SOFRA Bakery & Cafe

I wish I could put more stars. Discovered this place the other day after a friend recommended it to me and it was A-​MA-​ZING. Food is delicious, fresh, and the people there lovely. Only wish there could be more sitting…

The food here was so good! I had the shakshouka and tried a few of the pastries and they all were amazing. The Turkish coffee was really good too. All the food was very well priced. The only downside was that the seating is very limited and you kind of have to be constantly elbowing your way through the crowd.

Sofra-​king good. As a Mediterranean food enthusiast, I regularly rave about the Oleana-​Sarma-​Sofra family headed by maven matriarch Ana Sortun.
In this clan, Sofra is the casually cool little sister. She’s sweet and a bit quirky with her drinks (dragon iced tea!) and pastries (pistachio pop tarts!). But she also gets top marks in her classes.
For brunch, the shakshuka is a warm, spiced tomato & egg delight. Later in the day, the tahini hummus and moussaka are both comforting and flavorful. The moussaka was different from its Greek cousins, as this one lacked cheese and was simplified to the thinly-​sliced eggplant layering the lamb concoction. The filling was spiced wonderfully and included some small, tangy berries which added an interesting sweetness and pop.
The hummus sports this same ground lamb along with charred broccoli, pine nuts, and brown butter tahini. My only complaint is that this sister may be a bit stingy — the hummus was served with just one roll, so we piled it on the bread and then resorted to just eating it by the forkful. Didn’t make it any less delicious.
This place is always packed no matter what time you come. Hey, you can’t blame a girl for being so popular.

I’m a fan of this place. Yes, it’s crowded, yes it’s small… but the food you get is «foodie» level for a great price. Everything has been thought-​out, tested and it is clear, made with love and passion. My kind of corner café. My go to’s are the shakshouka, the lamb sandwich, the beet tzatziki, spinach felalfe, most of the cakes and pastries…

Tasty & expensive food. Definitely wouldn’t call this authentic Turkish fare. I still dream of the Turkish breakfast I had in Istanbul a couple of years ago. I expected the food quality to be a lot better since the owner of the restaurant group is the same lady who runs Oleana (which is quite amazing IMHO. See older reviews).
SOFRA is a tiny café located on a nondescript corner by the pond. Came in at 11.30 on a Saturday and we waited about 20 minutes for our food. There is also limited seating, so would advise early (at like 9am) for your breakfast! Thankfully, due to this bizarre January winter, we were able to sit outside as though it were spring. It’s self-​service.
For brunch, I got the Turkish breakfast ($ 9, shakshuka ($ 7), while my partner had the lamb shawarma ($ 10). We also got the pear and almond bostock ($ 3), simit ($ 2.50), baklava ($ 2) and the tahini brown butter donut ($ 2.50). We also got an Americano ($ 3) and a Turkish coffee ($ 2.75). An expensive breakfast, but I must tell you that I love Turkish food and so I had set a high mental bar for this place.
The savory servings were quite small, especially the Turkish breakfast. The Turkish breakfast was mediocre at best, the only saving grace of the platter was the fried feta (two measly morsels) and the nested six minute egg. The shakshuka was very watery — too much gravy, NOT ENOUGH EGGS. I would’ve loved at LEAST 3 – 4 eggs in there. Greedy? Absolutely not. That, or make the bowl smaller and so it doesn’t look like I’m drinking tomato soup. The bread was warm and fluffy though. The lamb shawarma was very tasty, but again, a little undersized. At this point, I will tell you that I am an average sized individual and do not regularly consume obscene amounts of food.
The pastries and coffees were the highlight of the meal. The tahini brown butter donut was delicious! Sort of like a Boston crème, but made with tahini and so much less sweet and cloying. Similarly, the baklava was on point — light, crumbly with the right amount of sweet on and in between the filo pastry layers. SOFRA uses Counter Culture coffee, which was exactly what was needed to wake me up on a sleepy Sunday.
Would I come back? I’d tag along if someone offered me a ride, but wouldn’t trek through inclement weather conditions for the food here.

Best chai latte I’ve had in my life
Ginger lemon scone is amazing
Spinach and cheese boreq is my favorite readily available menu item
I didn’t try anything off the cook to order menu because it’s way too confusing and I don’t understand what anything means. You have to be authentic middle Eastern Armenian to know what the words menu. They should really break it down in normal terms
The downside — my chai latte wait time was honestly probably 5 – 8 minutes and the people who ordered hot food looking like they were waiting forever

Sofra is the Bomb! By the same people behind the magic of Oleana and Sarma, but a little more budget friendly cause it’s counter service and you can just get a snack. I don’t even know where to start with recommendations of specific things to order. Everything is SO good. Lattes = A+. Dukkah Donut = YES. Fried fish cakes with currants = Out of this world. I could also recommend the Shakshukka and the mezzes. If it weren’t so out of my way, I might just come here everyday. (I might just start doing that anyway!)

Omg amazing. Amazing quality, amazing workers, amazing food, wow.
Dukkah donut– TASTES LIKE CHURROS YUMM
The cold mezze platter is also a must. So delicious, nutritious, and colorful :)
We also got the rib special of the day– yessss
Shakshukah– it’s a favorite here, get it for sure
The place is super tiny and people go in and out but it’s CROWDED. I will be back though, and have been raving about it to everyone

Sofra is one of my favorite places in Boston for brunch foods or a working lunch.
+ the Shakshuka is absurdly delicious. If I could eat this every day I would. Perfect fluffy pita, amazing tomato sauce, the zhug is great.
+ Asure is a Turkish pudding that is packed full of fruit and nuts. This is their take that’s slightly more breakfast oriented. It’s so good.
+ the grano yogurt parfait with thick and rich strained yogurt and their spoon sweets of the season is excellent. I buy one to take home with me.
+assorted pastries, cookies, and meze are interesting. I usually skip for my top three though.
Some flaws:
— the place is always packed and cramped and waiting to get your food/​the line situation is awkward. This is not the place to take a fussy diner.
— new benches add seating but lack warmth
— occasionally I find pastries/​dishes to have seasoning issues.
Sofra isn’t a perfect place, but since the Shakshuka and Asure are on the foods I would want to eat on my deathbed, it gets a full five stars.

Teeny tiny restaurant with teeny tiny portions.
I ordered the shakshuka, which came with bread and they let me substitute a zaatar bread for free, which was nice of them. Food was good.

One of my favorite places in Boston now :) Sofra is one of those rare place where almost everything on their menu is very appealing and delicious. When I visited, I actually had a hard time ordering since everything looked so good.
I ended up ordering the homemade Chai, the spinach falafel, and the pistachio bird nest. I don’t normally order caffeinated drinks, but the Chai was the creamiest, most delicious Chai I’ve ever had. The spinach falafel was also amazing (highly recommend for first-​time goers), but the pistachio bird nest was a bit different from my expectations. I sort of expected a baklava kind of texture with the bird nest (nuttiness in every bite), but the bird nests are more like miniature pistachio pies in that the nuts and the pastry edge don’t really «mix». I still liked it, but would probably opt for another pastry next time.

Delicious. Shakshuka is amazing.
And, I went to a dinner party where the food was from Sofra, so we got to taste lots of dishes. All incredibly flavorful…

Aaaaamazing. Came on a Saturday for brunch and it was a bit crowded. The place was small inside– but the wait and crowd was worth it. We ordered a variety of things– definitely get the mess platter to get a good sampling. The beet tzatiziki and labneh were probably my favorite. Their bread rolls were really really good. Get some to bring home. The rose oats were also fun to try and my spinach falafel was incredible — wrapped in a thin tortilla like pita wrap. They also have a great variety of desserts to try. The best was this chocolate brownie cookie thing (I forgot the name) but it has powdered sugar on it.

Food 5/​5, Atmosphere ³⁄₅
This place is packed no matter what time you go. Although they changed the layout of the seating and increased the number of seats, it’s still almost always full.
I love the mezze platter, which allows you to choose 5 dips. Crick cracks or a pita costs extra — I recommend the crick cracks! The fried cauliflower with pomegranate and tahini remoulade is also delicious. A popular lunch/​dinner item is the spinach falafel, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the dishes. This place is worth multiple returns because you will definitely want to try all their menu items!
Many people rave about their earthquake cookies, though I thought it was okay. It was a touch too sweet for me, and a little too pricey for its size.
The chocolate halvah croissant, a weekend special, was also not a favourite. While the inner melted chocolate and tahini mixture was not bad, I didn’t like the hard outer shell. I prefer a traditional, flaky croissant.
Additionally, the olive oil granola was bland and unimpressive. Their granola parfait fares much better!
I highly recommend the (seasonal) pumpkin jam latte, which wasn’t as sweet as I expected it to be! A subtly sweet blend of pumpkin jam and coffee. Absolutely delicious!
I also quite enjoy the sahlep, which is steamed milk with orchid root and cinnamon — another warming drink for the fall/​winter.
On another note, there is a refrigerated section for heat-​at-​home meals, sweets, yogurts, etc. I usually can’t help myself but to buy one of their delicious jams (rose petal, tiger fig, etc.)
Overall, Sofra is a great place for not only the solo diner, but also for families and children. Limit your group to 4 people, and you should be fine.

Food, ⁵⁄₅
Atmosphere ¹⁄₅
I came here and got a lamb shawarma and split a pistachio baclava with my fiancé, the food was incredible. The shawarma was the best I think I’ve ever had. My fiancé got a lentil durum that was amazing and the baclava was both excellent and beautiful. I would absolutely come back if I was getting takeout. The cashiers were slammed but our cashier still managed to be extremely warm and friendly. A+ on service and food! They have beautiful middle eastern desserts lining mismatched cake stands and the light in here is gorgeous. They have lots of middle eastern sodas too that I’ve never seen before, along with local baked goods and local food (like chocolate tahini, I didn’t even know that was a thing). It’s a great location because after you’ve just overeaten you can go stroll through Mt. Auburn cemetery and enjoy some foliage and views.
In terms of atmosphere though, YIKES. You go in and order your food and then go sit down. Easy enough right? Well not so easy when 500 other people have the same idea. We could barely even get in line it was so crowded. I went outside to grab a table because the thought of eating at one of the cramped tables inside (surrounded by people trying to wait in line) made me claustrophobic. So this next story isn’t really Sofra’s fault, but gives you an idea how competitive seating is. There was a line for a table outside (there are only 6) so I waited for one while my fiancé got our food. When one opened up a woman tried to run in front of me to grab it and I had to go «excuse me there’s a line» at which point she goes «you don’t even have your food yet!!!» and a couple other people in line had to say «we’re all in line!» The whole dining experience was so claustrophobic competitive and stressful I would only get takeout here in the future.

Heard a lot of great things, so I really want to like this place. I sort of blame this «bad» review on what I ordered, so I’m looking forward to coming back.
Orange blossom lemonade — I think I was jipped and just served regular lemonade. The lemonade wasn’t even outstanding — lackluster would be a generous adjective
Moussaka (spiced ground lamb on eggplant slices with mornay sauce) — Tasty, but overpriced for portion. Would not get again, would not recommend others to try

A scrumptious and affordable place to eat in or order for delivery.
My wife and I were planning a rehearsal dinner for 60 people before our wedding, and we spent a long time researching different catering options. We and both sets of parents love Sofra, and when we looked into pricing we realized that Sofra was not only reliably yummy but also by far the least expensive option for this size party of all the places we looked into.
Macy was fantastic to work with over e-​mail, keeping us apprised of prices and availability and continually updating our order form. When the day came, Sofra delivered ahead of schedule and piping hot. The food was a huge hit with our guests, making a wonderful beginning to our wedding weekend.

Unfortunately the people who run this place do not understand that no matter how great the food is, the atmosphere and the attitude of your staff contribute to the overall experience. The food is gorgeous and delicious — especially the topik. I crave it.
But the ambiance is about as pleasant as a car wash, and the staff is consistently rude. SO that makes a 5-​star restaurant turn in to a 3-​star one.

If you like Oleana’s and Sarma, you’ll love Sofra! It’s like the smaller, casual, coffee shop version of Oleana’s.
The prices are much more affordable compared to Oleana’s but still a little expensive compared to a regular coffee shop. However, the food here is definitely worth the price.
If you are in the mood to try lots of things, you can get the appetizer platter. You choose which appetizers you’d like to try from the display window.
Desserts here are also very yummy. I always get the earthquake cookie with a coffee, and sometimes the chocolate baklava.
Sofra also sells some spices and ingredients, together with some ready-​to-​go dishes and desserts.

Service: ⁵⁄₅
Drink/​Food: ⁴⁄₅
After a long romantic stroll in Mount Auburn Cemetery, my lady friend and I decided to stop by Sofra Bakery and Café. We were cold, tired, and hungry from our long walk and were eager for some good Mediterranean food.
We ordered the crème brûlée pastry, I Turkish delight that went to breast cancer support fund, Red Dragon ice tea, and the Sofra Cocoa Rose hot tea. The crème brûlée pastry was by far the best thing. It was a good-​sized to share and the right amount of sweetness. The ice tea was a little bit too sweet but the hot tea was bitterer so it balanced out. The Turkish delight was small and definitely wasn’t magical like the one you see in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – but the proceeds went to support breast cancer research so I guess that’s pretty magical too.
Seating is very limited and the table space is small; however when I went there in the mid to late afternoon time we were still able to get a table right away. Overall, a decent spot to relax after a long walk at the nearby park.

An unexpected breakfast stop at SOFRA is about as exciting as landing on the moon. For a time, we lived by the Sienna Farms store in the South End of Boston. We gobbled up the SOFRA crackers and spreads and pretty much anything SOFRA we could get our hands on. We really hit the motherlode the other day when we drove by SOFRA Bakery. It was the best U-​turn ever made. The egg sandwich is delicious, and made even better when dipped into the shakshuka. My cappuccino was quite simply one of the best I’ve ever had. Did I mention they have Tahini donuts!!!
I can’t believe we waited this long to visit the SOFRA Bakery, a mistake that we will not make again!

What a delicious corner café! This little Mediterranean café reminded me of Tangerinos in Charleston due to their Argentinian music and delicious Mediterranean snacks.
They offered Turkish coffee, regular (delicious) coffees and teas (iced as well as hot). Pastries that were Mediterranean and a wide array of middle eastern snacks ranging from baba ganoush to lamb, spicy whipped feta to cauliflower/​brussel sprouts and pitas. They had mezza snack trays and entrees.
I sampled a 5 mezza plate with a delicious variety of hummus-​style scoops and I had the warm pita. Other options (for the gluten free) were fresh vegetables and crackers (not gluten free).
I also had a decaf cappucino which was divine. My girlfriend had a similar sample plate and a dragon tea (yummy!!) — j also had the earthquake cookie which was soooooo good. OMG don’t miss it.
Only drawback: limited seating and I didn’t check wifi. If I were there alone I would’ve checked to be sure it was a great writing spot as well (the ambiance called for it).
Check this place out, you’ll love it.