Circus Cooperative Cafe — Restaurant in Cambridge

Cozy little local cafe in a quiet Cambridge neighborhood.

Recently stumbled upon this place while on my way to grab coffee in Harvard Square. Embodying the cozy charm typical of local Cambridge cafes, this spot seemed to offer a soothing start to the day along with consistently satisfying food and drinks.

During my past two visits, I tried the Gingerbread latte and the Rooibos latte. The former was very mild on the coffee and was mostly sweet, so it was more reminiscent of hot chocolate than a coffee-based latte. On the other hand, the Rooibos latte was excellent. Its light, slightly earthy sweetness, coupled with a buttery aftertaste, made it an excellent pairing to the breakfast sandwiches.

Comprising eggs, beans, peppers, onions, and a light touch of cheddar, the MIT burrito tasted like a simple homemade burrito. Similarly, the Harvard sandwich exuded a comforting homeliness. The classic combination of bacon, avocado, and cheese with the runny egg oozing out of the sandwich made each bite rich and satisfying.

Circus Cooperative Cafe somewhat reminds me of the cherished Gypsy coffee culture in Mid-Cambridge. It’s one of those places that encapsulates the essence of Cambridge's coffee scene. Will definitely be back to try their lunch...

What can I say. Circus has become my watering hole; my home away from home; in neoliberal parlance: my third space. I have come to know the baristas well, and most wonderfully, they have come know me - a rarity in landscape full of overpriced cafes marked by corporate anonymity. This isn’t a normal coffee shop. This is a gem to be preserved, frequented constantly, and enjoyed consistently. Some days, when life is hitting me, I drop everything and saunter over. When I walk in, I am embraced by a thick atmosphere of solidarity and acceptance, kindness and good food and coffee (and I am coffee SNOB - I have never had a subpar drink here; my to-go is the cortado but I’ve tried most of the espresso drinks), and most importantly, the knowledge that my hard earned dollars can go to something better than helping increase shareholder value. I come in knowing that this is what every workplace should look like and what every consumer space should feel like. My only complaint is that they are not open longer but perhaps that is a good thing or else I’d run out of money to pay rent. Seriously. Skip Starbucks and Nero - GO TO CIRCUS. You will...

Neighborhood gem in Cambridgeport!! I was so thrilled to discover a cooperatively owned coffee shop near my house. Great vegan and vegetarian options, the staff wears masks and has free N-95 masks available, there’s reliable WiFi, an all-gender bathroom, and board games to play while in the cafe. I’ve had the lavender latte, maple golden milk latte, and have tried their pastries and sandwiches, and everything is delicious and fairly priced. I just wish they were open longer!

I haven’t WFH (worked from “home”) here before, but I’ve seen other folks with laptops out and it seems like a good place to work. Also a cute spot for a date or to hang with friends!

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