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    Thinking Cup

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

    Thinking Cup Photos

    Business Info

    THINKING CUP ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Thinking Cup

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    Reviews With Photos

    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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    Page 2 of 35

    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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    Uncle Tetsu

    Uncle Tetsu

    3.9
    (103 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Stopped by the Boston location after hearing so much about Uncle Tetsu's famous Japanese…read morecheesecake. There was a short wait since they bake the cheesecakes fresh in batches, but it moved pretty quickly. The Original Japanese Cheesecake was warm, soft, and definitely lived up to its signature "jiggle." It's very different from a traditional cheesecake--much lighter, fluffier, and less sweet, almost like a cross between a soufflé and a sponge cake. If you're expecting a rich New York-style cheesecake, this isn't that. Personally, I enjoyed how light it was, and it didn't leave me feeling overly full. The staff was friendly, and the shop was clean and well organized. My only suggestion would be to have a few more seating options since it's mostly grab-and-go. Overall, it's worth checking out if you're in downtown Boston or curious about Japanese-style cheesecake. I'd come back again and would like to try some of their other pastries next time.

    I visited this place on a Sunday morning . When I walked in, there was no staff present and I had…read moreto wait a few minutes before someone came to assist me. I ordered an Ube cheesecake and repeated my order as it seemed there might have been some miscommunication. I was in a bit of a rush due to limited parking and unfortunately didn't check my bag before leaving. When I got home, I realized I had been given a different cheesecake than what I ordered. I decided to keep it rather than return, as going back to Chinatown wasn't convenient at the time. The cheesecake itself was also disappointing in texture and freshness--it felt quite soggy and not as fresh as expected. Overall, the experience did not meet my expectations, and I don't think I would return.

    Photos
    Uncle Tetsu
    Honey madeleine
    Honey madeleine
    Entrance

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    Entrance
    Corner Cafe Bakery

    Corner Cafe Bakery

    4.1
    (122 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    Solid egg tarts, but remember to bring cash because there's a minimum for credit card. Can never go…read morewrong. I've never tried any of their other items though I would assume they are reliable and delicious as well.

    The Chinese name is "Juxiang Mianbao Fang聚香麵包坊". It had the taste of an old-fashioned bakery and…read morewas very cost-effective. Portuguese Egg Tart葡撻: The shop keeps the egg tarts in a warming box, which is very thoughtful. I've always preferred the cookie crust of old-fashioned Hongkongese egg tarts; they don't crumble or feel sticky in your throat. The custard filling looked a bit overbaked on the surface, but it was still smooth and creamy inside. The milk and egg flavors were qualified, and it was not too sweet. While not particularly amazing, it definitely deserved 4 stars, especially for a Cantonese person like me who hasn't had egg tarts in a long time. Hongkongese Egg Tart蛋撻: The crust is the same as the Portuguese egg tart, but the custard filling seems a bit more diluted, with a lighter milk flavor and a stronger egg flavor. People who aren't used to it might find it a bit eggy. I still prefer the former. Custard Bread奶黃包: Recommended by the owner, and it was definitely the best thing there! I ate it the next morning, but the bread was still soft, and the crust wasn't dry. The custard filling was generous, sweet, creamy, moist, and had a slightly grainy texture. Sausage Bread腸仔包: The seasoning was quite interesting, with a hint of wasabi (?). However, the sausage itself was just average, with a slightly starchy texture. Breads generally cost $2-4 each, and here four items were only $8+, enough to last me all day Important Reminder: Cash only for orders of $10 or less.

    Photos
    Cafe Corner on Harrison
    Cafe Corner on Harrison
    Outside
    Outside
    Corner Cafe Bakery

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    Tora Japanese Restaurant

    Tora Japanese Restaurant

    4.4
    (944 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Extremely fresh fish with generous portions in a casual, underground space…read more I think this is a reasonably priced establishment for the level of fish (phenomenal) and service (reasonable and attentive, but not like a fancier sit down restaurant) that you get. I am always surprised at how full I am when I leave! I'm stuffed every time. There is complementary miso soup with all of the bowls I've tried, outlined below. I really loved all of the bowls I've tried but my favorites are probably the Sake Aisuru Don and Kuromon Don. I just prefer more salmon to more tuna though, and they're all very good! Food: - Sake Aisuru Don: their classic all-salmon bowl! I loved the larger cuts of salmon, and I was pleasantly surprised that even the more pulverized salmon was flavorful! - Kuromon Don: loved the yellowtail in this! Each fish comes with two pieces (except the mackerel for which there are four), and I liked the sampler style for the salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and izumidai. - Maguro Toro Don: so much tuna! And all such high quality. The otoro was so fatty that it practically melted in my mouth without chewing. - Sake Maguro Hamachi Don: a mix of salmon, blue fin tuna, and yellowtail. I liked the yellowtail in this a lot and found that it stood out the most from the other two fish in this particular bowl!

    Came to Boston for a work trip and really wanted to eat something light and healthier. I loved it…read moreso much I came back twice! I came during lunchtime on a Monday. It was adequately busy but still had seats open. The lunch menu is very affordable! If you can, I'd highly recommend going for lunch instead of dinner. Service was really quick! Received my meal in like 5-7 mins after ordering. Fish was super fresh and I really liked the different textures in the Hoseki Don. I also added in negitoro. They gave me a big clump of it! The second time I went back, I ordered take out so I could eat it at the airport for dinner. I ordered the Sake Maguro Hamachi don, added ikura and negitoro. Again, so impressed with the quality of the fish and the size of it. They didn't skimp out and really enjoyed the thickness of the sashimi despite it only being 3 pieces. It was a very satiating bowl. Cant wait to come back next time again!

    Photos
    Inside!
    Inside!
    K11. Sake Maguro Hamachi Don
    K11. Sake Maguro Hamachi Don
    LR2 Lunch menu

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    LR2 Lunch menu
    Top Bread

    Top Bread

    3.8
    (151 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I'm quite curious about the relationship between the three bakeries in Chinatown…read more(Corner/Top/Taiwan). Although their names seem to have nothing to do with each other, they share paper bags and some products. Are they sister shops run by the same team? Egg Tart蛋撻: Since there was no insulated box, it was cold, which is a shame compared to Corner Cafe. The egg and milk aromas were masked, but there was a slight eggy smell. Portuguese Egg Tart葡撻: Although it was also cold, I preferred the baking. It had a thin crust, and the filling was still smooth and delicate, with a richer egg, milk, and sweet flavor. Butter Bun奶香包: The best product, but I forgot to take a picture... I unexpectedly encountered "Little Swell bread微波麵包," something that has disappeared in China for a long time. It was exactly the soft and moist texture I remembered, and the milk, butter, and salt flavors were even stronger.

    Solid bakery in Boston's Chinatown. Would rate it a 3.5. Everything is individually packaged so…read moreit's nice being able to try a selection of pastries. They've gotten expensive over the years (now it's about $4-5 for a bun) and the quality can be hit or miss. Some things are fantastic such as their milk bread loaves or taro buns. Other items are just okay such as their raisin coconut bread & bolo baos. Those tend to be dry & flavorless. Like many other Chinatown businesses they require a $10 minimum to pay with card, so definitely more convenient to bring cash.

    Photos
    Top Bread
    Portuguese Egg Tart
    Portuguese Egg Tart
    Tiramisu cake

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    Tiramisu cake

    Thinking Cup - coffee - Updated July 2026

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