Ordered the iced saigonese which was deliciously creamy and not too sweet (after I selected the less sweet option)! The cafe is somewhat small and doesn't have too many tables, but I can see why coming here to study or catch up with friends would be extremely lovely. I came by at around 11am on a Tuesday, so I was somewhat surprised that it was so full, but alas. The person working there also recommended the matcha white chocolate cookie, which was JUST put out in the display, so it was still warm. I didn't take a photo, but I gobbled that thing up. The matcha flavor was strong, and the white chocolate was the perfect complement. read more

Phinista - Iced Saigonese - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The coffee itself was decent, but the wait was rough, about 20-30 minutes just for two coffees. Staff was nice, but it shouldn't take that long for a basic order. Would love to come back if service improves. read more

Food? Mediocre, at best. Lemongrass steak bowl with TOUGH steak, lettuce, a few carrot pieces. Sauce and general flavor? Meh.

Everyone was super helpful and accommodating!! Our food was delicious as well! The vibe is so cute inside and there was plenty of seating! read more

Phinista - Bun and cookie - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

Phinista, located in Fenway, is SUCH a cute cafe! It's the perfect spot to be productive as the environment isn't overstimulating, and there's so much natural lighting. I appreciated the presence of both tables along the bar and a cozy study corner, providing versatile seating options. The fast Wi-Fi and ample outlets make it conducive for work. During my visit, I tried the hot thai tea. It was a lot sweeter than I would have preferred, but I really liked the consistency of the tea. In terms of service, I appreciated how there was an option for mobile ordering from the table (lol a great option for introverts)! I'll definitely return again! There are so many other drinks, pastries, and dishes I want to try. read more

See all

I've been to Phinista a couple different times to try out their buns, which are often not in stock. I was able to try the matcha bun, but was a bit disappointed when it didn't taste much like matcha, but more like a regular custard bun with a slight sprinkle of matcha. The ube coffee was also disappointing, again just tasting like regular coffee and not much ube at all. The banh mi chao I had was great though, and reminded me of shakshuka with a Viet twist. read more

Phinista - Banh mi chao and ube coffee - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Very good spot in this area. Banh mi were very good but not nearly the best in Boston. Interesting drinks. Outdoor seating is good when available. read more

Wow, Phinista has excellent drinks! I started with a stunning and delicious strawberry matcha latte. It was so good I drank it so fast and had two order a second drink! For my second one I ordered the lychee spritz off of the season menu. That one was also fantastic! They have lots of outdoor seating but sadly it was raining when I went so I had to sit inside. The indoor seating is a bit tight, but it's worth the squeeze for these drinks! read more

Phinista - Strawberry matcha latte - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

OMG THE UBE BUN WITH CUSTARD. I had to come here for the buns with custard and was not disappointed!! The bun was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with the creamiest and most delectable filling. I had it with an Ube iced drink which was pretty good as well, but I had a sip of my friends Vietnamese coffees which I would recommend more! My iced Ube milk tea was a little too syrupy for me. Was here for breakfast and coffee but as we ate the smell of banh mis slowly drifted over. Will have to try one of these someday, they looked so good! read more

Phinista - Ube bun - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The service was very friendly, but the iced strawberry matcha was not the best I've had. I understand this is a popular café, there was definitely not enough seating for the number of people that seemed to want to enjoy their drinks indoors. There is outdoor seating, which would be good for the summer, but on a cold day, it was still cold inside the café if you are sitting near the door. read more

Phinista - Strawberry Matcha Latte - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Love this place! It's a small gem on a side street in Fenway selling Vietnamese classics like bahn mi. I got the tofu rice bowl and I was surprised at how flavorful the tofu was - it was marinated and each bite was so good. The servers were so nice, since I couldn't get fish sauce they gave me a spicy soy sauce for my food. It's a bit smaller area so not a huge amount of seating but you could definitely find a seat read more

Phinista - Mom's Tofu Rice Bowl - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Super busy on a Sunday afternoon, but nonetheless the workers were super quick and responsive. The store is quite small with minimal indoor seating, but there's a bit of outdoor seating available. I got the Iced Saigonese and it was super good! The sea salt paired perfectly with the condensed milk and coffee. read more

Phinista - Iced Saigonese Sea Salt Phin - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Small spot located in Fenway part of Boston. I was in the area so decided to try it out because it was in my bookmark for quite some times. I was excited to tried their Ube coffee because I was fan after trying it out in Philly coffee shop when I visited. I am also a huge fan of Ube flavor stuff. I was expecting it to taste the same but it did not. It tasted water down and not an authentic Vietnamese coffee that I'm used too. My son got the thai tea. That's the only thing that tasted how it should. That's why I'm rating a 2 stars. But I don't think I'll be returning. read more

Phinista - Thai Tea - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

WOW! Inside was clean and warm inside. I love the ordering process, which makes sure the orders are correct and fast! The best thing was the flavor of my food and drink tho. The Thai tea was excellent, the salad has great flavor. I am so happy i stopped in! read more

Phinista - Salad - Vegan Lemongrass Seitan - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

The Saigonese Coffee is good if you like incredibly sweet coffee. But it was a little too sweet for my taste and lost the taste of a Vietnamese coffee. Bahn mi itself was not packed enough for me and for 11-14 dollars was disappointing in its size. read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I've been really looking forward to trying this cafe, as I've heard such great things about it but my experience was honestly not very positive at all. I visited on a weekend for lunch, which was probably my first mistake... this place is TINY and gets packed very easily. There are hardly any tables/bar seats, and because it's a cafe where people want to relax and hang out, there were no chairs for my friend and I to sit at first. I ordered a phin ube over the counter to start things off as I waited around for a table to open up. What I received was not phin ube, it was just ube milk. It wasn't bad, just overpriced for the $7 that I ended up getting charged. My friend also ordered a matcha tea with strawberry and couldn't have more than a couple sips because the powder was not mixed in well at all. Once my friend and I found a place to sit, we decided to place orders for food. We saw that this cafe was really pushing for online orders via a QR code, and because the counter was so packed with other customers waiting around for their orders, we ordered the food on our phones. After 40 minutes of waiting, I went up to the counter to ask if they received our orders. The barista was apologetic and said that he would need to re-submit our orders, as they apparently got lost in the system for some reason. After a few more minutes, another member of the staff came over and asked if I would be okay with a chicken bahn mi instead of pork, because the pork needed to be defrosted (?) and would take a few more minutes. I opted for the chicken just because we'd been waiting so long at this point. Once the food arrived, it was tasty but soggy and definitely not your typical crispy bahn mi. The flavors were there but the textures were lacking. Overall, I was really not happy with the dining experience here from start to finish. Although the staff were kind and likely just overwhelmed with the amount of people in the cafe, I think they really need to improve their ordering process overall. I don't understand the hype and won't be returning. read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

Wonderful spot for bahn mi brunch, craft matcha drinks and scrumptious espresso. Personable, attentive staff. read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Great coffee. Tasty baked goods. Very good sandwiches. I've been happy to stop by Phinista when I can. The atmosphere is good. I prefer to go earlier, when there are fewer people. The staff have been helpful. read more

ordered their iced saigonese and iced Càphê Sua Da. both were sooo delicious and they came straight to our table since we used their online ordering system. there's limited seating inside the cafe but they have plenty of outside seating if the weather allows. I saw people stay at the cafe to do some work, so if you're ok with working in a louder environment I think this would be a good spot to work. their drinks were creamy and delicious! the sea salt foam in their iced saigaonese wasn't too overwhelming and both drinks weren't too strong. just the perfect amount of sweetness and coffee. read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Cozy atmosphere for delicious food you can't go wrong here. Order the Banh Mi is a must. They also have weekend speak too. Staff are so welcoming and nice. Great service. What more could you ask for! read more

Phinista - Strawberry Matcha - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

The Phin Ube Coffee and the regular Ube with milk are perfect to satisfy my Ube cravings. I highly recommend trying out these drinks if you visit Phinista. In addition, they have a selection a pastries to choose from to pair it with your beverage. I recommend the matcha and coffee buns. I have not tried out their banh mi or crepes but I have heard really good things about them! The interior is nicely decorated and it's definitely a perfect place to get work done. The employees are friendly and helpful as well! Food: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Experience: 9/10 Value: 8/10 read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Drinks: all came with a lot of ice and was $5.50 Ube * flavor is very fragrant * tastes like made with powder mix Matcha * not sweet at all even though ordered 100% sweet Chai * tastes like made with syrup * cinnamon overpowers Thai * does not tastes like it was made from tea leaves * sweeter than expected since ordered as 50% sweet Food: Signature Ube Bun - $4 * favorite item ordered * similar to chinese pineapple bun except bun tastes like a hawaiin roll Lemongrass Steak Salad Bowl - $12 * steak was tough * was not a fan of the fish sauce that accompanied the dish (on the saltier end) Classic Cold Cut Banh Mi - $11 * serving size was filling Vegetarian Lemongrass Seitan Banh Mi - $12 * very unique and flavorful vegetarian protein Grilled Barbecue Pork Salad Bowl - $12 * pork was fatty and tender (favorite protein chosen) * was not a fan of the fish sauce that accompanied the dish (on the saltier end) 6/10 read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here for a quick brunch from friends' recommendations. You order at the counter and sit in limited seating. Food came fairly quickly. For drinks, I went with a Matcha and a Ube Milk Latte. While the matcha tastes like regular matcha, the ube latte was the star - it tasted like natural ube without artificial flavoring. I also ordered a BBQ Pork Banh Mi, which was good, but expensive. It also had an overwhelming cucumber taste due to the freshness of cucumbers. The BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl comes with a fish sauce, the same meats used in banh mi, and a small portion for price. It tastes like banh, but instead of the bread it's rice. They also have pastries, but I didn't get a chance to try them because they sell out of them early and don't make more after they've sold out. Overall, I would recommend. read more

See all

Great Banh mi Tried lemon grass/classic cold cut and they were both good -Baguette was but rough texture; would've been amazing if it was toasted but that's just extra hope. Still was great :) -Fillings consisted with jalapeno, pickled carrots and meat with cilantro. Meat fillings were quite good portion and went well with other ingredients. -cafe latte: bit diluted and not much good as other menus. Would recommend getting different drinks instead read more

Phinista - Classic Cold Cut Banh Mi - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

This was my first time trying Vietnamese food - I ate the lemongrass steak Bahn Mi, and it was okay. I wasn't blown away by it. The matcha latte, however, was delicious. It was so yummy and it had the perfect level of sweetness! Phinista is very popular so it was crowded, which made it hard to find a seat, and it was quite loud - but the place itself is so pretty and cozy, and I think it'd be a great place to study or work when it isn't as crowded. Overall, I had a good experience at Phinista - I'm glad I tried it. I think if I was to return, I wouldn't get their food again, but I would definitely try their other drinks. read more

Phinista - Banh Mi - Lemongrass Steak Banh Mi - Vegetarian Mom's Tofu Matcha Phin en Vietnamese Drip Coffee - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

There's a decent amount of seating areas and it appears to be pretty popular for nearby students looking for lunch. My tofu bowl was $12, and the rice steak bowl was about $13. I ordered the cafe su dua and it was extremely hot but tasty and the season dragon fruit lemonade is really refreshing. Tastes like fruit and sprite. Servers are friendly and we didn't wait too long for our food. read more

Phinista - Salad - Vegan Mom's Classic Tofu, Rice - Lemongrass Steak - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

It was really small so hard to find seating. The drinks and food were delicious the first few bites and sips but it was wayy too sweet. We couldn't finish. Workers were nice. read more

Phinista - Matcha bun Ube milk tea - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

I came in on a pretty crowded Saturday brunch, and we seated ourselves in the outside dining area since the inside was packed. The cafe was very cute, and the servers were very polite. The wait time was around ten minutes, which I felt was fair. I'm a big fan of coffee and lattes, but the phin ube was a bit disappointing. It was super pretty! But honestly nothing to write home about. It reminded me of a thick milk more than anything, so I wouldn't order it again at $6.50. However, I do appreciate the large and creative selection on their menu! I ordered the breakfast banh mi, which neither disappointed nor excited me. Not much to complain about there, and it was filling and fair for its price point. My friend's barbecue pork bowl was delicious, and the rice bowls may be more worth it! Overall, it was a decent experience, but not in my top. read more

Phinista - iced phin ube, saigon breakfast banh mi, barbecue pork rice bowl, nutella crepe - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Had the banh mi. Wasn't bad but was a little underwhelming being on the dryer side. Interior of the spot is nice. read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Found this place when looking for places to eat after visiting MFA. Loved the banh mi! I would have liked to try the tofu which was out, but the seitan was so good. Very cute and aesthetic place with limited seating, but nice service. A pet peeve but I do like physical menus and instead there is a QR code you scan. Overall, would definitely come back to try more stuff! read more

Phinista - Banh Mi - Vegetarian Lemongrass Seitan and Matcha - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Rating is based on banh mi, specifically the cold cut. The red ham in the cold cut was cut very thick and tasted like Smokey deli ham from the super market. I wasn't able to finish mine due to the Smokey taste of the thick ham. There wasn't much flavor either in the cold cut compared to other authentic viet sandwhich shops. Very pretty cafe for drinks, but I wouldn't recommend their banh mi if you're looking for something similar to Ba Le banh mi. read more

It's such a cute cafe, and I absolutely love the branding and the menu. However, I found their drink and grilled pork salad really underwhelming. I ordered an ube Vietnamese coffee, and it was way too light and watery. The syrup was also unproportionate to how light and watery the coffee was, so it was just like drinking sips of plain syrup at times. I thought the pork salad was pretty underwhelming considering the price. They only give you a few pieces of pork, and the actual salad portion is so small too? What's up with the portion size? The dressing is so concentrated at the bottom that I received my salad with all of the leaves soaked in dressing, and not even mixing the salad up could save it. read more

I had purchased 4 buns as take-out and when I came home and opened the bag, there were only 3. I called the store and they had promised me that they would give me a refund for the bun I never received. I never ended up getting this refund. I called multiple times, and each time they said they would refund me but then never ended up following through. So either the staff here are extraordinarily negligent or they were just lying to me about refunding my purchase. Will not be coming back again. Edit: The staff ended up refunding my purchase. I edited the review to 4 stars as a result. read more

Too sweet and salty, also very crowded. Very popular with students and the atmosphere is loud and cramped. Nice outdoor seating in neighborhood setting if you can find a place to sit. The banh mi is much better at Pho Viet in Newton! read more

Phinista - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Was craving for a Vietnamese coffee in the area. I wasn't a fan of the viet coffee because it tasted like milk tea with a hint of coffee. Banh mi was average. Not much protein but it satisfies a craving if your in the Fenway area. read more

Phinista - Vietnamese Coffee - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

A lovely Vietnamese fusion cafe with lots of seating and yummy drinks. I've gotten their Ca Phe Sua, strawberry matcha, ube latte, black sesame latte, etc--all of which were up to par (although some a little too milky). Food was okay, I've tried a couple of their bowls that were pretty small, I'd consider them light fare. Overall one of my favorite cafes with friendly staff, can always count on them for good service & drinks read more

Went here with my girlfriend for a snack. You can order your food through the QR code on the table which is nice for people who want to pay separately. We ordered the Iced Saigonese Sea Salt Phin and the iced Phin Sa Vietnamese Coffee Latte; they were so good! We will definitely come back just for the coffee alone. In addition to the coffees, we ordered a crepe to share. The portion was big enough for the both of us and it was delicious. read more

Phinista - Phin Sa Vietnamese Coffee Latte and ICED Saigonese Sea Salt Phin - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

The shop was small and cute. They were busy as hell, so seating is not really going to be available. The packaging is cute, and looks wise the cafe is nice. The coffee was fine. Espresso left no weird lingering tastes. The tea flavor was a bit too weak. So the drink came out way too milky. The banh mi's were fine. The bread was good. Light crunch, soft inside. But tbh I felt like the sandwich was skimpy. Not enough meat. Not enough pickled veggies, the meat didn't have any flavor. I'm sure if I lived a block away, I might come back for the convenience, but I would never drive out of my way to come back. read more

See all

So happy I came here! The interior's cute, super modern with lots of plants. There's a variety of seating options, indoor and outdoor, and the music is not too loud. WiFi is fast and outlet access is good too, so it's great for getting work done. I got the iced ube latte, which I had high hopes for. I love ube boba and desserts! I was a bit disappointed that the ube flavor was faint. Maybe it's because I selected "less sweet"? This being said, though, I'd definitely come back to study! Next time I'd probably get a different drink--I was also eyeing the sea salt shaker. read more

Phinista - Ube latte - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Phinista is a lovely restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese fast food and crepes. My Bahn Mi (steak) was a delight - crispy French roll, tender steak, vibrant jalapeño pop. I also liked the matcha strawberry cooler I tried. My daughter ordered a crepe 'Is this Heaven?' With custard and strawberries, and she reported to me that the name was apt. The outdoor seating is charming. Nearby the MFA and Fenway, Phinista is an extraordinary option for lunch. read more

Phinista - Outdoor seating! - Creperies Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all