CSCA Cafe

I had really high expectations considering it’s a Culinary Arts Cafe. The customer service was exceptional but the Matcha Latte didn’t hit the spot because there wasn’t enough Matcha. It was definitely high quality tho. The chocolate croissant had same story, there wasn’t enough chocolate in it. A bit stingy overall.

I went here for the viral fruit pastries and the mango was phenomenal! My daughter personally loved the raspberry fruit pastry. I also absolutely LOVED their apple tart pastry was so delicious!! CSCA; Can you please try to incorporate more crunchy fruit pastries like banana shaped, Pear, lemon, blueberry? They have a shop in Haverhill that does them all but it’s about 52 minutes out.

I’ve been blessed to encounter this place! I got to go with friends and the friend who has introduced this to us has shared of how special this place is for it to be an extension of a culinary school! All the baked goods looked so good - and I was tempted to try them all. We were able to share three unique pastries all with an aesthetically pleasing and delicious take of the flavors raspberry, coffee, and mango. Friends got the strawberry matcha latte and hibiscus lemonade. Drinks were equally delicious! The service is kind and friendly. I hope the cafe grows to accommodate more seating! The limited seating was the only downside that I would state. Thank you to all the students, teachers, and staff who work here!! The menu here is indeed fresh and ever changing!

Great Experience! The owner and employees are extremely friendly. Me and my friend showed up very close to their closing time, expecting to be met with attitudes like other places, however that was not the case at all. Their pastries are incredible—as well as their matcha! Definitely a place to visit. The prices are also not bad for the quality of items! The owner is beyond friendly, extremely nice man as well! When you visit be sure to speak to him!

Pastry paradise! Unique beverages (I had the blood orange hibiscus iced tea with homemade simple syrup) and GORGEOUS desserts that actually taste just as incredible as they look. This bakery is nothing short of extraordinary. The cardamom bun is my favorite with just the right balance of sweetness, the chocolate croissant is flaky and rich, and the key lime pie on a stick is both playful and delicious. Honestly each pastry is crafted with artistry and flavor. A truly exceptional bakery. Not to be missed!

Enjoyed our coffee and baked goods today. The mango (top item) was delicious! Thanks to Sean at the counter. He provided a tour and the cafe history. Lots of unusual items to purchase (coffee, chocolates, spices, cookbooks). Great spot for hostess gift. Thank you Sean! We will return!

I had two experiences with the CSCA Cafe and both of them were great! I really loved their lemon blueberry brioche and if you are a "full butter croissant" addict, this place is for you! I also tried several pastries: the lemon raspberry tart, the hazelnut cream puff pastry and the Tropical Petit Gateau and all of them were beautiful (I'm team "eat at first sight" here) and delightful. There isn't a lot of seating inside as the place is small, (maybe be aware), but it's really pleasant and in my experience, the team is super welcoming and kind. Little bonus, It was raining both times I went to the café so I wasn't able to try, but the terrace outside is probably quite pleasant. Bref, for a coffee or also for pastries, I would say CSCA Cafe is a lovely address.

Updated review 4/25/2025: I've been to CSCA Cafe a couple more times since they officially opened, and I've had a better experience each time! There are always different types of pastries and entremets available --the selection is always changing. There are more drinks available now too --seasonal flavors like matcha raspberry latte and iced tea lemonade. The drinks are reasonably priced at $4-6 and they are not too sweet. I've enjoyed the matcha raspberry latte and chai latte and look forward to trying more. The entremets are really good, and a steal at $6.50! I loved the raspberry vanilla entremet which had three layers of crunchy pastry, berry jam, and cake inside of a light white chocolate mousse. I didn't like the raspberry chocolate tart much, but I'm definitely going to try more entremets. They also have day old pastry grab bags for $7.50. I'm so glad to have CSCA Cafe in the neighborhood -- truly a gem! Limited opening hours is the only downside. Original review Feb 2025: I've been eagerly awaiting CSCA Cafe's opening, so was excited to go to their soft opening. The interior has limited seating -- 8 chairs -- and is a bit cramped, but is decorated well and inviting. We got the ham and cheese croissant and the chocolate croissant (both $4.75). I liked the ham and cheese in the croissant -- good flavor and a good amount of ham. The croissant itself was more bready than flaky, but it was still pretty good. The chocolate croissant had a good amount of chocolate (3 sticks!) and was more flaky, but not as much as I'd like. Overall I'd say these were good but there are definitely other croissants in the area that I would prefer. We also got the hot chocolate which was pretty good and not too sweet. They sell frozen ready to bake croissants (and will eventually have additional pastries) for $14.99 for 4 croissants with filling. I'd definitely want to try getting these and seeing how they taste fresh out of the oven! They also sell some chocolates and other items made by alums. Pretty pricey, but it's cool that they do it!