I love this place. If you sit outside after lunch, you can sit there as long as you want, long after closing. Be kind, fold your chairs and cafe table and put them where the other chairs and table are. The food is carefully made and very good. They use fair trade / equal exchange (I forget which certification they use) products, so everything is ethically sourced. I'm not a fan of the vietnamese spring rolls. However, friends who like vietnamese spring rolls say that the spring rolls here are wonderful. I love their hot chai and grilled cheese sandwiches. Their Ruben is really good. So is the Thai chicken soup. You won't go wrong with whatever you order. The neighborhood has 3 obvious cafes. This is the pick of the litter. read more

Love. just love. I'll try to keep this one short. Solid espresso drinks, friendly service, really good bagels, and a parking lot?! Yes, please. Recommended for morning fuel run, afternoon pick me ups and general testing of how much caffeine is really too much? fun Of course there's bike parking too and water bowl on porch makes me think puppies ok on porch with leash. read more

Kickstand Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Bike here with my family on the weekend. Very friendly staff, and good food. My personal favorite is the chocolate croissant. Lots a brids to watch while sitting outdoors in the summer. read more

I got a blueberry scone from here to-go (mostly because I needed to break a $20) and the wait was a bit long in this COVID season. It was around $3 and after I paid, I had to wait outside by their front tent while a staff member would pull the pastry from inside the cafe and call out people's names. Kickstand always appears pretty busy (dunno why, it's not worth spending your $$ here), especially on a weekend. The disappointment was in the scone itself which was extremely DRY, and had next to no blueberries in it. I'm pretty sure they bring scones in from some other local bakery, so I thought it would taste better. But nope, very tough to chew/bite through and I didn't like that it had large sugar crystals all over the top. It really tasted like a muck of tough baked dough. I would've gone immediately back to let them know but I was already late catching my bus in the Center. read more

Kickstand Cafe - No blueberries in the blueberry scone. - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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Ok look. I can forgive a dry scone. What was I expecting? Scones are almost always dry. But when I order a cortado and essentially get a mix of latte and cappuccino its a bit of a shock to the system. Color me a coffee snob. Hard stop. I have nothing else to say about that. Otherwise it was a fine visit. staff is friendly. nice locale. Just like... fine. read more

Great cafe to stop at while on the minuteman bike path. The staff is really nice and they have some heaters outside in the patio area during the cold months. Good spot to grab a bagel, pasties, hot chocolate, and lattes. Be sure to check their hours as I've definitely walked there to find them closed! read more

Kickstand Cafe became much better after the ownership change. Compared to 3 other coffee shops near-by (Starbie, Nero, Gale Ann), this is probably the best of 4. SB's coffee is always burnt (:P), Nero presses Croissant (yak!) and Gale Ann is Gale Ann (Donuts and only takes cash and no wifi and really, you cannot sit down), this is the place I can sit down longest and type this review. People are friendly, coffee is good, and food is fine. As the name suggests, they are very friendly to cyclists - like putting out floor pump for cyclists. For bike commuters, this is the best place to go. read more

Kickstand is my go to place in good weather. Nice to sit outside under the umbrellas with an ice-tea with lemon and any of their delicious sandwiches, salads, and pastries. Everything that I have tried there is good! In cold weather, inside is great for a cup of soup and a grilled cheese with tomato. The coffee is good as well. Very friendly service which moves right along even with the long lines that can be there at times. read more

Kickstand feels like the town commons for Arlington. Great location just off the bike path, and since Covid they have really expanded their outdoor seating. Almost anytime of day, almost any weather, you can find a good size crowd sitting at the nice outdoor tables and chatting. The menu is varied, with lots of options for breakfast and lunch. I've always found the food decent, and have ordered a pretty wide range of items over the years. The thing I can't get over is the wait time. Regardless of how busy it is, it is like a 30 minute wait if you order online. That holds true whether you're ordering like one latte, or sandwiches for the whole family. I've started avoiding them for this reason. You could get in and out of a sit down restaurant faster than getting a to-go order from the Kickstand, it feels like. read more

Kickstand Cafe was a good option for our group on a Saturday morning because of the variety on the menu-- there are lots of breakfast options, lunch options, and baked goods. I opted for the fancy Avocado Toast, which comes with arugula and pickled onions, and a blueberry and lemon scone. I only got one slice of the Avocado Toast, which was good, but wouldn't have been enough food if I hadn't also gotten a pastry. While all of the baked goods looked good, my scone was disappointing and incredibly dry. If I go back next time in town I will skip the baked goods! read more

Kickstand Cafe - Fancy Avocado Toast (arugula and pickled onions) - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

This is a wonderful place located ideally just off the bike path, so lots of bike riders, kaffeeklatsches, moms with kids, and people with dogs. Plenty of outdoor seating, and a great place to work on your laptop indoors or out. When I first went, I had some decent lattes, but now, not so great. The barista doesn't quite get how to steam the milk. The latte ends up being watery espresso with warm milk and a lump of froth on top. The drip coffee was undrinkable, scaldingly hot and burnt tasting. I had to toss it. It's a crying shame that such a nicely located spot doesn't have better coffee. read more

Really tasty iced tea and some quality gluten free options. The raspberry crumble is amazing! Outdoor seating is lovely but fills up fast. Inside usually has more seating options. Great way to pause while exploring the minuteman bike trail. read more

Kickstand Cafe - Love their iced tea and gluten free treats. Nice addition to the walk along the bike path (on which they're located) - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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Kickstand Cafe is adorable. Salad and sandwich were exactly what we were looking for, delicious and filling. 10/10 would recommend.

073 / 100 - 2018 YELP 100 CHALLENGE. Very cute and very popular cafe in Arlington. I came here to meet up with a friend for some coffee and we settled on Kickstand Cafe as it was right in the middle for us. We got here on a Sunday morning (right before lunch) and it was PACKED. Thankfully he got us a table, so we were able to get a spot to sit after putting in our order. I ordered the matcha latte with almond milk and he got himself a coffee. The staff at Kickstand Cafe are very friendly, cheerful, and helpful. Our orders arrived pretty quickly. I actually liked the matcha latte at Kickstand, which is great because I'm usually very picky about my drinks. There's ample seating inside and outside and the cafe itself is pretty clean. I'd like to come back here again to try some of the food and pastries. read more

I come here because they have outdoor seating. The coffee and food here are OK - nothing outstanding. The breakfast egg sandwich I had was small but tasted good. The berry scone was quite large but doughy and lacked berries. The steel cut oatmeal with walnuts and dried fruit was great though. I am a fan of oatmeal so this one was on par with many I have tried elsewhere. The customer service here can be inconsistent as it depends on how busy they get but nothing a smile can't fix. This place benefits from being at a great location - right at the Arlington bike trail and no real competition as there are no similar cafes around. read more

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This place has been brought me so much comfort in the form of chai teas, pastries and bagels during these Covid times. This place has outdoor seating and gets busy on the weekends. I recommend you place an order online to pick up. They have a safe system in place to get orders out (masks, available sanitizer). When you place it online it will be ready in 10 minutes. I love going there and saying a quick hello to the friendly staff. My favorite items: bagels, muffins, chocolate chip cookies, spring rolls, and Thai Chicken with red curry soup (seriously so good). read more

I don't see the appeal of this place. The food is mediocre, it's overpriced, and the service is slow.

Kickstand cafe is such a gem and really a wonderful place for the community of Arlington! Love this place. Delicious sandwiches and baked goods - soups are good too, super friendly and kind service and the outdoor seating is lovely (they have heaters in the fall) on the cooler days. I only wish they were open a little later- keeping fingers crossed!!! read more

Added to my list of "places to go for a doubleshot of espresso"...they have coffee, pastries, sandwiches, a restroom, lots of seating, and parking (shared with Anton's next door). read more

Kickstand Cafe - Their espresso is pretty good, I'd get it again. - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Went for an early lunch with a friend. The cafe is charming, pretty roomy, but fairly crowded! There was always a line for service, but it moved rapidly and the wait for food/drink was served quickly at the counter. The ambience was what you might expect at a cafe. Lots of conversations in the full dining room, but not so loud that you couldn't sit with your laptop and have a coffee or have a chat of your own with a pal. $8 for a sizeable turkey / pesto sandwich and $4 for a latte. I'm not sure I would say the latte was anything to write home about, but the sandwich was good for the price. A lovely little community cafe, I'll happily go again! read more

Kickstand Cafe - Small latte & Turkey sandwich (no cranberry sauce). - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Not many places have outdoor seating as nice as Kickstand. After several tries at their food I'd say it's nothing more than okay. But it's cute and has comfortable seating inside and out. read more

Very good sandwiches, the presentation was a bit lack luster, but it's a cafe so honestly not a big deal. The roasted chicken was very good, with slices of bacon and their signature kickin' sauce. The place was very warm, with lots of wooden accents and aesthetic views. It's right next to the Minuteman bikeway, and there are lots of cute outdoor tables. There are a bunch of bikers with a ton of bikes outside if that's your thing. Overall would go again! read more

Kickstand Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Eh. I stopped in last week during my daily workout to grab an ice coffee before heading back home. I ordered and paid but instead of handing me back my card the cashier tossed it back on the counter and it slid towards me. I've never had someone "hand" me my card like that before. Smh. I didn't notice that happen to the soccer moms in line ahead or behind me. Smh. The drink was good and the place is spacious with plenty of tables, chairs and a few tables outside. read more

The aroma of velvet coffee, freshly baked bread, and pastry delights; the rustic brown wooden tables, many of which occupied, the large hand-drawn menu, display of lovely goods, behind a line being greeted by the most welcoming staff: this is Kickstand on a weekend, and probably most days, when townfolks and our guests enjoy their stay for a nice cup of Equal Exchange cappuccino, or a refreshing fresh-brewed iced tea, or better, a trio of Vietnamese spring rolls and a Thai iced tea, or a grilled cheese accompanied by a rich, warm bowl of tomato feta soup. Whatever you choose you will likely be so pleased with, you keep wanting to come back, and sometimes, sitting at the common table, reading or writing, feeling like this sweet lovely place is an extension of your home. read more

Happened to be on the walk/bike path & stumbled upon this place. Well am glad I went in w/ my friend. There were lots of people sitting at tables both inside & out, along w/ folks coming in & out, so I guess it's pretty popular. Well there are variety of baked goods that they have & was glad to be able to get a pumpkin muffin. I didn't even eat it then but the next day for breakfast & it was aammmaaazzzinnngg. I simply love pumpkin stuff & was so glad to have found it in December since most things are either gingerbread or mint at this point. So we got some beverages to take w/ us while we walked. The mulled cider was actually good but sweeter than I expected, you could definitely taste the mulled spices too. My friend got the ginger lemonade & was actually quite refreshing. This is a cute place that seems to have a good variety of beverages & baked goods so yeah, check it out. read more

One of my favorite cafes in the Boston area. Everything is delicious and the staff is really friendly. Great place to work, read or hang out. I disagree with some of the other reviewers--I feel that at least for lunch, the portions are very reasonable for the price. This isn't a restaurant, it's a cafe read more

Truly one of the best cafes around!! I don't live very far away so I try to come in frequently. I recommend the roasted chicken panino and the broccoli cheddar soup. The staff is super welcoming and kind, environment is fun and relaxed. There is seating inside and outside along with a parking lot. Fun place to visit when in the area! read more

This place is awesome! The staff is very swift in taking the orders and getting your orders ready. Several great items, great place to meet, chat, discuss. The outdoor tables are pretty awesome! Kudos to the cheerful old man who cleans the table ( name..John, George?) My humble respects for this person who's very cheerful & friendly! read more

Great selection of herbal teas and very knowledgeable staff. One gentleman helped me pick from the list of teams and I settled on a Moraccan mint tea. Robust beautiful flavor. Also ordered the classic Ruben sandwich. Soooo good! Freshly made on perfectly crispy whole grain bread and just the perfect amount of cheese (i.e. it wasn't swimming in cheese or grease). Great atmosphere. Very casual, pick up food at counter. lots of indoor and some outdoor seating. Definitely kid friendly with grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and banana sandwiches on the menu. My only critique is that when busy the parking lot fills up quick, but the is street parking as well. Overall, this place is a fantastic spot! read more

Kickstand Cafe - Moroccan mint tea and classic ruben sandwich. Wow... delish!! - Cafes Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

My husband and I have an ongoing joke that Kickstand cafe is my lover on the side. I talk about it all the time and I'm always running off to it when I have the chance. Why? Kickstand Cafe has a really nice, laid back vibe while channeling a lot of intention into their food and drinks. I had a mocha there and it wasn't too sweet. I could tell the chocolate was high quality (no icky syrup). I've also had sandwiches and salads there and they're always filled with fresh, tasty ingredients. It's easy to drown things in fat, cheese, cream, and salt. This place takes the harder route by seasoning things just enough so the fresh ingredients still shine. Sorry to say my affair with Kickstand Cafe has no end date. My husband will have to deal. read more

Casual cafe offering well-crafted sandwiches and drinks made with local favorites like Iggy's bread. Half of the tree-lined parking lot has recently been converted into ample outdoor seating. Easily on par with other local cafes like Bloc 11 and High Rise. Plenty of bicycle parking of course! read more

I have only tried the hot chocolate (4$+tax), but it's really... very bad. Almost no chocolate flavor, mostly watery milk, and then gritty chocolate at the bottom? Ugh. I hope their other drinks or food are better. read more

I wouldn't be liming (get it, like lying but with lime!) if I said that the mint limeade was absolutely one of my favorite drinks I've had at a cafe! It was so refreshing and sent my tastebuds on a pleasurable adventure with each sip. With the hint of green tea, it wasn't too sweet, nor was it that depressing bland lack of sweetness that many iced teas produce! Every blisteringly hot day deserves this mint limeade! read more

I love this place. Wonderful food, great coffee, nice people. Their menu options are very thoughtful/interesting/delicious. My favorites are the ginger lemonade and the egg sandwich with tomato. I come here often, especially after spending time on the Minuteman. It is typically pretty busy on weekends in the mid-to-late morning, but service is quick and they have a lot of indoor seating, outdoor seating, and some overflow picnic tables at are about 30 feet away. Breakfast sandwiches are available until they run out, which is around 12 or 1 pm in my experience. read more

Not a bad cafe. Coffee is "fine," pastries are pretty mediocre. Wifi is good, and quite a bit of space. Nothing remarkable but a fine option in this neighborhood. Sort of chaotic inside. read more

It is exactly what you would expect a coffee shop to be. Great food selection. Coffee is tasty ! Fun ambiance and always busy. Great to read or relax outside after bike ride ( on bike path ). Try it. The grilled cheese is amazing :) read more

I live nearby so I really wanted this place to be like a High Rise (Cambridge - where we used to live), but within walking distance of us. I knew it was a long shot, but I can dream can't I? I had to settle for merely an upgrade over the Jam'n Java place that used to be there. And I got exactly one coffee from Jam'n Java and never went back. So that's how I felt about that place. First the good - the coffee is way better than its predecessor. That's a good start for a coffee shop. The baked goods are not made there, but they are Iggy's - which is also a good start. From there it kind of goes downhill. The prices are outrageous / absurd. But this IS Arlington and Whole Foods is now here... $8 for a Roasted Turkey Sandwich. For $8 - $9, at High Rise you would get a sandwich with 1" thick toasted slabs of homemade bread and house roasted turkey with local fresh grilled vegetables in it. In fact you would have to take a nap after eating it and would not need to consume any more food for a full 24 hours. At Kickstand you get this tiny sad little thing - so light you are not sure they didn't hand you an empty bag. And then you have to walk down the street to get a real lunch somewhere else to actually fill your stomach. Same goes for all the rest of their sandwiches. Don't even get me started on the egg sandwiches. The service is getting better than when they first opened, but still kind of random. They now take your name for sandwich order (good), but then they don't always call a name when they put orders up on the counter (bad). So you are locked in this epic silent staring standoff with other customers that ordered the same thing, inching closer to the food, hoping that should they move for it first that your fast twitch muscles are quicker than theirs. All because these folks can't figure out how to keep a name attached to an order all the way from ordering to delivery. So if you're looking for a good coffee and baked goods from Iggys - good place. Anything else not so much - so far. I hope for improvement. read more

This is the old Carberrys that turned into Jamn Java... it's third incarnation is the Kickstand Cafe, and it improves on the other two with some nice additions. The space is the same but it gets new paint, better artwork on the walls, better lighting, new barn wood rail seating around the large windows, clean and working rest rooms (finally), and the emergency exit door is actually unlocked and usable to exit from (it had been locked for at least the past years under the previous owners). Some sort of mudroom area or curtain by the entrance that lessens the "close that door" during cold winter days is still needed but might be in the works. This is basically on the bike path, so there is bicycle parking as well as car parking (try to find that at Starbucks across the street). There is a very large table for groups that is a nice feature... unfortunately there is still free Wi-Fi, so all those slackers who make this their rent-free office are still there all day taking up space and air we could all be breathing. Mid day is usually a new mom stroller roll meeting place... a trade off (nice moms for crying bratty kids) for some that is bearable. The food I have tried is the standard bread, bagels, and pastries but they are all fresh and the coffee is 1) strong enough and 2) served in real MUGS instead of disposable paper. A real cappuccino machine is a huge positive addition, but serving them in in the disposable cups lessens that thrill a great deal. The service is noticeably better than it ever was here before .. the staff is now adult, smiling, and efficient. read more

This place is the best spot in Arlington. Even better than Tango Restaurant. But it's still Arlington. You know, the city whose #1 attraction, per Trip Advisor, is a pond you can't bike or jog around. The owner has done an amazing job. The sandwiches (especially chicken salad with grapes, yum), iced tea, molasses cookies, and the rest of it are all delicious. Sandwiches could be a bit larger but cafes have to make money. Employees are great, and look like they might as well be working at Diesel. There's parking. If you were judging by the place alone, then you'd give it five stars. But remember this is still Arlington. You'll be working away one morning and you'll suddenly see the baby brigade come marching in around noon. You'll find yourself surrounded by fifteen screaming kids. And a lot of smug white suburbanites moving tables around and tripping over your messenger bag. You feel like you might as well be hanging out at Cracker Barrel. And then they all suddenly disappear. Cool place. The clientele should bring it down a couple of stars but I can't bring myself to blame the owner or employees for that. read more

I have to say, next time I want to exercise my mouth while eating a bagel, I'll come straight here. The lox sandwich looks great sitting behind the counter, but excitement quickly fades when you find yourself eating a meal prepared back in Vietnam. I'm also removing a star because the tall bald guy behind the counter is either a dick or prone to anxiety attacks. In between growling at customers to get into a straighter line, he's telling his coworkers that he's "losing his mind". Anyway, weird. read more