Canto 6
Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain3346 Washington St
(between Glen Rd & Green St)
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (617) 983-8688
- Nearest Transit:
Green Street (Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Wi-Fi: None
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol: None
44 Reviews for Canto 6
I was totally happy with my Canto 6 experience. My lady friend and I stopped in for some coffee and pastries one morning. We ordered a quiche, bread pudding?, a sweet roll and 2 Equal Exchange coffees. The sweet roll won hands down - it was flaky and crispy and had pecans - happiness. The EE coffee is always nice to see. Overall, the staff was lovely, the shop was pretty simple and adorable and I left happy.
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Canto 6 is bringing sexy back. The shop is sweet and petite, with an incredibly ascetically appealing display case of baked goods. It smells amazing in there!
The vegan carrot cake muffin is absolutely awesome, as is the cinnamon apple variety. They're moist, very rich, and have a wonderful texture. The carrot cake has delicious walnuts in it, which really add to the consistency. I am pretty sure these things are the window to weight gain--I once left the wrapper in the bag on my desk for a day, and the bag wound up with insanely large oil stain on it--but if one is looking to splurge on a tasty treat, Canto 6 is definitely the place to do it.
They have one vegan sandwich on the menu--the Beantown. It's pretty good, but a little on the pricey side at $6.25. Maybe I'm just a cheap bastard, but I feel like sandwiches are getting a bit expensive these days, especially considering the relatively low cost of the ingredients. On the other hand, the multi-grain bread it is served on is quite excellent; it has a thick, elegant crust, the ingredients are fresh, and the garlic bean spread is full of flavor.
The staff, simply put, is awesome. To be fair and balanced, I will admit that a friend of mine works here, but even when she's not around I have been treated very well. The staff is helpful, humorous, and keep the line moving along at an impressive speed. Canto 6 is small, so take your goodies to go and enjoy them underneath a tree in Johnson Park on Green Street.
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Stopped here for a quick snack before heading back to the Green St T stop. The North End sandwich was great - thick slices of fresh mozz and enough tomatoes and pesto to round out this hearty sammie. Definitely the best-looking, most reasonably priced sandwich I've seen in a while. Choc chunk cookie was a B+ and the pistachio shortbread had good flavor but no crunch. Killers on the radio, really nice staff, cute little shop, pretty good food. Two thumbs up.
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Nate & I have seriously discussed an experiment to test the "all taste same" hypothesis set forth in Kirs P.'s review. But then we discovered Blue Frog & Fiore's and we kind of forgot all about Canto 6.
That pretty much sums up my opinion of them.
maybe if they were right next door to me, I would go there more. I find their sandwiches to be better than average, but not great texture-wise. for example, the artichokes they use are kinda weird & spikey I cant explain it - it was unpleasant.
I will say that they have the best almond croissant I've had in boston, but beyond that, I find them kinda blah. I would come back for bread if I could make it there before it all sold out.
Don't get me wrong- I appreciate that Canto 6 exists. It has saved me on many a sleepyheaded morning on my walk from home to work. I just think there's some room for improvement.
The bakery items are delicious and are definitely worth a trip here. The gruyere croissants are some of the tastiest things I've ever eaten, and they're so decadent and buttery that your bag is spotted with greasy stains almost as soon as they pass it over the counter to you. I've only ordered a sandwich once and it was a big disappointment. I ordered the Green Street without meat- it's basically a brie and spinach sandwich. There was so much dijon mustard and fig jam or whatever spread on it that I couldn't taste the brie at all. Hello, it's not like I'm trying to force something disgusting down my throat by disguising it with mountains of condiments! It's brie. Brie is delicious. I don't eat brie every day. When I do eat it I want to enjoy it, thanks.
The espresso is good but a little hit or miss: I've had about 50% good pulls, 25% decent pulls, and 25% gross ones. That's better than most places in JP, but there is plenty of room for improvement.
The people who work here are very kind and do their best to keep the lines moving as quickly as possible, but my main beef is with the way this place is set up. There are two or three tables in here but I can't understand why anyone would want to sit in them, especially when it's busy. They're wedged between the window, the counter/line, and the milk and sugar table. I get anxiety attacks every time I make my way to put milk in my coffee. There's only room for one person at a time, due to the fact that there's usually a chair shoved up against it. The milk containers are kind of hard to maneuver unless you're used to them, so big, embarrassing spills are prevalent (guilty!).
I know there's not a lot they can do with the limited amount of space they have, but they should consider putting in a counter with stools or just getting rid of the tables altogether. I went in here on Friday morning to grab coffee and even though there was a line out the door, there was seriously a couple snuggling in the table from hell next to the milk, making it impossible for me to put milk in my freaking coffee without brushing up against them (hello, what kind of fucked up, bizarre people do this on a Friday morning at 8 AM???).
I really want to give Canto 6 four stars or higher! It's really close; everything that's not-so-hot about this place is an easy fix. I'll still be going in for the baked goods and keeping my fingers crossed for a good espresso pull, but I won't stop and sit at those evil tables.
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Is it deserving of five stars? Quite possibly, but I think people have caught on to how good Canto 6 is, and I really think they could do with some more seats. There are three tables. That is abnormal for a Saturday morning. There are some people who grab n' go. Then there are those who enjoy being sedentary and enjoying a delicious mixed berry scone with a fantastic iced Americano. Clearly I fall into the second group of people.
So I came here with my cousin. She was a little skeptical at first, asked me a few times, "um, where exactly are you taking me?" To which I said, "shh, grasshopper. You shall see." And I'm not going to lie, I was sketched out for a hot second. But then (insert heaven music here):
AHHHH
I saw it. Standing there, trying to act aloof with it's green sign. Uh whatever man, I dug your vibes. I made my way over.
So I had the scone and Americano, my cousin had an Americano and some orgasmic concoctions of beets and goat cheese. Dear god I love goat cheese. And they did not skimp, no no. A very generous portion, prices that don't scare my student Visa, and you can see them baking in the back!
There was a group of three people that were clearly done eating a while ago but were being le assholes and were not getting up. Not one to back down from a fight I proceeded to basically stand over them, sip on my liquid heaven, and talk a little more loudly than I should have. Eventually they moved. And I went in for the kill... of the scone.
Deliciousness, I will be back. Armed and ready for a fight.
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In theory I like Canto. The people that work there are lovely. Pretty okay coffee. Not too extravagant prices. Nice sandwich selection. And gorgeous looking pastries. Here's the problem: everything they make tastes exactly the same. There is a smell that permeates Canto and everything they make sucks it up and tastes like it. Like a pastry smell sponge. Last time I went in I ordered a blue cheese and pear croissant. It tasted just like the blueberry muffin I tried before. The scone before that. And the cannele before that. And it ain't my tastebuds. My palette is not chef level superior, but it isn't awful either. It's too bad because their display is really very pretty.
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I go for the coffee and confections. For that, this is a pretty amazing place. The sandwiches look good, but I've never had one. The soul of Canto 6 is the sweets, don't pass it by.
I finally stopped in here the other day ... after living a block away for nearly 3 years. As soon as you step inside, your eyes meet a display of exquisite pastries and baked goodzZz. I think I gained a pound just standing at the counter. :(
They also have a menu with about 10 sandwiches that sound amazing. You want to know what else they have? ATTITUDE! (start Misfits background music here).
I ordered a sandwich, and the girl that was working the sandwich station seemed pissed off. Then she told me they didn't have the bread that was listed on the menu for that sandwich, so I asked which other breads were available ... since she wasn't about to tell me.
When I asked for a substitute cheese, I thought my day was done! But she added fresh mozzarella, just as I asked, so I was kind of pleased by that.
The sandwich was thrown on the counter, and before I could ask for a bag, she was gone. :'(
The sandwich was good.
I understand this isn't Sak's, and the staff isn't working on Sandwich Commission, but that's no reason to be a C U Next Tuesday! I just wanted a fucking sandwich! Why did you have to go and make me feel bad for being hungry?
:'(
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Now Five Stars!!!...
A tepid, but generally welcoming welcome (what?) to my new 'hood.
This little bakery/snackery/coffee-ery sits perfectly right on my walk to and fro the T, and I am finding it somewhat impassable during my first week living here. I do not drink coffee, but the tea suits me fine. Baked goods seem to be consistently fresh, tasty and amply sized. The selection of treats is very good, including a fine mix of sweet and savory. The sandwiches are even better.
edit: I have nixed the negatives off my review... Canto is making me bulky.
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Fabulous place, cheap prices (god I love JP!!). Great, cool staff. And it is worth the pilgrimage from any destination to have their cherry chocolate chip cookies. Would that all orgasmic experiences were so consistently satisfying (and low maintenance)!!! Breads are great, too. Be sure to try brioche and bread pudding (yeah, not a place to go if you're counting calories).
My two hour carbo tour of JP bakeries VS. a pistachio cookie, a loaf of monkey bread and a cup of coffee.
Who sins but wins? my obsession with bread and pastries along with this divine little bakery
pistachio cookie = B+, crumbly with bits of crushed pistachio, fortunately, pistachio flavor rose above the sweetness
monkey bread = A-, INDULGENTLY DELISH, soft pillowy pieces of buttery croissant bread enmeshed in a cinnamon caramel glaze, just try NOT to eat the entire loaf while walking home or on the T.
Unfortunately, Canto 6 was out of savory bread so I will have to award the fifth star next time.
Plus, the staff were so nice and the atmosphere so hip and chic...
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the cinnamon rolls w/ pecans are amazing!!! great coffee, too.
This is the Dreamy world class bakery near my house in the hood.
Sugar brioche; impossibly fluffy bread with sugar on it.
Apple pies with fantastic crust in couple size. cranberry oatmeal bars that are the perfect blend of butter and bitter. Packed scones. Gooey pecan dumplings. Seven grain loaf. Succulent quiche. And much much more. Love buzz coffee. Oh friggin my.
If you want directions to my house follow the Canto 6 crumbs up Gale Street hill. Getting fat has never been this fun and natural.
and for the first time in my life I want to learn how to speak French.
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Canto 6 is wonderful. Beyond all the pastries - you can't beat fair trade coffee for $1 if you bring your own mug. I bring my clients here when I'm doing buyer tours of Jamaica Plain (www.TheBostonHomeTeam.com) as its the best option for a commuter coffee if you live east of Washington St.
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I finally went today for the first time and I am quite impressed. I got a delicious Italian ciabatta, some coffee (which I have yet to try tomorrow morning) and a couple of VEGAN apple-muffins. The muffins were really good - too bad they don't have more vegan stuff! Prices are very decent, and the staff was actually very happy and friendly - no signs of depression, stoicism or anger at all.
Just good!
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I am fortunate enough to live within walking distance of this lovely place...unfortunately, it's not long enough of a walk to burn off the calories I invariably wind up consuming.
This place is simply fantastic. I haven't bought a store brand loaf of bread since moving to this neighborhood. For about the same price, you can have a big, crusty loaf of their sourdough batard, which is great with soups and stews, and makes for some stompin' good toast in the morning.
Also, they happily grind my coffee beans, and never look annoyed when I say it need ground for a percolator (I'm probably the only person in town who doesn't own a drip coffeemaker).
We live down the street and get pastries at least three times a week. The croissants are like real French ones--flaky yet buttery (many times, I've seen a baker hammering a pound of cold Cabot butter into dough, folding, rolling, folding rolling...). The monkey bread is pure doom (in the best possible way), as are the sweet rolls. The cookies are very good, if a teeny bit grainy. There seem to be more savory options all the time, like a killer pizza slice, gruyere and egg "sleepy hollow" pastries, and a bacon and blue cheese biscuit that is a great alternative to a McMuffin.
The sandwiches are excellent, though a little too heavy on the vegetarian options (This place must go through 50 pounds of butter a day--give me MORE animal products). The coffee is always excellent, too, as is the service; the ladies at Canto 6 are always friendly and super-nice to my kids. This exceptional attitude is yet another thing that makes Canto 6 not only the best pastry spot in JP, but all of Boston.
A big plus: No WiFi, so no obnoxious MacBook zealots taking up one of the three tables for two hours at a stretch (you hear me, JP Licks?). FYI: The bread is from Clear Flour in Brookline.
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Just had my first experience here and it was incredibly tasty.
I had:
Love Buzz - dark roast coffee - very good.
The Green Street sandwich: black forest ham, brie, house-made apple butter, whole grain mustard, and spinach on a house made croissant.
This sandwich was AWESOME. First, the croissant was the best I've ever had. Buttery and melted in your mouth practically. The apple butter was sweeeeet and cinnamony. It was kind of like apple pie spread or something. The mustard, perfect, just the whole sandwich was incredibly tasty.
My bebe had the brookside blue sandwich:
Roast beef, black pepper, mayo, great hill blue cheese and arugala on a baguette (it's typically italian ciabatta but they were out). This one was also EXCELLENT. Such good flavors and texture. I'm not normally about the roast beef but this sammich was awesome.
We had pastries too: 2 cone shaped chocolate things that were really super dense and as they melted in your mouth it was lick a rich cake/brownie that... can't even describe. chocolate explosion. So good.
We had a maccaroon - very, very good.
Chocolate cherry cookie - good, even better with milk.
To take home, we bought a tart with local tomatoes and goat cheese - looks AMAZING. weighs about 3 pounds. Well worth another notch up on the belt.
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Darn...am I really only giving this place two stars?
I liked the space. It was clean, it was bright, it contained competent workers.
But, yuck, I had the worst chai latte I've EVER had before. It almost tasted like there was bleach in it. How does that even happen? and my "fresh" o.j. did not taste so fresh.
The almond croissant was...not bad. Appropriately flaky on the outside, warm and gooey almond goodness inside...only it lacked the proper "almond-y" flavor...it tasted more like a...walnut croissant. Did I miss something? The bread was dry and tough, and my canneles were a little too gooey.
I'm guessing by the other rave reviews that I must've been in on an off day. I'll stop by again because it's near the Arboretum and Forest Hills Cemetary, but, really, keep the bleach OUT of my chai latte next time. Thanks.
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This is a no-frills place that has great desserts, baked goods, sandwiches, and drinks. They do have very inventive sandwiches, but I usually only order one so I don't feel guilty about eating lots of dessert! Their strong suits are croissants, monkey bread, and sweet rolls. I'm not as much a fan of their cookies. It's in a neighborhood that I'm not sure I'd want to walk in at night, but that's probably why this place is so affordable. The only drawbacks are the limited seating.
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I love their north end and goat in the garden sandwiches, oh and pretty much every.single baked treat they have! Also, the only place in JP with a croissant worth eating.
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If you saw the movie "Stranger than Fiction" and had a deep deep desire to sit with Maggie Gyllenhal at her funky, punky bakery that serves all... not just the baby carriage coalition, this is the place. There's a passion fruit truffle, Love Buzz coffee and the bread... it's not bread, it's heaven.
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I love this place. We go there every chance we get. Try the croissants. Yummm.
The coffee and tea are very good (even my husband who is snooty about his mochas thinks so). I also really enjoy the SideStep sandwich which changes seasonally. It is always quite delicious. Go and try it out!
So good. I tried their ice coffee and was hooked. It's sweet, but not too sweet, and nutty, but never bitter. They take cards with no minimum purchase. That's excellent. I had a sweet roll that caused a minor orgasm. Am I licking pecan crumbs off my desk? You bet.
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Just visited today! I always feel odd ordering decaf from "hip" coffee places, but neither Canto 6 nor City Feed has disappointed so far. I asked for an iced decaf, which they did not have, but the waitress kindly offered to make an iced decaf Americano. It was delicious! Didn't even have that gross decaf taste. I also had a quiche with goat cheese and local tomatoes...YUM. Excellent breakfast, and literally blocks from my friends' place. Yay!
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man, this place is really delicious. i found out about it through a co-worker who lives in the area. i had a north end sandwich (mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto spread) and it was really fresh, simple, and tasty. the coffee is great and the chocolate chip cookies i bought were pretty big and awesome!
the people working behind the counter were also extremely nice to me- always an added plus.
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Great lunch sandwhiches and even more amazing baked goods. Imaginative selection at moderate prices. If you are not a Jamaica Plain's residence, it is a hop and a skip from the Sam Adams Brewery and would recommend the Canto for lunch or an afternoon snack before or after the tour. I would have given it five stars if they had more chairs. There are only about three tables and the little place can get a little crowded.
I went to Canto 6 on the suggestion of Dan P for breakfast pastries for my family over graduation weekend. I was not disappointed!
There was a great selection to choose from and they were all good breakfast items, not cakes, cookies or pastries. The store is rather small but the line moved quickly. We tried the croissants, chocolate croissants, sticky buns, blueberry/strawberry scones, and almond croissants and everything was fantastic. I was expecting to have some of the items left over for the next morning but they were gone in no time!
I would not hesitate to go back even if it was just to get some sticky buns for my husband and I.
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Thank god for Canto 6. They have awesome Equal Exchange coffee, and if you bring your travel mug then it only costs a buck, which is the bomb. Now I can go here and buy coffee every day without feeling guilty about it.
Canto 6 always has totally steamed up windows because of how they are constantly baking an array of beautiful delectables, including homemade marshmallows for your hot chocolate. Besides their pastries, truffles, quiches, and monkey bread, they also serve great sandwiches. Their name is cool - it comes from Dante's Inferno where he names Circle 3, canto 6 as the sin of gluttony. Delicious sin.
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Amazing. The cannelles are a simple delight, the monkey bread decadent, and the bread pudding supermoist yet not overbearing. I would definitely recommend the trek out to Canto 6, this isn't hype it's the real deal.
GO! NOW!
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Best place to ruin your sobe diet. The twice baked almond croissant and bostok are positively sinful. Have your sandwich on a croissant and take an olive loaf for the road.
Canto 6 has a balanced selection of teas and great coffee / espresso options.
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Thank goodness for local business that yields actual results like kick ass pastries and coffee. Stopped by last weekend to check it out and I was really impressed. The shop is a working bakery, there are a few seats in house but I wouldn't really plan on spending more than a few minutes. But that's not the point, the point is: great croissants, an awesome quiche, stand up free trade coffee nice and fresh and a good tea selection. The prices were good for homemade and they take credit cards: DING DING DING!!!
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Whenever I'm in the neighborhood, I can't resisit stopping by and getting my usual order: monkey bread, jam stuffed brioche, twice baked almond croissants (they do this better than anyone else in Boston), chocolate croissants, chocolate cherry cookie, hazelnut chocolate cookie (to die for and even better a little warmed up), cranberry crumble bar (these are sooooo good!) and the special scone of the day (those are always good - last week it was some fruit and almond and I'm sure there was some almond paste in it... so delish!)
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When I don't have time for at-home-before-work breakfast, I (luckily) can head down the street to this place. Large dark roast coffee is delicious along with: the potato and wild mushroom quiche; the chocolate brioche; the caramel-like filling in the little pop-in-your-mouth pastries always at the very front of the counter window (their name escapes me....but that's ok because they know they have fancy stuff and every now and then have a "what is a ____"? sign up with a little explanation of the different pastry. thanks!); or how about those peanut butter truffles; the chocolate chip and also chocolate hazelnut cookies! those are some of my morning favorites. For lunch, their sandwiches are great! Everything is great. Great great great.
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i came here in search of pie, after reading about it in the improper bostonian. well, i didn't end up getting a pie, but it was still worth the trip. what i did get was: a savory quiche and tangerine ginger iced tea plus some brioche to bring home. so good! especially the brioche. i also had a bite of my friend's sandwich - and that sealed the deal. fresh, delicious, with that homemade- but there's no way you could really make it yourself- taste.
the "cafe" area is a small space with a counter/ cute little display of the day's goods and a few small tables. not a great place to go with a group, or if you plan on sitting around for hours. on a sunday afternoon there was a steady stream of locals stopping in for their coffee/ carb fix.
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I drove by Bread and Butter a million times meaning to stop in and never did and then it was gone. Had a few minutes today and there was a parking spot out front so I stopped and I am glad I did.
I ordered a sandwich, the name escapes me, but it was the best turkey sandwich I have ever had, black pepper brioche with turkey, artichoke spread with arugula.
As far as the baked goods, I couldn't decide, but my favorite was the sugar brioche and these rich little bite sized french pastries were to die for. Bravo!
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I nearly justified the purchase of our first home because it was within view of Canto 6. Fortunately, the sellers rejected our bid and we did not have to buy this unaffordable condominium because of its close proximity to an irresistible bakery. And I am not 5 pounds heavier from eating all of Canto's cookies.
Oh, my, the cookies. And the little vanilla baby sponge cake cannelles. And the cranberry scone type things. Oh yes, and the sandwiches which I only read about everytime I visit, but fill up too fast on pastry items that I never make it to anything more substantial. But it's easy to do, because the display work in this petite bakery is masterful. Cinnamon rolls loftily perched, dripping over into little landscapes of cookies and other white flour naughtinesses.
The proprietors of this shop, who are partners in both business and love, learned something or two about fine bakery displays in their frequent travels to Montreal. The French influence in their wares is apparent, but their sensibility is all "JP indie" which is to say that they are down-to-earth enough to make you feel at home, and just plugged in enough to the JP scene - particularly the Green St. area - to establish their place as a neighborhood joint.
Not my neighborhood, in particular, for which my waistline and my wallet thank me.
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This place has replaced Bread & Butter which made my favorite bread in Boston. I won't hold that against Canto 6 though. I go here every morning for coffee now, and the people there are really nice and friendly. I get the Love Buzz coffee which is excellent.
They get their bread from Clear Flour bakery in Brookline now, which people love, but they make their own pastries and now have a host of gourmet type sandwiches.
I support this place having never eaten any of their food. The 4 stars is for the coffee and the people.
EDIT/UPDATE: The pastries are off the chain. Hit up Canto 6 immediately. Now 5 stars.
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Baked goods are sometimes too rich for me, but are also very tough to resist, especially the brioche. Good sandwiches, especially anything involving the artichoke spread. Prices aren't bad either.
One thing that could use some improvement is the attitude of the staff, they always seem depressed, stoic, or angry. I thought I'd miss Bread & Butter, but I do like the sandwich aspect of the place. I just wish that they were open later- I often crave the North End sandwich for a nice, light dinner.
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