Gracenote Coffee Roasters on Lincoln Street in Boston's Leather District has roasted small-batch single-origin coffee since 2009. The 12-seat counter is the only public-facing Boston cafe.
Tip: The single-origin espresso list rotates weekly. Whole-bean retail at the counter for home brewing.
Address: 108 Lincoln St, Boston, MA 02111
Barrington Coffee on Newbury Street is the Boston outpost of the Berkshires roaster founded in Lee, MA in 1993. Single-origin filter coffee, the city's longest-running specialty roaster.
Tip: Roasted in Lee, MA. The Newbury Street retail counter pours filter coffee daily and stocks whole-bean retail.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Ogawa on Milk Street is the first US branch of the Japanese specialty-coffee chain founded in Kyoto in 1952. Boston's only Japan-roasted coffee bar; latte art the showpiece detail.
Tip: Latte art is the speciality; book on the website for the Friday cupping class. Avoid the 10:00 to 11:30 office lunch rush.
Sources from: Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Pour over, Whole bean retail
George Howell's Acton roastery has supplied Boston-area cafes since 2004. Specialty single-origin coffees; retail pick-up at the roastery, plus a public cafe inside the Boston Public Market.
Tip: Acton roastery is 45 minutes from downtown. The Boston Public Market cafe pours the same beans without the drive.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Jaime van Schyndel's Barismo on Broadway in Mid Cambridge has roasted single-origin specialty coffee in Boston since 2007. Two cafes plus a Somerville roasting facility; pour-over the method.
Tip: Pour-over is the menu. The Arlington origin location pours the same beans without the Mid Cambridge tourists.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Brazil, Burundi, El Salvador
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Pour over, Whole bean retail
Aaron Mason's Broadsheet on Kirkland Street has run a single-origin specialty-coffee bar and roastery in Cambridge near Harvard Square since 2017. Pour-over the menu's whole point.
Tip: James Hoffmann list pick. The whole-bean retail shelf is the under-shopped source for home brewing.
Sources from: Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Burundi
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Pour over, Whole bean retail
Pavement Coffeehouse is Boston's small-batch roaster across seven cafes since 2008. Boston-area roasted house blend and single-origins; bagels boiled in-house, cortado the signature drink.
Tip: The Newbury Street store is the largest sit-down; the Symphony location is the work-friendly room with the most outlets.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
