Emerson Commons – School of Hospitality

Awesome place to have lunch. Emerson is a high-​school which specializes in cooking and the students there are involved in the prep process along side skilled chefs/​teachers. The pricing is extremely reasonable. I’ve eaten here MANY times and I absolutely love their carved turkey sandwiches on onion, tomato focaccia bread! They also have amazing soups. I’ve had the New England Clam Chowder and the Seafood Bisque which are both perfectly made from scratch. I also have had many of the desserts there which are nothing less than TERRIFIC!

I am well aware that there are perils of judging a place on one fantastic cookie and pleasant customer service experience. With that said, the cookie was as big as my hand and $ 1+ tax, the kids were super friendly and pleasant to talk to, and it was quick to get in, and quick to get out. The rest of the prices looked very reasonable, especially for the part of town it’s located in. I’ll be back to acquire a more statistically rigorous sample size.

I had to update my review because I am in love with this place! After multiple excellent experiences I thought it was necessary to give Emerson 5 stars.

If you are looking for a fast and economical café or deli meal for lunch downtown for eat in or takeout give this a try. The kids doing service are in the very early stages of learning but closely supervised by teachers and eager to please. I have eaten here a few dozen times and it is a good budget conscious choice. Good soups, huge tuna salad sandwich, fish fry Fridays, regular specials on their website of almost every variety. Typical lunch bill is under $ 8. Very limited hours and closed on non-​school days but that goes with the territory of being a learning café for high school kids. I find watching a new student taking one minute to spread perfect mayo, or asking the teacher if they are supposed to cut straight or diagonal during the first week adorable. It is neat to see the kids come out of their shells as the semester progresses. Use the website link for daily specials.