10 unique cafes to explore in Greater Boston

One of my ultimate favorite pastimes is finding adorable cafes with innovative drinks and bites and vibrant atmospheres — especially if they have a spectacular matcha latte. I love to bring a friend to my go-to spot, find a tranquil window seat to read or sit down at a table and lock into some work. I enjoy being a tourist in my own city and discovering new cafes is one of the easiest ways to do that.

I reached out to WBUR colleagues and friends and scoured the internet for interesting cafes around the city. In the name of journalism, I had to experience them for myself. Here are some of the unique cafes around Greater Boston worth checking out.

Visitors walk along Charles Street and do a double-take when they arrive at bright floor-to-ceiling windows with adorable cats on the other side of the glass. A Sanctuary Cafe is a cozy haven with a cafe, micro bookstore and cat lounge. Upon entry, there’s a cute corner with wooden chairs where guests can sit and enjoy pastries and drinks while viewing the felines in the next room. Past double doors, guests can interact with 16 resident cats — rescued from shelters — who can be seen dozing, running around and playing (or sometimes fighting).

I tested out a seasonal drink called The Fens — a matcha latte with coconut and key lime flavor — and a peach macaron decorated to look like a cat’s face. The matcha was nice and light, and the macaron was the perfect sweet treat. Making sure to sanitize my hands and pull disposable booties over my shoes, I traveled into the cat area. I pet the most adorable black cat named Bug and interacted with some other sweet, sleepy kitties.

Visitors must reserve spots for entering the cat lounge ahead of time. Entry is $40 for an hour and includes a $10 food and drink credit. However, if you just want to sip a drink and watch the cats from the window, you can sit in the cafe without paying an entrance fee. The cafe also has a lift for wheelchair accessibility to the lower floor of the cat area.

The Green Haus Cafe is a tranquil, bright spot with sprawling greenery. There’s a large circular table filled with layers of potted plants and others cascading down from elevated shelving above the counter.

Along with the usual coffee and tea options, they had some fun flavored beverages. I tried their mango matcha with oat milk, which had sugary pieces of mango at the bottom. It was a great treat if you like a drink on the sweeter side. I also got a loaded breakfast sandwich, which had nice crunchy bacon pieces, but it was very egg-forward (If you know, you know). I’m not the biggest egg fan, but if you are, this one's for you.

If you don’t have a green thumb (like me), the Green Haus Cafe is the perfect place to interact with and appreciate the greenery without the anxiety of being responsible for whether they live or die. Plants are for sale for those phytophiles looking to add to their garden.

What more could you want than a fun drink and a good book? Lovestruck Books in Harvard Square boasts romance books of all subgenres with additional fiction and kids sections. There’s also plenty of cute gifts for sale, like colorful glasses, jewelry and body care items.

The bookstore is connected to George Howell Coffee, so shoppers can relax and enjoy their new reads. Along with coffee, tea, pastries and breakfast sandwiches, the cafe turns into a wine bar at night. I tried their matcha latte, which was nice and not very sweet. Their sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with garlic aioli was addictive. [Check out my feature on Lovestruck Books.]

The Sipping Room by Breeze is a small cafe a short walk away from Fenway Park. The cafe is calming, with light gray walls and sunlight streaming through the front window. It features authentic drinks from Asia and a gallery wall for rotating art installations.

I tried the Hong Kong milk tea, which infuses the cafe’s black tea blend of Indian Assam, Earl Grey, Sri Lanka Ceylon and China Anhui Keemun with milk. The notes are strong, rich, malty and slightly floral. It was a really rich drink with a light sweetness and a welcome bitter aftertaste. This cafe was the perfect spot to engage in work, reading or listening to a podcast while sipping a good drink.

Over a year ago, my friend posted a story on her Instagram account saying that she just had the best matcha of her life with no photo of the drink or clear location. I immediately messaged her and asked if it was at bōm dough. She said yes.

I originally found out about bōm dough from a classmate who used to work there and felt pulled to try it. I’m so glad I did because they make one of my favorite iced matcha lattes in the city. bōm dough has two locations in Cambridge, but I always visit the one in Inman Square. It’s a very peaceful cafe with huge windows, white walls and small indoor trees. I am obsessed with their peach and strawberry flavored matcha lattes. They are so smooth and the right amount of sweet.

The Brazilian cafe serves delicious pão de queijo — cheese bread balls. I also tried bōm dough’s grilled cheese on a large pão de queijo with garlic and herb butter. It was a rich, cheesy delight. bōm dough gets very packed on weekends, so it is often hard to find seating. But it is a great place to work or meet a friend for a beverage on a weekday.

Nestled in the heart of Coolidge Corner, Maruichi Select is part curated store and part cafe, offering items like tins of matcha, a large selection of teas, kitchenware and even jewelry. There’s a full cafe in the back with beverages and food items. Plus, there’s Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli, a full market with all types of snacks and gifts, across the street.

I tried the cafe’s spring special, hojicha with chai syrup. I am a huge matcha fan, but I have to admit that I had no idea what hojicha was. After a quick Google search, I learned that hojicha is a Japanese green tea roasted over charcoal. The drink had a complex flavor profile with smoky and nutty notes balanced by the sweetness of the chai syrup. I also tried a spicy tuna onigiri and a premium chashu and aji tama onigiri – marinated roast pork and soy sauce marinated egg. They were the perfect savory snacks.

The cafe has lots of seating with smaller tables in the main area and a long table in the back. There’s also a raised seating area where guests remove their shoes and sit on backed, legless chairs on the floor.

I don’t get out to Davis Square much, but Diesel Cafe might change that. “Somerville’s Fueling Station since 1999,” the cafe has an industrial diner feel with old bicycles, road signs and bright red booths. There are also hanging plants to lighten up the space.

The cafe has the traditional offerings as well as an ice cream parlor. I tried the chai and a delicious sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on a black sesame bagel. I went back later for a second drink and ordered the special ginger plum tea with lemonade. That was incredible. It was so fresh and hydrating with a sweet lemon aftertaste.

A fun surprise was the vintage film photo booth in the back. While it costs $8.50 for one strip, I still think it’s worth it to have a real film memory. I love collecting photo booth strips as reminders of fun days with friends and family. It’s important to note that as soon as you drop your token into the machine, you only have a couple seconds before the camera snaps the first photo, so you have to be ready to go with your poses.

CHICHA San Chen is a very recent addition to Back Bay. The shop was founded in Taiwan in 1998 and serves fresh milk and fruit teas. The most special part of the shop is that it earned an award from the International Taste Institute, the equivalent to three Michelin stars, so it’s the real deal.

CHICHA San Chen developed the Lion teapresso machine, which brews concentrated tea using pressure, similar to an espresso machine. Customers who want to try the teas without any add-ins can sample the six types at a separate counter.

I tried the bubble volcano, which is like brown sugar milk tea. It was rich and creamy with a frothy top and soft boba at the bottom. I also tried the classic fruit tea, which includes black tea with pineapple, passion fruit, lemon and seasonal fruit. It was so refreshing and sweet with a generous amount of fresh fruit. It would be a great addition to a warm summer picnic.

If you take the red line to Ashmont, you practically walk straight into Ripple Café when you exit the train. The shop is simultaneously cozy and bright with faux florals, a “Good Vibes Only” neon sign and a corner with a soft couch.

The cafe menu reflects the culinary traditions of its Haitian American owners. I sampled a delectable sweet butter bacon grilled cheese and a chicken patty, which is a flaky puff pastry filled with seasoned chicken. They were both so warm and flavorful. As for drinks, their iced strawberry matcha latte was a nostalgic option, reminding me of strawberry Nesquik. They also made a solid latte.

I definitely saved one of the best for last with Madhouse Café. The adorable women-owned, Lebanese store sits next to Madhouse Motors in Roxbury. The space is bright with vibrant pops of color. There are many cozy nooks to sit in and lots of greenery. The back windows look out on motorcycles being repaired in the motor shop. From Tuesday through Sunday, visitors can check out the motor shop and look at the current bikes — and maybe spot the shop cat.

As for their culinary offerings, I sipped a perfectly light, creamy chai and tried a beautiful piece of baklava. I sat in a booth with lots of gorgeous pillows and outlets everywhere for charging your laptop while you work. I loved all of the little details, from ornamental vases and vinyls to a propagation station in the bathroom. Owner and custom motorcycle builder J. Shia was a 2022 WBUR Maker.