Page & Leaf Cafe

Once again, there is no place for people who just want to sit and meet a friend and have a coffee to sit at P&L. Every single table (including the 4-person tables) is taken by A single person on their computer. The food and service here are good, but the space is not welcoming at all. It’s a real disappointment because I love PSB, but I won’t be here frequently. Went to another café in Cambridge last Friday, where they have space designated as “no computer space”. It’s welcoming to those of us who just want a place to commune with friends. I wish this place could be the same.

Love a good cafe tucked inside a local bookstore like this. But this one actually takes the cafe part seriously. I’ve been to a few literary coffee spots in the city (including Cafe Zing down the street), and this place has the best food and drink selection. Plus, the layout works better here. The café area is more clearly separated from the bookstore space, which made it feel noticeably calmer and more relaxed than most spots in the city. Like most Cambridge spots, they use Iggy’s bread for their pastries and focaccia, so the baseline quality was guaranteed. Most sandwiches come with either pesto or chili crisp mayo, and honestly, both work really well with on the focaccia. I personally preferred the chili crisp mayo (Epilogue). Even with the strong umami from the salami and cheddar, the mayo still added an extra layer of richness without overpowering anything. Drink-wise, they use good-quality local coffee brews and teas, and everything I’ve tried so far has been good. Even without the bookstore charm, this would be a top-tier cafe. And a major bonus is that on weekdays, they offer 45-minute parking validation for the Lesley lot out back.

I love their chai latte (sweet but not too syrupy sweet), and their bagels are good too! AIUI they have the same ownership as Forge Bakery in Somerville and Diesel Cafe in Davis Square - this one is most convenient for me so it's my go-to. It's a little small so it can be tough to get a table sometimes, but the vibe (being inside Porter Square Books!) is nice.

Welcoming and friendly with a community atmosphere. Delicious bagels - crisp and chewy in just the right ways. The scallion cream cheese is delicious - I assume they make it themselves. I love that they have smoothies too, which are huge and very filling. Highly recommend.

This cafe is connected to a bookstore and that's enough for me to give it 5 stars 🌟 there's a few tables and areas for seating if you want to get some work done as well. For drinks, they offer coffees, teas smoothies, etc. You can also grab a quick bite here! I had a bagel sandwich and a matcha latte and both were great. Definitely will be coming here again in the future.