Forge Baking Co & Ice Cream Bar

This place really seems to be going for “third space” feel, and it’s working! The hey have breakfast and lunch covered (their boiled bagels are a bit gummier than I like but very tasty, and they have a blueberry lemon spread that is delish, and likely even more so with cream cheese). They also have an ice cream bars Thursday-Sunday from 3-9. Additionally, they have trivia nights and other events for the community! The space is vast (it goes way back with tons of seating), and wifi is provided so it’s great for work or meet ups. The have a person to order from OR a machine (so quite efficient). They also serve Intelligencia coffee and a tea that is MEM (no offense MEM, but you’re everywhere). Lots of free parking too, and fully accessible.

If you're looking for a spot in town that does more than just serve up some seriously tasty treats, you've got to check out Forge Baking Co. I recently had the pleasure of attending their trivia night, and let me tell you, it was an absolute blast! The atmosphere was lively and engaging, making it a perfect evening out with friends or a fun way to meet new people. But the surprises didn't stop at trivia. Forge Baking Co also introduced me to some of the most unique ice cream flavors I've ever encountered. Each scoop was a delightful adventure for the taste buds, leaving me eager to come back for more. Their creativity in the kitchen is something you don't want to miss. Given the fantastic time I had at night, I'm definitely planning to visit Forge Baking Co during the day as well. It's clear they've got a lot to offer no matter the time of day, from their fun events to their innovative menu. Whether you're in for the trivia, the ice cream, or just a cozy spot to relax, Forge Baking Co is the place to be.

Great local bakery with a few solid vegan options. I really love their monthly vegetarian/vegan sandwich option on one of their whole wheat breads. Their vegan pumpkin loaf is also delicious! Not too sweet and perfect texture. I do wish they had a few more vegan options, but it’s overall a lovely place.

Solid food and drink, although a bit expensive. The location/ambiance is nice with paintings on the wall (on commission by a local artist) and a little window into the kitchen to see people rolling out fresh pastries. I come here regularly on Saturday mornings and they get extremely backed up & discombobulated. This is understandable and would be totally fine, but the staff (who are doing their best to get orders out) don’t communicate at all with the growing backlog of customers who are blankly staring at their phones waiting for a simple latte or pastry. Forge’s sister restaurants, Bloc and Diesel, seem to manage this more effectively. For management, I’d recommend looking into a better order management process. For customers, I’d recommend ordering ahead by a significant margin or bringing a book to read while you wait for your order.

The bakery items were actually very good. The everything bagel had topping on the top and bottom of the bagel. Its scallion cream cheese has a very fresh flavor. The hal and cheese croissant was well made. It’s easy to place an order via person or kiosk. There is a good bit of seating as well as parking. Forge doesn’t toast the bagels much if toasted and has no way to warm baked goods that are on sale. There is a bathroom here.

Average pastries and coffee but awesome breakfast sandwiches. Dropped by this morning to try their croissant, cafe latte and an avocado toast. Croissant wasn't as flaky and crunchy as the ones I've tried at other cafes (Tatte etc) but more expensive. On the other hand, avocado toast was nicely seasoned and the baguette was great.

I really keep trying to make forge work but is it so hard to reach your employees basic front of house etiquette? to go in to a coffee shop, have the person at the front register explain how is drink is made to me like I’m an idiot when I have a speech impediment, then when I try to have a conversation he walks away and other staff is just staring like I can’t have an opinion and then everything I order to eat and drink is made terribly and incorrectly and cost an insane amount of money? pass, you’re better off going to any other local shop in the area.

A really great atmosphere! It has a lovely rustic vibe with a fun ice cream counter. I got cider and it was so warm and toasty. The cinnamon was a nice surprise. I wish there was a little bit less liquid, though. It was very precarious carrying it over because it was so full. It actually spilled a bit before I got to my table. An organization I work with also held an event here, and it turned out great! Thank you for being so flexible and welcoming to our team!

Nice place for studying. They have a lot of tables and of course, free wifi. Parking is a snap (they have their own lot). Thought their lox bagel was a solid 4/5 - the smoked salmon, cream cheese and everything bagel were delicious. Their bread is no joke. The only part I didn't like were the sprouts, they tasted oddly dirty? Next time, would definitely opt for no sprouts lol. The Lavender Honey latte was good, nice lavender flavor without overpowering the rest of the drink. Prices are a bit expensive ($15 for a bagel and $7 for a latte) but it does make for a nice weekend treat.

A cute and spacious coffee shop! I ordered an ice matcha with soy milk and a strawberry cream cheese bagel. The bagel was delicious and toasted nicely! The matcha was just ok. It was just a tad too sweet for my liking and overall not the best quality matcha. The place was quiet and spacious, and looked like an ideal to do some remote work. had called just 5 minutes before coming in and had asked if dogs were allowed. The lady who answered said yes, they were allowed in the front and not the back so I came with my dog and my laptop ready to do some work. When I arrived and started ordering, I was told by the barista that dogs weren't allowed to linger and he had made my order to go. I was quickly scrambling to find somewhere else to work.

The online ordering option made it easy for me to be able to plan for the morning rush and get to my conference on time but not miss out on the delicious coffee and treats available from Forge. They're easy to access, with parking. I wish I'd had more time to stay and experience more of the atmosphere - the cafe was laid out well with ample seating beyond the register so you didn't climb over people to order.

The ice cream isn't cheap, but it's good! The coffee was very strongly and well flavored, and the ice cream was definitely on the chewy side, but in a pleasant way. There were a few small lumps, which kept it from being a full five stars, but definitely worth a stop!

This place is huge! Soaring ceilings with an industrial rustic chic. The coffee was great- I ordered a cappucinno, very satisfying. The egg and cheese sandwich was very good, loved how fresh the bread was. Will definitely be coming back.

The dining area is very nice with high ceilings, industrial-looking design, and a wide window view to see what the baking room looks like. Food is good and portions are deceptively small (once you start eating it, it feels like it can feed two people). Although the sandwiches are expensive, the bread is top-tier. I would recommend this place!

Ask for ice cream flavors before deliberating based on the menu, as it was not up to date. I only got ice cream here as there were slim pickings left for baked goods by 3:30pm. It was $5.50 for 1 scoop and I think $6.75 for 2 ample scoops. The cinnamon and especially the pumpkin caramel were both less sweet than expected. The pumpkin didn't taste caramel-y at all, more like pumpkin from a can or a very mildly sweetened pumpkin pie. Not my favorite ice cream. The texture was a strange mix of sticky and just on the edge of icy. I would not call it creamy. Still, that didn't stop me from finishing my 2 scoops. It's very spacious inside with lots of seats though most were taken. You can watch them bake through a wide window. I liked browsing their selection of plants and cool wood and ceramic pots & holders.

Forge is a go-to for a quick breakfast, lunch, or coffee in Somerville. I enjoy their iced lattes (there are often fun seasonal flavors like Maple or Lavender) as well as the breakfast sandwiches. In particular, if you like bagels, try your sandwich on one! The indoor seating area is nice and bright with plenty of space.

Came back to try their ice cream! The Forge Ice Cream Bar looked closed and we almost left. But thankfully, we realized that they were selling ice cream from their main cafe area. The malted vanilla was divine!! If you like salty/sweet biscuit-y flavors with your ice cream, this is the perfect choice for you. The Green Tea was excellent as well.

Yes, the consensus among the hundreds of reviews is that Forge has very good bagels, free off street parking and wonderful ice cream. I would like to add that they have a well stocked kitchenware section that came to the rescue after I shattered our beloved Chemex glass-handle coffee maker in a pre-dawn fumble. Emma came to the rescue by fielding my distress call and finding the exact model I was looking for - all before serious signs of caffeine withdrawal set in. Thank you Forge and Emma!

Awesome place with great coffee, friendly staff, and fresh sandwiches. We got the Kent sandwich and willow. Lots of space for seating and overall fun environment to dine in.

the best ham & cheese croissant that I've had in recent memory!! it was so flaky, buttery, and of course cheesy and ham-y. I really really loved the crunchy crispiness of it and the part that made it stand out to me was the everything bagel type seasoning they on top that added so much flavor to the savoriness and saltiness of the ham and cheese it ended up being very filling also the bakery itself is a very cool vibe -- sorta mini industrial concrete warehouse look but with lots of plants and wooden things great experience especially for a great croissant that is standard Boston price

Great cafe with very good bagels and stellar ice cream. Service can be a bit slow and spotty, my classic breakfast sandwich was missing spinach and two sandwiches took quite some time to come out. The order online option is nice but doesn't always have the full complement of options (especially for ice cream or pastries). It's spacious with lots of seating and has a parking lot, which is a nice perk in a place that can be hard to find non-resident parking. We'll be back, more likely on a morning when we have some extra time to linger!

I waited for over 20 mins for a bagel and cream cheese. Had to check with the staff to get the order made. There wasn't much of a hustle evident with the prep staff

What a hidden gem! Their cardamom latte was amazing, and their baked goods were really on point. It's an unassuming bakery/café, but I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by their breakfast options, and baked goods! they do have some seating in the back, and it's simple but nice.

I went to Forge for the first time in a long while and it was just as wholesome as I remembered. I used to live in the area and went regularly for hot cocoa (and even ice cream sometimes) after ice skating. It is always such a treat to get a sandwich made on freshly baked bread. This most recent visit, my colleagues and I ordered the Kent and the Irving sandwiches. They were great for a working lunch during a long day of styling and photographing homes.

Don't think I'll come back here again until I know the mouse problem is taken care of. I was waiting for my food this morning, and a mouse ran out from under the counter .... Yikes!! The staff were all super apologetic and the guy in charge, Moxie, and another guy I don't know the name of took it outside asap. Then Moxie went around apologizing and offering free pastries to customers to make us feel better. It's nice to see the people who work here care. If there was a mouse at Dunkin the employees wouldn't bat an eye. But the baristas here are always nice. Other customers were less chill about the situation than myself. I felt bad for them, putting up with upset patrons AND a rodent infestation. It sucks cause I like coming here. It's a nice place to hang out and get some work done with a coffee or snack and I feel good eating local, but I can't shake the thought of mice running around on the counters at night or getting into the food. I don't know if its a building problem or if the store owners handle that, but someone should get on this so I don't have to start drinking Starbucks and Cafe Nero ....

BEST BFAST SANDWICH EVER. The Dane (sub Muhammara for Dijionaise) is just so scrumptious. Also I am a big egg sandwich person so this title is not to be taken lightly. It is just so so so so good. The dijionaise is so flavorful and yummy but not overpowering and the queso and spinach is just chefs kiss . Also don't get me started on the bread and baked goods. EVERYTHING IS SO GOOD. Great warehouse industrial vibe. I hate brunch but I will take Forge's breakfast and lunch every day. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Ciao for now, Your food enthusiast, Sydney

Cute place. I love that it has a parking lot. One of the best cortada I've ever had. Would come back for that every week. Chocolate croissants are extra crispy and nice on the inside. Staff are nice. The bagels were a bit rough and not very soft. Probably an off day. But the drinks were amaaaaaaazing.

Brunch was on point! I got the Dane on a bagel. They have very nice staff with plenty of people behind the counter. There seems to be no stress in the front of house. The dining room is cozy and you have a view of the bakery.

They don't offer unsweetened matcha here. :( They premix the matcha powder with "lots of sugar". This usually means it is not high quality matcha powder because high quality matcha does not need sugar. Sugar is used to mask the bitter taste of low grade matcha. It's a super cute place overall and they have great service but I disappointed by the matcha.

Staff were rude. They rushed me to hurry my order while i browsed the menu, i felt this was so unproffessional. Next time i will go someplace else!

Strangely enough, I came here to try their ice cream. The cinnamon one was actually pretty good. I'd recommend it. Service was kind of a mess because it was really busy, but that's understandable. This review is mostly for their other (grocery) goods I bought to try, though: the Greek yogurt ($5) and the pesto ($7.50). The Greek yogurt was 3 out of 5 stars. It was way sourer than storebought ones, but held up well and I used it for cooking and with granola. The pesto was 1 out of 5 stars and probably should be even lower. It was extremely oily, there was no taste of cheese, no nuts, and the green part wasn't even basil! That's right-- it was spinach (or something equally flavorless...kale?). There are so many ways you can do a flavorful pesto while subbing out ingredients, but when you sub them all out-- and, by the way, this isn't mentioned anywhere that I've looked for an ingredients list, except once you buy the darn thing-- it doesn't taste like any pesto most people expect or like. Seriously, why is it not mentioned anywhere online or in person that the green part of this pesto isn't even basil? At $7.50, it was a complete ripoff. I'm salty enough to flavor that pesto at this point, but I know I'm not going back.

This is the sister cafe of Diesel in Davis Sq and it's equally bad. It's insanely over priced ($6 for a latte??) and straight up bad. I got a chai here for an outrageous price and it was watery. I'm not even sure how that's possible: it's just chai concentrate and milk. I only gave it another star because, admittedly, it is a nice place to do work. They have wifi and outlets. Well, on the weekdays they do. On the weekends they shut it off...for their guests' comfort??

This place is a gem and deserves way more attention. Probably the best bagel I've had in Boston- and I've been on a year long hunt and have come across some good ones too. This jam is incredible. The coffee is great too, so good it doesn't require cream/sugar. They also have amazing pastries. In terms of the ambiance: perfect vibes. You think it'll be really small based on the exterior but you walk in and there's tons of seating, great lighting, high ceilings, and a nice view of the bakers! Perfect atmosphere for doing work. I love you Forge.

Came for coffee, left with pies, ice cream, breakfast and coffee. Everything was so good and everyone is so nice. Definitely recommend!!!!

I have heard a lot about this place and decided to try their bagels and baked goods. I ordered half a dozen day old bagels, buttermilk biscuit, and an almond bun. For a drink I got chai tea with a shot of cardamom. The buttermilk biscuit was soft, and a little salty. It was also bigger than regular biscuits. I saw they make breakfast sandwiches out of these biscuits, I will definitely be back to try those! The almond bun was also baked to perfection. Soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside. The drink was a bonus. It is probably the first chai tea that tasted like authentic south Asian chai! Definitely worth the visit.

Buy it all. You'll eat it. Pricey but worth it. Just do it Can't wait to go back to Boston just to eat here everyday.

Ok so I decided to not go to Starbucks across the street - things ensued. Pros : AMAZING BAKED GOODS. It all makes sense. Forge BAKING company. The bagel was not aesthetic but was so light and chewy and almost perfect. The scallion cream cheese is the best I've had: a punch in the face of scallion flavor. I also got the savory monkey bread and was skeptical but it was so good - like an everything bagel but croissant-esque. Crunchy exterior with a buttery, soft interior. So many good textures and flavor. Con : the coffee was so bad. I got a mocha latte and it just... tasted like soy milk? My manz got the caramel latte and it wasnt caramel-y or sweet, just oddly sour... we think the coffee was too acidic but yea, definitely not worth the 6$/per :(.

Ordered avocado toast and two bacon egg and cheese on plain bagels. The avocado TOAST wasn't toasted and received two egg sandwiches on plain bagels with spinach on them. No bacon or cheese. At the very least, make sure you check your order before leaving.

Sorry, forgot to take pictures. If you are thinking about coming here you MUST! Had the Turkey & Bacon sandwich on the Maple Oat bread. Had it with the Dijon Spread instead of the Chipotle Spread (I am not a fan of anything with Chipotle but you may like it). It has to be the best sandwich I have had out in a long time. Everything on the sandwich was perfect! We also had the Egg & Cheese sandwich which was good. Brought a Ham & Cheese Crescent home. Had 2 drinks as well. Everything together with tip was $42. I thought this was a little pricey but it was definitely worth it. All the bread and pastries are made in house so they are spectacular.

Very nice spot with good, not great food. The one very disappointing thing was the price. $80 for a sandwich lunch for 3, nothing crazy, was highly disappointing.

My chai was a bit lukewarm and not as flavorful spicewise as I had hoped, but my Spicy Club was tasty! And truthfully the vibe definitely made up for it. In fact, there was a surprising amount of space for laptop workers and casual coffee drinkers alike (uncommon in Boston). I especially loved their beautiful hanging pothos plants which added a neat touch to the cool industrial design of the place. Hope to come back and try their coffee next time!

Fantastic, high quality ice cream, delicious and fresh bagels and bread, YES YES YES! Forge is an underrated gem

This review is just based on a 1-time visit. Forge offers a big open cafe space that looks nice to do work in. When I came by on a late Sunday afternoon, they didn't have too many pastries/baked goods left so I tried their flight of ice cream ($6.50) to share with a friend. It includes 4 flavors so we got cookies & cream, malted vanilla, chai, and double berry lime sorbet. While the presentation looks neat, I was a little disappointed by how tiny the ice cream servings were. Not much of a scoop can fit in the really small, dollar coin-sized shallow ramekins. We used small spoons to accommodate for the small size. But what I was most caught off by was the fact that they charged me a "3% Kitchen Appreciation" tip?? PLUS regular meal tax. I didn't even catch this until I looked at my receipt after the purchase. I've never seen anything like this before and find it strange they would sneak a charge like this on customers.

Beware: NO WI-FI 9AM-2PM on weekends! Coffee was good. But I would not consider going here unless you have a hotspot. Rustic Ambiance, quite cozy, but the Wi-Fi policy is ridiculous for a coffee shop.

The food is consistently delicious, the servers are always cheery, the WiFi is fast, and it's a fun place to hang out with a coffee and work for a bit. My kid and I love coming here to eat ice cream and watch the bakers through the window. It's a little pricey for what it is, but so is everything these days. Recommended!

Delicious avocado toast and iced chai latte. Friendly staff and nice space. Highly recommend!

I usually don't leave negative reviews, but this place was already overpriced (nearly $4 for a bagel with just butter) and then added a secret "house charge" of 4% to the price when paying. I ordered from a person, who didn't inform me of the house charge, and I only figured it out later when, wondering why I just paid $5 for a bagel with butter, I entered my order into the screen that lets you order. I don't mind paying extra for labor costs and I always tip, but I dislike it when businesses hide fees instead of updating their menu prices. Then, the bagel came with a weird piece of red stuff on it (salami? tomato?), seemingly from someone's finger when they were making my bagel and also another customer's sandwich. Pretty gross and could be a contamination issue for someone with more specific food preferences/needs than mine. Finally, the wifi didn't connect to my PC, even after clearing my DNS cache, restarting the computer, all the other normal wifi fixes etc. This only seemed to be an issue for people on PCs, everyone with Macs could connect fine. They confusingly also have two networks, Forge_guest and FORGE GUEST, of which the latter is the one they use. I had no trouble with this but I can see other people being confused and it's pretty easy to deactivate the old network when switching over. Also, there was a fruit fly buzzing around my table. There are many excellent cafes and bakeries in Cambridge and Somerville. I'd recommend going to any of the other ones over Forge.

A very welcome addition to the Porter Square area. GREAT sandwiches. Cappuccino was perfect.

the ice cream is great if you want to splurge $$$$ on one scoop. Most of the employees are SO nice but one of them with green short hair can be very nasty at times! After waiting 10 minutes for someone to come take my order that person finally comes to take my order and starts off by saying "I'm waiting on YOU!" Maybe they don't like people that look like me but come here with caution and these things in mind!

Right now they're actually just doing take-out. They have a cute little market too, where they're selling rhodia notebooks, intelligentsia coffee, coffee making supplies, and other products. The cardamom latte is delicious. Also don't sleep on the sticky buns. Great cream cheese frosting. Unexpected crunchy, flaky, texture.

I live right across the street so I thought I'd give this place a try. I've had their sandwiches twice and both times felt like the amount and quality of food wasn't worth it. I would give this place 3 stars for food. However the ambiance was nice! There was plenty of seating and it seemed like a great place to get together with a friend to char

Coffee shop in Somerville with a minimalist/industrial look and hipster business pricing. I ordered a hot chocolate which is mainly pricy because they only sell a large size which is too much is you are also ordering food. The hot chocolate was okay but nothing amazing. I was mainly drawn to this location because of its pastries. I love places with an open view of the bakers at work so that was a plus for this location. They have a large selection of fresh croissants, scones, buns, etc. I opted for an almond morning bun which was delicious. The pastries are definitely worth the price paid. I'll come back for the pastries and maybe some day I'll try their ice cream offerings.

I haven't eaten here. My review is based on their driver who was driving erratically, speeding and nearly sideswiping my car in a truck with forge baking company written on the door. Unacceptable driving in a company car. The driver was a terrible brand ambassador for the company. For that reason, I won't eat here and give it a one star review.

The breakfast sandwiches here are soooo good. The focaccia bread is to die for. I commented to my friends that the bread is so soft and I'm used to cutting my mouth on hard rolls. Not here at Forge! The simple egg and cheese is not simple at all. It's loaded up with sauces and greens to make it perfectly delicious. Great spot!

Delicious good. Anyone complaining about the prices can just go to Dunkin. You're paying for quality. Sometimes service is slower, because they're very busy. Many customers means good food. These lower rating are unfounded.

No complaints about the quality of the baked goods the croissants are bliss & love the cafe mocha. Calm open space. It is a place where you enter your own order at the counter computer tablet, wait patiently, then take out. The tables have bee removed since the pandemic. Cafe mocha and a croissant $10. I always give a 20% tip. Problem I had was a charge I noticed on the receipt for 39 cents labeled "house charge". WTF?A built in gratuity? So I will spend $12 for coffee & croissant plus tip sparingly in the future.

Forge recently downsized my favorite of theirs, the everything monkey bread. It's nearly half the size for the same price... Now I really can't justify coming back unless I just want some bread, since I am not a fan of their food or coffee. I'm keeping my rating at 3 stars since they have a great atmosphere for studying and working, as well as a great bathroom.