Faro Café

What an awesome coffee shop! Read on to find out why: 1. The interior is quaint and cozy, but oddly, there’s plenty of room for everybody to have space to enjoy their drink. 2. Staff was engaged and I enjoyed the conversation that we had. 3. The coffee tasted good. I’ve been to many coffee shops that look great but the coffee just doesn’t get you full experience that you hoped for. Good coffee here. 4. If you’re feeling generous, they have a bulletin board where you can buy a coffee for someone and leave it for them for later. I decided to do this and I think it’s an awesome addition to this space. All around well worth visiting highly recommend check out the photos to get a sense of the space.

This hip bohemian cafe is a great place to hang out, relax, and enjoy a great drink. We got two hot chai teas, which were delicious not too sweet or spicy. Love the decor of photos and other collage-like materials. A somewhat eccentric collection of international board games were in the corner near the counter. Limited indoor seating, but there is additional seating outside. Service was fast and friendly when we visited.

I went there around 7 p.m. to get a coffee to go. It was raining outside, and the café had a nice, pub-like atmosphere, which I liked. But I was honestly taken aback when I saw the coffee they gave me. It was just a paper cup with ice in it. It was raining, and they kept saying there was no lid. I ended up walking out as it was, leaving the server behind. She said she was sorry, but her attitude felt cold and indifferent. And if I clearly said “to go” when ordering, then a competent server should have explained beforehand that there were no lids or no proper to-go cups available. She looked annoyed by the order and honestly seemed more interested in hanging out with her friends than doing her job. If anyone is thinking about getting a coffee to go here, please don’t. The atmosphere itself seems fine, so just come when you have time and drink it there.

I love the idea of a laptop free coffee shop! The cafe was well-appointed with a nice cushioned area for seating. I tend to not like the light roast drip coffee you typically get at more trendy coffee shops but theirs was lovely, smooth, and not too acidic for my tastes. They might also consider banning networking and informational interview chats among their patrons, particularly those patrons affiliated with Harvard, to curate even better vibes. But I don’t know how enforcement of such a policy would work logistically.

It’s a bit noisy. Coffe was good. Additionally, i didn’t know it was a laptop-free place. I wanted to get some work done on my computer while waiting for my friend, but I had to close my laptop after being warned by the staff.

Paid $9 for a very tiny (but very delicious) latte. So when I was leaving I wanted to get another one and one for my boyfriend to go. The barista made my drink hot on accident and then gave it away to a random for free (I wanted the free messed up latte) and then when she made my oat milk latte, she poured a little out in a cup so she could taste it and make sure it was oat milk… she drank like $1.50 worth of my latte. I will not be returning

☕🌱 A gem of a coffee shop with third wave lighter roasts and precise measuring, pulling, and cupping. Juniper latte was brilliant. The scone was amazing (Zara and feta). Small place but surprisingly good amount of seating. I imagine it's even better with the outside seating in the warmer months. Friendly staff and decor is tasteful.

Faro has great coffee. Less acidic than other places. They have a great cold brew. Their pastries are very nice (texture and flavor always on point) though they sometimes have weird aftertastes. The vibe is cute with plants and nice outdoor seating. Good indoor seats can be hard to come by. Indoors occasionally gets loud.

Faro is such a quaint little space. Super cozy and felt like a chic but inviting 20-something's living room. It's tucked away just off the main road. They have a no wifi and no laptop policy which was unexpected but after catching up with friend here for a couple hours, I understood. It looks like they host some community events in the evenings too. The cappuccino was definitely above average. The espresso's richness really came through the milk foam. They charge extra for dairy, but oat milk is free.

I had the golden milk (?) which was a turmeric honey drink. It was pretty good but I was given it in a disposable cup despite telling them I was planning to stay so that was a bit of a bummer. This could have been because they ran out of cups because the place was full capacity. We went on a weekend afternoon and it was PACKED. I'm talking we sat at the large table crowded around about 1 ft of the corner space. Also they say no laptops but people were working on their iPads so that seems safe. The no laptops may be more of a space consideration, which I completely get. The whole time I was there, people were having to just get to go because the seats were so full, or they'd wait about 20 minutes for one to open up. Be prepared to bring headphones or for your convo to be overheard because you're packed in. Overall, I liked the vibe a lot and would love to return on a weekday when it would be less insane.

I walk into Faro again one afternoon. I do not go to Faro often but I go to Faro sometimes. Faro offers a cozy and small space. The plants meander on different planes and along a trajectory we do not yet understand, there are several small tables and benches and also a large table for a commune. The volume of the noise, during the day at least, is reasonable. As such, today I see someone is reading two books; someone is on a date with someone else; several people are processing envelopes--it is unclear whether they are sending letters of protest or writing invitations or disseminating a short story; several others are gathered to gossip. Laptops are strictly prohibited. You will not be arrested nor will you be burned at the stake if you use a laptop. But you will likely be asked to put the laptop away. And if you do not put the laptop away perhaps you will be asked to leave. However this is not my rule nor is its enforcement my duty. As such my words here are pure speculation. At the counter a variety of drinks are to be had. Several pastries are on display, including gargantuan pains au chocolat. It is a great relief to see enormous pains au chocolate. Today I drink a flat white with oat milk. I do not think it is good that an extra fee is levied for cow milk. But today I order oat milk as I drank from a cow earlier in the day. The flat white is good. It is not great today but it is good. The milk is foamed artistically but it is not for me to say whether the barista is an artist. Lacking often is water. Today is no exception. The vessel holding water for visitors is small. They say that it is good to stay hydrated. I do believe this. Some people say it is good to stay dehydrated. I believe this is a conspiracy theory to promote organ failure but who am I to say. It is trying to hydrate yourself at Faro. Some visitors may wish to bring their own water. Here the space is important. I do not and I shall not go to Faro to purchase a drink to go. The drink is good and the space is nice. So I go to Faro sometimes. After my visit to Faro one afternoon I leave.

Still as great as always. This is my go to spot when I'm in Cambridge and want a great chai, coffee or matcha in a cozy chill space that is great for socializing or a date/studying. Thanks to the friendly staff as always as well

I love this coffee spot! It has one of the cutest, coziest interiors, and I find myself always wanting to stop by whenever I pass by. I love their cold brew and their dessert stand is also fantastic. I personally adore their caneles, but I believe their baked items change daily. Only thing to point out is that the actual coffee shop is always packed, so it can be a little challenging to find seats. However, they have a no laptop policy, which helps to minimize long-staying customers. Overall, highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a local coffee shop vibe!

This is probably the most unique and quirky coffee space I've ever been to! They charge 25¢ for cows milk with no charge for plant milk which is awesome. They also claim to be a "no laptop" cafe (although I did see some customers on their laptops) but the point is that they want to bring back a sense of community and togetherness which is certainly admirable. I would much rather give my money to a small, independently owned coffee shop with great values like this over the corporate chains on every corner, this place is a must try!! Coffee- AMAZING. I got an iced oat milk latte with earl grey syrup (how cool??) and I really loved it. The syrup was light, the espresso bold and flavorful. I like that they have rotating seasonal syrups and their coffee menu is really simple. Service- fast and friendly! ~vibes~ immaculate!!! This is what makes this place super unique. Dimly lit, creaky wooden floors and mismatched wooden furniture, plants everywhere, the echoing sounds of grinding coffee beans, friendly chatter, and music to match the vibe. Can't think of a better place to enjoy a morning brew

I visited Faro and ordered a matcha latte. The shop itself was charming and cozy, creating an inviting atmosphere. The matcha latte, fell short of my expectations. I prefer my lattes to be creamy with a bit of foam, but this one lacked the craftsmanship I was hoping for. Overall, the experience wasn't memorable, and it's unlikely that I'll be returning. The ambiance was there, but unfortunately, the quality of the drink did not match up. *Cool spot to gather but not to work or study since they are laptop laptop-free cafe.

super cute cafe with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I came here on a Sunday morning and the cafe was already packed! I ordered their hibiscus tea and croissant and both were delicious. their hibiscus tea has plenty of flavor without it being too overpowering. their croissant was flakey and sweet and just the perfect size. this location offers indoor and outdoor seating, but come early because their seats are always taken! I believe they don't charge extra for plant based milk which is always a pro! this is the perfect place to meet up with friends and catch up.

Faro is a super cafe with a good amount of seating and a cozy atmosphere. The staff are super friendly and the coffee is decent. They charge extra for cows milk and $0 for plant based milks which I love! My only complaint is that they don't have many flavor options. I also wish they were open later, but they are open until 5 which isn't too bad!

Cozy cafe! The place is decorated very nicely and offers a variety of drinks and pastries. I ordered the seasonal iced latte which is an iced latte with their seasonal earl grey syrup! The latte was smooth and perfect amount of sweetness, I really enjoyed it. It's also nice that they do not charge extra for oat milk. Note there is a $0.25 cent additional charge for cows milk. The service here was great as well! I was also able to find some parking nearby. Would recommend checking this place out.

I wanted to like this place so badly but it was really disappointing. My first issue is the selections. I just wanted an iced matcha with vanilla but they didn't have regular vanilla which is unheard of to me. They only had rubarb vanilla and it tasted so strange. I think they're trying to be too hipster. My second issue is that my small matcha was $8 which is insane. Not to mention, the matcha was awful. It was so watery and tasteless. You're better off just making a matcha at home or going to starbucks at that point.

Cozy cafe with a no laptop policy on the outskirts of Harvard square. I love coming here on weekend mornings to relax with a book and a pastry. Their pastries are from Michette (in Somerville) and everything I've tried has been delicious. Their iced latte sizing is on the smaller side and their house made syrups are quite subtle in flavor. I find myself craving the ambience and the pastries rather than the coffee

I finally got to try this spot and I was not disappointed! I like that they do not charge oat milk by default and in fact charge for cow milk (as someone who is lactose intolerant I feel seen). They've definitely paid attention to customer feedback because the pastries are now in a covered area so that customers at the register are not breathing all over them. However, it would help if they had clearer signs to display what the house latte was -- I understand that the house latte changes all the time, but even a blackboard that is easy to erase/change would be helpful so that the person at the register doesn't have to repeat themselves 50 times a day. I tried their house latte with oatmilk ($6) which was lavender at the time. I also got one of the savory scones. The latte was delicious! The espresso and oatmilk were not burned and the lavender flavor was strong without the latte being too sweet. My understanding is that their pastries are not made in-house but rather sourced from a local bakery. I would still recommend them though, because the scone I had was moist, cheesy, and herby! The baristas/cashiers were very kind. The air circulation in the cafe was not great on a muggy June day but I could imagine that sitting in their outdoor area would be great when the seats are not wet.

This is a cozy place to unplug and take in the environment around you. Excellent coffee and pastries - we got the Gruyère scone. Parking can be crazy because this is right next to Harvard, but well worth it.

Best espresso taste, ambiance, and price in the square in my opinion. Love the plants and their expertise with the oat milk.

I would discourage people from visiting this establishment and spending hard earned money there for a few reasons based on my experience. First, the young lady at the cashier was very rude, speaking to her male colleague for quite some time and ignoring customers at the front. You had to wait for her to finish her conversation with her colleague and then order when you had a chance to jump in. The service was rude and unprofessional, and she expressed clear displeasure at my tip, rolled her eyes at me, and shot her coworker a look. Never said anything else to me and when my drink was ready they just put it down, didn't confirm it and just walked away. I don't fit into the mold here, I'm a person of color and felt uncomfortable with both of these people and their hard expectation of a generous tip while providing rude service. If you're trendy and hip and white you'll probably be just fine as they had no problem with people like that but they clearly have a problem with people who don't fit the mold. On top of that due to being unhappy about the tip situation they appeared to rush the drink and it wasn't very good. Please treat people with respect and stop expecting a tip immediately without providing commensurate and professional customer service and keep the offensive conversations away from customers.

The interior is very natural, with several thriving plants lining the windows. Situated steps away from Harvard's campus, it definitely fits the trendy coffee shop vibe, as well as dietary trends, that most college students look for. I decided to order an iced black tea and was told I had to wait, which was not a problem. After about 5 minutes, I was served what looked like milky tea. It tasted very bitter and was overall not very good. The appearance was very off-putting and I didn't end up finishing it. Similarly, I ended up getting served twice due to some miscommunication between the staff. There were only two people working, but there was no one else in line, so I'm not sure what they were doing. This is the first place I've come across that charges for cow's milk. Though it isn't much ($0.25), it was definitely a surprise. Being very traditional when it comes to drinking coffee, I was a bit shocked about it. While I respect everyone's milk choices and reasons as to why they drink what they do, I definitely wouldn't come here repeatedly when I can get the same thing, with slightly less acidic and sour coffee, or a much better iced tea, for fewer elsewhere.

very cute little spot. i like that there are no laptops on weekends. the inside is very cozy and there is outdoor seating in the summer too. the coffee was very good and the baristas were Very sweet, but i was surprised that there was hardly any food. maybe because i went in midday? unsure but my chocolate croissant was still yummy!

An independent coffee shop and hipster's paradise to counterbalance the cold hand of infinite economic growth. The anti-Starbucks.

I was walking across Cambridge and noticed this small coffee shop with a familiar name. I remembered that a friend of mine actually told me about it before, so I decided to stop by. I'm so glad I did. The coffee shop is not your typical modern coffee shop. They had wooden furniture giving a very homey feel. Also the customer service was great, my coffee was handed to me really quickly. Let's jump to the part you really care about. The coffee. During the summer I'm an iced latter person, and I've tried a lot of coffee shops in the Cambridge area. This coffee just hit different; it was very smooth, and just the right amount of sweet. My order: iced vannila latte with oat milk. :)

Beautiful! Love their no laptop policy, cafe was vibrant and full of conversation. Also one of the best lattes I've ever had. Definitely check out their events, as they seem to have a nice community of regulars

The ambiance of this place is wonderful but it's honestly pretty pricey for what you get. Maybe you pay for the ambiance, but i don't think the matcha latte you get is worth 6.50!

I like this place! It's definetly not a place if you like the flavored syrups, they do not have any of these in store which I think is a cool concept. It's a super down to earth cafe, perfect to catch up with friends or get some work done on the weekends.

Cute new cafe in Harvard sq! Ambiance is very quaint and the coffee is good but portions are small and it's a bit overpriced. I'm glad they offer oat milk for free, but was a bit surprised that they charged extra for cow's milk.

Very nice cafe with great vibe and wonderful staff. My wife and I love it. I did not know they charge extra for cow milk. It is a nice gesture to lactose intolerant people to not charge for oat milk but given that most people still consume cow milk it also is a savvy financial move.

Just a short walk from Harvard Square, I came here to meet up a friend for coffee. It's a small shop with outdoor seating (at least in October).

Beautiful little cafe with delicious drinks! Faro is the perfect place to come with friends for a chat, and I love how it's designated as a place to social or relax because of the no laptop rule.

Very cute cafe a bit hard to get seats Only savory no sweet deserts but all so good Croissant is must try !!!

Great Ambiance, good coffee... you really get a homely feeling... friendly service. Now, I'm just adding words because 85 characters are required... seems silly but here i go.

Coffee is great, friendly staff, cute interior - cozy and nice study/work environment

I went to so many coffee shops on my trip to Boston. I think Faro was my favorite. From what I've gathered, the place is fairly new. I ordered the house latte which is cardamom and honey. I kind of wish they'd just say it was that instead of calling it a house latte and also having a latte listed on the menu. Either way, it was so tasty and I'm not the one going to answer the "what's a house latte?" Question over and over again. I looooved the simplicity inside and the wood on wood. It was beautiful. I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for Boston recommendations!

I'm a sucker for cute cafes and this cafe has all heart. I ordered an iced latte and a fresh baked cookie and sat outside to do some work. It was a good iced latte nothing too special, and I can't wait to try their cold brew and matcha latte next time. The inside is also really pretty with a large communal and smaller tables and benches to do some work or talk with your party. Def recommend!

Faro is awesome!! Funky tunes are pumping on the speakers. Genuine folks are co-working in a tight-knit space. It is not a quiet cafe. The chai latte was smooth and frothy - absolutely incredible!

Finally a replacement for Fenway filled Tatte -- Faro is equal parts progressive chic, good coffee, and a place to read a book. Surely you will run into divinity students, and anyone artistically or intellectually adjacent here, offering a common locale for those strands surprisingly absent from Cambridge's cafe scene. Dubbed the humanities hub of Harvard; I hope it continues to thrive in my absence, as I expect it will.

Wonderful location, thoughtful and considerate staff. The go to spot when visiting Harvard.

A beautiful space, love that they don't charge for oat milk. I couldn't stay as it was finals crunch time and I had to work. The no laptops is a nice idea, but, at least when I was there, everyone was on their phone. In that context, 'no laptops' seemed like a business move rather than a well-being move, which is fair enough.

Excellent latte with Macadamia milk option. The Za'Atar scone was perfectly flavored and had great crumbly texture. The staff even warmed it up for me! General vibe is great on a Sunday morning with a relaxed ambiance. Busy but everyone was very respectful of each other's space and maintained indoor invoices.

I have a friend from Melbourne who is the most eiscerning coffee drinker I know, and after he tried Faro, he wouldn't accept any substitutes in the Boston area. Their coffee is spectacularly done, and the matcha is great, too!!

Faro is tucked away on Arrow St in Harvard Sq. You're probably not going to randomly find this place. It is rather tiny/cozy inside but it seats about 25 ppl. Packed on the weekend so you may stand for a bit. The pastries are out in the open air directly next to the register where you stand to pay. I didn't think that was exactly the most hygienic as everyone who goes to the register is essentially breathing over the pastries. Maybe put them in a case or behind the counter. They have your typical coffee place standard offerings for coffee/espresso drinks. See pic for menu. I got their house latte which has cardamom and honey. Tbh, I wasn't a fan of the house latte. It was kind of weak in flavor. I'll go back next time and try a different coffee offering. Giving it 4 stars because I thought it gave off a pretty good vibe in there and the coffee was decent minus the special flavoring associated with my specific drink order.

My coffee was nice, the Zatar scone is ok a bit overhyped as most zatar things are, price is a bit up there for a college campus but better than ridiculous blue bottle prices. Feels like a Brooklyn place in Cambridge which is cool, could get work done here although tables do fill up pretty fast. Downside is the service and baristas, the Brooklyn attitude of importance isn't that cool very little conversation made the two are just talking to each other without really acknowledging the customer

Faro has the BEST homemade syrups around! Their house latte is always on point no matter the season. The staff is always friendly engaging. It's a great space to catch up with a friend or read a book.

we love faro. sorry to all laptoppers :)

A new place to have coffee the coffee was perfect and they served it in a perfect temperature and the place was packed will definitely come back

Great coffee. Baristas are all friendly and doing interesting things outside of work. Ideal environment if you are looking to meet up with a friend and talk.

EXCELLENT vibe, really friendly staff, unique and delicious drinks. Best cup of coffee I've had in a while. Definitely my go to spot!

I love the coffee, the croissants and the vibe here. But they are really militant about their weekend no laptop policy, and that is a big turn off. I brought my daughter here Saturday to work, after coming twice before on weekdays and observing others working on their laptops. There were no visible signs anywhere about the no-laptop rule. We bought our coffee and sat down. Soon, a waitress came up and told us about the no laptop rule. I tried to ask if we could just finish our coffee (my daughter was trying to study for APs, and I'm a newspaper editor working on deadline) , but the waitress kept repeating "save and close," "save and close," until we just left. Not sure I'll be back.

A fresh, thoughtful, well-designed space with good coffees and pastries. Try the Gryuère and pesto scone and the macadamia flat white.

like the coffee and the vibe, but their recently implemented no-laptops-allowed on the weekend policy was a real bummer--I really liked to come here to write (which i need my laptop to do) during the weekends, and now I'll have to find a new spot for that.