I went in here for coffee which is good but the highlight was the ube tiramisu. It was light and fluffy and perfect to pair with black coffee. It was packed with a lot of people who were working with their laptops so it is hard to get a seat. Probably because it is a really nice spot to work with amazing pastries like the aforementioned tiramisu. Would go back I hope it's still there read more

Phinista Cafe - Ube tiramisu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I am obsessed with matcha lattes and have tried a bunch of coffee shops in the Cambridge/Boston area and Phinista is my #1 go-to spot. Service is always great and staff are friendly. Drinks always come out fast. My go-to is an iced matcha latte with oat milk, 50% sweetness. Their matcha is ceremonial grade and the perfect strength. At other places I usually have to ask to double the matcha, but here their 5 gram serving is perfect. It's hand whisked and not a prepped concentrate which is important. Have also tried their rice bowls and breakfast croissants and loved both. Ooh and their cinnamon rolls are so yummy! Atmosphere is a cute vibe. Couches are available to sit at as well as high top counters which you can sit at to people watch, and other tables and chairs. It's usually busy, but I can always find a table to work at. WiFi is available which is also a plus. May sometimes be spotty though. Overall, love this spot. read more

Phinista Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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They currently have a $3 coffee deal between 8am-10am. We tried the regular and the sea salt vietnamese coffee. I got the regular one less sweet, which I think meant they just added less condensed milk which resulted in basically an americano. I wish I could have still had a creamy drink, just less sugary, but I get it. The sea salt cream was also decent, and for $3 it can't be beat. The cafe is great to do some work from. There is a variety of seating and outlets. I even tried a taro bun and it was pretty tasty. You definitely need some carbs to go with the super acidic vietnamese coffee. read more

Phinista Cafe - sea salt coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Really enjoyed the drinks I had here! The kyoto fog was delicious and their matcha tastes good. The desserts I got were okay, they didn't have a strong ube or pandan flavor like I thought they would. Really interested in trying their coffees and other pastries. read more

Phinista Cafe - Pandan cheesecake Ube tiramisu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The drinks were REALLY good!! Their kyoto fog is to die for and their matcha lattes are really bomb. But their pandan and ube flavor are really bland and you can't taste it in drinks or pastries. Their pastries are mid though so you can go without. read more

Phinista Cafe - London Fog, Pandan Matcha Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Loved it here! A cute little cafe with a good amount of seating if you want to work or just stop in for a quick drink they have space for it all. They have a pretty solid menu with bites, pastries, and of course multiple drink options. I'll give them a couple of extra points for their taste in music. It was a really nice vibe in there. The service was standard. They were a tad busy, so it took a while for my drink, but the food was ready almost immediately. read more

Phinista Cafe - Maple 5 Spice Latte. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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This is such a cute cafe with lots of seating and natural sunlight. The staff working are so nice and are willing to explain different drinks to you. I had a strawberry matcha and got one of the vietnamese inspired coffees for my mom. We both loved our drinks and thought the quality of ingredients used was excellent. Can't wait to come back! read more

Phinista Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Wonderful service staff and the offerings are so good. The pandan matcha latte was delicious as was the banh mi sandwiches-- the bread was just right. The cafe was inviting and comfortable. read more

One of my favorite cafes in Cambridge! It is a cute little Viet cafe that sells multi-Asian food fare and beverages, and it is conveniently located next to Porter Square. I got their Ube Matcha Latte with Whole Milk and Ube Cheesecake, and they are both authentically ube and delicious! They have several seating areas ranging from high top tables to couches. Near the entrance, there is a community board area, where people can post advertisements and event fliers. It's great that a cafe has a space for people to share what's going on in the community. Also, they used to have a piano, but it looks like it has since been replaced with a table. They play chill music in the background, great for getting work done, and they also have free fast Wi-Fi. There are cute Polaroids of the staff and artwork on the pillar that I enjoy looking at. read more

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Phinista is a great addition to Porter Square - It's the perfect spot for a cozy cafe day. They're very busy, so you'll have better luck finding a spot on the weekdays compared to the weekends. In terms of the menu, their Iced Saigonese is the most popular drink and for good reason. It's a bold coffee combined with a salty & sweet cold foam. Very delicious. I think their banh mis are good but not great. The bread is nicely toasted, but the pork was a tad dry. Otherwise the flavors are decent. Staff is nice too, they're very sociable and helpful. read more

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Nice cold brew with orange cold foam! Giving 4/5 because it was $8 which is very expensive! Will go back to try the biscoff cheesecake but will get a different coffee, $8 is a bit much read more

Phinista Cafe - Cold brew with orange cold foam - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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My partner and I shared an ube matcha latte and nutella walnut cookie - TASTE: 5/5 - wasn't expecting much ube from the latte, but the flavor was actually there! And the sweet Nutella and contrasting walnut hit the spot. Curious to try their food TEXTURE: 4/5 - satisfying cookie w creamy Nutella and crunchy walnut pieces PRICE: 4/5 - paid $13 total SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - the cookie we got was smaller than the one on display, but otherwise satisfied our post-lunch sweet treat craving SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 1:30pm on a Saturday and the space was packed w almost every seat taken. Drink was ready 5min after ordering ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - cafe vibe w lots of students and cozy touches PARKING: 4/5 - got a metered street spot on Mass Ave read more

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I love the matcha at this cafe. In full disclosure, I've only had the matcha and one pastry, so I can't speak to the actual savory food. But I'll give the cafe 5 stars for the matcha alone. I love that the matcha is whisked for every order, and you can control your sweetness level. I've had just a plain matcha and it's the perfect level of grassiness/not bitter. I also tried their banana bread pudding matcha, and it might be my favorite thing ever. It's slightly sweet and a little salty. I would warn that every time I've stopped in, it's been really busy on the weekend so there may not be available seating. However, definitely recommend! read more

Phinista Cafe - Banana bread pudding iced matcha latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Been hearing great things about this new spot and wanted to check it out! Great ambiance with nice music playing - definitely hard to get seats on a weekend and most seats are communal. Long line when we arrived so we ordered online which was the wrong move haha, our order ended up taking much longer because we didn't just order at the counter. Staff was kind albeit stressed! Matcha is authentic and a good portion. I tried the strawberry matcha and appreciated that they used real strawberries The sandwich is decent but mine may have suffered from getting caught in the rain Saw someone with a delicious looking plate eating in, if I return I'll have to give that a try! read more

Phinista Cafe - Lemongrass Steak Banh MiLemongrass - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I ordered the ca phe trung (egg coffee). It had a very very unpleasant smell and taste to it. I've tried this many times in Vietnam and other cafes and it is NOT supposed to taste like this. Also, comparing to other pictures my drink doesn't look anything like them regardless of being takeout. I took a couple sips and threw the drink away at home. Staff need some retraining. read more

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What a cute Vietnamese cafe in Porter square serving cafe drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and salad and rice bowls. We came here for dinner on a Friday and the place was still bustling. I got the tofu salad, which was basically a lighter version of banh mi flavors in salad bowl form. It was the perfect combinations of fresh vegetables, soft tofu, and flavorful dressing and dipping sauces. My friend got the breakfast special, which came with a shakshuka-like plate of meats (ham, sausage, spam) in a tomatoey sauce and banh mi bread for dipping or making your own sandwich. All the staff we interacted with were super friendly and the vibes were cheerful and airy for a nice cafe experience. This would be a great spot to grab a latte, pastry snack, or full meal with friends, family, or on a date night. read more

Phinista Cafe - Mom's Tofu Salad Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I think the main problem with the Fenway Phinista is that there wasn't enough of it. This goes a long way to solve that problem. Phinista is basically your usual nice cafe but with Vietnamese foods. Which, in my opinion, is strictly an improvement on the theme. The bahn mi aren't the best in the world but they are bahn mi in a cool venue with reasonably good internet. So I'll take it. As a bonus on Thursdays they stay open late for music and poetry which is something Cambridge desperately needs more of. For such a university town public art is pretty gated here. (Looking at you Harvard) High marks here. Though maybe not on the weekend unless you like standing. read more

I love Phinista. They have a wide variety of Vietnamese coffees and regularly offer seasonal flavors. I personal like their egg coffee (ca phe trung ga) because it is thick and creamy and rich. They oftentimes have special events like musicians who come play live. Otherwise, they play some nice music and it's a nice (but rather sunny place) for you to sit back and work. Staff are friendly and kind as well. Unlike their Boston location, I believe they do not have a $3 weekdays before 10AM special. read more

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Cute cafe with a variety of Vietnamese coffee options and sandwiches. We got the phin ube and it was solid, albeit on the sweeter side. The line to order can get long, but it's always moving. Only waited a few minutes for our order. Cafe has good amount of seating and was pretty packed when we went. Good coffee in the Cambridge area. read more

The drink menu is creative and diverse. I tried the ube-matcha which was on the seasonal menu and it was delicious! They used real ube to flavor this which I appreciate. I also really like that I had the option to adjust the sweetness level. My one complaint is that the ube syrup/mash had specks of fibrous material that are sometimes bitter and off-putting. The ambiance is chill - a great place to work or yap with friends. read more

Phinista Cafe - Ube-Matcha Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This place has a great vibe and excellent drinks that are aesthetically on point. I had a fruity refreshing lychee drink and my friend has a Thai iced tea and a Vietnamese sandwich. While I was at the counter, peeped the delectable looking baked goods, with awesome, unique, ingredients such as ube! read more

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Was excited to come try out this new Phinista location and wasn't disappointed. I came on a Tuesday morning and there were only a few other people. I don't know if it's a hiring or scheduling issue though, but there was only one person behind the counter taking orders and making drinks so the line got backed up and someone from the kitchen stepped in to help. Despite this, the employees were cheerful and friendly. I ordered an Ube Milk Tea and Saigon Bahn Mi, both of which I really enjoyed. The bahn mi in particular had a lot of flavors that blended well together. The space is large and bright, with both tables, window seats, and a couch area, as well as access to outlets and free wifi. There are also two bathrooms available. There were little things in the bathroom though that I'll nitpick about, like the hand dryer being right at face level, an empty paper towel dispenser, and the toilet paper dispenser almost touching the ground. Overall, this is a good place to get work done, read a book, and maybe catch up with a friend. I would've stayed for longer, but someone behind me was coughing their lungs out so I left for some fresh air. Definitely would come back to try out more of their food options! read more

Phinista Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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This is a fantastic spot for great Vietnamese coffees and food! The coffees are so unique and addicting and complement the flavorful banh mi and plates. Food: To start, the Vietnamese coffees and invigoratingly strong while being perfectly balanced with the sweet foam additions. The Iced Saigonese and the Egg Foam Coffee are our favorites. Then, the Bánh mì had the classic taste with generous amounts of filling sandwiched in a wonderfully crispy fluffy bread. We've also tried the Bánh Mì Chao, which was our favorite at the Fenway location. The flavor was just as good, but the eggs were admittedly over cooked and there wasn't as much sauce as it had dried out a bit. But, it's such a great plate to share among two people so we will definitely give it another try! Atmosphere: The furniture and decor lend to a younger more modern look with local art lining the walls. It's very comfortable with much more seating than the Boston location. It's also a great studying spot for students, but that means sometimes you need to wait a bit for others to finish their meals to ask for their seats. Service: The employees are all very pleasant and seem to enjoy working at the location, which adds to the uplifting atmosphere. read more

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Commenting only on venue, which hosted an exquisite poetry reading, with ample seating for all and an opportunity for community poets to contribute during the open mic session. The place also smelled great, so I look forward to trying some new items. A really neat and relatively recent addition to the Porter Square experience. read more

Delicious coffee + foods! The cafe is spacious and has really cool vibe - I like that they always have different decors and exhibitions from local community; they just set piano you can play (you must ask employee for permission tho)! Coming back to food, saigon coffee was my favorite, match was great also! Their pastries are so delicious and have bunch of options, usually with match and taro flavor. Plus, they put cream for you and warm them up! Definitely recommend visiting here if you're near Porter square!! read more

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I was in the area on a Monday morning and decided to drop by for a coffee. The space is really large with a lot of tables/couches. Great for working, perfectly matches the Cambridge crowd. I ordered a hot Vietnamese coffee and matcha cookie to go, total of around $11. It wasn't as busy as the Fenway location but also the place didn't seem as kept up as Fenway either. The cookie was delicious but the coffee didn't taste drip nor Vietnamese. For $11, it was definitely a mediocre experience. read more

Phinista Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

4.5/5! The flavor of the drinks that we got was really delicious. Cafe Trung wasn't too sweet, while iced saigonese was a good balance of sweet with salty notes. Would come back for these drinks! read more

Phinista Cafe - Cafe Trung, Iced Saigonese Sea Salt Phin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Worth the almost two hour walk to this cafe! Coffee was amazing. I ordered the iced saigonese and iced phin drip latte (it went by a different name on the menu). The thing that blew me away was the service. The barista was more than happy to let my dog and I wait inside while it was frigid out and she even made a pup cup for him without asking! Love the service! Will definitely be back again! Also I got so hungry I devoured the ube pastry. Apparently the ube custard is only available on the weekends FYI. read more

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Phinista Cafe has opened a new location in Porter Square and it's my new go to! They serve amazing Vietnamese drinks including my FAVORITE vietnamese drip coffee with egg foam (cà phê trứng) and popular vietnamese bites including the classic cold cut (bánh mì thịt nguội) or bánh mì chảo (basically a deconstructed bánh mì) If you want something sweet they have have a variety of crepes and regularly rotating specialty pasteries Their dining area is sunny, spacious, and has lots of seating with outlets everywhere - perfect for your next study date with some friends! read more

I would do anything to try the cloud ube drink again! This one is quite popular so I would suggest getting there early for a good seat! Lots of students and WFH folks around, so it can be tricky to find a spot to sit. Very fast service and great prices! read more

Phinista Cafe - Coco Cloud Ube and Iced Saigonese Sea Salt Phin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great vibe and amazing coffee!!! I got the ham sandwich on a croissant (I forget what it was called). It had way too much sauce on it for me but otherwise was good. Next time I would just ask for it with less sauce. The woman working was nice. I would definitely return next time I'm in the area read more

Regular here. I keep returning largely because the staff, ambiance and drinks are too good too pass up. Great space to get some work done or try new coffee. Of all the coffee shops I frequent, the staff here is truly exceptionally polite to everyone. Keep it up! read more

New cafe at porter square. Plenty of space inside and seemingly healthy meals. Pretentious service. A couple of macha-infused dishes but truly not the quality for the price. Considering the other choices in the area, I am not impressed... read more

Great matcha with awesome additions like Pandan and Ube! The food and desserts are also amazing as well, staff is very friendly. Wonderful place to hang out and just grab something to go. read more

Phinista Cafe - Pandan Matcha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came here after a long bike ride, and saw this cute shop so we decided to come in. We got a triberey crepe, ube matcha, and a Ca phe trung! The crepe was super delicious, and the drinks were so flavorful and yummy. The music and atmosphere was really cute and seemed really relaxing/welcoming. The service was also very nice!! read more

I came here with my mom on a Sunday afternoon and we ordered the ca phe sua da phin drip latte and saigon buzz (no ice). The latte was pretty good, but we both couldn't really drink the saigon buzz, which is probably on us. The drinks were quite sweet and I wish they had some savory small bites and not so sweet drinks! The atmosphere was busy and pretty loud. read more

Phinista Cafe - C ph Sa Phin Drip Latte, Saigon Buzz - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I'm a Chef. Good not great. The employees were clearly overworked, but were nice. Seating seems to be a major challenge. 99% of the tables were occupied by people working at a computer. I live nearby and this is definitely a consistent habit. Got the salad with chicken and steak. Everything seemed fresh, and the pickled carrots were very good, but the steak was dry and underwhelming, and the chicken had so much BBQ sauce that it drenched the salad underneath. A fairly good BBQ sauce but a little on the sweet side. I also can't say I was a fan of it being served in a to go container. The matcha cookie was much more white chocolate than matcha. read more

Phinista Cafe - Matcha cookie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Cute place but the baked goods are pretty bad. I got a blueberry muffin, took a bite, and asked them if I could just get something else and pay the difference since I hate being the person to return something. I got the Phinsta Bun, but the cashier still charged me almost full price (.30 less) and I also ended up throwing that away also as it was very dry. So I paid $9 for nothing. I'm sure the drinks are good though - just not the baked goods! read more

very cute spot and the iced saigonese was SO good. i also love that you can choose to make it sweet or less sweet and i found the less sweet to be perfect. i need to come back to try their bahn mi read more

Phinista Cafe - saigonese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great cafe addition to Cambridge! We're so glad Phinista Cafe decided to open up another location in Cambridge. It's the perfect spot to work, chill, or catch up with friends. On three separate occasions, I came here tried their coffees. First off, their coffees are quite strong! If you want a sweeter blend, I would highly recommend the ube or iced Saigonese. Their banh mis were great; I love how flakey and chewy the bread was. During the weekdays, you can probably find a seat here, but the weekends definently get crowded, especially during lunchtime. So come here early to secure a spot! Wifi is provided and fast. read more