Thinking Cup

Stopped in for a breakfast sandwich and a cold brew while waiting on my friends. The sausage, egg, and cheese on english muffin was delicious and served up piping hot. And the cold brew came with its own house syrup choices, and I picked the honey cinnamon syrup option. The general vibe the place was pretty chill and I got a nice seat by the window to watch all the action happening over at the Boston Commons. I was looking for a place to work and a coffee shop, they did not have any free Wi-Fi (or any for that matter) that I could see just FYI.

If you are in Boston and love great coffee, Thinking Cup is a must-visit. From the moment I walked in, the vibe was amazing. It was crowded, and now I completely understand why. The coffee was absolutely phenomenal, truly one of the best cups I have ever had in my life. Rich, smooth, and full of flavor. You can feel the care and passion they put into every cup. The pastries were just as impressive. I had the raspberry cheesecake, and it was so good that I ate it slowly to enjoy every bite as much as possible. It was pure perfection. The service made the experience even better. I was welcomed by a petite Colombian girl at the register who was incredibly friendly and kind. I had picked a dessert that was not exactly my style, even though it was very well made. She immediately spoke with a manager and helped me exchange it for another option. The replacement dessert was absolutely delicious. Everything about Thinking Cup feels genuine, from the outstanding quality of the coffee to the warm, personal attention from the staff. It is easy to see why this place is so popular. I will definitely be coming back the next time I am in Boston. Highly recommend this gem.

The coffee is pretty good! We had iced coffee and latte and a breakfast sandwich! So good, with the sourdough bread . They have different type of croissants and, even breakfasts. Nice ambience , close to the park too. Highly recommended it!

The name has changed over the years, but this location has been a popular local cafe and hangout for years. The espresso is too sweet for my taste—even when done as a long shot—I like the bitter brews—but will suit most people’s palettes. Food options are nice and I’d like to try their Bahn Mi sandwich. There is seating upfront by the windows and it also goes deep deep inside.

Really nice coffee spot. Recommend if you are coming to work for a bit. They have lots of seating and coffee is really good. The pastries also looked amazing but I didn’t order any, sadly I was full. Would totally come back.

Nice place, very, very good iced latte with a delicious foam and consistency. Honest price and delicious sweets. Great for a coffee drink or a casual lunch. The place has actually quite some seats in different rooms and also outdoors. Plus newbury street is lovely.

For the location (Back Bay), Thinking Cup has one of the more affordable prices for coffee in the area. Not a big fan of the acidic coffee, but the sandwiches are tasty! Note that it's pretty light so you might need to order extra pastries/other items.

Great spot, busy. Sandwich are fresh and tasty. My honey loved the Almond Croissant. The Lattes were perfect. We will be back

Great pumpkin spice latte - was surprised as I'm not fan of pumpkin spice even if I've tried before. This is just so good than any chained coffee shops... not too sweet! Or disgusting after taste. Also tried regular latte, pretty good and smooth as I wanted a decent cup of caffeine as I enjoyed people watching. Ordered for a quick bite, ham and cheddar brioche bread. Oh it's so soft and flavorful at each bite of a bit of ham bits and cheddar bits! Very filling even if it's small. The service was quick even if it's busy.

"A"for ambience, "C" for the coffee and more demerits for the lack of wifi. My London fog came out cold and very sweet. But the cafe itself was cute. Sadly I didn't stay long as I had poor cell reception on my phone and the shop did not have public wifi.

The last time I visited Thinking Cup, I enjoyed a delicious grilled cheese sandwich made with sourdough bread and Aged Manchego cheese. So, when I was back on Newbury Street, I couldn't resist stopping by for it again. As always, the café was super busy, but don't let the crowd deter you--service here is impressively quick and the cafe is quite spacious considering the location. The staff are friendly and efficient. This time, however, my grilled cheese fell a little short of perfection; the cheese wasn't fully melted. While that was a bit disappointing, it was still delicious.The nutty taste of Aged Manchego cheese is the backbone of this sandwich in my opinion. I'll definitely be back to Thinking Cup to try something different.

Service was quick, ambiance is dim and warm, plenty of seats inside despite the small entrance! I got the beet latte and it was very smooth and light in flavor. I wish it had been stronger but not a bad drink!

Quaint, eclectic shop with affordable desserts, pastries, drinks, and sandwiches. Really beautiful vintage decorations and motifs. A little hard to spot because you have to take the stairs down from the sidewalk. Totally recommend! You can stop by the Boston Public Library and then grab a bite. I had a Caf au lait and my friend had the Americano. Nothing could beat croissants from Paris, but these were very good! I also picked up some madeleines. Overall an amazing experience!

Thinking cup was recommended by a friend who used to live here, so I had to do right by her and check it out. The ambiance reminds me of my college days, it's lovely but not too loud, has an ample amount of seating, different coffee options, tea, juices, and bottled drinks. The food menu covers everything you'd want from small bites, fruit, desserts, sandwiches, and cakes. I ordered a cortado and a coconut macaroon. The cortado was smooth, had a nice creamy foam top, and went down nicely. My husband got a cup of drip coffee and a slice of carrot cake. The guys behind us saw what he ordered and followed suit, which seemed to be a thing, since they were out of carrot cake when we left. It's a cute shop and someplace I'd recommend.

Thinking cup has subtly become my go-to cafe in this area... great coffee, delicious pastries, fantastic sandwiches. A BEC on a bagel is less than $6, a rare find in this area. Overall very affordable and cozy, and service is super quick. You're lucky if you find seating on a weekend though, it gets fairly busy.

lovely vibe and lots of seating. super cozy. staff was friendly and cappuccino was amazing. coffee cake was a little dry but still delish

Brief Summary: - coffee is not sour - indoor seating available - Located along the streets of Newbury We were walking down the shopping streets of Newbury and we were starting to grow hungry. After some more walking, we spotted a coffee place that I hard bookmarked before our trip. The buildings here are unique, where there are two shops or cafes/restaurants on the same building, separated by a staircase. This one took us down a small staircase leading downstairs. Once inside, this cafe is a narrow but long hallway, that near the end, it turns away into a larger space. Based on that, there are plenty of tables and chairs to sit inside. While waiting in line, there are food display cases, and the chia seed caught my eye, so we included that while ordering a breakfast sandwich and an iced coffee. The mood was a cafe setting, so most of the guests were up to 2 people and claimed majority of the seats, and appeared to start having long conversations. Luckily, a table closest to the pickup station was empty, so we sat down as we waited for our orders. While the chia seed was given to us immediately after purchase, the breakfast sandwich and the iced coffee. Really enjoyed the food here. The breakfast sandwich was soft and warm, and had good texture overall. The egg inside was nice and fluffed up like a one inch cushion. The salt content was even throughout each filling. The chia seed dessert was a perfect snack to have in the mildly warmer days in Boston. I think it had coconut milk mixed in with the chia seed, and that was refreshing. I'll remember this as a good food experience in Boston

The latte was okay! Nothing to write home about. The service was quick, they were pretty busy. Friendly enough. The cafe itself was pretty cute, but the hustle and bustle and business made it a little hard to get work done, and we struggled to find a table for a few minutes.

We ordered an iced mocha and a matcha latte. The cashier and the barista were very accommodating of my nut allergy and took extra precautions to make sure I would be okay. The iced mocha was not too sweet and the matcha had great flavor!

What a cute place and deceivingly big inside. FYI - it's not very stroller friendly cuz of some stairs, but we made it work. Once we were inside, we realized this little place had a lot of space to it. We didn't feel cramped with the stroller at all. This place had amazing drinks and food. The prices were pretty average for "coffeehouse" ... but the menu was much more expansive than I was expecting. They have both breakfast and lunch foods available ... as well as yummy sweets. The lattes are made with care and have simple designs on top, which so appreciate. The service was good. Maybe not overly friendly ... but ok. Everyone could smile a little more, but I get it ... they're at work. Very efficient though. If you're in a hurry, this is the place to go. Also a great place to chill by yourself or meet up with friends.

I loved the matcha here! I got an iced matcha latte with oat milk + vanilla & lavender syrups. The matcha was very green and tasted like high quality. I would definitely recommend!

Any coffee lovers should try the Thinking Cup. Their coffee is brewed to perfection. The espresso drinks are excellent, well crafted and flavourful! The cafe is cozy and inviting but almost always busy. If you're coming on a weekend, you may struggle to find indoor seating. Especially when the weather is cold and wet. Their food is good and well priced, but the reason to keep coming back is the coffee!

I love this place! One of my favorites that I have been to in Boston thus far. They house-make their syrups and sauces, and have a delightful vanilla ginger and hazelnut. As a girly who is particular about her coffee, I like a smaller espresso to milk ratio. At this shop, for the iced drinks (and I assume the hot), there are two shots of espresso in every size, meaning we have a better control and more accessible options to get our personal perfect ratios between espresso and milk. The first time we went here, my husband got the cold brew, which is in the top 5 of cold brews we have tried! I got a 12 oz half-sweet hazelnut latte with whole milk, and it is my favorite drink! They also have a nice Ethiopian pour over. Not my favorite, but a nice dark, full flavor. In terms of food and snacks, this place has a lot of options! Their breakfast sandwich is delicious as well- fluffy egg, and good english muffin! Each of the three locations has a slightly different vibe, but all of them are nice enough! The north end on is the most quiet, whereas the times I've been to the one by the Boston Commons and Back Bay areas they have been much busier. Service is great, especially drink service. My drinks have usually come out within a minute of my order (minus the pour over, but those are meant to take more time!).

Thinking Cup is one of my favorite spots in Boston. Everything about it is amazing - their food is to die for, and there's so much variety to choose from. Their quiche is my favorite I've tried in Boston so far, and their Lox bagel is also delicious. The drinks are so flavorful and taste so fresh, and I especially love their honey cinnamon latte. The prices are very affordable and are incredible considering the massive portions that are served. The cafe itself is so cute and has such a cozy vibe - it's the perfect place to have a cute coffee outing or to work or study. The service is also great and the servers are friendly. I always take my friends to this place because I love it so much, and it never disappoints. 10/10!

Thinking Cup came recommended to us by our hotel staff. We were able to find a seat to have a quick breakfast before starting our day, but it was packed in here. I didn't love my breakfast sandwich which made us head to Tatte for a repeat the following day. The inside was cute and clean though.

Been a while since I've been here as there are so many dining and coffee places in the Back Bay Area . Enjoyed a nice delicious matcha latte while strolling thru the neighborhood. This place has delicious food and drinks. Definitely recommend you trying it out!

Came here for an afternoon snack while shopping! I got a grilled cheese sandwich and an iced caramel latte. The latte was really yummy and the grilled cheese with the aioli. It was crowded but it was the holiday weekend. It was a nice spot to take a break in the middle of the day!

Loved this spot - it was bustling over the weekend. They serve loose leaf tea from a Cambridge based tea shop (Mem Tea) - the barista was very nice and gave us tea in a pot. Large quantity for the price and great quality tea. I got the veggie bahn mi sandwich - this was a little bland. Will try pastries next time - a must check out for tea and to get a taste of Boston coffee shop culture

Such a cute, cozy place. We had some time to kill and sat here and had coffee and my mom had a pastry it was lovely

Amazing honey cinnamon latte! Truly left me full of happiness and joy. Very quick service and patient staff, plus comfortable seating in the corner part by the counter. Will come again!

My first time trying food at Thinking Cup. I ordered the Grilled Cheese Sandwich with cheddar, ham, mushrooms, arugula. Perfect crunch. Good portions of the add ons I asked for. Very filling. To add, I was happy-ish with the menu's prices. I think it is mostly due to the fact I'm used to California's expensive prices. However, generally, I'd say the pricing was reasonable. Overall, good fun and good vibes. I would definitely study and work here. I can't wait to come back and try more on the menu!

One of my favorite spots for a casual brunch, pastries, or dessert along Newbury Street. I recently had their matcha basque cheesecake and carrot cake. Both were fantastic, and their carrot cake is probably the best I've had in Boston. They also have great breakfast sandwiches and grilled cheese options. There's cozy cafe seating indoors as well as tables and chairs outdoors (weather permitting), but it gets quite busy during weekend peak hours!

Adorable little coffee shop in back bay. A lot more seating than the outside lets on with pastries and many coffee options. The decor is vintage and charming. Will definitely be back

Summary: They DON'T care about your concerns with food SANITATION or your order accuracy I ordered a custom grilled cheese with mushrooms added. My grilled cheese was made incorrectly with the wrong items (added red peppers instead of mushrooms), the cheese was minimal and barely melted, and the was overly burnt I had to toss most of it. This was my main meal of the day and I got FOOD POISONING that evening. I sent them a message to inform them of their order inaccuracy and to let them know their food made me sick and they never responded to me.

Cute little coffee shop nestled on a shopping street. Pretty busy on a Monday around 10. Lots of space/small tables to laptop from. Pretty good latte, very kind staff. Vast selection of treats available. Would come back.

Highlights: Quick service, good prices, and plenty of seating. I've hosted 4 or 5 work meetings here over the last few months and it's easily one of my favorite spots. While the space is popular, I've never had a hard time finding seating for myself and one guest. The order line moves quickly and the food/drink is prepared similarly fast. Tasty and a good price! I love their Beet Root Latte which is not too sweet.

In Boston, on Newbury Street, there is a coffee shop with an outdoor seating area with umbrellas. It looked very busy both outside and especially inside. The Thinking Cup seems to be a very popular spot for coffee. There is no service outside. I had to go inside, wait in the very long line, get my coffee and bring it outside. I got three coffees. They also sell macaroons, pastries and sandwiches. The iced coffee was perfect, it was just what we needed after a lot of walking. It was rich, flavorful and cold. The place is perfect, to sit, relax and people watch.

This is the best spot for coffee on Newbury in the Back Bay with a good selection of baked goods and the best espresso. There are plenty of seats inside but the outdoor seating can get crowded as it gets warmer and especially during peak hours (weekends, after work). Worth a stop!

We had two breakfast sandwiches and the croissant was super flaky. Coffee drinks were wonderful as well. Great spot, limited seating.

Came here to kill sometime in between meeting up with a friend for dinner. There were tons of pastries that looked too good to pass up on including cakes, cookies, and more. I reluctantly decided to get their blueberry corn meal cake which was just like corn bread with pieces of tart blueberries. It was soft and slightly sweet. Overall I had a good experience. Staff were very nice and quick with serving you. There is expansive seating options both indoors and outdoors. It's a quick hustling and bustling establishment that's consistent with the essence of Boston. I would come again.

Got a matcha latte here and it was one of the best I've had in Boston. It wasn't too sweet, and it wasn't bitter at all. The interior is pretty big, although the lighting is a bit dim for studying.

Great service! Great food and will be coming back many times. Love the lattes and the croissants.

Latte is delicious and so is the blueberry muffin. Was excited to try this place but the guy with sideburns and facial hair, taking my order wasn't exactly welcoming. Leaves a poor first impression on a location i had been looking forward to try. Location is in a great area to shop if you are visiting. The ambiance is also very cute and warm. Again, with better service this would be a 5 star but service is a huge part of what makes a person want to return.

Pretty good establishment and local chain. Lots of pastries, and this is good location. The coffee wasn't anything special, and neither was the service. Perhaps it'd be worth a second try, but too many better options I'd rather try first.

11-24-22 By the time we had walked from the Downtown Crossing T stop to Chinatown to Boston Commons and Boston Garden with what seemed like everything on Newbury Street was closed... except for walkers, one classy looking Doorman, how fancy and a homeless man sleeping in front of the Episcopal church in a sleeping bag, We came across a family all holding hot cups. You know me, I had to ask... how close are we to where you got that? One girl was on crutches so I figured if she could handle stairs so could I. Let the trumpets blare! Diagonally across the street by twinkling lights was The Thinking cup. As we thanked them and were on the way, the girl said, They have good croissants too. Happily noted. We er umm jaywalked and couldn't get in fast enough. Like entering a hobbit's door, the interior was long, narrow with a two level seating and another to the back and left. The lady to my left had a hot latte but when I checked their offerings on Yelp, chose a honey cinnamon latte iced with almond milk and a chocolate croissant. Hubs copied my drink order. Time seems to fly in Boston. It was already 1:15 pm and every table in the house was occupied. The coffee was strong and the croissant had a perhaps Nutella like filling with a flaky crunchy exterior. Even the line to the two gender neutral toilets were in constant demand judging from the line. Thank goodness this coffee shop was open today of all days when everything else except perhaps hotels were open.

One of the many coffee stops on my Boston adventure. The space is nice, with a very warm coffee shop feel but hard to find seats. Most people seem to come to spend a morning here. Perfect if you're on your own and/or as a couple, big parties will have a hard time finding a table. Service was quick and efficient but not super friendly (one of the cashier offered bagel options to my friend, but my cashier did not). Otherwise I received my bagel and coffee within 5 minutes time. The salmon lox bagel was just okay. It was fair for price point but underwhelming in quantity of filling. Matcha latte did not have a strong matcha flavor. Overall would consider to come back for a quick coffee pick up, otherwise would recommend trying other locations.

Love this spot around the corner from another popular city chain. It had a good deal of people but felt more welcoming and homey. The cashiers were super attentive and kind. I ordered the Blueberry Cornmeal Cake, a Madeline, and a London Fog. My friend ordered two of the coconut desserts and a cup of drip. The blueberry was just sweet enough from the blueberries themselves while the cake was moist and not too sweet. The Madeline was so good I went back later for another. Very moist and vanilla flavor. I would have preferred some more steep on my London Fog for that tea and bergamot flavor plus a little more essence of vanilla. Very milky. Love that they have regular mugs too Great selection and setup with my only complaint being no wifi. That is wild to me. Perhaps they are trying to encourage conversation or something but should really state why they don't do it. Made it hard to work here. Would still come back. Love that they use stumptown but I give more props to those who roast their own. Enjoy!

A short walk from the Revere Hotel and a very good choice made by Ben. In a city the size of Boston there are so many choices. There were a few outside tables but an early morning arrival meant they were all taken. A very popular place as business people and locals all blended in to a steady stream of patrons the entire time we were there. I had a very good bold roast and a toasted lox and cream cheese bagel which was exceptional

Excellent cup of coffee! Was attending a conference at a hotel nearby and literally broke into a run for Thinking Cup at the first "coffee" break. Wish I could have stayed and enjoyed the comfortable vibe at this place. Highly recommend!

Such a cute coffee spot. Great to get a drink to take on a walk to the Boston Common. They also offer outdoor seating. The service was nice and friendly.

Super cute inside. Was a pretty day so we opted for patio seating, which has great people watching. My grilled cheese on sourdough had the perfect crunch and the added arugula was super fresh. I could do without the chai tea latte, but everything else was yum.

Good friendly service, coffee was excellent and so was the breakfast sandwich! Nice vibe at the Newbury location.

Really cute coffee shop with lots of seating inside and outside. The decor looks great and the customer service is good. One star off because the bathrooms always get a lot of use in a place that serves coffee and these needed some attention from the staff and were in a bit of disrepair but bathrooms aren't easy to find on Newbury so its a big plus that they have them. The London Fog chai was absolute heaven. Try it!

Terrible service and rude, disorganized staff. Came by here to to grab a quick drink. There was 1 person in line in front of me and it took forever to serve that person. I waited quietly the whole time. Then the girl at the counter asked me to move to a different/empty line and proceeded to serve the person behind me in the original line. I will never come back here again.

Cute and quaint study spot in downtown. Average price for coffee and desserts. It's a nice place to go study or meet with people

Fantastic coffee. The line was pretty long, but moved quickly. The Iced Latte with Honey Cinnamon Syrup was fantastic -- strong, not too sweet. The syrups are made in-house, which is a plus.

Newbury Street's not-so-hidden gem. My first time visiting this coffee shop was seven years ago. It's got great vibes, a really intimate atmosphere, and seemingly no Wi-Fi or good internet connection lol. maybe that's for a good reason! Although this place can get pretty packed and frustrating when trying to get a good cup of coffee or pastry, when it is a little less busy it's always a good time. It's a great place to escape the cold with a warm cup of coffee and a tiramisu or in the summer sit outside and enjoy the warm weather. The tiramisu did the job (nothing phenomenal but it was good). And the coffee has great flavor. Stop by if you're in the area!