Coffee Shops for Local Flavor

The Buttery 

314 Shawmut Avenue and 37 Clarendon Street 

Founded in 2005 in response to a lack of quality coffee shops in the South End, The Buttery is modeled on the British collegiate tradition of a ‘buttery’—an on-campus hub where students can gather for quality food and drink at any time of day. Today, the South End Buttery not only serves exceptional coffee, baked goods, and full brunch and dinner menus, it also prides itself on being a social center for the South End, supporting local charitable causes, and providing a cozy ambiance perfect for a leisurely cup of coffee. For seasonal sips, they’re currently offering a maple pecan latte and an iced Tokyo fog. 

Flour Bakery + Cafe

1595 Washington Street 

Flour started out in 2000 with just a single South End destination, but has since exploded into a reliable lunchtime haunt for workers across nine locations in Boston and Cambridge. The bakery is known for a few signature sweets—its Oreo cookie, Pop-Tart, and rice crispy treat, to name a few—its menu now extends to numerous savory options as well. Each destination is characterized by display cases brimming over with a vast assortment of baked goods, and an atmosphere that encourages leisurely lingering and, inevitably, saying ‘yes’ to dessert. Their autumnal offerings include a coconut caramel hot chocolate, a salted maple cream cold brew, and an apple cider. 

Greystone 

123 Appleton Street 

Founded by a mother-daughter duo, Greystone was designed around the values of café culture, with the aim of helping South Enders feel more connected to both the neighborhood and each other. True to this mission statement, the Parisian high-top marble tables bear cards requesting patrons not to open their laptops, ensuring that the space remains a friendly gathering place for socialization rather than an encampment of remote workers. For those who can’t stay awhile, a takeout window provides speedy access to the sumptuous home-cooked pastries and sandwiches, and there’s even a catering menu available for locals who want to bring a taste of Greystone home for the holidays.  

Farmer’s Horse Coffee

374 Massachusetts Avenue

Triangulated perfectly between Northeastern and Berklee, Farmer’s Horse Coffee has the ambiance of a true collegiate haunt. Its cozy window nooks stuffed with mismatched pillows make the perfect place to curl up with a backlog of reading, while its greenhouse-style outdoor seating area and wide selection of board games invite more social gatherings. Freshly baked pastries, sandwiches, and artisanal coffee are all on the menu, along with seasonal specials including the ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte and a salted maple latte. 

Sip of Joy 

661 Tremont Street 

Another neighborhood favorite, Sip of Joy proudly partners with local dairy farmers and bakeries to provide high-quality café fare. With its Tremont Street location and shady patio, Sip of Joy makes the perfect people-watching destination, spot for a long-overdue catch-up with friends, or place to while away an autumn afternoon with a good book and a steaming cup of coffee. This fall, they’ve also gone above and beyond with their list of seasonal specials, with latte flavors including carrot cake, cinnamon roll, candy apple, banana maple, apple crisp, and brown sugar sage.