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    Phinista Cafe

    4.3 (43 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Phinista Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Phinista Cafe Photos

    PHINISTA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Phinista Cafe

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    Pandan cheesecake Ube tiramisu
    Evelyn W.

    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.

    London Fog, Pandan Matcha Latte
    Thao L.

    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.

    Maple 5 Spice Latte.
    Lindsey H.

    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.

    Ayatt A.

    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!

    Ube Cheesecake (Gluten Free)
    Nat B.

    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.

    Grilled BBQ Pork Banh Mi & Iced Saigonese Sea Salt Phin
    Connie L.

    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.

    Cold brew with orange cold foam
    Niamh M.

    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

    Ube matcha latte
    Alyanna T.

    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

    Banana bread pudding iced matcha latte
    Casey A.

    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!

    Lemongrass Steak Banh MiLemongrass
    Tiffany C.

    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!

    Michelle T.

    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.

    Mom's Tofu Salad Bowl
    Ellie C.

    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.

    Rose latte
    Kimberly D.

    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.

    Ube-Matcha Latte

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    Ask the Community - Phinista Cafe

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    Rosebud Bar & Kitchen

    Rosebud Bar & Kitchen

    3.9
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    0.4 mi
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    I was impressed with this place once I overcame my surprise this is not a stand alone diner car…read more I ordered the bacon cheeseburger since it is a signature dish. It was tasty, greasy (in a good way), and the spiced fries were a nice change up. My wife and I ordered a bottle of wine which was priced quite reasonably. This place has a stealthy good selection of craft beers on tap. Look forward to returning here again.

    Walked in on day after thanksgiving for brunch, and this place was relatively quiet. We got an…read moreamazing booth seating, but really wanted their fancy bus seating which gives a classic diner feel to the restaurant. TL;DR - if you are from Bombay, are craving that specific Bombay Chinese food taste, and Vada Pav - look no further - this is the place. Most of their staff are fellow Mumbaikars - shout out to Shiv, Dhvani, and Ronak! Shiv, our server was friendly and our hungry table got straight to ordering which included a flavor packed and well priced Lychee Martini ($10), Masala Chai Hot Toddy ($12), and Spicy 'Lil Rita ($12) - being the best one! Food included some well name dishes like Kashmiri Deviled Eggs ($12), Vada Pav ($12), Rasam Risotto ($15), Butter Chicken Pot Pie ($20), Chicken Steak with Makhani Sauce ($18), Street Fried Noodles ($16), and Penne Pasta with Chicken for the kiddos. Food just hits the right spots and is very flavorful, extremely well seasoned, and perfectly spiced. Interiors and their bar is very inviting. Noise levels during our stay were on the lower end. Service was excellent. What was refreshing was they didn't charge us any automatic gratuity even for our large group - but absolutely deserved a generous one! Highly highly recommend if flavorful food is your thing!

    Photos
    Diner booth seating
    Diner booth seating
    Onion Pakora
    Onion Pakora
    Kashmiri Devilled Eggs ($12)

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    Kashmiri Devilled Eggs ($12)
    Five Horses Tavern

    Five Horses Tavern

    3.8
    (919 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    We were part of a large group (12 diners) for a pre-wedding dinner/party…read more Except for the couple getting married, I believe the rest of our party were the only out-of-towners dining that evening. This is a pub-type atmosphere with a full-service, large bar serving cocktail specials and a gazillion draft beer options. There is a street-side patio if you wish to watch the people and cars at Davis Square. Five Horses serves American comfort food, and they do a pretty good job serving up their offerings. I ordered the steak tips, and they were OK. They were served Med/rare, as ordered, but they did need a bit more seasoning. Plus one ordered a steak salad, and it was OK. They were pretty frugal with the protein, and it came with an abundance of tomatoes. Another guest split a cobb salad it arrived without some ingredients, like bacon. Other diners stated that their dinners were excellent, so 4 stars seems about right. Even though they were very busy, our table was well taken care of throughout the evening. If I lived here, this would be in my rotation for a brew or two, catch a game, and enjoy a burger.

    I try not to post negative reviews but I do not recommend the flank steak. I saw it (flank steak,…read morechimmichurri sauce, mashed potatoes, and broccoli) at $29 and said I haven't ordered a steak in while, let's treat myself. Boy was I disappointed, it was literally four tiny slices of beef, about a ladle and a half of mashed potatoes (flavor was great but the texture was dry and it was hard to swallow), and the broccoli was broccoli. The steak was cooked to my liking (rare) but it was room temp and I would describe that serving size as maybe the equivalent of a medallion. Everything else our table ordered (pizza, shepherd's pie, and a burger) looked great but the flank steak is not it y'all. However the service was top notch and will definitely go back, just won't order the flank steak next time!

    Photos
    Eye catching tap handle display
    Eye catching tap handle display
    Biscuits and gravy with mimosa flight.
    Biscuits and gravy with mimosa flight.
    Menu with my dirty martini and husband's Negroni

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    Menu with my dirty martini and husband's Negroni

    Phinista Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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