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It has always baffled this Bostonist that the only coffeeshop in Washington Square is a zoo-like Starbucks, with lines out the door and a riot of strollers, dogs and SUVs parked constantly outside. With so many affluent, cosmopolitan, liberal-leaning residents nearby, we thought, an independent coffeeshop serving better coffee in a more genteel setting would be warmly welcomed.
Et voila! Enter Cafe Fixe, a new coffeeshop just across Beacon Street that opened today (and is already busy making friends by offering free drinks to all comers, with or without a voting sticker).
Our first impressions, after the jump.
Cafe Fixe's minimalist storefront sits between The Fireplace and the Public House, and is so subtle it's easy to miss. Inside, the decor is bare-bones, with freshly-painted white walls and a hanging ceiling of recycled plastic tiles. Simple wood tables, adorned with an orchid here and there, sit half-full already in the sunlight. Behind the small counter, there's an enormous fancy milk machine that serves up protein-rich milk from Berkshire cows.
On this visit, Bostonist perused the short list of coffees, which include regular and French press options and a variety of European classic espressos, and the tea list, which is short, well-curated and thankfully descriptive. Our eyes drifted over to the crusty, perfect croissants inside the small pastry case, and we finally settled on a top-notch lemon scone and a simple peppermint tea.
Sitting down at a high-top table, we realized how long it had been since we had a cup of tea "for here", in a real mug, with a real saucer, and a real teapot, where the fresh green leaves sat steeping in a real tea strainer. This level of sophistication (and environmental friendliness) has been so long gone from the chain coffeeshops we're forced to frequent in Boston, it seems almost quaint -- which makes this breakfast taste even better.
The best part? The prices are reasonable ($2 for a pot of tea, with most drinks missing that "four dollar latte" mark).
One note: Cafe Fixe currently carries only decaf espresso, no decaf coffee -- a fact which disappointed more than one Brookline senior citizen this morning.
(All photos taken by Ryan Weaver.)
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The tea list is longer than most cafes, and the variety is pretty wide.
And most importantly, the coffee is good! My latte was very tasty, although their lack of skim milk is a little strange
I tried a free Café au lait (all coffee drinks were free today) at Café Fixe, and it was great. I'll be back. There's also free wifi.
Speaking of wifi, the problem with the Starbucks is hardly the strollers. It's the students on laptops for six hours, nursing one cup of coffee.
Also, don't forget Athen's. That's three great coffee joints in one block.
Add the Road House, New Rod Dee Thai place, Publik House Provisions beer store, and Washington Square is really upgrading lately.