PRB Boulangerie KENDALL SQUARE

I’ll be honest, I didn't plan to write a review, but I feel it’s time to share some thoughts in hopes that PRB Boulangerie will take it as an opportunity to elevate the quality of their offerings. I first had a pleasure of trying their treats a few years ago, back when they still operated their Somerville bakery (now a sister shop, Café Saint-Germain). The pastries and breads were truly exceptional, and I also used to buy them for our New Year’s celebrations. After the transition, I began occasionally stopping by their Cambridge location in Kendall Sq.. In my early visits, I was won over by their take on the hazelnut Paris-Brest. Still, to this day, the best I’ve ever tried. It looked like a jewel crowned with a caramelized hazelnut, hiding a crisp praline center that added a wonderful depth of flavor. Ahhh, what a culinary joy it was! Visit after visit, I have found myself repeatedly disappointed by both the taste and quality. The pastries, croissants, and even a lukewarm strawberry matcha latte fell short: bland, cold, and lacking flavor. A recent purchase of three éclairs proved equally underwhelming; the choux pastry was completely tasteless. In general, their pastries are missing the rich, buttery essence that lies at the heart of classic French bakes. True, some of their desserts remain visually appealing; again, a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. I stopped by shortly before noon on a Sunday. The café was nearly empty. The service was quick and gracious, which I truly appreciated. I hope PRB Boulangerie will take a note and improve. I look forward to a positive change and the day I can rediscover this place, and once again feel excited about stepping in and experiencing modern fine patisserie at PRB Boulangerie!

This bakery is absolutely amazing! 🥐☕️ The sandwiches and pastries are incredibly delicious — everything tastes fresh and perfectly made. The place itself is unbelievably aesthetic and cozy, with beautiful dishes and presentation that make every detail feel special. You can tell everything — from the food to the coffee cups — is chosen with great taste. Definitely a must-visit spot!

I found this place through an Instagram reel and just had to try it after seeing their maple crème brûlée latte, which comes with the cutest little croissant. It did not disappoint! I also had the vanilla flan croissant and the chocolate beignet, which has a rich, gooey chocolate center that oozes out (absolute yum!). My only suggestion: please serve the maple crème brûlée latte in your beautiful ceramic mugs instead of paper cups. It’s one of the prettiest coffees I’ve ever seen, so why not give it the full presentation it deserves?

We drove 1 hr 40 mins from NH to have a pastry hopping date. This café ended being the best out of the 4 we tried in Cambridge. Super friendly staff, high-quality pastries, clean and comfortable environment. I can't recommend their raspberry croissant enough!!

It's a nice cafe in the MIT area with coffee and sweet treats. I had the chocolate croissant and didn't find it to be very fresh or flaky. The coffee was good.

The only good thing is the atmosphere, and they returned my money for quiche. Flat white almond milk coffee was sweet and not delicious. I say the same thing for quiche and coffee croissants; they were not fresh or tasty. Half of the quiche was warm, and half was cold. The coffee croissant was not recent, obviously. It was my last day in Boston, and my breakfast was a horrible experience.

A Morning of Parisian Splendor at PRB Boulangerie, Kendall Square** Mon Dieu, what a delightful little slice of Paris we stumbled upon this morning! Just next to our intended destination, PRB Boulangerie in Kendall Square beckoned with its luminous charm, and bien sûr, we could not resist. From the moment we stepped inside, the air was thick with the intoxicating perfume of butter, sugar, and freshly baked bread—a symphony for the senses. The space, très élégant, was bathed in natural light, with an open, airy design that invited us to linger. The décor, a tasteful mélange of rustic and modern, whispered of a chic Left Bank boulangerie—très charmant! But the true stars of the show? Les pâtisseries!Behind gleaming glass cases, an array of sweet temptations glistened, each more irrésistible than the last. Flaky croissants, decadent pain au chocolat, and delicate fruit tarts—oh là là! Above them, golden loaves of bread, their crusts crackling with promise, completed the tableau. The staff, très aimable, greeted us with warm efficiency. No interminable queue, merci beaucoup! Her Majesty the Queen (of our household, bien entendu) and our young prince made their selections with the gravity such decisions demand. In moments, the pastries were neatly packaged, and we claimed a table where the morning sun poured in like liquid gold. As they indulged in their treasures—each bite a buttery, flaky revelation—the sunlight danced upon the table, casting the moment in a glow so perfect it could have been painted by Monet. Magnifique! The Queen, in a rare moment of restraint, abstained from coffee this time—quelle surprise!—but peut-être next visit, she will succumb to the allure of a rich café allongé. PRB Boulangerie is a petit bijou in Kendall Square—a place where the art of French baking is honored with every meticulous detail. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, do not hesitate. Allez-y! Your taste buds will thank you, et moi aussi. À bientôt, PRB!

I’ve been meaning to try this place for a few months and enjoyed my experience! My friend and I got a few pastries to go and liked all of them. They have a very pretty display of pastries, mostly sweet croissants on the day we visited. They also have seasonal drinks. My only complaint is that the pastries were a little on the expensive side, but they were large and filling treats so it was worth it.

had a great time at the boulangerie. Very authentic French bakery. Nice outside space

This boulangerie is wonderful! We got the banana chocolate pastry, raspberry croissant, lime tart, creme brûlée latte, and caramel apple latte and everything was delicious and top quality

tl;dr decent bakery that meets the mark in many ways, but is not a standout I've visited the PRB in Kendall a handful of times while in the area. The most recent visit was on a Sunday afternoon - there were several people either catching up with friends or doing work on their laptops, but still several seats open such that it didn't feel too crowded. The pastry display area is impressive, and the presentation is eye-catching for sure. This time I got a cappuccino, chocolate almond croissant (Croissant au Chocolat-Amandes), and regular almond croissant (Croissant au Amandes). The croissants were good but not great - they weren't as flaky as I'd hoped, and the texture is much harder than ideal as well. The actual flavor itself, however, was still great, which is why I don't want to knock it too much. Previously, I've had PRB's croissants fresh out of the oven (right after running a nearby race), and those were perfect. Great flavor and texture with no suggested improvements. When I did takeout today, I warmed up the croissants at home in a toaster oven, and that improved the flavor dramatically, but by default they didn't make a major impression on me. The cappuccino is OK. It gets the job done but feels like it lacks the same flavor and potency as others in the area - I feel that both Tatte and Shy Bird (which are on the same street) have better cappuccinos at a similar price point. The staff are generally helpful and friendly, especially during less busy hours. Overall, PRB earns stars for a relaxed atmosphere and stellar presentation, but could improve in terms of their espresso drinks. If PRB proactively offered to warm up any pastry for customers upon ordering, I strongly believe that would go a very long way.

Absolutely incredible! This spot has some of the tastiest, most masterfully baked French pastries in Boston at an affordable price. If you're looking for a quick bite of some baked goods (or even if you're not), you need to try PRB! On top of their amazing pastries, their menu also offers some tasty brunch options! The restaurant itself is perfect for grabbing a bite with friends, meeting up for a social gathering, or just sitting quietly to get work done. The indoor and outdoor seating is spacious, clean, and chic! Also the service is quick and helpful letting you focus on your meal and whatever else you need to. I can't recommend this place enough. After just one visit, I want go back and try everything on the menu!

It's a beautiful, spacious cafe with free wifi. Great place to get work done. Staff is very nice. However in terms of food quality, the pastries looked pretty but tasted underwhelming. Got their Pain Suisse since the staff said it was their most popular pastry, but it was rather mediocre. I did like the crispy exterior, but the vanilla custard/chocolate chip filling was pretty tasteless. Maybe it would've tasted better slightly warmed. Americano was about what you'd expect. Overall, it's a beautiful place, but you can find better quality pastries elsewhere.

This lovely bakery was open on Thanksgiving and we felt so lucky to be able to get some sweet treats. I really wanted to try the pistachio fruit tart, but they were sold out right before it was my turn to order. Instead, I ordered the pistachio eclair. My partner ordered a few pastries, but my favorite was the cookie croissant. I also ordered a chai latte that was super delicious.

Cute place with lots of seating indoor and outdoor. I got my regular iced vanilla latte and it tasted great. I would like it with a little less milk as a personal preference. I got my quintessential cafe go-to pain au chocolat but it was a little disappointing. Pastry was not flaky nor buttery, and there were just chunks of chocolate; maybe it would be better heated. Overall, a cute cafe with a nice ambiance and chill. -6.7/10 - 7/10 for coffee

I came back and ordered an almond croissant and an iced chai latte with almond milk, which they got correct this time. The almond croissant was great, and the perfect texture and amount of sweetness. Unfortunately it seems the hot version of the chai latte is much better, as the iced version was almost tasteless and super watery. The ambience is still really nice though so I'll give them another chance. I definitely won't order the chai again though.

Dropped into PRB for a quick bite with the family after a race. The pastries were delightful - you won't find a flakier croissant in Boston. I especially enjoyed the almond croissant but the bread to my wife's salmon sandwich was a bit stale and dry. It also took us awhile to get our espresso drinks but it was very busy so that is understandable. There was a decent amount of outdoor seating to enjoy a nice day as well.

Place was filled with fake plants, chairs don't match, 15 minutes after opening and it was filled to the brim. Meh food, better pastries, but should be MUCH better considering I just paid $8 for a single-serving fruit tart. $8 was a theme: fruit tart, blackberry lime tart, eclairs, coffee eclairs, other cakes and pastries. A cookie is $2.50 which is more reasonable. A $12 baguette caprese sandwich can feed 2 comfortably, which is nice. The burrata they use in it is great. No vegetarian sandwich available on a croissant? What happened to a measly egg and cheese (no ham)? They are all premade and available on display which allows for faster service. Also: the sandwich is wrapped in the middle and tied with string. No idea why since it probably wasn't going to fall apart without. The paper stuck to the sandwich and couldn't be removed. If only it was 11$ without being clothed for lunch!

A modern cafe with ample seating, sunlight, and outlets to get some work done. Make sure to try the pain suisse, which is kind of like a croissant (but less flaky and laminated) with custard and chocolate chips inside - it's delicious! I also tried the cookie croissant, which was too sweet for my liking but had good flavor and flaky texture regardless. I would skip the drinks though - both the coffee and matcha were subpar.

This cute little French Cafe in the middle of Kendall Square is definitely worth finding parking for. First, the atmosphere and cleanliness was refreshing to see. The pastry case is so clean and clear, I can see my reflection in it as I gaze at well put together French pastries. Also, side note, It's one of those bakeries where you walk in and immediately want one of everything. Luckily I had some self control that day. I bought a pastry for each friend I was about to see that day - 5 of them? Everything was well packed and ready to go. However, I was also meeting a friend there to plan her wedding details. So we also sat down to grab a bite to eat and talk. Finding a seat was hard...there's not much space to be honest. There's a large community table down the middle with a few tables of 2 and 4 scattered around the community table. It was certainly a stand and hover kind of situation. If you can, just park on a side street and come in to pick up. Bathrooms are available and clean, it's a semi-self-service cafe where the waiters bring food to you after you order at the counter. If you need napkins, water, silverware, etc. It's all cleanly stacked on a shelf at the back for you to grab. Food wise, my friend had a croque monsieur and I had a ham and cheese croissant. My croissant was slightly greasy but it was probably because the croissant was the real deal (all the butter!) The croque monsieur is definitely going to be my order moving forward. Pastry wise. Everything was delicious. Kouign-amann and Suisse were my favorites. Though sugar dusted traditionally, their Kouign-amann was not overly sweet and was very flaky. The suisse though... man, I could eat so many of those things. What reminds me of an Italian lobster tail pastry, it's got crispy flaky dough encasing a brioche in the middle and filled with real deal vanilla bean pastry cream custard. If you can only have one thing, I'd highly recommend the suisse. One star knock off only because it's really hard to find parking and get a table.

Really like these pastries! Went in last year and felt like there was better croissants in Boston but have been back a few more times and now it's the only place I would get my Pain Suisse! Have tried a cappuccino and cortado and have no complaints! I have always been able to find a seat in both the Somerville and Kendall locations. Just need to get there before they sell out of their pain suisse!

An adorable French cafe in Kendall Square! I went on a rainy Saturday afternoon with a friend to sit and chat, and it felt very cozy and comfortable. That said, even with the rain slowing down business, it was a bit tough to find 2 seats. Service was quick, and the pastries were so flaky and delicious without being overly sweet. There were some pistachio shells on the pistachio eclair though: /

Not bad, just meh and I probably wouldn't go back. I've bought their sourdough loaf before and loved it. We went back for breakfast and ordered the croissant, pain Suisse and cafe au lait. The cafe au lait was bland and mostly milk (which is the opposite of what it's supposed to be). The croissant and pain suisse were very pretty but mediocre. The filling of the pain suisse was good but the dough was not flakey. Neither was the croissant. Tasted like a mediocre croissant that had been sitting out for too long

I tried PRB with a friend recently. The interior is spacious and they have a nice display of pastries. Most of their offerings are sweet pastries. There is a small section of "savory pastries" which is basically just plain croissants with meats and cheese. Though I would've wanted to try a ham and cheese croissant, I didn't want to pay $10 for one, so I got a chocolate croissant instead. The chocolate croissant did not look very good and it didn't taste any better than it looked. It was not crispy at all, not particularly buttery, and the chocolate didn't taste great either. My friend got the pain suisse which was definitely better than the chocolate croissant -- the exterior was crisp and the interior was pretty tasty. I also got the chai latte which was pretty forgettable. It doesn't come with any sugar by default, and it seems like the only options for adding sugar are packets of sugar rather than liquid syrup, which would make it easier to mix in. Overall I really did not enjoy the chocolate croissant and I don't think it should be sold. I probably would not come back here again. I think you're much better off going to somewhere like Tatte or Flour for desserts.

This is a fairly new edition to Kendall Square - a French themed cafe. I was in the area briefly for a meeting and just grabbed a few financiers in the afternoon. The financiers had good texture (a slight amount of chew, good caramelization outside) and some nuttiness from brown butter. They were a standard size yet only $1.50, which is a steal by Bay area standards. Their croissants actually looked pretty decent, and they also had some harder to find French things like the Pain Suisse and Paris Brest. Staff were very friendly, and lots of people were just hanging out there on a random Monday afternoon, so I'm not sure why the yelp reviews are so not better - maybe the low number of reviews since they're new?

This boulangerie in Cambridge is too die for. I had their pain suisse and it was brilliant. The way you could tell that it's a legit French pastry is that it's not too sweet. Lovely ambience with its wide sitting are and floral arrangements. And there's a spot to get water. My friend ordered the green tea and she enjoyed but when I ordered the hot chocolate, it tasted like it came from a packet. Either way, would come back here again!

A newish French bakery that opened up in Kendell Square. We came here on a Saturday morning and there was a small line of people before ordering, which allowed plenty of time to decide on which pastries to try. We decided to get an almond croissant, chocolate croissant, pear Danish, and a cinnamon bun. My favorite was the almond croissant, which was flakey, filled with almond paste, and topped with shaved almonds. The chocolate croissant was okay, but didn't exceed any expectations. I was slightly confused about the pear Danish because I didn't really taste any pear, but at least it was a flakey pastry. There is some seating where you can enjoy a cup of coffee with your party and catch up with friends. If I ever come back, I'd check out their other desserts or different pastries.

A wonderful addition to Kendall square! The bakery smells amazing as soon as you walk in and it is fun to see the staff making the goods in the back. There is a solid selection of breads, sandwiches, and pastries. The items are a bit pricey but the flavors are impeccable - would have liked some custard with the blueberry danish but otherwise it was extremely flaky with juicy and sweet berries. The pain suisse is a must try with crispy and buttery pastry, creamy vanilla custard, and melty chocolate chips! There are quite a few people doing work near the tables and there is a great vibe overall.

Fantastic croissants - the best I have tried in Boston thus far. A little pricey but we are in the city... The pain suisse was my absolute favorite I loved the custard inside and the melt chocolate. Amazing layers as well. Cappuccino was delicious as well and super cute latte art. Only downside was hard to find seating on a weekend morning.

Super cute cafe with lots of seating indoor and outdoors. A large selection of pastries and sandwiches that I haven't tried yet, but giving 3 stars based on their coffee. Spent almost $7 on a 16 oz vanilla latte that lacked flavor and tasted watered down.

I came at the end of a workday because I was craving something sweet and they had a good selection of small cakes and pastries left. I got a fruit tart, a chocolate cake, and a pain au chocolat. The fruit tart had fresh fruit and the chocolate cake was pretty good but the pain au chocolat had wonderful layers but had gotten soft since baking and did not have as much chocolate as I would have liked. There is lots of seating and it looked like a nice place to enjoy a pastry and get some work or studying done. I'd like to come back to try the croissants when they are made fresh.

I liked the soup du jour (parsnips). However, I agree with other reviewers the croissant lacks buttery flavor

Quite possibly the best croissant I've had in the Boston area! It was super buttery and airy, and the outside was perfectly flakey. The interior is super cute as well, with an industrial feel, lots of open air, and natural lighting.

Great place! Food is good, I only tried their pastry as their dessert look pretty bad. However, I think the pastry is one of the best! I love the Pain Suisse, very thin but flaky and not too sweet. I think it's so light that I was very surprised! Really recommended!5/5 almond Crossisant was good too but I think too sweet for me 4/5 Service is 5/5. The girl helping me with the Crossisant was good! Even the cashier was a bit new so he doesn't really know much but overall it's above standard Environment is cool. There is a window and it's open showing you know the make their Crossisant and pastry! Very fun watching it. I think it's a bit too hot forb

**One Star Review** In just a few months, this place has turned from a great new French bakery into complete trash. Nothing tastes right anymore. Prices have significantly increased, and the size of everything is about half of what it was initially. Tarts were $6 and now they're $8 and half the size. Croissants are all half the size or even less. Everything now looks very sloppily made. Extremely disappointing.

Came here to try the viral crookie (cookie croissant) and I liked it. They have some delicious looking pastries that I'd love to try. The cafe itself is pretty with floral decor and wasn't too busy on a Monday evening. Glad we came here!

A solid 3/5 stars. I only got a fruit tart, and it was alright. Most of the pastries were a bit pricy. The fruit on my tart was fresh, and the pastry crust was thick and buttery. The crust was baked to be very concave though, so the tart appeared to be bigger than it was, which was disappointing. The staff seemed a bit out of sorts on the day I went. Their communication was a bit off, I think it may have been a couple people's first days. The manager seemed like she was at her wits end with them though and would not hesitant to raise her voice at them. I could see myself coming here again, perhaps for a latte or something.

Stale baguette at 1pm on a Tuesday. The breakfast sandwich was just OK and expensive.

Absolutely love this place. The pastries and coffee are delicious and there's plenty of seating if you get there early. In the summer, you can sit outside and it's very pleasant. The employees have always been really nice to me too.

Not bad. Everything was tasty, coffee was pretty good. Just didn't get the rage. Nothing I nibbled or sipped on sent me into another universe.

Worst business ever. Management is corrupt. Lying seems to be their best service as their food is overpriced and disgusting.

This is my fifth visit and each time it goes down hill. The pastries can be hit or miss, but the service really is lacking. I ordered a cold brew and cold sandwich, I got my cold brew and was waiting for my sandwich and was asked multiple times by different people if I had it yet. I would have left if I did, then they asked me if it was okay there was no lettuce, which sure it's not a big deal but maybe ask when someone is ordering. Another customer came in as well and the person bagging my sandwich got distracted and just stopped mid bagging. Most the cafes in the Kendall Sq area have been lackluster, this one really is no different.

The desserts I've tried here are too sweet and not flavorful enough. Their choux pastry is a bit dry and their creams and fillings are a little stiff and sometimes grainy. The staff seem nice though and there is ample seating, inside and outside.

Great option! The chocolate croissant was great - asked for it warmed up. Breakfast croissant left something to be desired, but would eat again in a pinch. Right by campus and staff was super friendly!

Food was very mediocre and portions were small for the price. I got a quinoa salad and it was the most basic salad with few pomegranate seeds sprinkled with two tiny pieces of sweet potatoes. And it took them 15 minutes to prepare which was very confusing because there seemed like there was nothing to prep and no lines before us either.