This is a really good little hole-in-the-wall coffee place in the Charles Hotel across from the bar. We come to Cambridge frequently, and it is definitely the best coffee nearby and worth walking into the hotel from the street. IMO it is better and more consistently good than Flour nearby or the Peet's up towards Harvard Square (and I'm generally a fan of Peet's in choosing among corporate coffee options). It's in the same space as a previous unrelated coffee place and is operated and owned by Haley, who does everything herself, which explains the limited hours (Wed-Sun 8-2). It's only been open since October 2022, so if you're thinking of the old place from last time you were here, think again.
The basic espresso is really excellent, and the coffee drinks based on them similarly awesome. The beans are sourced from a local roaster. Plus, if you're not in a hurry, they have the perfect ceramic cups that enhance the coffee experience. There is a large number of tables and chairs that spill out into the space in front of the shop inside the hotel, so there is ample seating if you want to take your time. How long you feel comfortable working in what is this designated coffee shop seating area in a hotel if you're not staying here is up to you (there is no power).
I also put this place in the bakery category due to the large variety of delicious looking muffins and breakfast pastries (my son would bemoan the lack of croissants). They are almost house made, in that Haley's husband is the manager of a local bar-restaurant, and she has a deal with the owner of that establishment to have its baker bake her pastry offerings according to her personal recipes). read more