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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Back BayCopley (Green)
Back Bay (Orange)
Mon-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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It is a must stop for an afternoon backbay shopping!
Everytime mom, bro and I went shopping, at some point we would just look at each other and say...let's go to that cafe and have some coffee.
Great selections of pastries, treats, and beverages, especially the loose tea and fresh juice.
Just revived my Yelp account after two years of hibernation... what business to review first?
Cafe L'Aroma!
The name itself conjures up images of steaming espresso, fresh baked pastries, and cute French girls. Three things I look for in any coffee shop.
My americano here is deep and flavorful. I take it black, and it's a cut above the S'bucks formula. Though I'm hardly a connoisseur, their tea selection is also quite fantastic. The Bali Hai is an easy favorite, followed closely by the Kyoto Rose.
If you're a cute French girl, we should meet here sometime. Maybe split one of those mouthwateringly delicious-looking pastries that I otherwise have a hard time justifying.
in my search for a decent coffee in Boston or specifically an americano in Boston (to be honest I don't really get the hype about dunkin, and starbucks - well a bit meh to be honest ) I think I have found somewhere pretty darn good. Good coffee - not burnt, not diswater-like and mmm mmm mmm lovely pear tart with yummy frangipane and pastry.
Def recommended but watch out at weekends, can get very very busy if you are looking for a seat.
I used to work at a salon on Newbury, and would stop here nearly everyday for a snack. It's a little pricey for an everyday spot, but a great place to stop for a rest while shopping on Newbury. They have the richest most delicious Quiche and one of the best brownies I have ever had. Good sandwiches too, but I like it best for coffee and something sweet. The place is very cute inside, but usually it's super packed. They have some outdoor seating as well.
This is the closest thing I found in this area to an Italian/euro cafe. The cappuccino is pretty solid in comparison to the foamy mess they make at Starbucks. Not that I have anything against starbucks, I go there frequently. If I have some time to kill with a friend I would prefer to sit down here. I'm sure you can get a decent cappucino in the north end but who wants to deal with the hassle unless you live there.
Really cute little place. Great cappuccino, good tea selection
This is a great little coffee shop to stop at after a long day of shopping or a quick pit-stop before hitting the commons.
The coffee is decent. I agree with the other reviews that the lattes are good and they are consistent. I use to stop in here a lot but it's far away from where I work now in Boston so I don't stop by as much anymore.
It is a cute cafe. The decore is very inviting and the atmosphere is friendly. The pastries are from a shop in the North End so they are always good and fresh. The sandwiches are sometimes unusal but always good. The service varies. Today was a good day and I had really good and prompt service.
Great place to go if you are into people watching or a quiet place to read a book or study. The patio is great and you can stay there as long as you like. I wouldn't drop everything to come to this cafe for coffee, but if you happen to be in the area, you should stop in and check it out for yourself.
They make one good latte. Yumm, iced or hot.. this is some good quality stuff. The fruit tart was a generous portion. Not the typical fruit tart with cream under the fruit but it was still very good. There is a lot of seating, indoor and outdoors. Great place for a coffee break while shopping on Newbury!
After traversering all over downtown through the Long Wharf and Chinatown we needed to refuel before shopping on Newbury. We selected this cafe because it looked really cute and has a great location on Newbury with indoor and outdoor seating. There was a line but the staff was quick and efficient. We had iced tea and an iced coffee and we were both happy with the flavor. My Kyoto Rose Green Tea was especially nice.
Cafe L'Aroma scores pretty high on the mobile office scoreboard. Seating galore, plugs a plenty and homemade treats for the midday sugar rush. For the practical who must subsist on more than just baked goods, they serve panini and salad. For the early risers, breakfast is just the thing with their coffee served in bowl-like cups.
At Garden level, the interior is cozy, warm and conducive to concentration or a small gathering of friends, whether it be a study group or catch up time. The staff is friendly and more than capable of handling large crowds without getting too backed up.
The latte's are perfect and notably less expensive than their Starbuck's counterparts. The smell of hot cider fills the entire shop and there's tea for every taste, served unadulterated or in latte style.
For those who work from home, working from Cafe L'Aroma is a real treat. For those who just enjoy a cup of coffee or a fruit tart, you'll be equally pleased.
Sometime in the last year, I decided to start dating myself - I woo'd myself to the max - which is really a romantic way of saying I shopped too much and made excuses for why I deserved spa treatments. But the one, less costly indulgence that I afforded myself during this new found relationship were my Sunday afternoons at L'aroma. Around the corner from my apartment, I would set up shop at one of the cafe tables with a chai and a croissant.
I'd bring, both a book and a journal, switching from having my nose in a book to writing endlessly. Never once did I recieve an impatient look or prompt to give up my seat to a hungrier group.
Thanks to Lovely Leighann, and the Yelp "Office Hours" event, I was introduced to this very cool little cafe!
Not only did I have a wonderful time meeting some of my fellow Yelpers, but I pretty much died and went to heaven when I tried the hot caramel apple cider. It was like liquid hot apple pie crack! It also is the perfect drink for a cold February day or evening.
I really need to go back to this place often, and I'm happy it's not far from where I work. Their desserts look amazing, such as the kiwi fruit pie thingamajig.
The ambiance here is really nice. They have all these cute little round tables with mosaic tiles, and there's plenty of room to sit . . . . well, unless they're taken over by us crazy yelpers. Despite our loud crowd, the staff were extremely nice. I may just go there for lunch today!
Busy all the freakin' time. What better things to have than a chai and a homemade gelato?
I was a regular for a long time, back when it was owned by Starbucks and now it's finally independent. Love independent coffee shops, and it has such a convenient location, right when I'm getting tired of shopping.
Brings me right back to Europe.
Best coffee hands down. Great staff. Cute Pastries. Nice eye candy location on Newbury and I love that in the summer the outdoor seating is perfectly located and very welcoming
My new second home.
Although this is the first time, I think their coffee is not bad. The store gave you a feeling of house coffee, not like chain coffee store like starbuck or Dunkin donut. Their pastry is handmade, so it taste good.
nice and clean.
Coffee's ok, desserts are ok (carrot cake was extremely buttery though), but what really makes this place is the people-watching. I work nearby, so I sometimes come with friends on a sunny warm day to get a drink and enjoy the outside. Pretty cool beans.
1 point to note: do not get the "Italian" flavored seltzer water. The flavors sound exciting, but are just ok. And they don't mix it well, so the drink is syrupy at the bottom and straight-up seltzer water on the top 3/4.
Decent latte, great location, weird service. The best aspect to Cafe L'Aroma is the location. You could sit outside for hours and have wonderful conversation, or watch all the people as they walk by. The latte was good enough to come back for, and good enough to get if you were in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. The scone was ok and the muffin was better, but nothing to write home about. The service was also quite odd. The cashier seemed just to take orders and put the receipt down in from of the barista somewhere. I had 8 people, to include my friend, who all ordered after me, receive their drinks before me. It was fairly annoying.
delicious and beautiful toffee nut latte really hit the spot
Can't wait to return and try one of those tasty looking desserts.
I've been here a couple of times and have enjoyed their baked goods and coffee products. The Spanish Latte (sweetened with condensed milk for extra yumminess) is my new favorite, but I have also enjoyed their iced coffee as well. The latte was perfectly proportioned in terms of espresso and condensed milk with a cute design on top. The cookies were good, not exactly memorable, but they were a nice compliment to the coffee.
I tend to come to Cafe L'Aroma in the afternoon when it is easier to find a table to get some work done, but I often find myself distracted since it is a fabulous place for people watching, and there is usually good music playing in the background.
In summary, a solid addition to my coffee rotation when I'm in the neighborhood.
Hit or miss in my experience. I've stopped into L'Aroma on numerous occasions for coffee and sometimes a bite over my many years here. The coffee is usually good. Overpriced, but on par with Starbucks and the like. In my opinion their food is WAY too overpriced. You know your sandwich is going to be expensive when they don't even advertise the price. This morning I popped in to pick up lunch for my boyfriend, who was home sick, and ended up spending over $20 for one sandwich, a brownie and two lattes. Really? I do have to say that my latte was perfect in every way so I guess I can't complain too much.
The biggest downside to L'Aroma is the frequent troupes of euro-trash that frequently take up all of the seating areas. Most times when I visit I can't even get a seat bc the upper level and outside have been taken over by groups who are obviously not going anywhere anytime soon and are usually gabbing away on their cell phones. That, and the raised porcelain inlays in the center of their tables make it nearly impossible to put your cup and saucer down without it leaning or teeter-tottering. God help you if you also have a plate of food. You pretty much have to balance everything on the edges of the table.
I work in a local salon so my visits to laroma may be more freaquent then the average review on here, this should sum things up, great coffe and food sandwiches salads pastries etc.... The staff is friendly but a bit disorganized slow even at times. The barista only seems to be able to make one drink at a time, also i think TO-GO orders should be made a priority..
Am I at a coffee shop or American Apparel? Bike hats, scraggly mullets, icky thin mustaches, and of course tighter than tight yeast infection pants are all present behind the counter. But, these hipsters were pretty darn nice. Polite, effective and dare I say friendly? It was difficult for me to understand. They greeted me and took my order without sneering at my not-cool-enough outfit! There was a pretty long line too, yet none of the workers got pissy with anyone. Not even the idiot tourists. Those hipsters are far more patient and kind than I am!
I just got a basic iced coffee, which was far too weak and pretty much sucked. I would give them another shot though, since it looks like they do a pretty good job with the lattes and cafe au laits.
Chai Latte is defined as spiced tea mixed with milk that's steamed from an espresso machine.
Steamed milk? - check!
Spiced tea? - not so sure...
Would you believe I've had better chai tea at Dunkin Donuts? As a tea latte, it was fine, but it was missing the fragrant spices that make chai tea chai tea.
Like Starbucks, this is the sort of place where you order at the counter, and pick up to the left of the registers (your left, not their left). Service was pleasant, and I eyed a slice of fruit tart ready for pick up that was maybe 1/6th of a whole tart... tempting...
I'd give this place another shot... but I hope I remember to order something besides the chai tea latte...
Hmmm... sent for sugar, Paul S. came back with simple syrup... I guess the fact that they have that option as a sweetener is worth an extra star.
I get my coffee here every morning because A. their dark roast is way better than Starbucks B. the line is much shorter than Starbucks and C. the price is about the same, if not a little less at L'Aroma.
But this is not why I'm here today.
This morning I saw a sign advertising the return of their gourmet lunchbox. But since I haven't been going there but for a few months, it was new to me. I like new. I like a box with pita chips, half a pickle, sandwich, and something from the bakery on a day when I haven't been to the grocery store in three weeks.
Lucky for me it's a payday today, because there's no price posted and that sucker cost me around $11. But if you also work in Back Bay, you know you'll pay about that for a sandwich at ABP and no WAY will your experience be this good.
Pita chips are Stacy's Simply Naked. Not much to Yelp about here - pita chips. Yum.
The pickle - oh. Oh so good. Half of a HUGE pickle, the slightly tart, crispy kind not the I've-been-sitting-in-a-vat-of-chartreuse-juice kind (although I like those, too).
Sandwich - I got turkey, which was turkey, cheese, tomato and mesclun on cranberry nut bread. I believe that was hot pepper jelly as well, although after one bite it was so good that I kind of wolfed it down.
Now I'm stuffed and I let my lunch settle for a while before I tackled the "Something from the bakery" which turned out to be a huge ass brownie with "BOO" written on it. Too friggin' cute. And too friggin' delicious. Unbelievably dense and incredibly moist, I've had two bites and am saving the rest for later in the day with a cup of tea.
Delicious food. Full tummy. No waiting in long lines during my lunch hour. A little pricey for every day, but a welcome occasional treat in the rotation.
Not a breakfast cafe - more of a stop for coffee and a cake type place. Coffee is good, service is fast but staff not that friendly but it was early!
I am NOT a chain restaurant fan, but I should have listened to my coworkers when they suggest Au Bon Pain instead of Cafe L'Aroma. I was so set on the well reviewed YELP restaurant that I promised them a good meal. Unfortunately, I couldn't live up to that promise. The total of our lunch that included 3 sandwiches, a salad, and four drinks came to more than $50. That would have been acceptable had the food been quality. But all the sandwiches offered up the same review..."meh". My salmon salad was pretty good, but again, a bit of garden salad with some smoked salmon thrown on top wasn't worth the $10 price. The caprese sandwich was a let down with the few pieces (not full leaves) of basil, and the fact that the bread was soggy after having sat in the fridge all morning. Our 6 oz. limonata beverages were almost $3. I know I sound like a complete cheapskate, but I was shocked and saddened by a place I have been wanting to try for a while. It also didn't help that it took them more than 10 minutes to deliver three, pre-made unheated sandwiches to our table. We didn't understand why they couldn't grab the sandwiches from behind the counter and hand them over if that's all it took. I shall not return to Cafe L'Aroma.
Okay, this little Italian cafe is too darling. I really felt like I was transported to Europe for 45 minutes...
A great spot to rest your feet after a long day of shopping on lovely Newbury Street... or for some gratuitous people-watching... or in my case, while waiting for my friend to finish primping before meeting up at Fenway.
Yep, come here to joyfully kill some time and for some really fantastic coffee or tea. Cafe L'Aroma also features desserts and some good-looking paninis. Perfect location, top-notch service, and a legitimately fabulous cup of joe.
I'm not one who is easily confused by eating establishments, ESPECIALLY cafes, but I was a left a little in the dark at L'aroma. Perhaps it was also because I was entertaining a friend but there was a whole bunch of "wait, what?" going on until I got my quiche.
So first thing's first: the people here are really nice. The guy at the register was a little TOO nice for my liking but hey, maybe he just really liked his job. I can dig it. The barista was also super nice and she got brownie points for making another latte for me despite my saying that I wanted skim, not whole Other baristas would have gotten pissy, she did not. And she still made that sweet plant thing in my latte and was all about letting me watch!
My guest had a vanilla tea which was also confusing to a lot of baristas. For some reason they thought she was getting a vanilla latte but Superman Simona came to the rescue and firmly but ever so lovely asked for a vanilla tea. Huge mugs for tea, I might be coming back for that - I liked their selection.
I don't know how much their food and other beverages cost, I was a bit caught up in conversation, but a quiche, the pizza (3 small slices - that's how they come), a latte, and an Aranciata cost me $18. I can't figure out if this is a good price or not. Regardless, I left a bit fuller but not particularly stuffed.
Broccoli and cheddar quiche was good but I would have preferred it to be a bit warmer. Caprese slices were also good, not heavy at all, but they got soggy.
So while I wasn't exactly floored with the food and the confusing line-up, I have to say that L'Aroma's saving grace is their espresso. Fantastic latte, perfectly pulled shots of espresso, delicious foam.
It really is adorable here, try to get a seat outside if you can.
It was the third straight day of crummy rainy weather and after most of the weekend inside... a friend and I decided we'd get some outside time before Sunday was over even if it KILLED us... or we just got wet.
Driving down Newbury Street this place stood out like a ray of sunlight during a dark thunderstorm. It was they only place with people sitting outside! "Insanity" we thought! But no, it was actually gigantic outdoor umbrellas each large enough to cover and keep dry up to TWO four person tables.
Anyway I got a mediocre mocha (small) and a piece of extremely delicious, extremely expensive, and extremely chocolate cake. I couldn't say enough about how fantastic the cake was in this lifetime so I'll stop here.
Notice how I mentioned my mocha was a small before? My main/only problem was the price of everything. A small mocha and a relatively small piece of cake for a total of $9 and almost enough cents to make it $10? I guess that chocolate cake was too rich for my blood after all.
With great outdoor seating when I needed it most, rain or shine, I'll overlook the bill this one time and push L'Aroma to 4 stars. Although the mocha was just like at any jazz-playing wanna-be-a-cafe-not-a-coffee-shop place, the cake got more like 7 stars and I won't forget it soon.
Calling this place a "gourmet Starbucks" is probably not a fair shake for L'Aroma, probably likened to saying that some chick has the HOTTEST LOOKING ZITS ever. But I don't know what else to call it.
But seriously, it has a very gourmet feel about the place, great menu items (killer sandwiches! Delish ginger cookies!), some very cute baristas, great service, some REAL coffee that I just simply got hooked on... almost as if this place were.... a gourmet Starbucks.... um....
.. yeah... ok.
During the colder season, they also have a daily soup, which I've never been disappointed in, and I only found out recently, sadly, that they don't serve soup in the summer. Le Sigh.
If it wasn't such a far trek for my apartment 5 blocks away, I'd be there everyday. Love this place. Great outside patio too for people watching.
I tried a white chocolate latte and red chai tea latte here during Yelp Office Hours today. The white chocolate latte gets four stars for tasting like candy. The red chai tea latte gets 2.5 stars in comparison to the white chocolate latte. Both lattes are keeping me awake way past teacher bedtime, so I should deduct stars, but they are also helping me write lesson plans, so I should add stars. Neutrality abounds!
I stop by here every time I stop by Marc Jacobs on Newbury. I love the menu and the lattes but the waiter spilled mine the last time I went. It was really packed on the weekends.
Well, I know nothing about European cafes but it was so warm and cozy when my friend and I stepped in. After reading about all the reviews on this place, I decided to bring a friend and give it a try. We love this place.
It was a cloudy day and the sky couldn't make up its mind whether to rain or not. Thankfully, it didn't when we went. It was crowded when we stepped in. Seats were filled but we were determined to order something. We got a pot of Jasmine tea enough for two and a turtle cheesecake.
When the cashier handed our pot of tea and cake, it was quite... the challenge. The handle to the pot was slanted, and my friend was hesitant about taking it from her, fearing that it would spill. Luckily, it didn't so there goes that worry. Then she handed him two glass cups and sauces. Well, she either had good faith in us about handling the glassware or was waiting for a disaster to happen. Maybe she was being optimistic because we made it through that. Then I picked up the cheesecake, balanced two more plates, and quickly made our way outside. Really wanted to sit in because of the gloomy weather but there really weren't any seats left.
We're outside, and we tried to open the umbrella. Well, I tried and looked like a fool but a nice strange told us how to do it. Yay, protection from the rain to enjoy our experience.
The tea was poured and the slice of turtle cheesecake was split. It was VERY comforting. VERY good. The tea smelled so good which made it taste even better. The cheesecake's crust was delicious! Despite sitting outside, it was a lovely experience warmed by tea and musings.
One of my fondest memories of Boston is this cute and quaint cafe located on Newbury street. My friends and I took a week long trip to Boston during spring break of last year. I was reminisicing about Boston and figured I would write my review now...
We were a group of four girls so it is no wonder that we happened to make our way to Newbury street for some shopping. It wasn't long before we made our way into the numerous shops along the street with a pit stop at Dunkin donuts and a celebrity sighting of Kate Bosworth. It was a long and tiring day especially having walked around all morning including a tour of Fenway park, another major moment of our trip.
L'Aroma cafe is located towards the end of Newbury street when entering near (I believe it was a music college) I forget the name. It was also getting into the late afternoon and the weather getting cooler and darker. We made a stop here to warm up with some tea and dessert. They have a wide range of teas which are all available to be bought upstairs in their shop. My friends and I really enjoyed the delicious tea and desserts and we all ended up buying some tea upstairs. The owners of L'Aroma were very nice and helpful. I really liked the inside set up of this place and the name itself. I will long for the day when I can visit Boston again so I can enjoy tea and dessert at this great cafe.
Mmm delicious.
The Cafe Au Lait (carefully blended, rich and tasy) is always my go-to drink. Whether it's in a to-go cup or in a big hearty mug, it always tastes just the way I like it: strong and delicate.
The sausage, egg and cheese croissant is so tasty, hearty and flakey. The perfect brunch treat on a Saturday morning.
I've spent many a morning sitting out on the outdoor patio, journaling and people watching.
One time, I was interviewed by this entire camera crew doing research on coffee-drinkers! All the tourists passing by assumed I was an actress shooting a small scene on location. Hah. If only they knew...
I really liked the environment here very much. I can definitely see myself returning to study and drink cups after cups of something. That something will probably not be the triple chai latte I had today. I loved the foam on top and they did that well, but the chai itself was weak. I barely tasted it. For approximately the same price at Starbucks, I must say, I might actually make a run for it, but just for the awesome cool and collected baristas as well as the wonderful environment, I'll be returning.
Hella Newbury-ish little coffee place that seems popular and bustling everytime I walk by. A group of us decided to check it out for a quick little meal.
A typical cafe menu, with a decent selection. All the normal coffee drinks, but also a legit tea selection and Italian sodas (which my friend got and felt the flavoring was too subtle). The prices are about the same as Starbucks or something, and the atmosphere is small, quasi-Euro, with limited seating, but there's outdoor tables which is cool when the weather is nice.
The baristas were pretty cool. It was pretty busy, but they still seemed nice.
And for reals, the sandwich I had was AMAZING. It definitely stood out from everything else there. I got the corned beef sandwich. The bread was toasted and super crunchy, but not too dry at all. And the flavor of the meat and the arugula blended together greatly. Great little sandwich!
I am always so happy to see the tables out in front of cafe L'Aroma full of customers, given that there is a very visible starbucks around the corner that could easily dominate the neighborhood. Cafe L'Aroma might be totally missed, if you aren't looking for it, as it's tucked away on the lower level of a newbury street walk up.
Cafe L'Aroma has consistently delicious food; the corned beef, cream cheese, and pickle sandwich I had for lunch today made me swoon. Seems like a weird combo, but it's amazing. They are also so friendly, which is so nice. Not sure how many of those working there are linked to the owners, but to me it feels like they are all part of one big family.
This is one of those rare places that's great in all seasons. I find the outdoor tables perfect for the summer, and it has a cozy intimate feel to the inside, making it a perfect destination for winter.
Great, great coffee. I've never been disappointed. I definitely have my favorite baristas, as some of them can give you the "I hate my job" 'tude.
The goodies are tasty. Last week they had these amAAAzing looking dulce de leche cookies in the case. But, I'm wearing a bridesmaid dress this weekend so I passed on the cookie. Great sandwiches, ok salads.
It's very interesting people watching here. You get everything from Chanel-clad, handbag-sized dog toting ladies to hipster 20-somethings.
My absolute favorite thing here though is the hot apple cider. Perfect for a crisp fall day and a stroll down Newbury. It's like.... 12 ounces of heaven.
Four stars during the week, three on a Sunday and two on a Saturday. But as the week is 5 days out of 7 I'll stick with 4 stars.
Because, apart from the obnoxious East-end of Newbury Eurotrash shopping crowds that clutter this small space at busy times and refuse to move their ugly leather jackets to make room for more people, this is a useful spot to take a break, sample some great cake and get a wonderful coffee or tea.
Staff here must be paid well as they're friendly and courteous even at the worst of times on a Saturday when it feels much like Noah herding the planet into his Ark.
The real gem for me here is that it is owned by the same people as Timeless Teas two floors up. This means a decent tea selection is available - but even better is that if you ask nicely they'll serve up any tea you've just bought upstairs for nothing but a small tip. THIS, people, is your only way of getting a cup of blossoming flower tea for less than two dollars in this town - take this opportunity and RUN.
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