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    Thinking Cup

    4.2 (1.4k reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Thinking Cup Photos

    Business Info

    THINKING CUP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Thinking Cup

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    Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cappuccino & Tiramisu
    Amy Y.

    The Thinking Cup is an adorable coffee shop across from the Boston Common. I did not expect to find such a delightful place in such a touristy area. The food selections, from sandwiches to pastries, are fresh and beautiful. The cappuccino was perfection, the tiramisu was creamy and perfectly proportioned. The Olive Oil Dark Chocolate chip cookie was unusual & delicious. The service was efficient. Drop by and rejuvenate your soul.

    Matcha with almond milk and latte
    Nat P.

    Came here years old and came back to try again and still had not disappoint. This is definitely my go to spot for breakfast! Such cozy vibes and very inviting. They make their coffee and matcha just right, their breakfast selection is amazing starting from pastries to even their steel cut oatmeal. The staff members here are nice and friendly. All very accommodating which is very appreciative! Every time I come here is already busy and crowded but the line moves fast. It can be tough to find a seat but if you're willing to wait, then it is worth it! Or better yet, just grab your food and coffee and enjoy it at the nearby public garden !

    Daviyion J.

    Stopped in for a breakfast sandwich and a cold brew while waiting on my friends. The sausage, egg, and cheese on english muffin was delicious and served up piping hot. And the cold brew came with its own house syrup choices, and I picked the honey cinnamon syrup option. The general vibe the place was pretty chill and I got a nice seat by the window to watch all the action happening over at the Boston Commons. I was looking for a place to work and a coffee shop, they did not have any free Wi-Fi (or any for that matter) that I could see just FYI.

    Grilled cheese sandwich
    Julie H.

    I ordered the iced matcha latte, iced honey cinnamon latte, grill cheese, and the Nutella croissant. Overall such a great experience. The food and drinks were delicious. I don't like Nutella croissants but this one was really good. The grilled sandwich is a must. The service was quick and friendly. The people(customers) were really friendly. Overall would come back again.

    hot chocolate
    Lea F.

    Stopped here for breakfast on new years day. The line went fast as they have 3 registers. The girl taking care of me was super nice. I got the chorizo breakfast burrito and a honey cinnamon latte. My friend got a latte with a different flavor and we both agreed it was a good latte but the flavors were barely recognizable. My other friend got a hot chocolate which he said is always great. My friend and I also agreed the chorizo breakfast burrito maybe needed more cheese, I just added mayo though and it was good! Their little treats looks really good as well. This is a cute cafe to stop at in Boston.

    Matcha blueberry tiramisu
    Alana K.

    My friend and I came here for an afternoon pick-me-up. There's plenty of seats and the menu is quite extensive. I had an iced herbal tea (I think it was hibiscus and cinnamon) and we shared a matcha blueberry tiramisu. I thought the cake layers were a little wet and there was a bit too much cream in the ratio. Nonetheless, it was still delicious.

    Denise M.

    This place is across the street from Boston Common, and very busy, at least on this Sunday morning. The service wasn't particularly friendly, but the patients were beautiful and delicious and the coffee and good, too. They have pastries, coffee, sandwiches, and traditional breakfast. The prices are on spot and they are quick to boot.

    Crustless bacon gruyere quiche
    Maggie B.

    Quiche was so delicious I had it twice in 3 days. A small but quaint location near everything downtown. Nice coffees and pastries too

    Menu
    Justin S.

    Thinking Cup looks like a throwback to an earlier style of coffee shop. Its interior has darker colors and a cozy interior, in contrast to the proliferation of light wood and airy interiors. The tables, set with old newspaper clippings, hearken to bygone days as well. They don't even have wifi! What Thinking Cup does offer is a competitively priced menu. Want breakfast? A plain bagels for $2.75, or $3.50 for cream cheese. A BEC breakfast sandwich costs $5.75. Black coffee - $3.50 for a large cup. Today, I had coffee and a breakfast burrito. The burrito costs $6.75, so it comes as a smaller portion (will fill you up a bit more than a BEC, but don't expect a farmer's breakfast size). The burrito had scrambled egg, black beans, salsa, and a choice of sausage, ham, bacon, or chorizo.

    Stephanie C.

    One of my favorite coffee spots in the city! The Thinking Cup strikes the perfect balance between cozy café vibes and seriously good coffee. Whether you're grabbing a quick espresso or settling in with a book, it just works. I had latte and a avocado toast, and both were top-notch. The coffee is smooth and flavorful--no burnt aftertaste, just rich, high-quality beans. And the food? Fresh, satisfying, and way better than your average café fare. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a cool, slightly vintage feel. It's the kind of place you can lose track of time in.

    John C.

    This seamed to be the choice of our group when walking around Boston. Great menu and massive biscotti. Pleasant staff and of course delicious smooth coffee

    Grilled Cheese with aioli, sourdough, Gruyère, peppers onions and jalepenos
    Savannah H.

    A great little spot for sure!! Their coffees are good, small but yummy and I like some of their more creative offerings! The pastries definitely shine and I always enjoy the sandwiches. Would highly recommend getting them on the focaccia rather than sourdough but that's maybe just me. The seating is cute and always has some spots open. Staff can be a hit or miss of being lovely/no notes or being the grumpiest people alive but that's anywhere I guess.

    blueberry matcha
    Annabelle L.

    Blueberry matcha was tasty. Honey cinnamon latte needed some more sweetness. The fruit tart was delish! The woman who assisted me was very helpful in helping me decide on a drink. Cute cozy spot.

    Egg & cheese sandwich

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    Coffee is outstanding, beans from around the world . Tables to enjoy coffee and breakfast

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    Thinking Cup Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Thinking Cup

    Can I drink a cup of coffee with a friend indoors in the Tremont location, as of October 2020?

    Yes

    Hi is this cafe running regular business hours during covid19?

    7am-7pm

    Hi, Does this place do customized art on the coffee? I mean if I give a picture will they be able to put that on coffee latte?

    No, sorry!

    View All 5 Questions

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    J P Licks - Charles Street

    J P Licks - Charles Street

    3.8
    (270 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $

    While visiting Boston, we went on a late night hunt for dessert and ended up at JP Licks purely…read morebecause the name made us laugh. Turns out, it absolutely lived up to the hype. I went with two scoops, black raspberry and brownie chocolate, and the brownie was killer. Rich, chocolatey, and totally worth standing outside in 30 degree weather to eat it. I devoured it without hesitation. There were so many great flavor options, and my friends all found something they loved too. It felt like one of those classic, must-stop dessert spots. Cold, delicious, and just the right amount of chaotic fun... it was wicked good.

    Just had a really odd experience at this location…read more I ordered a small cup of a special flavor (sticky toffee pudding). The server asked if I wanted any toppings. I said, "Yes please, I'd like M&Ms." The server, and another person working behind the counter, both told me that they just ran out of M&Ms. They didn't have any more. This was weird to me. As I was walking to the the shop, I passed a person who had a small cup of ice cream with both m&m's and oreo topping. Okay, I thought. That's weird but so be it. Then, I scootch over to look at the rest of the toppings and what do I see? M&Ms. I point out the M&M's to the employee and ask, "hey, aren't those M&M's?" They mumbled something back that I didn't exactly catch. They either said "those are closed" or "those are skittles" or "it's not those". "those are closed" makes no sense because they asked if I wanted toppings and it was 2 and a half hours before they closed. "those are skittles" makes no sense because they don't carry skittles as a topping... The whole experience was perplexing to me. Anyways, JP Licks is pretty overrated and too expensive. $6.5+ for the smallest size is not worth it. They have some decent flavors (cookies n' cake batter) though and the ice cream is usually pretty well executed and not icy. still, not really a place i'd recommend and won't be going back for a while after this freak incident. Attached photos are the proof that they had M&Ms. Note the "M" on the candy and the blue colored candies (they don't make blue skittles)

    Photos
    Madagascar Vanilla (Coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream and Chocolate (coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream
    Madagascar Vanilla (Coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream and Chocolate (coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream
    Madagascar Vanilla (Coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream and Chocolate (coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream
    Madagascar Vanilla (Coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream and Chocolate (coconut) Dairy Free Ice Cream
    J P Licks - Charles Street

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    Flour Bakery + Cafe

    Flour Bakery + Cafe

    4.4
    (181 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Came here for a quick lunch and it did not disappoint! The chicken in my sandwich was cooked…read moreperfectly and had a great sauce on it. The milk bun as the bread was also a nice touch. Since I was in Boston, I definitely needed a slice of Boston creme pie. It was delicious! I would love to try their coffees and other pastries next time I come by :) Lines get long for lunch and things do sell out quickly so plan on either waiting or coming a bit earlier. There is seating upstairs and downstairs but it does get filled pretty quickly.

    Went out this morning in the snow for a nice coffee and pastry to take in some fresh air and…read moredecided on flour bakery + cafe. I do not go out for coffee much anymore due to the convenience and cost effectiveness of a Breville and am often frustrated paying over $5 for mediocre coffee, but flour cafe was not in this boat. Their cappuccino had the balance of flavor and aesthetic for a pleasant drink for my wife and I. Even better was the fact that these drinks were served by someone with a warm spirit and smile.. hard to get great service these days. Also, I am not eating flour until March but my wife said the ham and cheese croissant was incredible: generous portion of ham and cheese, baked to perfection, and not too bread(y). This is a great place to stop (in a beautiful residential area too).

    Photos
    Pastries
    Pastries
    Pastries inside
    Pastries inside
    Limited item in January 2024-   hazelnut  tart

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    Limited item in January 2024- hazelnut tart
    Thinking Cup

    Thinking Cup

    4.2
    (1k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I really like this Thinking Cup on Newbury St. It's got that cozy, quaint feeling. The coffee is…read morealways good and the baked goods are great. They have one of the best almond croissants anywhere. To the review bashing this place for a ban mi sandwich try going to a Vietnamese place. Who gets a Vietnamese sandowdy at a Cafe???? To the other reviewer complaining about Wi-Fi, seriously? You give a place 1 star for that? Ignore the bad reviews please. This place is a gem. Staff is alwyas friendly. It does get very busy so plan accordingly. I enjoy going first thing in the morning when it's quiet before the hell of work begins. Arrivaderci!

    I'm "Thinking" this place used a K-cup twice to brew our coffee. Watered down. It's hard to imagine…read morecoffee being literally flavorless - but they somehow managed to accomplish this. As a bonus, I had the (mis)fortune of trying one of the hot chocolates we ordered for the kids - and their review "dad, this kind of taste like foam without sugar" was spot on. You can literally see three other coffee shops from the front door of this place - choose one of them. Now, all of that being said, they have somehow managed to generate a loyal following. I went in around 1PM and the place was literally PACKED! Not sure what the 100+ people there were having - but they were camped out, laptops in hand, having extended social hours with cups in front of them. Maybe it's the ambiance, maybe the wifi is ridiculously fast, maybe the food is better....not sure - but there is absolutely no way these people were there for the coffee (or hot chocolate).

    Photos
    Entry display case with menu boards.
    Entry display case with menu boards.
    Almond Croissant
    Almond Croissant
    Yogurt parfait

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    Yogurt parfait
    Caffé Vittoria

    Caffé Vittoria

    3.9
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    We stopped at Caffe Vittoria during a food tour and we were lucky that a reservation was made and…read morewe had a table set aside for our group. As we walked in, we were met with the great aroma of coffee and baked goods. The place was very busy and there were a lot of staff moving around and customers having conversations or in line to order take out. We sat in a separate area downstairs and we were the only guests there. It was somewhat dark but it was private and there were bathrooms downstairs. We tried their tiramisu that was one of the bests I've ever tried. We also ordered their pistachio martini that was a super treat as it also had pistachio gelato. Their cappuccino made me want a second one. I am coming back to this place next time that I visit the North End!

    This used to be a nice spot to get a coffee and pastry. However, I feel the quality has declined…read more The cappuccino didn't taste like there was even espresso in there. Faint enough that it seems like the coffee grounds were used a few times... the rum cake was okay. It tasted commercially made. Unfortunate because I used to enjoy a coffee and pastry here. The workers were nice but the quality just isn't meeting nearby bakeries... Tables and menus were a bit sticky / dirty and could benefit being wiped down more

    Photos
    Old coffee machines
    Old coffee machines
    Enjoying an Sfogliatella and Cappuccino at the oldest Italian cafe in Boston!! Bellissimo!
    Enjoying an Sfogliatella and Cappuccino at the oldest Italian cafe in Boston!! Bellissimo!
    Chocolate Cannoli

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    Chocolate Cannoli
    Beacon Hill Books & Cafe

    Beacon Hill Books & Cafe

    4.1
    (200 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Beacon Hill Books and Cafe is a three story independent bookstore set inside a townhouse on Beacon…read moreHill, and the physical space does as much work as the inventory in making it worth a visit. We walked into a building with the kind of architectural character that chain bookstores cannot manufacture, with small rooms opening into each other across multiple floors, wallpapered walls, and reading nooks distributed throughout that invite you to slow down rather than move through quickly. The book selection is well curated with staff recommendation cards on the shelves that actually reflect genuine enthusiasm rather than perfunctory notes. We saw limited edition hardcovers and local and regional titles appearing alongside the broader fiction and nonfiction selection. Browsing felt productive rather than overwhelming because the curation kept things focused. The kids section upstairs is one of the more delightful in Boston, with a train running along a track near the ceiling that tends to make a strong impression on younger visitors. There is also an art print vending machine on the second floor that draws its own audience of visitors looking for something small and specific to take home. The cafe occupies the lower level and operates as a separate experience from the bookshop above. We ordered the oat milk cappuccino with Vermont maple syrup, which was worth it. The morning glory scone and the popovers are two other items to consider. The cafe is tiny, around eight tables inside with a small patio, and reservations are recommended for breakfast and afternoon tea service. Pricing at the cafe is on the higher end, and certain fixed price service formats on specific dates push it considerably further, so checking current pricing before booking is worth doing. For a bookshop that doubles as a destination in its own right, Beacon Hill Books and Cafe delivers a cozy, curated experience that rewards lingering. It is the kind of place we would return to just to sit and read with a good coffee.

    Super cute bookstore with one of those Inciardi Print vending machines on the top level…read more This is no barnes and Nobles, it is a skinny and maybe 4 store old brownstone with skinny stairs. But beautiful and curated inside. My quibble with the Inciardi print machine - is that I would rather the prints be Boston Specific - these are just more generic. The One in San Francisco's north Beach has all SF ones (not super touristy, but hidden local gems, like Golden Boy Pizza, and a row house)

    Photos
    2nd floor - main floor with the cashier.
    2nd floor - main floor with the cashier.
    Beacon Hill Books & Cafe
    Children's books level

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    Children's books level

    Thinking Cup - coffee - Updated June 2026

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