This place is a great neighborhood cafe! Probably the only thing I like about Waltham. Their coffee is really good - I've tried their Dean's Beans brewed coffee, cold press, and espresso drinks, and they have all been great! There are also lots of seats so it's a great place to study, work, or chat. The pastries I've had haven't been as good, hence the 4 stars. Not terrible, just a little dry. But I come here for the coffee anyway and it's fantastic! read more

I just had a chuckle as I read a few of the reviews that called anything in this place pricey. My cousin and I hit the Cafe after a super delicious lunch at Elephant Walk. The first thing I commented on/marveled about was how inexpensive everything is! I'm from NYC and live in Miami Beach-- I'll show you freakin expensive. We really dug the space...what a luxury to have that kind of square footage for a cafe. The woman who helped me was super friendly and made a coffee suggestion which was great. Sipping now and feeling groovy. Tasty cawfee. Now, I'm not a sweets person, but as everything looked fresh and inviting, I grabbed a couple of cookies for bf. Great spot. Stop in if you find yourself in these parts. read more

I'm sitting in Cafe on the Common as I write this, because they FINALLY got their wireless connection back after months of not giving a damn whether or not it even existed - despite the "Internet Cafe" sign on the window. Oops. The coffee is phenomenal, but the staff is generally rude and the food is skimpy and overpriced. The best thing about the Cafe is that it's in Waltham. Period. Waltham has a serious lack of cafes, and this place fills that need - except for closing at 6pm, of course. Avoid the cupcakes - they tend to be overchilled and just plain nasty. read more

Pretty much the only noteworthy european-american style Café in Waltham. The sandwiches and wraps are good/overpriced, but the leaf and bean selection is quality and the vibe is nice. The pasteries are not awesome, but not much local competition so... Generally good music, free WiFi, plenty of seating. read more

Had a casual business lunch here and my reaction is its overpriced and the staff are not friendly at all. I got a ham sandwich, small bag of chips and an iced tea and it was like $13.50. Huh? That seems a little high to me for what I got. I didnt like the iced tea and politely brought it back to the counter and asked if I could have a glass of water with lemon instead and the girl behind the counter seemed annoyed I did this. I was embarassed by her attitude because it was in front of business people I was meeting with for the first time. The others at my table were chuckling at her rude attitude to make light of an embarassing situation. She didnt offer me my money back for the iced tea I didnt like even though I just took 1 sip. The food wasn't memorable and the experience is something I'd rather forget. I've never been back. NY Deli is around the corner and I'll get a better lunch at a lower price there without testy staff. read more

Worked next door last summer. Went in at least twice a day for iced coffee, iced tea, or limeade. I also liked their burrito (comes with corn chips and salsa), although it wasn't anything to write home about. Their quiche of the day also tends to be pretty good. Prices are a bit on the high side, but you get what you pay for. YOU MUST TRY THE ICE CREAM. Very few people seem to and it's a shame. Very rich and creamy. Ask for a milkshake if you're in the mood for something over the top. When it comes to coffee shops, I look for comfort, quality, and feeling, and of course quality. This place has all 4. Cafe on the Common provides a comfortable environment to wait for the bus, enjoy a cup of tea (great selection) or coffee (only espresso in town) and perhaps a baked good or two (try the brownies). Other things that I've liked: the eclairs (OVER THE TOP, very rich) and the perfectly-baked cookies. (Most of the reviews on here are simply looking for something else, more of a Dunkin' Donuts-type place, which Waltham does indeed need. Cafe on the Common is certainly not that, and they don't pretend to be.) Come to sit and talk, not to grab and go.) read more

The fantastic quality of the coffee in Waltham's ONLY decent cafe will help you ignore the somewhat cold feeling of the new york industrial look of the place. It's expansive, with high ceilings and lots of seating. It also shares space with an ice cream shop, though it's hard to tell there is one. From a quality Cappuccino or doppio to a regular hot cup of joe, Cafe on the Common uses fair-trade, direct-sourced beans from the Dean's Beans company - one of the smaller, and more socio-eco-sustainable brands around. They also offer an extensive tea selection and offer creative drinks such as a Green Tea Latte, or Rooibus Lattes pulled through like espresso! ALL pastries and ice cream are also made on site by an expert pastry chef.... BONUS. read more

Nice neighborhood coffee shop. Can be quite loud as the acoustics just bounce all over the place, but the view out of the big windows had me gazing at the strormy weather and just laughing. Oddly have run into teachers grading papers there a lot. I usually get a coffee and pastry (scones are good) but the soup is regularly good, and some sandwiches, salads and wraps. Coffee is tasty, and staff is friendly, if only they could dampen the noise, I'd be there a lot more. Oh and free wi-fi for those who care. Should note they have recently made good imporvements in opening up a seperate ice cream parlor on the other side of the wall, so no matter your fix, you can enjoy, and this has alleviated the sometimes cramped seating, and will help anchor the cafe in the neighborhood. Also I just found out they are extending the hours much later, which is a relief so I won't have to truck on down to one of the later night coffee spots. read more

This place is locally owned, they make all their soups and pastries in house, when I used to go in in the mornings, the sweet smells used to fill up the shop. It is a bit pricey, but it's a nice place if you're looking for a place to relax, eat, read, and do a bit of work. I love that they have free wifi and they have some plugs that are pretty available for the most part. It gets pretty packed during lunch time, and through out the day there is always movement in and out. I do love their tomato and red pepper soup, and I love the little bread rolls they give you with the soup, I love the cranberry and nuts one, it's my favorite with whatever soup I eat. It's a bit pricey, but it's not a chain and everything tastes good, and they have a wonderful selection of loose leaf teas for those seeking coffee alternatives, in addition, they have freshly squeezed orange juice in the mornings. read more

I must admit that this place has improved since my last review. The staff seems friendlier, and the food and drinks seem slightly better, but the prices are still a problem for me. I just wanted to make a slight correction. Cafe on the Common is trying. That's enough for me. read more

This place is big, nice, has good coffee and decent food, good options. the burritos are good. Why 2 stars? Every time I am there the wifi is down then one of the few staff has to go reset it. They clearly have to do this often and aren't thrilled about it. There is usually a line so they have to wait for the line to die down before they can go in back and fix the internet since there is only 2 people working. Which means a 15-20 minute wait. this has happened 3 out of 4 times I've been there. Even when it's working its pretty slow. They clearly do good business and need to spend $100 on a decent router. With better wifi it would be 4 stars. read more

It's very cosy place. Very nice to time pass and chit chat and have good coffee and sandwich. I had vegan sandwich it was good. Quite a big portion. I really liked ambience. Staff are very good , very helpful, always smile on there face. Window seat is good to see outside and sip u r fav. Cup of beverage. I would like to go again. read more

Terrible service: slow and rude...Practically inedible sandwiches made without care to proportions of elements. This is a lousy cafe for no good reason. read more

I really WANT to like this cafe, as it's a local business with a great airy, European feeling, comfortable seating area. Unfortunately I have to agree with other reviews about the unfriendly service and overpriced "blah" food. I've given this place a few chances at lunch time, but never again. I've yet to see anything approaching a smile from the staff - frankly, it's bizarre - they give off the impression that your presence bothers them, and they don't at all seem to be enjoying their work. They don't take credit cards for orders under $4.00. I normally don't carry much cash, so that usually keeps me from going there if I just want coffee. Yet another example of nickel and diming the customer - just adjust your prices or pay the friggen $.06 cents, or whatever it is. Instead, other places get my daily business. For $10, I just had a chicken salad sandwich and small latte. The sandwich was small, dry and tasteless- I could have gotten one better than this at most standard sub shops and saved quite a bit. The last straw, though, was the coffee, which in the past has been tasty and the cafe's only saving grace. This cup was unbelievably bitter (perhaps the staff's bitterness rubbed off on it?). Sadly, even a poor Starbucks brew is infinitely more drinkable than this cup. Because I took it to go, I can't say how staff would have responded if I'd brought it back, but my sense is that they would not have been receptive. Ugh, such a waste. read more

Have been by Cafe on the Common a hundred times before finally deciding to try it out today. Was glad I did! It was fairly busy inside, but service was quick and friendly. Ordered an Americano along with a [huge] bowl of curried soup; both quite good. Looking forward to going back and trying other menu items, perhaps a burrito next time! read more

I love cafe on the common! Dark wicker chairs and round granite tables with local art displayed on the neutral walls. From the outside, the windows are so darkly tinted that you wonder if they're open but when you step in, it's like an oasis from the outside world greeting you with a fresh blast of A/C. The park across the street is nice to glance at. The owner works in the offices above and desperately wanted a decent cup of coffee so he opened this place up and serves up a mean "ring of fire" (fairly traded and organic). They also have a great selection of paninis on Iggy's Bread of the World, Iggy's seven grain rolls ($.75), spiral raisin croissants, carrot cake, cheese cake, brownies, biscottis, etc. The croissants are decent (mind you I spent a whole summer in Paris where I consumed croissants on the daily). The people who work here haven't quite warmed to me so I can't say they're the friendliest but I'm completely in love with the ice cream place they opened right next door. The non fat strawberry yogurt is crazy good ($3.75 two scoops) and beats out Lizzy's with a huge stick. Free wifi and soothing jazz music. Down the street from the Waltham Public Library, grab a book and slurp down a cooling frappe. read more

My girlfriend and I are at two minds on this. She likes the coffee, tea, etc. I don't really drink coffee. To be fair what I drink is sugar and milk that has some coffee added. Coffee wise I would rather have Starbucks or Dunks, but it is better then Panara. I generally get the Iced Mocha when I go. My girlfriend would give everything drink wise two snaps up and a circle. They do have Tower Root Beer, which is a pretty good root beer, so I give them props for that in the beverage department. The primary reason I'm giving them 4 stars though is that they have the most awesome carrot cake. Whenever my girlfriend goes in that direction I'm always asking her if she stops to bring home carrot cake. It is just that awesome. They also have a good cinnamon walnut coffee cake (it's wrapped in plastic by the register). The people that work there are exceptionally good in regards to service. When the weather is good they do have outdoor seating. read more

I happend to be driving through Boston on my way to a meeting and was thinking to myself "I wonder if there is any good bakeries in Waltham" since I'm always on the hunt for good pastries. Just then I spotted Cafe on the Common and it's windows which read Coffee, Tea and French Pastries. Well I was intrigued. I almost caused an accident pulling over to find parking. I was very disappointed in the bakery selection. Bagels, Brownies, Blondies, Scones and Cupcakes are not French Pastries. I don't think there was one item that could actually be considered a French Pastry. After standing there for some time and being ignored by the two staff members I finally decided on and asked for a cupcake. It was the WORST cupcake I've ever had in my life. The cake was dry and very dense, like biting into cement. The frosting was spread very thin, and had dried to a hard texture. It was like that dip you get on ice cream that hardens to a shell. Awful. I wont be stopping back in here. read more

First time here and got a decaffinated cappuccino. It was excellent and very smooth. Plenty of seating and quite busy on a Saturday at 3 pm. Will be back for sure! Would love it if they had later into evening hours. read more

One of the best coffees and sandwich menus available in Boston area. My only issue is that the AC wasn't working the past 2 times I went and I could tell everyone was feeling it. Lovely place for a croissant, the only scones I actually want to eat (hey, we're not all scone fans just because it's Boston) and delicious sandwiches with their house made sauces. I'm a regular, good things here! read more

Disappointed and annoyed. Charged $11.67 for a grilled cheese and bottled water. The board has the sandwich listed at 5.75 so the rest is water?! I questioned the price and response was that they have raised prices but haven't updated the menu board. Really? It's a chalkboard! Cafe was not busy at the time so waited to eat at a table. The counter help left my sandwich when it was ready but didn't announce it was done. I was sitting within clear view. So when I asked 15min later, he pointed to my now cold grilled cheese (served with stale chips as well) Not a good experience at all read more

Need coffee? Cafe on the Common has it, and its pretty solid. Their coffee flavors range from acceptable to bold which is exactly what I look for. The prices are a little high, but I am young and stupid so I'll pay them. Sadly the service leaves something to be desired. The wait staff can be curt and sometimes even seem rude. I understand that working in retail is difficult and that since you work in a coffee-shop you mainly experience egotistical jerks waiting to write their novel on your free wi-fi, but can I get a smile when I drop $10 on a coffee and a scone? Tea was a little bit expensive and nothing too stellar on the flavor front. The male attendant I had seemed pretty annoyed that I dare ask him to repeat the available flavors. I still go weekly, so I can't complain too much. read more

Excellent coffee and croissants. Pleasant staff, safe, efficient and quick service. I appreciate the free water dispenser at the counter also. A much needed quiet spot in Waltham to enjoy coffee while reading, working. read more

Peach scone is bliss! Great, friendly staff.

my fav things here are: chicken salad on green salad, olive rolls. i miss their chicken salad salad. best salad in the area. nice to lounge around too, with view of park and sq. read more

Great coffee which is most important and a really comfortable spot to have meetings. Usually there is a spot to sit and plenty of space, also good to bring your laptop and do some work for a couple of hours! If your in Waltham try it out! read more

Cafe on the Common - Sandwiches Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Great little cafe in a great location. The inside is much larger than one may have thought (or maybe its just me). Locally owned, and locally loved. Not only do they serve coffee (three types offered daily) and fancier coffee drinks, but they also serve pastries, desserts, and sandwiches. Their sandwiches are 100% customizable - you don't order them by name but rather you pick out your bread, meat, veggie, condiment, and cheese. They also have paninis, wraps, and salads. Their desserts look DELICIOUS but I have yet to try them. Their sandwiches have always been very tasty when I have been there. Bonus points for serving coffee in actual cups when drinking in store. I hate going to coffee shops that give you disposable cups even if your staying there. Only area they could improve on is the ordering system for the sandwiches. Since they are all customizable they are forced to fill out a sheet with all the preferences for each order. This is all fine and good but every time I have been here they seem to mess up a few orders. They also do not necessarily make the orders in the order they were taken. I went here the other day with a friend and we both ordered really basic sandwiches, one after another. In between making mine and hers they made three other people's who came in after us. read more

I come here every morning. I commuter rail it from Porter Sq. and come in here to pick up my soy rooibos latte and espresso. I had some less-than-stellar interactions when I first started coming here. Cassandra is very nice - we shoot the breeze in the morning. This says a lot - especially since I'm not human until 10am. I also strongly suggest the vegan chili; it is absolutely amazing. read more

Today I had a burrito from a coffee shop. Whawhawhat? Yes, from Cafe on the Common. And, get this--it wasn't half bad. Now, if you're comparing apples to apples (or burritos to burritos), this burrito is an embarrassing facimile of the real deal. But for a cafe that's known for nutritious and delicious sandwiches and wraps, my veggie burrito was right at home. My Cafe on the Common burrito was along the lines of something I might make at home if my fridge was stocked with bits of this and that. Plain rice, some roasted eggplant, beans, cheese, diced red onion, and salsa. Not a speck of spice to be found. Compared to the veggie burrito at Anna's or Chipotle, this baby was b-l-a-n-d. Fortunately, I opted to add guacamole to my burrito for an extra $1, and I'm glad I did. It was plentiful and actually quite tasty. The wrap job on the tortilla wasn't all steamy and taut, but it stayed together right down to the last bite. I'm not sure I'd order this again, but it fits in nicely with the cafe's other lunch offerings. Just don't expect it to taste like an authentic burrito, and you won't be disappointed. P.S. The tortilla chips on the side are a nice touch. Ole! read more

@Yoonie C. "Pretty standard local sidewalk cafe near college-town feel." Wish I could agree with you there. Probably the most appropriate qualifier here is "standard" but even that's an iffy one. Standard for a college town, though? A good coffee shop within walking distance of a nearby campus (er, maybe with Brandeis it's more like a short bus ride) should also know to keep better hours. As hard as it is to believe, students sometimes go to class. Classes tend to happen during the day and the studying (when it does actually happen) is either in between, sometime after, or more realistically in the wee hours. Not that Cafe on the Common needs to stay open that late, but anything better than 6:00 pm would do. The coffee is, well, okay. The service is kind of a wash- I've been greeted and served by perfectly friendly people which compelled me to leave a tip. On the flip side, I've also been greeted with enough coldness to make me wonder if it wasn't part of their whole French-style shtick. Even that doesn't appear to be going too well; so far the only thing I can point to as being particularly "french" are the wrought-iron chairs outside and the long-bar aesthetic of the main service counter. COTC is fairly light and airy- good for studying if you ever find yourself in Waltham before 6 o'clock. The ice cream/sorbet counter is in the room adjacent to the main one, making it oddly removed from the rest of the establishment. The only time I bought a sorbet, I could hear my voice echo in the room as I specified the flavor I wanted. Never has ordering dessert felt so alienating. The baked goods seem to be decent, although there are a few other edible items that are decidedly overpriced. Three bucks for a double shot-glass sized amount of fruit? This place has got it whipped with the location; at some point maybe they'll commit to a theme, or a target audience, and finally get it right. read more

I am not a big fan of Cafe on the Common for three reasons: (1) Their WiFi seems to only work 30% of the time I am there. When I ask the people working the counter if they can fix it, I usually get a blank stare. (2) Their hours are idiotic - they close at 7pm on weeknights, and very early on the weekends. I mean come on people this is a college town!!! (3) I dont like the atmosphere. It isnt very warm, a large echoing space with cold stone tables.....this is where I start sounding crazy....I am sure many people are just fine with the atmosphere. This is just my werid little thing. 1 and 2 really irk me though, which is dissapointing because I would really like to support an independent coffee shop. But if they cant keep up and provide good service I will keep going to Starbucks, or Lincoln Cafe in Newton Highlands, or that cool WiFi cafe in Brighton center (the name escapes me now). read more

Didn't get the scone hype. Liked the mushroom tomato quiche. Enjoyed the hot cup of mango black tea with the giant tea bag. Pretty standard local sidewalk cafe near college-town feel. read more

Ahhh.....waiting for my latte to come allowed me to do some people watching in the cafe. Looking around made me think of that episode in the Family Guy about people in coffee shops that bring their lap tops pretending to be cool and just type away. Hey, I was a student once..but i never brought my lap top to a coffee shop...isn't it a lot more comfortable at home? Anyway, my drink was good, not sure if it's worth 5 bucks nor the 10 min wait. I was going to get something to eat but I didn't realize i needed to take out a small loan for it. I don't mind spending money, but everything was extremely over priced. That place puts Starbucks to shame. I was only going here because it was on my way to Costco. read more

Cafe on the Common is just what Waltham needed. It's better than a Starbucks--mainly because we all know we do *not* need another one of those--but also because it is devoid of the snobbery/assembly line element so characteristic of those coffee chain joints. I have been to Cafe on the Common many times, and consumed many of their cappucinos (strong). They make a very good cup of coffee, and also offer a variety of scones, cookies, bagels, and other pastries (I don't think these are made on the premises, but not too important because they're good). If you want a fresh pastry, however, be prepared to get there before 11am on a weekend--they go fast, and they do not replenish the goodies. In addition they have soup and quiche, which is usually quite good. When you visit Cafe on the Common, try one of their panini sandwiches. They are a consistently excellent option at the Cafe, and best of all, they're never sold out (sometimes the Cafe doesn't have the Soup of the Day). The quiche selection is also good, and the servings are usually generous. One of the main reasons I gave Cafe on the Common such a high rating is because of the free internet and pleasant atmosphere. There is ample seating and enough electrical outlets to keep your computer going. It is a great place to write or read for hours--no one bothers you. I didn't give the establishment a perfect score because the staff is not always the friendliest in the world (bordering on sullen), but they always get your order right (even if they don't smile when they serve it). They could stay open later into the evening, but they don't seem to have a ton of staff. There is municipal parking down the street, and the Cafe is about 2 blocks from the Commuter Rail, right at the corner of Main and Moody Streets. read more

The service here isn't worth it--go somewhere else or better yet, someone open a coffe place in Waltham that actually cares about the customers. Today was the final straw on the service. Overall, the attitude of the workers is customers are annoying. I've been here a number of times and the rudeness of the staff is consistent. Workers, this is the way you want to be?? Today I ordered a simple drink. It was wrong twice and the third time, "someone took your coffee." No apologies, no "we will fix it right away and get it to you". Nothing to suggest at all that this was unusual. Go where they care about the customer. read more

I love little coffee shops like this! They always have great coffee and pastries too! The employees are always so friendly too! :) read more

Incredibly slow service. I lived in Waltham for years and have regularly stopped by the Cafe on the Common for coffee, scone or sandwich. I just stopped by for the first time in a year and ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. It took 20 MINUTES to get that sandwich with no apologies from the staff when I inquired. I'm not impressed and won't be back. There are better coffee shops with better service in Waltham. read more

I've always enjoyed coming here, they make a pretty good Americano and have a bunch of different loose-leaf teas to try. I'll give that a couple of their staff don't seem the nicest, but generally they're quite friendly. Plus, they make pretty great paninis--the pesto spread and olive spread are amazing! I like the feel of the place, and that they make an effort to be authentic, sourcing beans from fair trade companies. read more

I'm pretty bummed this place has so few stars. I absolutely enjoy Cafe on the Common. Its not the best cafe I've ever been to, but it's local and they have some what of an Idea how to make a latte. I do wish they used better coffee though. I guess I'm easy to please, in a city full of dunkins obsessed people who wouldn't know a good coffee if they spilled it all over their face, I am grateful for any shop that is hip and has soy milk. Their tea collection is stellar as well. read more

I know restaurants are going through a hard time right now. I'm not sure what is up with this cafe but there was one worker doing both the till and all coffee and meal prep at 2:00. We were behind four people in line and waited half an hour before leaving. Just plan ahead and know this won't be a quick coffee run, there will be a line. read more