3.5 stars. I like this place. It's just... it's expensive for a café. Their coffee is good (it's the barismo kind, the one that also gets bike-delivered to Clover and other local coffee shops) and their baked goods are seriously bangin', just expensive, as well. I'm not usually one to complain about the price of things if I really enjoy what I'm getting, but when I was here with my hubby and we wanted a "quick" bite to eat before a hike at the White Mountains one Saturday morning, we sat by the beautiful open front window, and it seemed like the baristas/waiters forgot about us for like 10-15 minutes because we saw people who went after us get their drinks before us. I understand that cafés are usually a relaxed atmosphere, but I think here it was just too relaxed. Come here if you don't mind waiting a while for your drink. These are one of those places that local professors/graduate students come to grade blue books, write papers, so it's natural to share a table with them. Just don't expect Starbucks service here, especially with the drip coffee! read more

I stopped by Dwelltime on a random Saturday afternoon when I first moved to Cambridge a few months ago. I was abhorred to learn about their "analog weekends." No wifi, seriously? I could understand if as a business strategy they don't want customers lingering for hours, having only bought a coffee--as I intended to do--taking up valuable table space. Still, it annoyed me enough that I haven't returned. This place could be great if they: 1) had weekend wifi and 2) had a couch here and there. read more

Yes, they care about their coffee, and as a result the coffee is good. But they show less concern about their customers, and as a result the overall experience is middling. The last pour-over place I went, the barista asked if I liked my coffee and was engaged and prepared to do something about my response, but not here even though the cafe was empty...instead the two baristas were busy discussing how to get better at pulling shots. Or I used to frequent a great vacuum-brew cafe where the coffee was described in voluminous loving detail both in the menu and by the barista so that the customer could pick the best match for his/her palate, but here I was told, "I recommend the XXXXX because I think it's brewing well today," with no explanation of flavor notes, roast level, etc. Clearly I can't reasonably compare any one cafe against the best features cherry-picked from dozens of cafés across the country, but it is fair to say that Dwelltime's primary goal does not appear to be pleasing the customer...and why don't they put a bit more effort into that? I am glad that they serve good coffee (even though pour-over is not my favorite), and I would stop in if I found myself within a block or so, but I don't plan on going out of my way when I can get somewhat worse coffee and a better experience anywhere in town. So for the coffee and the tasty pastries, 4 stars, but I hope they do some market research and get an outside evaluation of their customers' typical experience. read more

I'm in love with the coffee, which is some of the best I've had. It's a nice break from the bitter, over-roasted offerings at other establishments. I wish their non-coffee options were more fleshed out (when I once asked what kinds of tea they had, one of the options mentioned was "black"... um, OK, that narrows it down...) but it doesn't really feel fair to denigrate a coffee bar for focusing on their coffee. The pork belly sandwich is good. I haven't tried the pastries. Perhaps they're worth the eye-popping expense, but I haven't been willing to commit yet. (The case they're in is singularly uninviting and disorganized, though - things are frequently labeled wrong, and as far as I can tell there's no allergy labeling, which for a nut allergy sufferer like me is a serious problem.) In my experience, the service has been hit or miss. Some folks behind the counter have been delightful, some have been snotty. I don't mind that it takes a while to get my order, although I do wish they were clearer about whose order is up when. I agree with other reviewers that the layout is sort of a disaster, and that the TV is a waste of space. (Why is there a TV?) I'm glad it's airy and spacious and you don't have to trip over people like you do in 1369. However, I feel like there's a happy medium that both places have missed. read more

Definitely don't come to Barismo if you're looking to get fresh espresso. I was told for lattes and other espresso drinks they use a "draft" (they don't even pull fresh espresso shots for their beverages?) How do they call their employees "baristas." My iced latte? Tasted burnt and honestly not drinkable. Out of all the cafes in Boston, this is definitely the worst. Next time I'll just be going to Barrington. read more

Hooray for amazing coffee right near my apartment! Nothing like strong coffee, made in perfection at a locally run and operated coffee spot. And if you are hungry they have food too! We tried two of their baked goods which they bake in house, a double chocolate cookie and a vegan apple spice muffin thing, and both were pretty good, but not the most amazing pastry things we had ever had. I eyed some of the lunch food that came around to the other tables near me, lots of sandwiches and whatnot which looked pretty fresh. But my latte--that is where my happiness was. You can tell that the baristas here take true pride in creating each drink that is ordered. They put in a ton of time and effort and energy and they smile lots when they walk it over to your table. So nice to be smiled at in a coffee shop. That doesn't happen as often as it should. There isn't a ton of tables in here, but they are working on it. So sign their petition when you come here and then more people can enjoy their delicious coffee! And it also isn't one of those places you come and sit at to do work for hours at a time either. I am definitely one of those people who love to bring my laptop and do power work sessions, but this place is more for an hour, hanging out with friends, and just sip and sit back and enjoy your coffee kind of place. read more

Stopped in to hang out w my friend and grab some lunch. First, it's a nice open place with a lot of sunlight. The front was open and allowed a breeze, which was nice. The baristas were more or less a pain. They had plenty of attitude (not jerks really, but also not that nice) but got what I wanted. I drank some tea, which they steeped for the appropriate amount of time 4 times as I asked them (you get 5 steeps per hot tea). It was fine. They described it with all sorts of wonderful flavors, but it was basically just tea. I also ate a turkey sandwich. It was fine. Nothing special but okay. read more

Dwelltime looks so nice from the outside that you just have to know more (at least compared to the surroundings). After driving past for months we finally decided to dive in and see what it was all about. Ordering: The flow of traffic in Dwelltime was obviously in mind when they designed the space. However, even though the line stays out of the way of the seating area, it is pretty confusing. After you order, it is kind of a cluster to the register and then even after that there is a lot of people walking not knowing where to go. This of course was on a Saturday and generally people get that way on the weekend. Coffee: The coffee speaks for itself. It is pour-over, so each cup is brewed with care. The beans are high quality and very tasty. The price is high but that is the type of coffee you are buying. I was frustrated to not have more options on the menu. I wanted a double espresso and I got looked at like I had 3 heads. When my order came I only had one, :( Atmosphere: It is a cool space, high ceilings, active kitchen with a window in on the action. That being said, there are TONS of kids in here. The neighborhood is a very family oriented one. With kids comes tons of MESS. Nobody was really cleaning up during the Saturday rush hour and all of the tables and chairs were dirty. Maybe that was from the adults, who knows. Either way someone needed to be wiping up the mess. I also thought the space was under utilized. They could easily fit more tables in. If you are lucky enough to get a window seat you can do some great people watching. read more

Hm. Visited here on Saturday with a friend. I'd been here for coffee once before, but found it a little overpriced. This trip reaffirmed that. $10 for a plate of roasted vegetables and grits. The grits were nice- tasty, with just the right amount of cheese- but lukewarm. The veggies were cold. $3 for a mug of tea. Seriously. A mug. Like, a typical, in-your-cabinet, 4-6 ounce mug. And they don't even give you the bag or a steeper so you can ask for more hot water. At that price, a refill is not unreasonable. read more

I live 2 blocks away and have been coming here regularly for the last 9 months. As a frequent patron of coffee shops all around the Boston area I can assure you I haven't found one better. Dwelltime (which actually refers to an technical term used to describe the brewing time on coffee) is roaster owned by Barismo which is based in Arlington. The only other coffee shop in this area offering a variety of brewing methods (Dwelltime uses pour over in a V60) is Blue State on Comm Ave and FlatBlack in Southie. You won't find coffee knowledge like this at Pavement, Bloc 11, or Diesel. The cafe food is incredible and could stand alone as it's own entity. The only cafe food I've had that rivals it is at Thinking Cup but even they aren't close. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The pastry and dessert selection (also all made in house) is unreal. They usually have 2 rotating espressos, a cold brew, 2 rotating coffees, cider and orange juice, and and awesome selection if tea. I'm confident that anyone who rated this place less than 4 hasn't spent enough time here or at other cafés in the area to do t justice. read more

I'm not sure this is the fault of Dwelltime, but my score is a reflection of my experience, in part as a result of reading Yelp reviews before visiting. I saw this place on Yelp, needed to do work with a couple people, and decided to check it out. We get there, order iced coffees, sit down. First, the coffee was delicious - all of us enjoyed them quite a bit. Servers were somewhat friendly but never went out of their way, which is totally fine. Second, this place has NO WIFI. Again, we went there to do work, having read Yelp, which claimed there was free wifi. The servers told us there was no wifi at all. No explanation, nothing. It was incredibly frustrating. It's not like we were cafe squatters either - it was midday on a Monday, so the place wasn't exactly hopping, and we were only planning on staying an hour/hour and a half. I'm not sure what the deal is, if maybe they once had wifi. If not for that issue, they would get four stars. Again, not sure it's the business's fault, but it caused some consternation, thus this mediocre review. read more

The food seemed overpriced and mediocre (frittada was good, but my veggies were cold). But what really prompted me to write this review is their attempt to reboot society's socialization and get people's noses out of their computers and into each others' business by restricting internet access. Apparently, they don't allow you to use their WiFi on the weekends - nor are any computers allowed at the tables. However, you can use your laptop (sans WiFi) at the bar. As a writer, I like to use my weekends to sit in a coffee shop and work on some stuff. I need the internet for research purposes - and find their "Cambridge-forward thinking-PC-ness" a bit too much for my taste. read more

So I haven't had a croissant here for a long time (switched to yogurt, preserves, and granola). The croissants they had before the name change (from Dwelltime to Bariwere as good as the ones I have had in Paris (amazing and worthwhile). I had one this afternoon and it was okay. Hopefully it was just the result of baking it in the morning and letting it sit out all day. I will be greatly disappointed if the quality has declined. On the plus side their lunches have gotten a little bit larger and many now include a delicious fontina grilled cheese. Overall thoughts: Lattes -- the best in Camberville. A pure and clean flavor. Cold brew -- I prefer 1369's so I don't get it here. I don't really like their variant, though many do. Yeasted waffles (brunch menu) -- amazing when it was still Dwelltime Croissants -- as good as in Paris when fresh (at least when it was Dwelltime) Other pastries -- still worthwhile Yogurt w/ preserves and house made granola -- one of the three emerging styles in Camberville. This does not include Sophia's Greek yogurt (A4/Bloc 11/etc.), it doesn't contain fresh fruit cut on site (Clover), but is in strong contention for the top yogurt style. Since the styles are so different my preference changes based on mood. There is no absolute best. read more

One of my favorite coffee shops in the Boston area. It's a good place for hanging out and getting some work done, although be warned that there is no wifi. Both the cappuccino and the espresso here are stellar. The pastries are also consistently good. Usually the croissants are very good, though there is some variability. Sometimes I've had just good croissants and a couple of times I have had the best croissants I've had in the Boston area. I'm also a big fan of the strawberry rosemary scone. While the cafe side of Barismo is wonderful, I'm less a fan of their lunch and brunch. It's fine, but not to the same standard as the coffee or pastries. read more

Barismo - Cappucino and strawberry rosemary scone. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dwelltime is local roaster Barismo's foray into coffee shoppery, and it's a good thing. Top-notch pourover brewed coffee is tremendously flavorful, the espresso is delicious, and the cold brewed coffee on tap is strong and smooth. All seriously excellent and a staple of my weekend (and occasionally weekday) mornings. Unlike the standing-only bar in Arlington, you can do fun coffee shop things here like sit, eat, and that kind of thing, and enjoy coffee that's just as good as you would at their roastery. It's a warm, inviting space and I love the stand-up copper coffee bar -- the perfect place to wait for a friend while sipping on an espresso and chitchatting teh finer points of caffeination with the baristas. The pastries made on site can be hit-or-miss, but usually err on the side of good. Still, you're here for the coffee, and the coffee is fantastic. read more

This cafe does relatively few things, but it does them extraordinarily well. The coffee is phenomenal. The pastries are great, especially the croissants (with actual texture!). With limited seating available, the decision to discourage wi-fi campers is reasonable (for those thus discouraged, might I recommend Darwin's a block over?). A side note: The reviewer who complains about the name's irony is missing the analogy completely. If "Dwelltime" is the time the hot water reacts with the ground beans, it's supposed to be just the right amount of time, not terribly long at all. read more

Good: amazing coffee, both espresso-based and pour-over. Bad: all customer service related aspects. Key locations ie. Where to order, pay and pick up are not clear. The person who is (presumably?) supposed to take your order often can't muster up simple acknowledgment of customers. No apologies for screwing up or giving away your order. Can't comment on: the baked goods as I didn't try them. They are made on the premises though. Don't add too much milk to your $4 pour-over - this type of coffee usually turns out cooler than others :( Dollars: $4 for a latte, $3-4 for a smallish cup of coffee. read more

I haven't spent any time hanging out in Dwelltime - just run in a couple times for pastries. The space feels airy and is brightly lit so it seems like it would be a nice place to spend an afternoon. Delicious: watermelon macaroon, sweet potato scone, and cheese puffs that practically melt in your mouth. Not delicious: no nut allergy labeling. I didn't find out until my 2nd visit that all of their macaroons are made with ALMOND FLOUR for the gluten-free. The only place this is written is inside their menu. It never occurred to me that a watermelon macaroon might contain almonds so I didn't mention my allergy. It was delicious and watermelon-y as the guy behind the counter told me it was, but I could have done without the allergic reaction (which made no sense at the time). :( I nearly bought another one today until I saw the note. I mentioned to them that it would be nice if they made a note of this on the glass of the case where the macaroons live, but from the look I was given, I'm not sure they took it very seriously. Although the macaroons are the only baked goods they make with almond flour, they do note that they can't guarantee there isn't cross-contamination in the kitchen, so if you're really allergic to almonds, you shouldn't eat there. read more

I love this coffee shop, and I think it might be the best one I've found so far in Cambridge/Boston. The coffee is excellent, never too roasted, which gives it a bit of sourness that I really enjoy. The food options are just as good: the pastries are creative and really good (the rosemary-strawberry scone!!!) and the lunch/brunch menus are both really tasty. The portions are not huge, but they're always enough to make me feel satiated. I like that there is no wifi: people still come here to work, but most people are working on books or paper: so much nicer than a bunch of people staring at their laptop! read more

I'm another of Dwelltime's neighbors who is really disappointed. First of all, the design is horrible. The seating can accomodate about 20 people max. Service is ever so lackadaisical. I ordered a chai latte that took more than 10 minutes to prepare - and the shop was practically empty. The staff couldn't be more self-important and acted as though they had all the time in the world to prepare orders. The chai was tepid and tasteless at best. I gave them another try last week. This time I ordered a pot of tea. The cheery baristo said I get three steepings. Well, the tea was good, but I only had two of my three parts of my order because Mr. Cheerful was talking behind the bar. My friend also had to wait a long time for his coffee. My experience with Dwelltime wasn't miserable, but their current formula is a recipe for disaster. Coffee lovers aren't going to flock there unless they can improve the turnaround time with orders. I've never purchased food there, but their prices could be more reasonable. In September the school building across the street from them will be occupied. If they want return business, they need to get it together quickly. To think I wrote a letter of support to the zoning board for the owner. Oh well... read more

Lots of vegan-friendly options! And Yelp needs to tag it as such! Very vegan and vegetarian friendly. That was the main purpose of this review. As for the coffee, I've only had one pour over here one time but I liked it. As for the service, nothing special. I didn't feel ignored but I wasn't welcomed with open arms and a foot massage. The set up of this place sucks. Although the design is really good, all of the other reviews are right; there isn't any direction or logical method of viewing the menu/getting your order taken/paying. The "front" of the counter is actually facing the right-hand side of the store, instead of the entrance and there is no signage or anything to orient you. I didn't even realize they had food and baked goods for a whole 5 minutes because what faces you is the pour-over counter and the coffee menu. read more

I love the space, the atmosphere, the music. The desserts are good too. The sandwiches are often odd, and take 20 minutes to be prepared. By odd I mean the turkey sandwich was basically a sloppy turkey stew scooped onto toast - had to eat it with a fork. And for some reason they don't offer cream or 1/2 & 1/2 for your coffee. What's the deal with that? Great place to sit, I'd go else where for lunch or a coffee-to-go. read more

The iced coffee I had was good, but I think it's a bit over priced. Important to note: this place does NOT have wifi, unlike their yelp page states. read more

Decent espresso though a bit inconsistent. Can get a bit noisy - conversations had at the other end of the cafe can be heard which makes it less suitable for working. Free internet and plenty of table space to work from during the day but quite busy on the weekends. read more

I am docking another star from Dwelltime because they treat their employees like they are dispensable. I have talked to a number of former baristas who worked there and they all told me of how poorly they were treated. "I am training you but I could be training anyone else" was a common refrain. Don't trust me? Check out their ridiculously high turnover rate. Someday Dwelltime will close and the owners will blame it on their customers' lack of taste. The fact is DT has been tone deaf to its customers and employees. It is all very sad because we were all rooting for you before you alienated all of us. read more

This place does NOT have internet. They will tell you they do but it almost never works. I don't mind if a place tells you they don't have internet - at least you are aware and can plan ahead not to work there. But it's incredibly obnoxious for a place to say they have wifi and then not provide it. Dwelltime - it is the 21st century. Please fix your wifi. People have shit to do and lives to live. This is my second negative yelp review ever and I gave it to you, Dwelltime. I really wanted to like you but you made it so hard. I get that you guys are a hipstery place but not sure why that has to mean crappy wifi and no outlets. Also, about half the staff are pleasant and the other half are self-righteous and obnoxious. When you pay $4 for coffee and after pouring some cream in your coffee the cream curdles, the barista's response should not be "we get our cream from a special creamery and that's normal for our cream." No one wants to drink $4 coffee with curdled cream. I don't care how special your cream is. And then please do not make someone wait half an hour before you finally give them a new cup of coffee because you are a spiteful jerk that can't handle someone disliking your cream. They do have really great sandwiches. Bottom line - if you plan to ever use the internet while you are drinking your coffee or are on a budget or just don't want to pay $4 for coffee - do not got to this place. read more

This place is committed to quality and owner continues to work out kinks (that's been visible) read more

Barismo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The ALT crossaint sandwich with an egg on it is to die for. They usually serve it with a seasonal vegetable salad. So good! Also a fan of their scones. Happy to have this spot in the neighborhood!! read more

Okay you're a coffee shop in the 21st century that's located between two major universities and you don't have public WiFi... wtf?!? Coffee is good and the staff is nice, so there's that but the no WiFi is beyond absurd. Won't be back. read more

This small coffee shop in Cambridge serves up some delicious fresh brewed coffee. The staff is super friendly and happy to help while you wait. There pastries are not bad either and make for a good breakfast in a pinch. The coffee is excellently roasted and brewed and comes out with a great depth of flavor, even in the cold brew. read more

Solid neighborhood cafe. I live a few blocks from Barismo and it's my go-to when I'm working from home and want a quick and easy lunch (I default to the chicken burrito) or coffee option. It's easy to place an order online and then my order is waiting at the window for contactless pickup. read more

Solid latte and pretty good food, although a little slow. I took off one star for not having internet access available, and another star for making me ask nicely to use a credit card and being slow. I'll still go back there on occasion because it is so close to where I live. read more

Best coffee in town by a large margin. Nice staff. Lovely atmosphere. Great for lunch. If you care more about the coffee and less about never ending internet, this is the place! You'll be more productive here. Wish they still made the walnut cookies from way back... they were so delicious. read more

Great for a neighborhood spot! There's not much in the immediate area so dwelltime is a great middle ground between Central and Inman Square. Coffee is good, usually an assortment of baked goods and house-made yogurt. The space is nice. Open and well-kept. It's a good space to work off-peak hours, but otherwise gets relatively crowded. read more

Kudos to Dwelltime for reading their reviews and addressing them. I came back after watching a co-worker drool over their latte and I have been pleasantly surprised that they seem a lot friendlier and interested in customer service. It is an excellent (if expensive) cup of coffee and I always appreciate when businesses take their feedback to heart and do something. read more

I live right around the corner from Dwelltime and have walked by that space a million times before it was open and thought the building had potential to be something cool and Dwelltime lives up to that expectation. Combined with Gather Here, Broadway Bike School, and a couple of art galleries that are soon to open, this stretch of Broadway will be a nice place to walk by on my way home. As for Dwelltime itself, based on the craftsmanship of the interior and exterior space, it gets a 5 hands down. As for the coffee, I'm not much of an espresso drinker which seems to be their focus, but I did order the Pour Over Coffee - which is just a better way (I guess) to say manual drip coffee which I really enjoyed. It was strong, but I didn't mind at all. I didn't have any of the baked goods, but I'll be back soon to try them out and I believe they will have more lunch foods in the future available. Given that I went on the opening day, there was an obvious crowd of people and the system for ordering was a little confusing, but I'm sure that will get better with time. The baristas, however, were really friendly and made sure you were taken care of if you weren't exactly sure what to do. Having only been there once, I'd say they were the nicest coffee shop workers in Cambridge. Apparently, some other places in Cambridge that will remain nameless think pouring a cup of coffee is a personal hardship - not the case here. Finally, I read on their website today that they have applied for more seating with the City of Cambridge, so once they get that issue worked out this will probably be my top choice in the neighborhood to hang out. Their post also mentioned something about cold brew on tap... I really hope that means beer and not some new fancy way to serve cold coffee. Wishful thinking? Probably. Overall, I'm giving Dwelltime a 4, but once they get some of the bugs worked out, I'd have no problem giving them a 5. read more

The atmosphere is really nice. Big, open, clean space. I've tried a pour-over and a housemade almond milk latte. Both delicious - I'm more of a black coffee kind of gal. But huge props to making your own nut milk! Bravo! read more

Came across this spot meandering the streets of Cambridge. Although I only had an ice tea, it was a cool little establishment to get coffee. My friend got coffee and he really liked it. Every Thursday they have coffee tasting at 3pm. They also seem to really take pride in their cold brewed coffee. There is lots of space to read a paper or book while sipping your coffee. They also take credit cards, you have to sign an ipad and the receipt gets emailed or text messaged to you. read more

Excellent pour over. I had the Ethiopian blend. Very smooth and robust. Limited baked goods and a quiche also available. Of course free wifi. Pleasant wait staff. Definitely worth a return visit on my next trip to Cambridge. read more

Pretty disappointed in my experience here today. I asked for a drip coffee and got a small cup of draft coffee watered down with scalding hot water. Because of the size of my mug, it was watered down. To add insult to injury, either the coffee was too hot or the cream had turned, and so all of the cream curdled. The barista made it right and I think she was trying to be nice, but kept telling me to wait a minute, and I definitely wasn't fussing or rushing her. I guess if you don't have drip coffee, tell people when they order it, and make sure the cream is fresh :) I'll prob give it another try though. read more