Café Rustica

review of their chai latte because it tasted like pure steamed milk. no chai flavors, albeit they steam milk pretty well
ps-there’s a credit card minimum that ordering just a chai didn’t hit

Ok this sandwich is the bomb. To me the best sandwich in Boston. It’s simple but it’s done so well. I like the rustica special and the Italian salami. I wish there was a combo special or a card for frequent fliers as that would make me come more but overall I’m satisfied and the price is not egregious (although higher than before) like so many other places around here.

This sandwich was amazing. I can’t express how much I loved the classic sandwich. I added avocado and prosciutto. The sandwich was huge and the service was great. I was liked on with a blister they offered of band aids and said take a seat and relax. Mind you it was 30 minutes before closing. If I am ever in Cambridge I will be sure to to stop in for a bite here.

Awesome little café lunch spot. Really nice baked goods, and the sandwiches I’ve had are all fresh and very tasty — and healthy!
Staff is very friendly, pretty welcoming place.
The space is pretty small inside, but they have a few small tables on the sidewalk side as well as a nice little garden space in the backyard

The staff here are incredibly friendly and personable, and are more than happy to help you make a good choice! The sandwiches are fresh and delicious, particularly the rustica special. Definitely worth a visit.

I live down the street from here, and it’s the perfect place to just hangout and read a book, or grab a quick bite to go. They have cute little benches along the wall with tables in front. It’s very cozy. The breakfast sandwiches are out of this world! I get ham, cheese, and egg on multigrain bread (or a bagel) and they are huge! I usually use a fork/​knife because it’s so large. They also have a good selection of tea, and will happily refill your mug with hot water.
This must be family owned/​operated, because the gentlemen who work here are always so polite and happy. They seem to really take pride in their shop & service. Overall great place. Happy to come here when I have time.

This place has one of the most friendliest staffs around. In addition to that it is one the few real cafes in the area. Being a real café means having seating area and allowing guests to stay as long as they want. However this alone is not what makes Café Rustica fantastic, what makes it so great is its food. I prefer the roast beef sandwich, which has roast beef, Brie, and roasted red peppers. I’ve been living in this area for 3 years and no place makes a better sandwich. Forget going to the overrated Panera or Pot Belly establishments, they don’t even hold a candle to Café Rustica. After the sandwich, be sure to get a chocolate chip cookie and a double iced latte. Few places if any do it better than Café Rustica.

This was my first time in and I will definitely be back! Café Rustica has such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and It’s quiet enough to read. I ordered a bacon egg and cheese on a ciabatta and it was excellent! The eggs were fluffy and the bread was soft. The iced americano was great also!

Fresh homemade soups and sandwiches. Very good and eager to please service with great Italian accents and finesse. Highly recommend! Great for take out also…

Really enjoyed lunch at Café Rustica this past weekend. They have a good selection of sandwiches with a variety of bread choices. The staff is very nice.
It gets pretty crowded so we were lucky to grab a table. I didn’t try any coffee, but it looked like a great place to get one. Coffee prices were good and they had an assortment of baked goods and breakfast sandwiches.

It’s always a pleasure to go here because it is so welcoming and personal. The food is also excellent! I’m a hot chocolate fan, and this place has one of the best, if not the best, in town. The café itself has a backyard for use when the weather is warm and racks of magazines and books for a lazy morning or afternoon. The owner is invested in providing delicious food and I recommend their special sandwich with mozzarella, tomato, prosciutto, and avocado. So so good.

This is literally my favorite coffee shop in the whole world. They’re right around the corner from my apartment, and the folks who own/​run it are literally the NICEST PEOPLE in the whole world. It’s the sort of place that is next to impossible to find anymore — where they remember their customers and the way they like their coffee, where you can relax with a book in the corner, where you can have a nice chat with a friend. Their sandwiches are tasty, their cookies are AWESOME, their prices are super reasonable, and the service is the best you’ll ever find.

Bravo. Stopped by for lunch one afternoon after the suggestion of the boy. He said he Unilocaled and saw that they had good sandwiches, and so we went. Upon entering, there weren’t many seats available but we scored us a pew. Before that, we scanned through the menu for something good. There was an assortment of breakfast foods and some sandwiches. We each got a sandwich — I got the turkey one with cibatta. It was delicious; and that’s coming from someone who isn’t a total sandwich fan. I’ll sure be back for sandwiches. Service was super friendly; very welcoming from workers there. They even offered the boy a biscotti because he bought an iced coffee. A nice hole in the wall.

They enjoy serving their customers. They have regulars and relationships with everyone that walks in there. The spicy sandwich I got on ciabatta was great. The atmosphere was quant and cozy. I’ll come back to get more good light food here in the future.

This is a cute little café. Nothing fancy, for sure, but small and nice. Incredibly friendly service, surprisingly good food, and pretty good coffee.
This place is small – only about 6 small tables on the inside. Quiet background music plays, set to some radio station, perhaps. This is not a loud place – seems like a great place to have a 1 on 1 conversation or to get some work done.
The owner seems to work the front often, and he is an incredibly personable human being. He manned the register and treated me very kindly, and he seems quite accommodating.
I came in the early afternoon, and I ordered a latte and a croissant. Sadly they were mostly out of pastries for the day – all they could offer was a muffin, a few chocolate chip cookies, and some cake. I opted for the chocolate chip cookie and I was really pleasantly surprised! It was awesome – lots of flavor, nice and big, and inexpensive. The coffee was unexceptional but perfectly fine. This isn’t a «coffee shop» as much as it is a café and sandwich place.

I live right around the corner from this place and I absolutely love it! I probably eat way too many of their «rustica specials» but I’m ok with that. It’s a simple item, basically a caprese sandwich, but it’s divine. It’s a perfect lunch and a great hangover meal (trust me). Plus the service there is impeccable, if not a little slow (worth the wait though). Just the other day I popped in for a coffee and forgot that I couldn’t use my card for such a small purchase, I only had $ 1 in cash but the guy at the register said that was fine! Anywhere else would make me order a meal just to reach the card limit rather than undercharge me. These guys run a good shop, I’ll keep coming back for the foreseeable future.
Side note: I’m not a big coffee drinker and only drink it black, but theirs is better than any other nearby options.

Stumbled upon this place while on a bike ride through Somerville and boy am I glad I did. Maybe one of the BEST roast beef sandwiches I’ve ever had. Choice of fresh bread was a nice touch, they didn’t skimp on the brie, and the veggies were perfect. Can’t wait to return and try the rest of the menu!

Wonderful atmosphere, excellent coffee and sandwiches, it’s run by very friendly, happy people.

Do not let the ambiance scare you away. The best sandwich we had on our vacation. Bread was fresh and toasted perfect without being too hard. I had the chicken salad, it was moist without being over dressed. My husband had the Italian meat sandwich. Both were incredible. Mocha-​chino was made with very high quality chocolate and served nice and hot. Service was incredible. It is not McDonald’s, you do need to be patient but know they are making it fresh.

Very charming staff, everything I ordered was very good. The bathroom is in the basement with 5 foot ceiling so best to avoid that if you can. Pressed mozzarella and pesto sandwich was very good as was the barley vegetable soup and carrot cake. Recommended.

Café Rustica gets 5 stars for many reasons, but I shall mention just a few:
The first is that they are some of the most warm, welcoming kind people I’ve ever come across in a café, and in life in general. They take time to learn your name. They trust you’ll pay when you leave, and always serve you with a smile. They are some of the happiest people I’ve ever met, and they’ve often reminded me to wake up and smell the roses. When I lived in Cambridge, I would roll out of bed and go straight to Café Rustica. Best way to start the day.
They are some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. They keep quite an eclectic collection of vintage reading material. They keep a daily French vocabulary calendar for customers. They speak 50 languages… well, atleast I’ve been able to identify Arabic and French.
Okay, onto the second thing. They make the best espresso in town.
The third, they make the best sandwiches in town. I bring my out-​of-​town guests, coworkers, friends, and family here with confidence. Rustica special (get it pressed) or the salami were our go to items. They also make a delicious bean salad that became my favorite just before I moved.
The fourth is that their cookies are really, really good. I exercise nearly everyday and despite my boyfriend’s efforts to make me eat like I’m training to become a pro wrestler, I had to have a Rustica cookie pretty much everyday for three months.
The fifth is that they believe in community. They know everyone, and everyone knows them. Just take a look at their impressive post card collection. We actually met a great friend at Rustica, and ended up helping him build a natural fence for the backdoor seating area.
There is no reason to complain about Café Rustica. And if you do, I guess you didn’t get the memo that cafes are about more than just snobbier served with a cold drip coffee from a roaster in LA that was featured in… whatever. A true café is about the combination of great people, great atmosphere, coffee you can sip slowly, and food that is made with love.

This place was everything I wanted it to be, quiet, authentic Italian and Italian (s). The guys working were really friendly and funny and treated us like a guest that entered their house for dinner. The Rustica special i’d put in the top 3 sandwiches i’ve had in my ENTIRE life. I’m always on the search for the best sandwiches and this place blew me away. I took half home with me and it was just as good two hours later. My girlfriend and I were thinking a couple days later that we wished we could go back. Such a laid back place with the highest quality ingredients, whenever i’m in Boston, i’ll be stopping by again

I had coffee and a croissant breakfast sandwich.
I don’t think to egg is real, I suspect it’s Egg Beaters which I personally don’t find appealing. the sausage on it was a link cut in half. also not appealing.
the coffee was rather bitter and you can’t put
your own milk/​cream in which may seem silly but if you like a lot of cream or just a tiny amount its a big inconvenience.
I will def not be back for breakfast.

I had the delicious sandwich, tomatoes fresh mozzarella with pesto on focaccia for lunch. I had a cup of soy latte as well.

Sometimes I meet someone who lives in Porter who hasn’t been to Café Rustica. They’ve never heard of it. I have a reserved slot of time every night where I cry for them and everyone else who’s missing out on the revelry that is this seemingly simple sandwich shop.
Their sandwiches steal the show, and while their breakfast and coffee may not be the best around, it doesn’t have to be. They have a secret weapon that make them a near perfect establishment. The Rustica Special.
Fresh mozzarella. A baguette baked that morning. Pesto that gives you flashbacks to a space and time you never lived in. Tomatoes so red you can’t help but think they’re trying to push some Communist agenda down your throats, but no, they’re just locally grown tomatoes!
An outdoor patio. A sense of communal love for the place by every guest. The owners listen to your praise or criticism, delivering the food to you personally no matter where you try to hide, and even take the time to ask your name and get to know you. A family owned and operated shop within five minutes form the Porter T stop… how is this place not always booming?
Bottom line, a woman once came in, and while I was waiting for my order she told me she’d just come from Italy, and the sandwiches were just as good here. I’d already judged the place for myself, but now I can tell people that they’re just as good as an actual café in Italy. Don’t miss out! Unless you hate joy and good food. Then avoid this place at all costs.

Do you like apples? How do you like those apples? And by apples I mean yummy pressed sandwiches. Got me a Rustica Special on a baguette at the advice of the señor behind the counter. Regardless it was tasty even with the unusually extra salty prosciutto add on making the grand total just under $ 10. Worth it? Yes. Making this sammy my reg not so much. But if this samma jamma is within a radius of where I’m at then I’ll pop my head in and say Holla, Hola and Hello.

3.2÷5.0
Having tried Dave’s Fresh Pasta’s and Flour’s, the sandwich here is just okay, slightly above average, but not what I expected from the reviews. The bread was hard and chewy. I wish it had been crispier, a little bit lighter and served hotter (the chewy part is great Keep it up.) The tomato slices was seasoned and presoaked which made them very juicy and flavorful. The tomato slices and the mustard spread were the best parts of my Turkey sandwich. The turkey meat was just mediocre.
Throughout my little journey of sandwich tasting, I would say Dave’s is still the best unbeatable candidate (Flour comes second). I am not a big fan of sandwiches so I would only stick with these two to-​go-​when-​I-​am-​really-​craving-​for-​sandwiches favorites.

I noticed this little café on my way home from work the other day. I made it a point to stop this morning for coffee. The customer service here is excellent! The man who helped me was so friendly and had a great sense of humor. It’s so refreshing to meet people like this and it helped set my morning off on the right foot. The coffee was good as well.
Five stars for customer service and coffee. I plan to return very soon and try the food. Once I do I will be sure to update my review. So happy I discovered this little place.

What a great idea it was to come here! The service is warm and friendly, and the Rustica special alone is something I could see myself coming back here time and time again for. Go ahead and walk the few extra blocks from Porter Square — you’ll be glad you did!

The sandwiches are SOLID. I was walking by this place on my way to Panera and thought «hmmm»
As I stood in line I did what I always do, open up the Unilocal app and do a quick background check. I got really excited that a lot of people raved about it and after I ate I was super happy that I did not end up at Panera.
I got the Rustica special + proscuitto on focaccia and it was awesome. It was like mozzarella steaks with proscuitto piled on top. The focaccia was the right amount of crunchy without it being too abrasive giving me a thousand microcuts on the roof of my mouth because you know that happens sometimes.
I would definitely come back here. Very yum! Also, in the back they have a little patio with some tables and chairs surrounded by huge trees. It was such a quaint little backyard-​forest-​y dining experience. Very happy to have discovered this place!

Love this place. Charming owner who can rock a statement hat is lively and seems to know everyone who comes in, and is welcoming to those new to the place. Super friendly and cheerful even early Tues morning. We also overheard him speaking fluent French to a customer. Chicken salad on ciabatta was light and delicious. Red onions fresh, so you really taste them. Prosciutto added to the Rustica Special on ciabatta was really good, fresh and tasty with fresh provolone that resembled something more like fresh mozerella.
They served Barry’s tea, which was a very pleasant surprise. Had the Barry’s Gold. The owner serves you himself. Excellent atmosphere with uplifting classical music. Good prices. Filling servings. Definitely a gem in Somerville, if you can get out here. The place is cozy, maybe seating around 20 people at a time, but the ambiance is still fantastic, and the prices right.

I came by here on a whim one Sunday morning and had a really pleasant experience. The café was full, even early, but a table opened within minutes. My mom and I had the ciabatta bread with eggs, bacon, and mushrooms. A wonderful breakfast though it could’ve used a bit more salt. The coffee was also quite good.
What really made it a good experience was the people working there. They were so friendly, full of smiles, and jokes. They seemed to know all the locals and carried on conversations with people. All in all, a wonderful neighborhood café.