Caffè Nero — Restaurant in Boston

In Downtown Crossing, where fast-fashion chains and smartphone zombies reign supreme, there's a peculiar oasis of faux-Italian charm called Caffè Nero. Yes, it's a chain, the kind that dots every corner of London like pigeons, but this one, wedged into 560 Washington Street, has developed its own strange ecosystem.

The space is a beautiful bastard child of industrial Boston and European pretension. Exposed brick walls and steel ducts loom above, while below, an almost comically eclectic collection of furniture looks like it was raided from a Victorian estate sale. Leather wingbacks with enough button tufting to make a duchess blush sit next to wooden tables that have seen more MacBooks than actual books.

The lighting is pure theater: Edison bulbs dangling like costume jewelry, casting that perfect "I'm-being-productive-in-public" glow that every freelance writer and remote coder seems to crave. And crave they do. From 6:30 AM on weekdays (7 AM if you're a weekend warrior), the place fills with a parade of caffeinated characters, each claiming their territory with laptops and keep-cup thermoses like urban homesteaders.

The food? It's surprisingly not terrible. Their display case is a United Nations of grab-and-go options. The Winter Chicken Cobb could actually pass for real food, and their sandwiches, stacked high behind fingerprint-smudged glass, are honest attempts at sustenance rather than the usual sad café fare. They've even managed to nail that perfect bread consistency that won't tear your gums to shreds, a rare victory in the chain coffee shop sandwich wars.

Speaking of coffee: yes, they serve it, and yes, it will keep you vertical. But you're not here for a life-changing espresso experience. You're here because it's a reliable port in the storm of downtown Boston, a place where you can camp out with your deadlines and demons until 9 PM (8 PM on Sundays, because even pretend Italians need their rest).

The whole operation runs with the efficiency of a Swiss train, accepting every form of digital payment known to mankind. There's even outdoor seating, though in Boston's weather, that's more of an occasional perk than a reliable feature.

Is it authentic Italian? About as Italian as my cousin Tony from Revere. But in a city where finding a decent place to sit and think can feel like hunting for parking during a Red Sx game, Caffè Nero has carved out its own peculiar niche. It's a place where the old bones of Boston real estate meet the new demands of urban nomads, all wrapped in a comfortable veneer of European café culture.

And maybe that's exactly what this corner of Downtown Crossing needs – not another sterile coffee franchise, but a space with just enough character and competence to make you forget you're sitting in a chain café, tapping away at your laptop while pretending you're writing the next great American novel.

Just don't expect any revelations in your cappuccino. Those you'll have to find yourself, somewhere between the fake vintage furniture and the very real need for caffeine that brought you here in the...

I've went here twice while visiting Boston and won't return to this location again. I prefer the taste of Caffè Nero over Starbucks but the service at this specific location was abysmal. First visit: I ordered an "Iced Mocha Latte" with oat milk and had to repeat myself at least four times before the server understood my order correctly. It wasn't noisy at the time and I speak clearly. It was a but annoying but overall ok experience. Second visit: I ordered the same again. Different server. Told me "we are not like Starbucks here, we don't have these fancy drink options". I just pointed to the menu behind him and told him it's literally right there. He was like "ohh my bad, I thought you said macchiato". Whatever. I repeated my order. I get to the cashier and she snapped "what do you want?", however she apologized and then asked what I had ordered. I paid in cash (6,33$) and the cashier was struggling with the maths. I said it's fine if she rounds up and just gives me back the 3$, making the test a (small) tip. She didn't say thank you, just "oh". I wait for my order (longer than some customers behind me). I get my order. Surprise, surprise - they forgot the "mocha" aka chocolate powder and just gave me a normal iced latte. I tried to get their attention and said it's missing it. They just stared at me/ignored me. I was so done I just left with the latte. I really hope the other locations in Boston have...

It's Caffe Nero and it is a British company. It is my favorite coffee company in the UK, and I frequent CNs when I am there. Oh, the joy I felt when I saw CN in Boston, quite by accident (rather, my daughter, who loves their hot chocolate, saw it before me). To boot, they sell their coffee beans, too. I usually bring back several pounds when abroad, because it is not that charcoally garbage of Starbucks. Not as good as Illy (yeah, I'm a coffee snob), but so much better than, say Starbuck's SBC coffee.

I felt like I was in the UK again, but in a huge version of their CNs. (CN competes with Costa Coffee and SBs in the UK, but CN here has, hands-down, one of the best cappuccinos - equivalent to those one would get in, say, Ruth's Chris).

Workers were really nice. Desserts were really good. When we were there, I noticed that it could be bussed a bit more. It gets busy in the theatre district. Hope more of these stores pop up across the US. I already miss it!

(Guess there are now 2 in the Boston area. One city you need to be.......