The Smoot Standard

Although this cafe took over the space that used to be Darwin's, the quality of the coffee and food is definitely lower. I have been multiple times, and the coffee is always burnt. The matcha tastes so off that it is pretty much undrinkable (I left half the drink last time I went). The food is decent, but the breakfast sandwich I got was very oily. That being said, the vibe is fantastic, and you will always find a place to sit here. It's great for working as the WiFi is consistent.

I finally made my way here for lunch, and I had a great experience! I got the beef brisket sandwich, and it was delicious -- plentiful tender beef, perfectly paired with chewy bread, melty cheese, and sharp mustard. It was a pretty perfect sandwich in my book. I also tried the fried green tomato sandwich, which was very interesting. The tomato seems to be pickled and then fried, and has a sweet relish and some thinly shaved ham. I much preferred the beef sandwich, but this was also interesting. We also got the raspberry streusel, which was pretty good but I imagine would be better warm! I'd definitely come back for the sandwiches!

Nice place for some food, chat, and do work! I sat in the loft area which was very homey and quiet, and had a great iced coffee and breakfast sandwich for a reasonable price! The sandwich had a nice, crispy hash brown that paired well with the egg and super soft brioche bun. My only small issues is that the WiFi wasn’t very good, especially in the upper area. Also, for the breakfast sandwich , you can’t sub out meat for avocado without paying extra, so just beware for other vegetarians! Overall, an underrated spot to get some great food and do work, can’t wait to try some of their other sandwiches!

Coffee and food were delicious. We tried the smoot breakfast sandwich and burrata prosciutto sandwich, both fantastic. Loved the atmosphere. We sat upstairs in the loft area, it was a cute cozy vibe. Staff was friendly, and service was quick! Highly recommend.

We had an exceptional afternoon dining experience here at Smoot Standard for lunch after being unable to get into 2 other spots. On entering, we were really impressed by the exposed brick, plush leather barstools, and comfy 2nd floor seating nook. The iced tea was a really delicious tropical black tea and the iced matcha with almond milk was equally awesome. It was a bit late for brunch but one of us still got the salmon bagel, which was super fresh and hit the spot. Overall, highly reccomended for all day dining or teas in Kendall Square!

i’ve tried 3 sandwiches so far: green tomato tuna nicoise smoked turkey all of these have blown me away. they are filling, balanced and well constructed. the green tomato sandwich is so unique and absolutely awesome. i cannot wait to try more and go back for their bar menu! staff is friendly. online ordering is flawless and i’ve never had to wait beyond pickup estimation

The Smoot Std is exactly what Central Square was missing. It's a cozy place to get work done or read a book during the day, and at night it transforms into a vibey spot to grab drinks with friends. Some must-try food and drink include the tuna crudo, the Smootness, and the roasted carrots. Love the creative names of the cocktails too! Staff is warm and friendly and the music is 10/10.

Glad to see this spot reopen with full hours as a cafe/restaurant/bar! Ample table/bar seating, and a handful of cozy couch spots. Very clean and lots of natural light. Has wifi. Reasonably priced with sandwiches for ~$15. Excited to see what they do in the evenings for food/drinks.

I really want to gatekeep this place because it's SOOOO good and the working space is unmatched, but I also think more people need to know about it and check it out. For the longest time, I thought this was like an MIT-only shop because I never saw that many people in here and because of the Smoot branding, but it's open to all!! This is an adorable coffee shop right on Mass Ave. in Central. I've gone during the weekdays to meet up with people or to work, and it's usually not too busy. The inside is really elegant--plenty of tables to work, outlets, and a few cozy chairs for chatting with friends. My most recent time, I got the prosciutto burrata sandwich. This sounds simple, but they add this pistachio pesto and spicy chili relish that take it to another level. SOOO incredibly delicious. Staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend for a lunch, a coffee, or to work :)

This place is really spacious! There are two floors and it's such a cute place. Good place to study during the day but at night, it turns into a bar. They hold various events at night, so they'll start to dim the lights when events are taking place. I got a matcha latter with a chocolate cake. The matcha latte was just okay to me but the chocolate cake was delicious, especially when warmed up! The staff is quite friendly. Overall, I definitely enjoyed my time at this place and want to check out their other menu items and events.

I feel like MIT area sort of lacks non chain coffee shops that are good environments for working. I had biked past this place a lot but never went in due to not really seeing too many reviews I can confirm that the place has outlets, free WiFi (that seemed stable enough during my time there), good vibes and tasty food. I didn't try the coffee since I didn't need more caffeine in me so I'll have to return and update based on that

Loved this place! Lots of space and really nice vibe. Got the breakfast sandwich with the hash brown on a brioche bun and it was delicious. Slightly greasy but tasted great! Will be back to try their almond croissant

Had the veggie bagel and wow was it absolutely delicious. The sprouts were so fresh and all the veg mixed well together. I sometimes don't love bagels that have an immense amount of cream cheese but the proportions were perfect. We also ordered the green salad and the dressing was delicious! We went around 2pm on a Sunday and they were still serving breakfast. It was too full but it was lively. The space is really big!

Trendy and modern cafe with chill ambiance. The jade green tables contrast nicely with the natural wood theme that they have going on. We ordered a banh mi sandwich, a chai latte, and split an almond croissant. They have some paper cups you can serve yourself water in. The croissant was a bit dry and didn't have a ton of filling--it either was a bit overbaked or had just been sitting there for a while and dried out, but the flakiness was on point. The banh mi sandwich was interesting, more banh-mi-inspired than actual banh mi I think, since it had less carrots/pickles/herbs and the bread wasn't super crispy. Still, it was pretty good. My husband really enjoyed the chai latte; it had a good balance of being milky and sweet, but not overpoweringly so, but had less "spice."

The food here is really good - enjoyed my grain bowl and they also fry stuff really well. The fried olives and mushrooms were both super crispy. $10 highballs that both tasted good and were great value. They have downstairs and upstairs seating, but you just need to order at the register.

Very happy to see this new cafe opening in Central! I had a nice cappuccino and a good burrata and prosciutto sandwich. I didn't try the pastries but they looked delicious! The staff was very friendly and helpful as well. It just opened so we'll see how it evolves, but so far it is a lovely addition to the area! Name and logo are super cute too :)

I love the vibe here with exposed brick, wood, and plants. I also love a place where people can get sandwiches and tea or pastries and coffee or also an adult beverage (I don't drink so it's nice to have an inclusive place like this that feels part cafe part bar). $9.15 (after tip) for a glass of mango kombucha half filled with ice, while delicious is a bit absurd though.

Exceptional on all measures. 1. Relaxed Vibe 2. High Standard for Deliciousness 3. Friendly Warm Heart 4. Unique Offerings 5. Flan

Excellent find! Cool and friendly vibe. Delicious food, nice menu. We were there for breakfast and coffee. Chai latte was so good too!