky vibe serving the best coffee and baked goods plus some light fare. We had this nice hot coffee on this cold morning and it hit the spot. I like that there is indoor and outdoor seating. The service was very fast and pleasant. I even got 10 percent from yelp but I had already paid. Maybe next time Im in town. read more

Common Ground moved locations and now has a great big patio and funky indoor space. The staff are great and very fast. There are many breakfast and lunch options along with a variety of coffee drinks (no smoothies right now though). The food and coffee are all decent but nothing really wow worthy that makes me want to return asap. read more

I truly don't understand the service we received. We popped in to purchase a box of pastries to take over to a friend's home. There was a long line, which we patiently stood in, and once we got to the person managing the cash register, I asked if we could walk over to the pastry display so that I could choose the 5-6 pastries we were going to purchase. He said "hold on let me ask" and went over to one of four other people behind the counter to ask if they could help me choose some pastries to take to go. He came back and said "sorry we can't do that." I said "no one can help me choose a few pastries to put in a box?" He responded "no the line is too long." I was so confused that I just said thank you and left. Very very strange. read more

Employee owned!!! Terrific coffee, great service. Ample indoor space that is great for working and also a terrific patio deck overlooking some great people watching. Muffins and biscuits terrific!!! read more

The best muffins anywhere, including delicious gluten-free & vegan options. Very friendly and welc atmosphere. Beautiful outdoor patio with a pleasant urban view on a quiet street. Great coffee. read more

Nice coffee and food. It gets pretty busy and hard to find seating though. Also they tend to be out of a lot of bagels. I also wish they stayed open a little later; 3 is early. read more

Common Ground - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Stopped in for a quick coffee and wanted to support a local business. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating with a relaxed vibe. read more

Common Ground - Outside the shop - The image shows the front entrance of a cafe with a white door, brick walls, and a rainbow flag hanging outside, indicating LGBTQ+ support. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The coffee is good. I haven't tried their food offerings. The outdoor seating is spacious. The indoor line and waiting area for orders is cramped where it's hard to find a place to stand at times. The traffic flow inside could be done better to alleviate people blocking the doors. read more

I visited today for the first time. I am not from the area but I did Google nearby cafés to where I was going to be so that I can sit and try to get some work done. The staff is really friendly I love that they come out and bring you your food if necessary and they make announcements to let you know when your order is ready. They do have nut milk which was greatly appreciate it because I'm not too big on cow milk. My sandwich was tasty. One thing that stood out to me was there was a homeless man that came inside well I'm assuming homeless but they gently went over to him and politely asked him to leave versus making it a big deal and being confrontational. That says a lot about this place because at the end of the day we are all human and the lady was really gentle with this guy. I've already recommended this place for someone to visit tomorrow in which they plan on doing. read more

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I love that Common Ground made the move to Chestnut Ave - not far from their last location, but larger, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating! The previous FroYo spot was a personal favorite, so I was sad to see it go - but I am thrilled to now have a spot in Hampden for light treats (muffins!!) and a hot tea and a nice off-the-sidewalk seating option. The deck is spacious and has some shade + some sunny areas, so it's going to be my spot mostly year-round. The staff is always friendly and the selection of teas is great for this non-coffee drinker! I'm a big fan of Common Ground and am glad they stayed close in the move! Cheers! read more

Honestly I don't understand why this place was shutdown this summer, I work in the avenue and when I realized I couldn't get good coffee and bagel I was pretty bummed. Now it's back and I can say everyone does seem more happy (as much as you can be when working a opening shift on a Sunday). The look is pretty much the same, lovely patio and awesome indoor spaces. Also get the chicken salad sandwich, its damn good. read more

Great experience visiting today! I ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a plain bagel ($8.5). I'm not sure where they source their bagels from but I thought it had a great texture. I also got an iced oat milk latte which was $4.75 and then .75 up charge for oat milk. I was able to find a table and do some work on my laptop- WiFi was good. Bathroom was clean! read more

Common Ground - Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich and an iced latte - A breakfast sandwich with bacon, cheese, and bread is on brown parchment paper, accompanied by an iced coffee in a clear cup with a lid, on a cafe table. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

1 word... Charming!! I have now visited this cafe a total of 4 times and I cannot wait to go back for the 5th! Great customer service and quality! I love this place and its location because it's so eclectic. You can relax while people watching and see variations of people coming in and leaving and everyone appears equally as satisfied as I always am. My 1st time that I visited, I went for breakfast with my husband. Secretly, I really went for the Latte! I decided to get food while there as well and I'm so glad I did. I promised myself I will return back for a smoothie that I saw advertised and I did so! I'm so glad I did, it was so good and it was a great price! My next 2 visits were coffee runs and they were so yummm!! Smooth and satisfying. Parking - Inexpensive metered parking. The earlier you go, the easier it is to find parking. At no time is it impossible. It really doesn't matter where you park because it's a great area for walking and window shopping. If you haven't visited, give them a try !! read more

Common Ground - 8'16'19 Hazelnut Iced Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Common Ground has definitely grown on me. There is indoor seating (including a couch and many small tables) as well as an outdoor patio; I came on a Sunday morning when indoors was full, but that's a testament to how popular the place is. Regarding the coffee, I liked the drip after adding a couple Splenda, and I enjoyed the lemon poppy scone (I ate the corners and the top because they had crystallized sugar lol). I'm Indian so masala chai is particularly special to me, and while I found the taste a bit mild, it was definitely better (and spicier!) than some of the other chais I've had at coffee shops. read more

Common Ground - Masala chai and lemon poppy scone - A foam-topped coffee in a paper cup and a sugar-dusted pastry are placed on a wooden table with a paper liner. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I've been here twice. I love the drinks and everything the business stands for however was pretty disappointed that during midweek lunch hour the kitchen was shut down due to ingredients/food shortage. read more

Amazing coffee shop!! Drinks, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, it's all 10/10. The menu has a decent selection. If it's nice outside the porch is really great to sit out on and enjoy your bev. read more

coffee was good, although the cashier made a comment to me this morning that i was not a huge fan of. i hadn't been there before so it was my first impression. read more

Good little coffee shop that the fam checked out one morning on our Baltimore trip. Close to campus and it seems to be popular with students and professionals alike. Staff were friendly. Our little family got one of the bagel breakfast sandwiches, a croissant, and a muffin to share. I was a little surprised just how expensive the bakes goods were. Other than that, the food tasted good and the ambiance and decor are nice. read more

Usually common ground is a reliable choice... but come on guys. Who put this burnt dry piece of quiche in and felt like that was ok? Disappointed in a usually enjoyable spot. read more

Common Ground - Burnt Quiche du Jour - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This is where I get my muffin fix. Before COVID I used to love coming here early when parking was free out front and grab the window table to do a little studying. That, with a mocha and a muffin would set me up for a great start to the day. I got much joy out of walking up to the counter, surveying all the muffins of the land (their full repertoire is too vast for this review, but a couple of my favorites are the blackberry granola, hummingbird, vegan morning glory), and choosing a single muffin (alas) for consumption. These days there's no sitting inside of course, but you can still enjoy their coffee and muffins from the takeout window. For a speedy pickup, order ahead online or by phone! read more

Food and service were great. You should get a jalapeno biscuit if you can. Great coffee too!

Needed a quick early lunch and Common Ground was one of the few places open around 11am. I ordered a sausage, egg and cheese on an everything bagel. Quick service and delicious read more

Common Ground - Sausage, egg, and cheese - A bagel sandwich with scrambled eggs, melted cheese, and seasoning, wrapped in aluminum foil, held by a person. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

From the moment you walk through the door, you know this place is special. Wonderful staff, delicious drinks, and the right mix of indoor and outdoor seating. The perfect place to bring your own coffee mug, admire the art on the walls, and catch up with friends. read more

I love Common Ground. It's my favorite breakfast spot in Baltimore. We always get the egg sandwich on a croissant with avocado and sausage. We've also gotten the beyond meat, which is a delicious vegetarian option. Get the chai peanut butter and banana smoothie! It's delicious. The restaurant has a decent amount of seating. The front room has plenty of tables. We've also sat in the background, which is quieter and more intimate. You can order online and quickly pick up your food to go. The restaurant is very COVID safe and the staff are friendly and welcoming. Easy five stars. read more

Common Ground - Meat, Egg and Cheese sandwich - A partially eaten breakfast sandwich featuring egg, cheese, and beef on toasted bread, resting on crinkled aluminum foil. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

came to do some work around 11 it was pretty busy and was a bit tricky to get a table but the cafe cleared up and calmed down at around 11:15. I got a dirty masala chai latte with oatmilk and it tasted great! some cafe chais are way too sweet or lack flavor, but this one was rlly good! the barista (baby bangs and cool facial piercings) was super nice and friendly read more

Common Ground - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland