Phinista Cafe

Coffee shop · Fenway

Phinista Cafe

Coffee shop · Fenway

3

96 Peterborough St, Boston, MA 02215

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Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null
Phinista Cafe by null

Highlights

French Vietnamese cafe with banh mi, coffee, matcha, and buns  

Featured in Eater
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96 Peterborough St, Boston, MA 02215 Get directions

phinista.com
@phinista.cafe

$10–20 · Menu

Information

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96 Peterborough St, Boston, MA 02215 Get directions

+1 617 262 7700
phinista.com
@phinista.cafe

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 20, 2025

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@eater

Chef Michael Schlow Returns to Boston’s Fine Dining Scene - Eater Boston

"French Vietnamese coffee shop Phinista in Fenway has new ownership; as does beloved Ethiopian restaurant Blue Nile in Jamaica Plain. At Phinista, Yeanie Bach and Phi Pham announced that they’d be moving on in order to spend more time with their daughter." - Erika Adams

https://boston.eater.com/2024/2/28/24085821/chef-michael-schlow-boston-restaurant-seamark-encore
View Postcard for Phinista Cafe
@eater

Boston’s Best Banh Mi | Eater Boston

"Owners Yeanie Bach and Phi Pham have been busy during the pandemic, transforming their Vietnamese coffee pop-up into a brick-and-mortar location. Phinista Cafe took over the former Neighborhoods Coffee and Crepes in Fenway, and it — along with its sibling restaurant, Bánh Mì Ơi (more below) — is turning out some of the best banh mi in the city. Versions include cold cut, grilled barbecue pork, grilled barbecue chicken, crispy shrimp, and tofu, and a vegan version is in the works. Phinista Cafe is open for takeout, with delivery via Grubhub beginning soon." - Terrence Doyle

https://boston.eater.com/maps/best-banh-mi-boston
View Postcard for Phinista Cafe
@eater

AM Intel: A Fix for Fast Food’s Broken Ice Cream Machine Problem? - Eater Boston

"Fenway cafe Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes is changing hands on August 1, with the team behind Vietnamese cafe delivery service Phinista taking over and transitioning the space into Phinista Cafe. The Neighborhoods team expressed confidence in the new owners, highlighting their commitment to the community." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal

https://boston.eater.com/2020/7/27/21340060/burger-king-boston-ice-cream-machine-kytch-news
View Postcard for Phinista Cafe

Tim Roz

Google
Cozy little Cafe with friendly staff. I had the saigon banh mi breakfast sandwich and tried their Strawberry matcha latte—both wete delicious. The outdoor seating area was nice and peaceful as the nearby road wasn't too busy. There's also group games and books inside the cafe, although the seating area can be a bit tight. Regardless, it's a nice place to try while in Fenway.

Aurora Wilks

Google
Small place but super cute. Seemed busy but only one person working the front so there was a small wait. Ube matcha was good but could’ve been sweeter. Strawberry matcha had good sweetness just hard to drink with how big the chunks were. Ube bun was pretty good, exactly what you want but a filling would take it to the next level. Overall good experience, not a bad place to stop if you’re in the area and good food around it too.

Nataly Perez

Google
Their Saigon banh mi was exactly what I needed after a hangover. Sooo delicious. I will say it was a very long wait but the barista + staff were attentive and apologetic. Their drinks were flavorful and unique. Gluten free pastries also available!

Zoe Szeto

Google
We were excited to try this place after seeing everyone else’s photos/reviews, but we ended up being very disappointed. We had spent $45 on 3 lattes, 2 buns, and 1 banh mi. The iced saigonese was pretty good. The matcha latte was good too; good quality matcha, just wasn’t sweetened when we asked for it to be sweetened. The iced phin ube didn’t have any ube flavor in it. It just tasted like a regular cà phê sữa đá. We ordered the lemongrass beef banh mi and the baguette was not toasted and it was hard to chew. The biggest disappointment was the matcha and ube buns we ordered. We asked for both to be warmed with the custard filling. The buns were not warmed up and actually tasted stale. They cut the buns open like a bagel and spread the custard in like it was butter. We really wanted to like this place, but the quality was terrible.

Jun Simons

Google
Good banh mis, would highly recommend taking it to go for a picnic. The beef, pork, and tofu were all flavorful and the ratio of ingredients was right. The jalapeños were for some reason super spicy. Nice staff and cool vibe inside

Salokya Sarira

Google
The Iced Saigonese (Vietnamese Coffee with Sea Salt Cold Foam) was really good at first because the slightly salty foam and the sweet coffee complemented each other very well. However, the creaminess of the cold foam became overpowering towards the end. I’d recommend getting the traditional Vietnamese Coffee at the store instead. The Pandan Bun was very underwhelming—the Pandan flavor was barely noticeable, and the bun wasn’t fluffy enough.

Kayla Tobias

Google
I live in the neighborhood and don’t come here often, mainly because it gets super busy on the weekends. If you’re planning to visit, I recommend getting your food to go or trying to grab a seat outside. The café itself is really cute but quite small, and unfortunately, toward the back, there’s often an unpleasant smell, likely from dishes that aren’t cleared or cleaned regularly after people are finished eating. That said, the food is genuinely delicious, and the coffee is rich and flavorful.

Newt Thai

Google
Always on the lookout for a comfortable cafe near my routine stops. Happy to find this one today! The drinks looked fun/colorful, (tried the ube matcha latte); the banh mi was massive and delicious. Cheerful atmosphere; the guy making my sandwich was intermittently singing with the music. Staff communicating well together and with customers. Food/drinks came out quickly, even during the lunch rush. Will be a regular stop when I'm in the area!
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Emma C.

Yelp
I love this place for a work or hangout spot. My only complaint is that it can get really crowded, especially on a Sunday afternoon, so it's not always possible to get a seat. I sometimes get the matcha, it's not my favorite but satisfies the craving. However, their lychee spritzer is a must-try. It's perfectly sweet and sour from the lychee and lemonade.
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Joy G.

Yelp
Review's only for the food; I'd come back to try something from the drinks menu, which speaks to the basic Asian girl in me. Matcha/strawberry lattes! Ube foam! Lavender syrup! Tiny edible flowers! We came during the dinner hour and the tables outside and indoors were already crowded so I can only imagine what the lunchtime/weekend rush must be like. I ordered the lemongrass steak rice bowl for my husband and the five spice tofu salad bowl for me, which were just all right and the portions weren't very filling, even for someone who doesn't have a large appetite. The tofu - four or five skimpy pieces of it - tasted like your average lightly fried crispy tofu. The lemongrass steak wasn't very flavorful and the pork was hard to chew/gristly. Not sure if we got a subpar batch of the meat toward the end of the day. The best part of the bowl was the pickled carrots and radish that I wish they gave some more of. The fish sauce-based dressing was really good and super refreshing/light. We came when there were only two people working on food, drinks, taking orders - props to them for being friendly and professional during the dinner-time rush.
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Madeleine J.

Yelp
Ordered the ube matcha latte with oat milk, and was a bit underwhelmed. The drink looked gorgeous, with the vibrant green and purple colors blending together, but it was too sweet for my tasting. The ube flavor was overwhelming to the point that it pretty much just tasted like ube with no matcha flavor. I've heard great things about Phinista and I didn't order any pastries despite the fact that they looked gorgeous, so I'll have to be back to try something different.
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Alexandra A.

Yelp
This place is super adorable with it being the perfect place to study or sit and chat with friends. I came on a Tuesday afternoon and it seemed pretty busy as all tables were filled up. It can get a bit crowded and compacted but that's what makes a local cafe appealing! I'm a basic girly and normally only get an iced matcha which was a staple here. The milk in my drink was a bit overpowering but that's what comes with a latte anyways, and I was able to still enjoy the aroma of the matcha. I'll definitely try the ube latte next time as it seems to be a popular one when I come back to Boston!
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Kylie B.

Yelp
Phinista is the perfect spot for a DELICIOUS and unique Vietnamese coffee! I loved all the different options of coffees they had and also many yummy Vietnamese bites!! I had the iced saignonese which is traditional Vietnamese coffee that packs a caffeine punch and is topped with a delectable sea salt cold foam- safe to say it is now one of my favorite coffees in Boston! The baristas were cute, helpful, and friendly. The inside is small and has a modern aesthetic, on a Friday most tables were taken by laptops but there was seating at the bar and also a porch option! I can't wait to go back and try more drinks.
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Alice Z.

Yelp
Love the food, drinks, vibes here!!! They have great banh mi and bowls. Also really like their drinks - some of my favorites are the saigon sesame latte and the matcha coconut water drink. Great service and you can also sit on the picnic tables outside.
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Alex L.

Yelp
I had heard this place hyped up, but tried the bbq banh mi and it was alright. The coffees seemed fun and creative, but everything was overall quite expensive.
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Christian L.

Yelp
This place is quite decent. The banh mi (chicken and pork) is good! I would recommend getting the pork over the chicken. The meat was tender and flavorful and the bread was crispy. 7/10 for the banh mi. It is on a bit in the pricier side. I am a sucker for ube so when I noticed they offered multiple ube drinks, I was amazed! The coco cloud ube was an amazing combination of coconut water, ube, and cheese foam. The drink is not too sweet or salty. 9/10. The staff there were really nice and friendly! They really made my experience there memorable! It is a chill lunch spot with a great atmosphere! The place is small but big enough to bring yourself and a date.
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Khanh-Chau M.

Yelp
Small spot and had their ube iced latte and thought it was alright for the price. The drink came out fast too - maybe would want to try their other stuff.
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William Z.

Yelp
The service was very friendly, but the iced strawberry matcha was not the best I've had. I understand this is a popular café, there was definitely not enough seating for the number of people that seemed to want to enjoy their drinks indoors. There is outdoor seating, which would be good for the summer, but on a cold day, it was still cold inside the café if you are sitting near the door.
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Adina S.

Yelp
What a cute spot! Phinista is located in a really nice part of the Fenway area, so it's pretty convenient. Even though it was pretty busy, our orders were ready right away. The restaurant is a bit small, but they also had outdoor seating. My friends and I actually took our food to a nearby park, which was perfect. The food itself was better than I expected, for what I'd call a less authentic type place. Regardless, the taste was there! I'd consider going back again.
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Angelina R.

Yelp
From ordering to finishing my drink, this was a wonderful experience! Stepping into the cafe, the vibes were immediately warm and cozy making me excited for the sweet treat to come. Among their menu of food, Phinista's hidden gem is their matcha! It's ceremonial grade, striking a balance between sweet and dynamic bitter flavor. For the price, you get a very good serving and it's delicious until the last drop! As for the service, it was fast and friendly as can be. Although I ordered ahead, the barista waited to whisk the matcha until I arrived, which ensures a fresh foamy matcha for when I got there. I highly recommend this spot if you're looking to socialize, get work done alone, or want to try some of the best matcha in Boston!
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Chris T.

Yelp
Stopped in as we were already eating on the block. Needed our drink fix and always wanted to try. Super cute spot with games, table setup to do some work or hang out. Small space but cozy. They have some food and an array of viet coffees and non-coffee drinks. Opted for strawberry matcha as recommended but the nice staff and the lady had the iced phin ube. I like seeing Vietnamese options or viet fusion stuff on menus around Boston and i enjoyed my drink. The matcha was not too early, mixed smooth and the drink was refreshing and light (especially after a heavy meal!) The ube drink was good and tasty according to the wifey. The coffee was robust, but not bitter! (Some like bitter but we don't) Check this off our list, would get again if eating in the area, luckily there is parking out front via meters. Read the signs tho some are permit only (across street + earlier on the block)
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Lizzie Y.

Yelp
Oh man, visiting Phinista today brought back so many memories of when I used to come here a couple times a week to get my coffee fix. I used to come here before/after classes & their drinks do not miss. Fast forward, two year later, I finally was able to come by today after getting some lunch. Love, love, love their viet coffee; today I tried their iced phin ube & it was great! We also tried their iced Strawberry matcha latte. Love that it's not bitter at all and can taste both the matcha + strawberry jam. Such a cute little cafe. A great place to go to get some studying done or just to get some baked goods + drinks. Finding parking can be difficult, depending on the time you go but there are a few meter parking spots right outside on Peterborough St.
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Vicki M.

Yelp
Great Banh mi sandwiches as always! Awesome fresh bread, nice flavorful meat, fresh crunchy veggies, creamy sauce and jalapeños for the kick! We sat outside and ate - the weather was great yesterday! I had the bbq chicken and the hubs had the bbq pork Banh mi. We were so excited and ate them without remembering to take pics ha ha! Good hearty filling food! Service was good! The place was fairly busy which is good! The interior is very cute and charming. Great little place in the Peterborough restaurant row!
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Madeline L.

Yelp
Everyone was super helpful and accommodating!! Our food was delicious as well! The vibe is so cute inside and there was plenty of seating!
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Quoc H.

Yelp
I came in the late afternoon and the cafe was packed. It is a small place with maybe only room for 10 indoors and another 10 outdoors. Not good for large groups unless everyone comes early for seats or ok with outdoor seating with their large bench. Service was great with drinks and food made in about 5min. 4/10 Ice Phin Ube $6.50 - Ube flavor was completely off. It was not creamy, lacked flavor, and not sweet at all even with their ube syrup. I had to ask for it to be sweeter but even then there was no ube flavor. Coffee itself was not strong like typical viet coffee which was a major disappointment. Lacked depth, richness, and flavor. 4/10 Ube Bun $5 w/ Custard +$1 - Felt like this was a scam because it is completely different than other pictures. The bun is a just plain bread toasted up with a crispy shell. It isn't sweet and has no ube flavor. Custard they gave was a small scoop on the side and I had to ask them to put it on the inside which then came like this. Custard to bun ratio is bad. Custard was at least ok and adds sweetness and creaminess. Overall disappointed to say I wouldn't recommend this place.
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Carol S.

Yelp
It's been a while since I initially visited during the pandemic. This was one of my favorite local spots/safe havens, and I love the food, service, and the ambience. I'm happy that I can visit again and enjoy their delicious crêpes. Their drinks are also great. I recommend getting a savory crêpe with a lavender latte.
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Joy Q.

Yelp
This place is located in Fenway. Parking is hard on concert or game day so be prepared. I loved: - ube latte with drip coffee. This is ube flavored latte with moderate bitterness from the drip coffee. I appreciate that the barista asked me if I wanted sweeter or sweet version - Pork bahn mi: best bahn mi in Boston!! it came in a huge portion as well. The grilled pork was super tender and juicy. The jalapeños add a kick - be aware! - Service was super friendly I didn't like: - the taro bun from the pastry section. Flavor was very plain and it was overpriced (almost $6). Definitely not worth the money.
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Crystal L.

Yelp
Do not buy the banh mi here. They serve old baguettes, which I'm so surprised they would do this. It's absolutely disgusting and I'm truly disappointed. I was born and raised in SoCal and the Vietnamese food in SoCal is better on its worst days than at Phinista. This place lets my people down! I'm also extra annoyed because we're assuming positive intent and we're not taking a bite into our togo order to check if it's an old, dry baguette. We don't have the time or convenience to go back for a refund or for them to remake our order. We're on vacation, traveling with 2 kids under 2. Don't sell old bread. PERIOD. The coffee isn't great either. It's not to the standard of Vietnamese coffee. I was bamboozled by the positive reviews. Don't waste your time, money, or calories :/
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Yu Ya H.

Yelp
Went to grab a quick coffee on a busy Saturday afternoon at this Vietnamese cafe on my saved list forever. A quick coffee run turned into a long 20-30 minutes wait although we didn't get food. The Iced Saigonese coffee was a delight and I would wait long again for this. Matcha bun was okay. The food smelled delicious and looked so good - would love to go try them maybe not on the weekend. The seating area indoor is small, but with the warm weather ahead outdoor seating is also available. -7/10 for the coffee
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Elizabeth K.

Yelp
Great Banh mi Tried lemon grass/classic cold cut and they were both good -Baguette was but rough texture; would've been amazing if it was toasted but that's just extra hope. Still was great :) -Fillings consisted with jalapeno, pickled carrots and meat with cilantro. Meat fillings were quite good portion and went well with other ingredients. -cafe latte: bit diluted and not much good as other menus. Would recommend getting different drinks instead
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Isabella C.

Yelp
Came on the weekend and it was very busy! The workers were friendly and patient as they helped explain some of the menu items. The space itself is a nice place to work (and we saw many people doing so) with tables and bar-style seating. Despite the busy time, our food still came out very fast! I LOVED the ube bun- it reminded me of pandesal and wasn't too sweet. Definitely get it with the custard! The lychee spritzer had a very strong lychee taste and a nice sour complement. The ube drink was good too- strong ube flavor that paired nicely with the salty foam. I would definitely come back!
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Kevin N.

Yelp
Cute little Viet cafe with great coffee and snacks. ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: 8/10 Nice atmosphere inside, always filled with people and has a great overall vibe. It is a bit tight and cramped, especially on the weekends, however, everyone is friendly and it is a good environment. SERVICE: 9/10 Staff is always very nice and helpful. It is really an inviting place as all the staff are friendly and welcoming. FOOD: 9/10 Ca Phe Sua Da - 9/10 - Vietnamese condensed milk coffee. The base coffee is a great robusta bean Viet coffee with the right amount of condensed milk. Coffee is very authentic with that dark bitter flavor complemented perfectly by the creamy sweet condensed milk. Ca Phe Dang - 8/10 - The base black coffee. It is very dark and bitter, which is as expected but does not make for the best black coffee. It is definitely a coffee grown and made for Viet condensed milk coffee. Regardless, it is not a bad coffee, but not the option I'd go for here. VALUE: 7/10 PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 10/10 TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: Eat and drink! OVERALL: 9/10
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Marina C.

Yelp
I give this spot 4 stars because it wasn't out of this world, but it wasn't a huge disappointment either. Some of the things I ordered felt lacking, but I'm hopeful about trying other dishes in the future. Thoughts on the banh mi chao: It's definitely special that Phinista offers this dish because you won't see many other places serve this. However, it was a bit too heavy with the fish sauce, and the bread was a bit stale on the ends. Overall, the banh mi chao was good, but these were a few things that took away from it being amazing in my book. Thoughts on the Saigon Banh Mi: I didn't really think this banh mi was that great. It was mostly pickled veggies and jalapeños. There was an egg and a very thin layer of pate, but the egg tasted unseasoned, and there was barely any pate. So there was not a lot more contributing to the flavor. It tasted like bread and veggies. And it was $12. The banh mi just wasn't worth it, and I would not order this one again. The place was quite crowded, but we were able to find a seat quickly. There isn't much to say about the service. You will not have much interaction with a waiter since you can order on your phone through their QR code posted on every table, and water, utensils, and napkins are self-serve. And you will clean off your own table after you finish. I still feel like Phinista has more to offer than what I experienced. So I would still come back and try out some other dishes and drinks.
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Victoria K.

Yelp
Ordered the iced saigonese which was deliciously creamy and not too sweet (after I selected the less sweet option)! The cafe is somewhat small and doesn't have too many tables, but I can see why coming here to study or catch up with friends would be extremely lovely. I came by at around 11am on a Tuesday, so I was somewhat surprised that it was so full, but alas. The person working there also recommended the matcha white chocolate cookie, which was JUST put out in the display, so it was still warm. I didn't take a photo, but I gobbled that thing up. The matcha flavor was strong, and the white chocolate was the perfect complement.
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Gloria W.

Yelp
I came in on a pretty crowded Saturday brunch, and we seated ourselves in the outside dining area since the inside was packed. The cafe was very cute, and the servers were very polite. The wait time was around ten minutes, which I felt was fair. I'm a big fan of coffee and lattes, but the phin ube was a bit disappointing. It was super pretty! But honestly nothing to write home about. It reminded me of a thick milk more than anything, so I wouldn't order it again at $6.50. However, I do appreciate the large and creative selection on their menu! I ordered the breakfast banh mi, which neither disappointed nor excited me. Not much to complain about there, and it was filling and fair for its price point. My friend's barbecue pork bowl was delicious, and the rice bowls may be more worth it! Overall, it was a decent experience, but not in my top.
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Megan H.

Yelp
I've been to Phinista a couple different times to try out their buns, which are often not in stock. I was able to try the matcha bun, but was a bit disappointed when it didn't taste much like matcha, but more like a regular custard bun with a slight sprinkle of matcha. The ube coffee was also disappointing, again just tasting like regular coffee and not much ube at all. The banh mi chao I had was great though, and reminded me of shakshuka with a Viet twist.
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Brooke C.

Yelp
Wow, Phinista has excellent drinks! I started with a stunning and delicious strawberry matcha latte. It was so good I drank it so fast and had two order a second drink! For my second one I ordered the lychee spritz off of the season menu. That one was also fantastic! They have lots of outdoor seating but sadly it was raining when I went so I had to sit inside. The indoor seating is a bit tight, but it's worth the squeeze for these drinks!
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Jess C.

Yelp
Recent favorite breakfast place. Best banh mi in the area. Get the classic cold cut and bbq chicken!! The buns are also very delicious when you have them heated and eat them right away. Good with or without the filling. They come out like 10/11 in the morning and sells fast.
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Neha M.

Yelp
Love this place! It's a small gem on a side street in Fenway selling Vietnamese classics like bahn mi. I got the tofu rice bowl and I was surprised at how flavorful the tofu was - it was marinated and each bite was so good. The servers were so nice, since I couldn't get fish sauce they gave me a spicy soy sauce for my food. It's a bit smaller area so not a huge amount of seating but you could definitely find a seat
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Nikki Y.

Yelp
Super busy on a Sunday afternoon, but nonetheless the workers were super quick and responsive. The store is quite small with minimal indoor seating, but there's a bit of outdoor seating available. I got the Iced Saigonese and it was super good! The sea salt paired perfectly with the condensed milk and coffee.
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Skyla C.

Yelp
Small spot located in Fenway part of Boston. I was in the area so decided to try it out because it was in my bookmark for quite some times. I was excited to tried their Ube coffee because I was fan after trying it out in Philly coffee shop when I visited. I am also a huge fan of Ube flavor stuff. I was expecting it to taste the same but it did not. It tasted water down and not an authentic Vietnamese coffee that I'm used too. My son got the thai tea. That's the only thing that tasted how it should. That's why I'm rating a 2 stars. But I don't think I'll be returning.
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Yerina K.

Yelp
I saw from the reviews that the drinks were better than the food, in which this case I can see why. The drinks were solid, nothing too crazy about it and the food was also just tasted like what it looked like. The tofu was pretty good compared to the lemon grass in my opinion. The cafe itself is a vibe and looks like a good place to study or chill at on a nice day out! The staff were friendly and the baked goods looked SO good! I would go back to try the baked goods out but not so much for the food.
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Emily N.

Yelp
Phinista, located in Fenway, is SUCH a cute cafe! It's the perfect spot to be productive as the environment isn't overstimulating, and there's so much natural lighting. I appreciated the presence of both tables along the bar and a cozy study corner, providing versatile seating options. The fast Wi-Fi and ample outlets make it conducive for work. During my visit, I tried the hot thai tea. It was a lot sweeter than I would have preferred, but I really liked the consistency of the tea. In terms of service, I appreciated how there was an option for mobile ordering from the table (lol a great option for introverts)! I'll definitely return again! There are so many other drinks, pastries, and dishes I want to try.
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Jack S.

Yelp
Wonderful spot for bahn mi brunch, craft matcha drinks and scrumptious espresso. Personable, attentive staff.
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Melissa L.

Yelp
OMG THE UBE BUN WITH CUSTARD. I had to come here for the buns with custard and was not disappointed!! The bun was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with the creamiest and most delectable filling. I had it with an Ube iced drink which was pretty good as well, but I had a sip of my friends Vietnamese coffees which I would recommend more! My iced Ube milk tea was a little too syrupy for me. Was here for breakfast and coffee but as we ate the smell of banh mis slowly drifted over. Will have to try one of these someday, they looked so good!
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Angelina Z.

Yelp
So happy I came here! The interior's cute, super modern with lots of plants. There's a variety of seating options, indoor and outdoor, and the music is not too loud. WiFi is fast and outlet access is good too, so it's great for getting work done. I got the iced ube latte, which I had high hopes for. I love ube boba and desserts! I was a bit disappointed that the ube flavor was faint. Maybe it's because I selected "less sweet"? This being said, though, I'd definitely come back to study! Next time I'd probably get a different drink--I was also eyeing the sea salt shaker.
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Courtney W.

Yelp
ordered their iced saigonese and iced Càphê Sua Da. both were sooo delicious and they came straight to our table since we used their online ordering system. there's limited seating inside the cafe but they have plenty of outside seating if the weather allows. I saw people stay at the cafe to do some work, so if you're ok with working in a louder environment I think this would be a good spot to work. their drinks were creamy and delicious! the sea salt foam in their iced saigaonese wasn't too overwhelming and both drinks weren't too strong. just the perfect amount of sweetness and coffee.
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Erin O.

Yelp
I've been really looking forward to trying this cafe, as I've heard such great things about it but my experience was honestly not very positive at all. I visited on a weekend for lunch, which was probably my first mistake... this place is TINY and gets packed very easily. There are hardly any tables/bar seats, and because it's a cafe where people want to relax and hang out, there were no chairs for my friend and I to sit at first. I ordered a phin ube over the counter to start things off as I waited around for a table to open up. What I received was not phin ube, it was just ube milk. It wasn't bad, just overpriced for the $7 that I ended up getting charged. My friend also ordered a matcha tea with strawberry and couldn't have more than a couple sips because the powder was not mixed in well at all. Once my friend and I found a place to sit, we decided to place orders for food. We saw that this cafe was really pushing for online orders via a QR code, and because the counter was so packed with other customers waiting around for their orders, we ordered the food on our phones. After 40 minutes of waiting, I went up to the counter to ask if they received our orders. The barista was apologetic and said that he would need to re-submit our orders, as they apparently got lost in the system for some reason. After a few more minutes, another member of the staff came over and asked if I would be okay with a chicken bahn mi instead of pork, because the pork needed to be defrosted (?) and would take a few more minutes. I opted for the chicken just because we'd been waiting so long at this point. Once the food arrived, it was tasty but soggy and definitely not your typical crispy bahn mi. The flavors were there but the textures were lacking. Overall, I was really not happy with the dining experience here from start to finish. Although the staff were kind and likely just overwhelmed with the amount of people in the cafe, I think they really need to improve their ordering process overall. I don't understand the hype and won't be returning.
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Christy C.

Yelp
Came here for a quick brunch from friends' recommendations. You order at the counter and sit in limited seating. Food came fairly quickly. For drinks, I went with a Matcha and a Ube Milk Latte. While the matcha tastes like regular matcha, the ube latte was the star - it tasted like natural ube without artificial flavoring. I also ordered a BBQ Pork Banh Mi, which was good, but expensive. It also had an overwhelming cucumber taste due to the freshness of cucumbers. The BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl comes with a fish sauce, the same meats used in banh mi, and a small portion for price. It tastes like banh, but instead of the bread it's rice. They also have pastries, but I didn't get a chance to try them because they sell out of them early and don't make more after they've sold out. Overall, I would recommend.
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Lucas D.

Yelp
Had the banh mi. Wasn't bad but was a little underwhelming being on the dryer side. Interior of the spot is nice.
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Stephanie W.

Yelp
I had purchased 4 buns as take-out and when I came home and opened the bag, there were only 3. I called the store and they had promised me that they would give me a refund for the bun I never received. I never ended up getting this refund. I called multiple times, and each time they said they would refund me but then never ended up following through. So either the staff here are extraordinarily negligent or they were just lying to me about refunding my purchase. Will not be coming back again. Edit: The staff ended up refunding my purchase. I edited the review to 4 stars as a result.
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Kirsten H.

Yelp
Rating is based on banh mi, specifically the cold cut. The red ham in the cold cut was cut very thick and tasted like Smokey deli ham from the super market. I wasn't able to finish mine due to the Smokey taste of the thick ham. There wasn't much flavor either in the cold cut compared to other authentic viet sandwhich shops. Very pretty cafe for drinks, but I wouldn't recommend their banh mi if you're looking for something similar to Ba Le banh mi.
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Megan L.

Yelp
It's such a cute cafe, and I absolutely love the branding and the menu. However, I found their drink and grilled pork salad really underwhelming. I ordered an ube Vietnamese coffee, and it was way too light and watery. The syrup was also unproportionate to how light and watery the coffee was, so it was just like drinking sips of plain syrup at times. I thought the pork salad was pretty underwhelming considering the price. They only give you a few pieces of pork, and the actual salad portion is so small too? What's up with the portion size? The dressing is so concentrated at the bottom that I received my salad with all of the leaves soaked in dressing, and not even mixing the salad up could save it.
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Stella L.

Yelp
Too sweet and salty, also very crowded. Very popular with students and the atmosphere is loud and cramped. Nice outdoor seating in neighborhood setting if you can find a place to sit. The banh mi is much better at Pho Viet in Newton!
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Salma S.

Yelp
This was my first time trying Vietnamese food - I ate the lemongrass steak Bahn Mi, and it was okay. I wasn't blown away by it. The matcha latte, however, was delicious. It was so yummy and it had the perfect level of sweetness! Phinista is very popular so it was crowded, which made it hard to find a seat, and it was quite loud - but the place itself is so pretty and cozy, and I think it'd be a great place to study or work when it isn't as crowded. Overall, I had a good experience at Phinista - I'm glad I tried it. I think if I was to return, I wouldn't get their food again, but I would definitely try their other drinks.
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Tulsa H.

Yelp
Cozy atmosphere for delicious food you can't go wrong here. Order the Banh Mi is a must. They also have weekend speak too. Staff are so welcoming and nice. Great service. What more could you ask for!
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Sami L.

Yelp
WOW! Inside was clean and warm inside. I love the ordering process, which makes sure the orders are correct and fast! The best thing was the flavor of my food and drink tho. The Thai tea was excellent, the salad has great flavor. I am so happy i stopped in!