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Mon-Sun. 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Guys! Pumpkin soup and Apple Cider!
This is the most small town you can get. I loved it. They had a mish mosh of pies and soups and eclairs and ice cream and their gigantor apple cider was 1.95 or something un-starbucksy like that. we tried the punkin soup too which had huge cubes of the tender squash with a chix broth base and spicy onions and leeks.
Waltham is very sweet and very fall-y in the fall. Reminds me of Old town Orange or something, but cooler than the O.C.
I am hooked on your iced coffee, soy lattes and the delicous scones. And now my most recent discovery, your cupcakes.
Last time I was in the scones were already sold out, Wah! But I then was forced to try something new, and the cupcake called to me. The Boston cream cupcake. I love Boston cream pie and cupcakes. What a fabulous combo!
Love this place!
FINALLY I found a place in Waltham where I can get a soy latte! I had been meaning to check this… Read more »
Excellent coffee's and croissants! Best croissant in the city (a flaky perfection). Scones are another treat (not too sweet) and large cookies.
Sometimes the staff can get a bit cranky (and the prices are "Starbucks quality")...but I never let that stop me from my Saturday morning pastry.
Brilliant high ceilings, strong architectural features that the owners play into with seating and ironware. A good bulletin board for locals (yard sales, wanted ad's, etc). Perfect place to sit and sip coffee while reading your morning paper. Sorry, Dunk's...but this is where I go for coffee in town!
I'm putting 5 stars, because I think 3-1/2 average is harsh. I love the place. My biggest gripe: they close at 6:00PM! Everyone gripes about this, so they apparently want to go back, right?...
Next gripe I hear is cost. Come on! So they charge a little more than dunkin donuts. But lets get real... everything is organic. Have you tried shopping at Whole Foods lately? It's expensive! Secondly, they give FREE WI-FI!!! This when everyone else is CHARGING FOR IT!!!!!! That is value. And, unlike Starbucks, you never run out of seating, they have a SUPER location with a terrific view, and awesome music. I love the atmosphere, and the wait staff is ALWAYS friendly and accommodating. I've never had any problems with them, even if they had to re-do my order. Always pleasant...
I wish they had a few more freebie newspapers around, esp. the Journal, that would be great.
I've eaten their hummus plate, and veggie sandwich and had soup there. I thought it was all very good.
I'm very grateful for the Cafe, and hope they extend there hours to 8:00PM someday...
Great Coffee!
The food is o.k.
A great spot for coffee, tasty desserts, and warm, relaxing atmosphere. I only wish it were open til midnight and more of them around!
They need to stay open later.
Kind of has that Starbucks vibe, great coffee.
All around, this place is fine. It has parking and free wifi, two things that endear me to coffee shops. The chairs are comfortable, with either more comfy sit-and-read wicker chairs or more work-friendly chairs at the tables - good for those who need to type on a laptop and those who want to lounge with a good book. So as a place to study, a lot going for it.
The downside really comes in what a coffee shop really needs to deliver on, which is food and drink. First of all, the prices. $8 for a sandwich with a pickle and some chips, $2 for a smallish cupcake. The large ice tea I had was a little over $2, which I guess is average, but they didn't give me any kind of refill discount, which I found annoying.
Beyond prices, the food was unimpressive. I had a chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread that was not particularly memorable, beyond my first time paring chicken salad with pesto (which I will say is a good move). The mocha cupcake was dry, and it was a bit over-chilled, and overall not very impressive.
I would be happy to work there again, but I'd only get the one iced tea, and I'd probably go after lunch time so I wouldn't be tempted to spend money on their less than stunning food.
I happend to be driving through Boston on my way to a meeting and was thinking to myself "I wonder if there is any good bakeries in Waltham" since I'm always on the hunt for good pastries.
Just then I spotted Cafe on the Common and it's windows which read Coffee, Tea and French Pastries. Well I was intrigued. I almost caused an accident pulling over to find parking.
I was very disappointed in the bakery selection. Bagels, Brownies, Blondies, Scones and Cupcakes are not French Pastries. I don't think there was one item that could actually be considered a French Pastry.
After standing there for some time and being ignored by the two staff members I finally decided on and asked for a cupcake.
It was the WORST cupcake I've ever had in my life. The cake was dry and very dense, like biting into cement. The frosting was spread very thin, and had dried to a hard texture. It was like that dip you get on ice cream that hardens to a shell. Awful.
I wont be stopping back in here.
I've used CotC as a meeting place a few times, either with classmates (my school is right up the street) or new roommates. I like that it has two seperate seating areas so that you can either be crowded into the main cafe itself, or sit off to the side with a little more privacy.
The main problem I've had is that every time I've been in there, without fail, the first 3 things I order on the menu are things they happen to be out of. And, no, it's not always the same 3 things. How does that even happen? Where is your stock??
The food's alright, the coffee's nothing to rant about, and service is.. meh. I wasn't upset with the staff, they just weren't any masters of customer service.
However, on a positive note, it is a nice quiet place to sit and do work.. but so is Starbucks.
So, in theory, this place is alright. It's like a combination of a cafe and a Wawa, if anyone's reading from the Philly/Wawaland area. It has a ton of selections to choose from when you're constructing your order, from breads to meats to cheeses, spreads, all that stuff. I'm eating my sandwich right now, and I have to say, it's pretty bland. I know it's possible to get good materials that aren't expensive. NY Deli around the corner does it fine. I think the problem here is that they spent so much time trying to look upscale and fancy that they forgot none of that matters if your stuff isn't all that great.
This cafe is great. Quiet enough to talk. The coffee is good and the pastries are terrific, especially when they make the big eclairs. It feels very European and it is located in the center of the Lexington, Lincoln, Weston, Watertown suburban hub. They allow people working on laptops unlimited time. People can sit for hours, because of this, of course, it makes it harder to make a profit and a minimum purchase is required. Enough with the criticism, I am just happy that they are there.
Great coffee, fresh and tasty food, wifi and a bright, quiet and relaxed atmosphere. Just a friendly cafe in the middle of Waltham! I just wish they were open later and had a few more outlets...
Pretty pricey for what you get: two decafs and one small chocolate "ganache" cupcake came to $6.50 (give or take a few cents). The cupcake was very dry, and I hate to say it, but I think the ganache was just icing. :(
We didn't have to look for a place to sit, unlike some other coffee shops-that-must-not-be-named. We hogged our table for almost 3 hours, and never once got the stank eye from someone looking for a place to squat and surf the net. That was nice.
I have mixed feelings about this place. On the plus side, the location is prime: right across the Common from Waltham's transportation hub, where the six express bus lines cross two regular bus lines and the commuter rail. It's especially good for me since it's right across the side street from my bus stop, and I can see the bus coming up the hill and stopping at the lights through the big plate glass windows.
On the minus side, unless I'm adding cream to my coffee at that point, it's already too late to catch the bus, since the line moves slowly almost every morning. This morning I stood behind a guy who was flirting with the barrista for three minutes (!), and she had no interest in either making him order or move to the side. I walked out and got my coffee at In a Pickle up the street instead. I doubt she even noticed.
My major gripe with the place, however, is that it seems to be run by the most tight-fisted group of skinflints imaginable. A large coffee works out to be $3.26, and every time I get one and I don't have a penny, they give me back a fistful of change. Honestly, is giving me back three quarters really going to ruin you guys? Will losing that penny on a three-plus-dollar cup of brew coffee put you in the poor house? And don't get me started on the baked goods prices. Even with my good credit rating I doubt I could secure enough financial backing to afford one of their small slices of pound cake or a danish.
So the skinny- great location, good fair-trade coffee, mediocre customer service, abysmal prices. If you need a place to kill some time and wait for a train, check it out. You might actually be able to get your money's worth.
I'm sitting in Cafe on the Common as I write this, because they FINALLY got their wireless connection back after months of not giving a damn whether or not it even existed - despite the "Internet Cafe" sign on the window. Oops.
The coffee is phenomenal, but the staff is generally rude and the food is skimpy and overpriced. The best thing about the Cafe is that it's in Waltham. Period. Waltham has a serious lack of cafes, and this place fills that need - except for closing at 6pm, of course.
Avoid the cupcakes - they tend to be overchilled and just plain nasty.
I agree about the hours- I really wish this place was open later. Everything else in Waltham is open late, why not the cafe? I really could use some late night coffee.
On the whole though, I've enjoyed the coffee I've had. The Chai is a bit more bitter than any other chai I've never had, so I'm unsure about that. Adding honey to the hot chai definitely makes it better, but there's no same solution for the cold.
Drop by sometime, nice area to work, but would probably not do as well somewhere other than Waltham.
I like this place for sitting with a paper with a pot of tea. I've tried some great teas at Cafe on the Common. The crimson berry is very flavorful and tastes like herbal tea sweetened with real cranberry juice. The lemon ginger is fantastic as well but their mango black tea is my favorite.
I haven't tried their coffee because their espresso beverages are a little pricey and I wouldn't pay more than a dollar for coffee (I'm not all that discerning when it comes to regular ol' joe).
I came here for lunch once and ordered a panini with ciabatta bread, turkey, hummus, provolone, romaine, and tomatoes. It was sufficient at best. For $7 I expected more food-- the amount of turkey on the sandwich was overwhelmed by the lettuce and the sandwich was nearly flavorless. I did not enjoy the texture of their hummus either. I wouldn't order one of their sandwiches again. In the Pickle is in the same area and serves MUCH better sandwiches for a similar price.
I enjoy their chocolate chip cookies. They are crunchy, chewy and crumbly all at once. Their chocolate croissant is amazing.
If you go to Cafe on the Common and intend on getting work done I suggest bringing headphones. Conversation can be a little difficult as well as it gets very loud.
So much potential, but falls rather short. Particularly due to the hours. This seems like a perfect place for a cup of tea and dessert after eating at one of Waltham's many eating establishments, but it closes at 6 PM. They could tap into a whole other market if they stayed open late.
I've had tea, hot apple cider, and ice cream here and all have been suitable, but I don't go here often because of their stinky poo hours.
Cafe on the Common is near my house, and when I first moved to Waltham, I was pretty excited, (and still am), about having an independently-owned, small-town coffee shop close to me. As far as coffee goes, everything has been excellent, from the latte, chai, and regular ole 'coffee. What bothers me about the Cafe is that whenever I eat the baked goods, my stomach hurts. I love sweets, and enjoy a good, quality sweet now and then, so this is not a normal reaction to me having something sweet. There is an undertone in the flavor that reminds me of margarine, or something artificial, like crisco. IMHO, I believe that scones and cookies should be made with real butter. From a baker's standpoint, maybe there is a reason why the artificial fats are used, but I just don't like the flavor. In addition, the baked goods feel oily. This is bothersome. I've had way better scones elsewhere, and hope the COTC changes their recipe so that I can enjoy them again. Otherwise, I will continue to just order drinks.
I worked in Waltham for three years and this place was my absolute favorite! The atmosphere is the real selling point - it is a huge space, with lots of windows, and therefore lots of natural light. The food options are good (there were reasonable vegetarian options and lots of things for people who eat meat), but I think the drinks are better. Coffee is excellent and there's a lot of variety in the tea selection, from more traditional options like Earl Grey to funkier Rooibos (which is everywhere now, but at some point it was "new!").
Free wireless, so a nice place to work. Also a great place to meet a friend or colleague. A relatively recent development is an ice cream parlor, which would be nice to visit in the summer.
My only gripes: staff are not friendly, and their hours - great for me as someone who worked down the street, but not good for the rest of the world who might want to visit after 6 p.m.!
Had a casual business lunch here and my reaction is its overpriced and the staff are not friendly at all.
I got a ham sandwich, small bag of chips and an iced tea and it was like $13.50. Huh? That seems a little high to me for what I got.
I didnt like the iced tea and politely brought it back to the counter and asked if I could have a glass of water with lemon instead and the girl behind the counter seemed annoyed I did this. I was embarassed by her attitude because it was in front of business people I was meeting with for the first time. The others at my table were chuckling at her rude attitude to make light of an embarassing situation.
She didnt offer me my money back for the iced tea I didnt like even though I just took 1 sip.
The food wasn't memorable and the experience is something I'd rather forget. I've never been back.
NY Deli is around the corner and I'll get a better lunch at a lower price there without testy staff.
So many others say it so well here, I just wanted to add my vote in the chorus on this place.
I had the veggie wrap (lettuce, goat cheese, roasted red peppers and onions in balsamic) for $6.25. Comes with Cape Cod chips!
Fresh food for reasonable prices. My coworker RAVES about the coffee, but I was at my caffeine max for the day so I passed.
Plenty of seating indoors and a few tables outside.
Definitely worth checking it out1
Ahhh.....waiting for my latte to come allowed me to do some people watching in the cafe. Looking around made me think of that episode in the Family Guy about people in coffee shops that bring their lap tops pretending to be cool and just type away. Hey, I was a student once..but i never brought my lap top to a coffee shop...isn't it a lot more comfortable at home?
Anyway, my drink was good, not sure if it's worth 5 bucks nor the 10 min wait. I was going to get something to eat but I didn't realize i needed to take out a small loan for it. I don't mind spending money, but everything was extremely over priced. That place puts Starbucks to shame.
I was only going here because it was on my way to Costco.
I think for fair trade/organic coffee, the prices are reasonable. The variety of freshly baked scones is nice too. I wish they had loyalty cards/frequent buyer punch cards.
Cafe on The Common is a cute little coffee shop that has good food, great coffee and plenty of space to sprawl out. However, while this business fills a hole in a city that has very few choices for cafe style food and atmosphere - the place has a few cons that need to be addressed before competition comes knocking at it's door and kicks it to the curb.
The first major con is the way the line is handled. While the orders come back correct, the chaotic system needs refinement. Please, create a pick-up counter, (or at least stop serving food through the line!), and stop screaming peoples names into the aether - use numbers instead.
The second major detractor was the horrible noise level. Tin ceilings are beautiful but do nothing to hinder the echoing clinks and patron chatter. Combine this with the ill-fitting music and the place was mildly headache inducing.
The third and final con is the unhappy wait staff. No smiles were returned, and even though they were busy this came back as just a little uninviting.
On a quieter weekday I'm sure the place is well worth the trip, with good food and pretty nice prices - in addition to the cleanliness and ease of finding a place to sit - Cafe on the Commons has a considerable amount of growing to do, but earns its four stars for its solid menu and stellar coffee.
I am not a big fan of Cafe on the Common for three reasons:
(1) Their WiFi seems to only work 30% of the time I am there. When I ask the people working the counter if they can fix it, I usually get a blank stare.
(2) Their hours are idiotic - they close at 7pm on weeknights, and very early on the weekends. I mean come on people this is a college town!!!
(3) I dont like the atmosphere. It isnt very warm, a large echoing space with cold stone tables.....this is where I start sounding crazy....I am sure many people are just fine with the atmosphere. This is just my werid little thing.
1 and 2 really irk me though, which is dissapointing because I would really like to support an independent coffee shop. But if they cant keep up and provide good service I will keep going to Starbucks, or Lincoln Cafe in Newton Highlands, or that cool WiFi cafe in Brighton center (the name escapes me now).
Nice neighborhood coffee shop. Can be quite loud as the acoustics just bounce all over the place, but the view out of the big windows had me gazing at the strormy weather and just laughing. Oddly have run into teachers grading papers there a lot. I usually get a coffee and pastry (scones are good) but the soup is regularly good, and some sandwiches, salads and wraps. Coffee is tasty, and staff is friendly, if only they could dampen the noise, I'd be there a lot more. Oh and free wi-fi for those who care.
Should note they have recently made good imporvements in opening up a seperate ice cream parlor on the other side of the wall, so no matter your fix, you can enjoy, and this has alleviated the sometimes cramped seating, and will help anchor the cafe in the neighborhood. Also I just found out they are extending the hours much later, which is a relief so I won't have to truck on down to one of the later night coffee spots.
I love cafe on the common! Dark wicker chairs and round granite tables with local art displayed on the neutral walls. From the outside, the windows are so darkly tinted that you wonder if they're open but when you step in, it's like an oasis from the outside world greeting you with a fresh blast of A/C. The park across the street is nice to glance at.
The owner works in the offices above and desperately wanted a decent cup of coffee so he opened this place up and serves up a mean "ring of fire" (fairly traded and organic). They also have a great selection of paninis on Iggy's Bread of the World, Iggy's seven grain rolls ($.75), spiral raisin croissants, carrot cake, cheese cake, brownies, biscottis, etc. The croissants are decent (mind you I spent a whole summer in Paris where I consumed croissants on the daily).
The people who work here haven't quite warmed to me so I can't say they're the friendliest but I'm completely in love with the ice cream place they opened right next door. The non fat strawberry yogurt is crazy good ($3.75 two scoops) and beats out Lizzy's with a huge stick.
Free wifi and soothing jazz music. Down the street from the Waltham Public Library, grab a book and slurp down a cooling frappe.
I spend a lot of time here when visiting (or living) with my good friends in Waltham. Great coffee, excellent selection of teas and pretty good sandwiches. Personally, I am not so crazy about the breakfast selections (I wish they had a egg option of some sort and the scones are mediocre at best). Free wireless and ample space makes a fantastic spot to hang out and get some work done. And the metered parking garage down the street provides easy, ample parking for only a few quarters... not to mention 12 hour meters!
Great addition to the Waltham scene!
Cafe on the Common is just what Waltham needed. It's better than a Starbucks--mainly because we all know we do *not* need another one of those--but also because it is devoid of the snobbery/assembly line element so characteristic of those coffee chain joints.
I have been to Cafe on the Common many times, and consumed many of their cappucinos (strong). They make a very good cup of coffee, and also offer a variety of scones, cookies, bagels, and other pastries (I don't think these are made on the premises, but not too important because they're good). If you want a fresh pastry, however, be prepared to get there before 11am on a weekend--they go fast, and they do not replenish the goodies. In addition they have soup and quiche, which is usually quite good.
When you visit Cafe on the Common, try one of their panini sandwiches. They are a consistently excellent option at the Cafe, and best of all, they're never sold out (sometimes the Cafe doesn't have the Soup of the Day). The quiche selection is also good, and the servings are usually generous.
One of the main reasons I gave Cafe on the Common such a high rating is because of the free internet and pleasant atmosphere. There is ample seating and enough electrical outlets to keep your computer going. It is a great place to write or read for hours--no one bothers you. I didn't give the establishment a perfect score because the staff is not always the friendliest in the world (bordering on sullen), but they always get your order right (even if they don't smile when they serve it). They could stay open later into the evening, but they don't seem to have a ton of staff. There is municipal parking down the street, and the Cafe is about 2 blocks from the Commuter Rail, right at the corner of Main and Moody Streets.
Good coffee, decent pastries. I've had the lemon butter cake and the ganache cupcake. I liked em, but both were dry for some people's tastes. A bit overpriced, but what cafe isn't these days? $10 for a cup of coffee, a mocha, and a piece of cake. It's only worth it to me if I bring a book and sit for a little while. The surroundings are pleasant. Tons of space to sit around. Great photos of old Waltham on the walls.
EXACTLY what Waltham needed! The atmosphere is entirely European pastry shop...just as long as you tune out the Boston accents all around you. Can get a little noisy at times, and as the place gets more popular, it's getting harder and harder to score a seat. I came here once at 3pm on a weekday and had to leave because there was no place to sit. But, I digress. Back to the props--of which this place deserves plenty.
The coffee is strong, never burnt-tasting, but doesn't need tons of cream and sugar to be palatable. Espresso drinks always hit the spot. Best iced coffee around... My favorite thing abouut this cafe, however, has to be the sandwiches. The chicken ceaser rollup and the vegeterian wrap w/ goat cheese are both amazing. Order your sandwich "for here" and it comes w/ a couple cornichons (those tiny, delectable french pickles). Soups are impressive, too. (Must figure out how to make my own black bean soup with lime.)
I've always thought a good cafe should have options beyond coffee and baked goods. The fact that I can while away my day with a sandwich as I tinker with words or read a book--just five minutes from the office and from home--makes living in the 'tham that much more tolerable.
One (big) con: They close at 6pm every day. C'est horrible! For a brief spell, they were open later...not sure what happened....
Great pastries and selection of fresh lunch options. My iced latte wasn't too sweet (I prefer to sweeten it up myself), free wifi, and it's connected to an ice cream shop.
It's not as cozy as some of the other cafes I've been visiting, but it's quite large and has lots of available wall plugs. Seems like many people come here to work, and it's perfectly normal to go hang out there for a few hours.
PARKING is scarce, but there's a paid garage about 1/2 block down on Moody. You can get 12 hrs for a dollar at the green posts.
I love the Cafe!
It's my favorite place in Waltham to have coffee, sit back and watch everyone and everything go by. Portions are generous, prices aren't bad and the decor/atmosphere is pleasant. It's got a real calm feel to it...and there is enough individuality and funkiness that it would never be mistaken for Staryucks.
Sandwiches are yummy (I had an awesome turkey wrap), the bagels are waaay better than what you'd find at a chain coffee shop but the best items are the scones. Best in the area by far. Cappucino is a must. Only a few places west of Boston rival theirs.
I would have given five stars but for a few things - which are relatively inconsequential. Service is slow - they take their time preparing customers' meals - and it can be loud. Aside from that, it's great.
This is the only Coffee house in Waltham making an effort to be cultivated. It's much better than Starbucks because it has very good baked items, a design-your-own sandwich menu, better décor and plenty of spacious seating. Generally the products offered here are very good and the concept attracts a discerning, intellectual local crowd.
I'd like to address some misgivings brought up by other reviewers: the main problem with any non-chain bakery/café for the customer is inadequate staff training (see Hi-Rise Bakery). This formula involves several skill/operations in a relatively small area: operating the espresso machine, building sandwiches, grabbing baked goods, and cashing customers. Typically in an untrained environment, the staff person taking your order will create your order. This leads to staff climbing over each other, staff switching tasks too frequently and thus getting confused, and staff fingers that touch money also touching food. Behind the counter is where Starbucks excels. If some meaningful order could be established behind the counter at Café on the Common, I think the staff would be more cheerful. That said, I'm really only addressing other reviewers, I've never felt annoyed by the staff here. I do agree, however, that the service process could be brought up a notch.
I would drive out of my way for this coffee. It is always fair trade and organic, and it is cheaper than Dunkin Donuts! YES! On top of that, they seem obsessively concerned with the quality of it, meaning that it is always going to be the best tasting cup out there. I usually get the dark roast (AKA Ring of FIRE!), and have never been disappointed by the other varieties.
Comfortable place to sit and read the paper, too, although it is not one of those places with darkened corners and art-school students serving you. Their sandwiches aren't half bad either.
Wicked good grilled panini sandwiches and hot cocoa.
My sandwich had chicken, cheddar cheese, onions, & pesto sauce...mmm.
This place is like the cafe in Fried Green Tomatoes transplanted in the suburban northeast. High tin ceilings, the sound of ceramic coffee mugs clinking together, and homemade gastronomic delights all make me think so.
I like this place but considering its location (Brandeis/Bentley), why aren't they open later? It would be so nice to come out of an early eve movie and sit down to have coffee and a nice dessert!
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