We found that there is a small parking lot for the restaurant which was awesome! It was expensive but the roasted chickpeas on hummus was life changing! Baby angels laughter, really! read more

Returned to SOFRA this morning to pick up a bag of tahini cookies. Not too busy, short line and a few open seats, so we decided to stay for breakfast. The young lady next to me suggested the Turkish-style breakfast , soft-boiled egg, cucumber, tomato, olives, feta, yogurt & spoon sweets. Okay .... why not? Beautifully presented, everything on the plate was delicious, even the cucumbers and olives. Loved the fried feta cubes, crispy exterior giving way to salty lusciousness. The egg, cloaked in a nest, cooked perfectly with nice runny yolk. The yogurt tangy, topped with raspberry preserves and I have no idea what spoon sweets are but I like them. Turkish coffee au lait was good, but didn't realize it was going to be like a latte. Missed out on what I dreamed would be a nice strong cup. My mistake not theirs. In the car all day coming home, smartly left the cookies out of reach! read more

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A friend had highly recommended this bakery. I decided to check it out in the evening, an hour before closing time. There was a lineup when I arrived. Due to covid, you aren't allowed to go into the store, but they have a booth where you can order. There is lots of outdoor space to dine in. The line moved pretty fast. Taking one star off because pretty much everything (all the pastries) were sold out. I decided to try to the iced chai and the tahini chocolate tart. The chai was very sweet for my taste but after a few sips you get used to it. The tart - I was a little surprised at the small size however it tasted AMAZING. Will likely be back in the morning to try some of their more popular items. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Iced chai and tahini chocolate tart - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

i come here once a week and love pretty much everything that they make. this is not surprising as i LOVE oleana. so its basically oleana without the wait (and cocktails...) pastry wise- they rotate their menu to match what's in season. one of their staples is the morning bun- so we do always get that and then whatever looks good. i like their signature tea (uncaffeinated) but the espresso drinks are very good as well. they have a nice prepared food section- we have gotten a few things. our favorite is the lamb moussaka. they suggest pairing it with basmati rice but i prefer bread. i usually go to arax to get lavash bread but they do make pita! read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We had been meaning to try Sofra for quite some time and finally found time to stop by when they were open (they close early, it isn't a place for dinner). It is a small cafe with some seating, but you may have to wait a bit to find an opening. The prices are a bit high for what you get, but the food was good. We had lunch there, and I tried the squash gozleme while my husband had the moussaka. We also got a couple of bakery items for dessert and really enjoyed the cinnamon roll. Overall, it's a good place for a light lunch or a pastry, but I probably wouldn't wait in a busy lunchtime line for it. Extra tip: there is a small parking lot next to the building that we didn't know about until we'd already found a spot on the street. read more

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My boyfriend was a little annoyed at the line out the door when we first arrived, but I did not let it deter us. Best decision, this place is wonderful, and it's clearly not a secret. We ordered one of each of the savory pies for lunch, and they were all amazing. Our favorite was the borek. For each of them all of the flavors were so wonderfully layered and unique. I would order them all again, and then some. The cafe itself is very cute! They have the menu you can order from as well as some prepared items and pantry things. Everything is super high quality. Overall really great experience, would highly recommend if you're in the area and haven't been! read more

I have been going to Sofra for years and now that I don't live in the area anymore, it's been a while since I have had their amazing food! While visiting Cambridge me and friends visited and it was as good as it has ever been! Great service and wonderful, delicious, food! I had a warm white bean dip, a cookie, and a basil lemonade, all were amazing! Lastly, they have some outdoor seating in front and on the side and a little marketplace of goods inside too. read more

Came here over the weekend and there was a line to get in, so be prepared to wait! Line does move pretty quickly. We had the spinach falafel, chicken shawarma, spanakopita, rose almond cake, and chai. The food came out very quickly! The spinach falafel was delicious with super fresh and vibrant flavors, loved the beet spread on it. Chicken shawarma was good as well. The wraps are on a thin whole wheat pita which makes them lighter which is nice. The chai was amazing with a great flavor profile! Perfect for a chilly day with the fresh ginger! There were so many desserts we wanted to try. The rose almond cake was tasty and moist. The pistachio shortbread cookie went well with the chai. The date roll was nice as well. Overall, a unique bakery that offers a wide variety of options. Will definitely be back to try more mezze, pastries, and breakfast items! read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Spinach Falafel, Chicken Shawarma, Spanakopita Pie, Almond - Rose Cake, chai! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Sofra has the most amazing food, I love mixing it up with their cold mezze. Spicy feta, baba ganoush, fava beans are all great. The pastries are fabulous too read more

My Yelp buddy Lee said I must try Sofra Cafe when in Boston. I read Lisa's review, I'm there! The first thing I need to know is the parking. I gave Boston $90 bucks in a parking ticket once, it's never happening again. Sofra has plenty of free parking, whew. Walking in, there's a few outdoor tables. Inside, the place is really tight. The line moves quickly, it's not too long. Everything looks amazing! Walking up to the register I see a cheerful counter person. I'm pretty simple, Lamb Shawarma for me. I asked about a fun cold drink and the suggestion was basil lemonade. Sold! And if one of those Halavah cookies fell onto my tray that wouldn't be a bad thing... Lamb Shawarma? Lammy! They have this dish down, it must be a family recipe. Sooo good... The basil tea? It was good, a little to basil-y for my taste. But hey, I'm open to trying new things. Like that Halavah cookie. Man... I never met Halavah I didn't like! If you're looking for a great Turkish Cafe then Sofra Cafe and bakery is worth a visit. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Lamb Shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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My coworker back in SF suggested this place and warned its usually crowded. When we got there (rainy Saturday morning around 9am), there were a few folks in line and getting our drinks took a couple minutes but it was pretty quick. I was very tempted by the packaged beet tziki and other fun dips available to grab and go. I got the almond coconut croissant and morning bun and they were amazing! The croissant had very light creamy almond paste with toasted coconut on top and a fun glaze. The morning bun had this fantastic orange glaze with pieces of zest visible and a floral bouquet. The coffee was pretty good as well. My sister got the golden turmeric latte- it's very light flavoring if you get it not too sweet but still quite nice. They got egg sandwiches, Persian donut, and date turmeric cinnamon bun. They loved the sandwiches and agreed my pastry picks were the tastiest. Not really anywhere to sit beyond three small tables outside. This cafe is trying to be grab and go in a a place where patrons seem to really want to hang around so it gets a bit crowded feeling. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Morning Bun and Twice - Baked Croissant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

YUMMY! I went on a Sunday at around 1:30/2pm and there was such a long wait. I probably waited in line for 20 min, then another 5 to get my order, so I wouldn't recommend if you are in a rush. But parking was easy enough. And when it was my turn to order, wow, I wanted to try everything in the pastry case! I ended up getting the earthquake cookies, a chocolate chip cookie, baklava, and a donut with some kind of chocolate frosting and a creamy filling. Wow, everything was amazing, especially the donut! Would love to come back for lunch sometime and try more of their menu items :) very interesting flavors and offers! read more

This place is a must visit if you're in Boston or visiting. It's very unique and I wish they sold their unique flavored coffee syrups I also tried their Syrian cookie and pita chips. Very good We stopped by in the early afternoon on a weekday and it was pretty busy and there was a wait. You can order ahead but not for handmade drinks. read more

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SOFRA is a Bakery and Cafe by Chef Ana; the same Chef feathered at Oleanas. Known for her incredible culinary abilities, control of flavours, and quality of foods I went in with a high bar for standards. SOFRA has all the hallmarks of superior quality and freshness. The Syrian Shortbread is beautifully made, and crumbles perfectly in your mouth. The Turkish Coffee is brewed strong and perks you up, featuring quality coffee which I speculate is freshly ground. Additionally their selection of spices and other culinary items is amazing featuring some fiery culinary forward items that show character and thoughtfulness. However the reason this is four stars and not five is the sausage pita, and Eggplant Fatteh (a special currently) is fairly monotone in flavour. With the Eggplant Fatteh at the bottom their were pastry of sorts at the bottom that ended up soggy from the other items. It lacks seasoning and citrus to break it up. Additionally it would have been nice to come with a side of pita chips. The same seasoning problems came through on the sausage pita. And the chicken Shawarma that was order also was soggy and having an over abundance of greens and lacking in chicken. The same problems rained through to other menu items we tried. I think this is a easy fix that should be addressed and tweaked. Otherwise the Cafe and Bakery is superb and full of character and quality. read more

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This is by far my favorite bakery in all of greater Boston area and I've been going here for years. I've taken most if not all of my friends and family to this place and they've loved it. The food over here is beyond delicious and I can't recommend this place enough. read more

Yum yum yum yum yum! I cannot say enough good things about SOFRA! I have had food from here many times before actually visiting so I had high expectations coming in. It actually took me moving away from Boston to get me to finally go on a visit back to the city. My sister and I came for breakfast on a soggy Thursday in the fall. I am all about hygge and cozy and SOFRA fits the bill with their small but welcoming space, friendly staff, and warm menu items. We both ordered the egg sandwich with haloumi cheese and feta butter and were definitely not disappointed. It is hard to go wrong with haloumi cheese but this was to die for. My only disappointment was in myself for not ordering the shakshuka. I spied this on the table next to ours and it looked, and smelled, amazing. We even went back to the counter to order some rice pudding for breakfast dessert which was also delicious. No complaints here! read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Exterior - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I can't say enough good things about Sofra Bakery! My friend and I loved everything we tried. So many unique pastries and breakfast options. Can't wait to go back! read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came here after many recommendations from friends and reviews. Got here right as it opened to avoid the crowds but seeing that people kept coming in and mostly taking food to go. For a few people this seemed like their weekly weekend breakfast routine. It seemed promising and that was all. We tried the following items: 1. Shakshouka - two poached eggs served with pita bread. Nothing to brag about. The price to flavor ratio was low. Would not get again. 2. Egg sandwich - the bread was amazing. I personally like my egg runny, but can't fault them for it. Again price to flavor ratio was low 3. Spanakopita - it was good but not mind blowing. 4. olive oil cake - probably the best thing they had. 5. Cappuccino - great with the cake. Would I make the trip back again specially for this? Probably not. read more

This is a great little cafe when you're missing the flavours of Sarma and Oleana (its sister restaurants) during the day and don't want to commit to a full meal. The snacks (especially dips and pita) are great and so are the baked items. I found that their shawarma wraps are a bit overpriced and lacking in quantity for what you pay for, but I'd 100% come here for drinks, snacks and baked goods. The service is good in the sense that the line moves fast but seating is limited. A great place to visit on a sunny day as they do have limited patio seating! PSA - their muhammara is to die for. read more

Hands down my favorite bakery in all of Massachusetts. BEST PASTRIES EVER!! Fast service. Delicious, delicious.

The cheese borek (su boregi) was truly divine - perfectly layered on the inside, with a crispy edge. It comes with labneh and a tomato spread, both of which paired well with the borek's texture. Overall a cozy inviting cafe with plenty of sandwich and pastry options I still need to try. I thought it was well worth the bus trip from Harvard Square, and will probably be my go-to brunch spot from now on. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Cheese borek with americano - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dropped by around noon on Sunday this past weekend. There was a line; you get in the same line whether you want to order in-person or you're there to pick up an online order. You cannot currently enter the store at all; they've set up a small window that you step up to. The staff is behind plexi-glass and they were wearing masks. Customers are also required to wear masks and they have markings on the sidewalk so that you maintain distance from others while standing in line. Wanted to pick up dessert for a small dinner (about 5-6 people). I asked for the Salted Maple Custard Pie. The lady behind the counter was nice enough to bring it out to show me as I wanted to confirm the size before buying it. As it turned out, there was only one left so I went for it. Couldn't resist getting a tahini brown butter donut for myself - that was also the last one they had left. The pie was delicious and everybody really liked it. It had a crisp, flaky crust that's a little bit like baklava, and the salty-sweet combination of the maple custard was wonderful. They sell it by the slice too. The donut is brioche filled with tahini brown butter custard and glazed with salted caramel ganache. I couldn't really taste the nutty richness of brown butter anywhere but it was still good-quality pastry. Overall, this is a small gem of a bakery. A little pricey, but worth it for a treat once in a while. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Salted Maple Custard Pie - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Another favorite local cafe! It's right across the street from Mount Auburn Cemetery. Which means it's a lovely place to come rest your feet, grab a coffee, especially after spending a delightful afternoon admiring the beautiful cemetery grounds. I've tried a couple of food items here but wasn't too impressed. They were lacking flavor and portions were on the smaller side. But they definitely make up for it in their coffee and baked goods! Every time I come here, the array of baked goods is different. And each one looks so appealing. And they're not your standard bakery pastries either. There's a Middle Eastern influence which you can see and notice in the flavors. The Sfeng (?) which is similar to a glazed donut, and the Persian donut, slightly drier version of a donut, are really tasty. They also make a lot of specialty coffee drinks. And they're house-made, yay! No fake syrups, only real jams, haha. During Fall, they have a pumpkin jam latte which is yummy. Other points to note: You order at the counter, get a number and they bring your food/coffee to you. Space is tight. It's a tiny cafe, so if you're visiting, be mindful that others might like a seat too especially during the weekends. There are a few parking spaces for customers behind the cafe. read more

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Last time I visited Boston we came here for bkfs. We remembered how good this place was. So this time we ordered on line and sat outside to eat on a Saturday morning. Ordering on line did not let me the portion sizes. And of course I ordered way too much. We picked our order and then ordered out different coffees to go. We liked some dishes more than others. The Turkish breakfast is great, so is the hummus, labane and Muhammara. We didn't like the bean salad and stuffed eggplant. Both were lacking spices. The pastries are great too. Shakshuka was good but I remembered it tastier. Overall it's a great place but like any other restaurant it's a hit or miss on some dishes. read more

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We came here for lunch. Parking was pretty easy around the corner. The baked goods were amazing! You order at the counter and they give you a number and bring everything out to you. It is hard to find seating. I did not like my chicken shwarma but my husband liked his lamb wrap. The simitz was amazing and went well with the fava bean dip. I would come back but only for the fabulous baked goods...simitz, baklava, cookies, banana croissant. read more

Love this place. Has been a favorite for years. Yes it can be busy, yes it can be crowded, but it's sooo worth it. I drive over a couple times a month just for the hot pepper labne, it's so good on roasted vegetables. A bit of a splurge since it's on the pricier side but everything from the savory to the sweet is delectable. Been coming here for at least 12 years never misses! read more

Loved everything we tried here! The line was long but I promise it's worth it. We loved the beet tzatziki and the butternut squash barley from the mezze options. The lamb shawarma was also excellent. read more

I love this place! Really original, tasty and healthy mediterranean food. The place is small so if you go on weekends you might have to wait quite a bit and you might have to sit in a very squished way. My only problem with this place is the price. Portions are tiny and prices are really high. Because of the prices and portions, I try not to go frequently. Yes, I like a well baked pastry but do I want to pay $4-7 for those small pieces in a regular basis? Nope, I am not that rich. read more

I particularly enjoyed the spanakopita, savory pastry puff with goats cheese, fig and I don't recall. The lemon tart was fabulous and the fruit tart with cheese. The coffee was excellent; smooth and flavorful. The almond croissant with apricot jam inside was too sweet for my liking but everything else was outstanding! read more

This amazing place is more of a hidden gym. Have been living in the area for years and just stumbled upon it. Tiny, cozy and welcoming with great food choices. Pros: Friendly staff Food presentation Food choices and taste Ambiance Cons: Small space and always hard to get a spot without wait but totally worth it!! Just not an ideal date spot. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I have been meaning to come to Sofra for quite some time now and am so glad I finally did! I came on a holiday Monday around 12:30 and it was pretty busy, but the line didn't take too long. My friend and I shared the lamb shawarma, delicata squash galette, and shishito pepper with hummus mezze. Everything was so delicious. The mezzes don't come with anything to dip into them, so make sure to get something along with it! I also got a morning bun (one of their specialties), za'atar pita, and cheese borek to take home. The morning bun was quite good, although the icing was a bit sweet for my taste so I scraped some of it off. The bun itself was great though. The za'atar pita was great. However, the best thing I brought home was the cheese borek. I will definitely get this again! Honestly, I wanted to try everything they had, so I'm excited to come back and try more items. read more

I really love this place, It's such a gem. The pastries are great, shawarmas are amazing, and the whipped feta... oooh my goodness, so good. It is cramped inside, so if you're claustrophobic it's not the place for you. But I enjoy sitting and getting work done on my laptop and being surrounded by great conversation. According to the website it's a lebanese, Turkish and Greek restaurant with a modern twist. This completely sums it up. It has the best food of all three cultures. My ONLY suggestion is, it would be wonderful if SOFRA had WiFi! read more

Heard of this place as I was visiting the city. As soon as I arrived, there was a huge line to get in. I wanted to still try it. The long wait was absolutely worth every second of it. Once you go into the store, you will want to buy everything because it all looks delicious. The staff is so sweet and work hard to make sure your order gets out as fast as possible. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Chocolate - Hazelnut Baklava - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Ah, the Mortgage Payment Cafe! Everything is very expensive, such as $6 for 10-ounce iced tea. At least the menu is honest about the prices, and you can choose based on your budget. Surprises await: "kitchen appreciation fee" which is marketeer-speak for Owner Does Not Pay Staff so customers must. I finally figured out why the dishes are so expensive: the orders are never correct, and the server says "keep it" and brings us the correct one as well. But first, wait 15 minutes in a line in this tiny restaurant to place your order (because tech and Sofra do not go together), and then wait 30 minutes for someone to bring you something but probably not your order. There are better places within blocks, with less salt in every dish, and more reasonable prices, and space enough to turn around without bumping into someone, and shorter wait times, and more accurate food service. read more

Maura Kilpatrick has been nominated and a semifinalist for the James Beard award for "Outstanding Pastry Chef" as well as being a finalist for "Outstanding Baker". I love chasing down the stores of outstanding bakers - so I knew I had to come here. Sofra is cramped and small - with lots of people packed in the store. There's a selection of goods that you can buy - although I'm not really sure what you'd do. Go inside and pick out items then wait in the line out the door to pay? Not sure. But what I do know is this place is PACKED. We came around 1PM and there was still a line out the door with multiple people crammed near the front waiting for to go items. If you're looking for a comfortable spot to eat - this really isn't it. You'll be sharing tables with people and there will be people standing super close to you as you eat due to the lack of space. Anyhow, onto the food...... -Baba Ghanoush ($3.50) - This was okay. Nothing too special. It was different than other baba ghanoush's I've had but it wasn't anything special. The downside is there's no free bread or anything that comes with it. You have to buy those things separately. -Crick-Cracks ($1 for 2) - Got these cause they sounded funny and we needed something to eat the baba ghanoush with. They were just okay. Nothing special about them, very cracker like. Disliked the fact that we purchased 2 and they were different sizes - one was much smaller than the other one. -Persian Donut ($2.50) - Good donut texture. The "spices" themselves were underwhelming. -Earthquake ($1.50) - Not bad. But it's not special in any way. It's just a chocolate crackle cookie. -Shakshuka ($9.00) - Very disappointing. I've had a lot of good shakshukas and this was not one. The bread that came with it was supposed to be toasted so I expected it to be a bit crunchy. Instead, it was super soft and just soaked in the dish so it was also soggy. The shakshuka itself was practically flavorless. It just tasted like canned tomatoes that were puree'd. Very minimal amount of spices or anything else inside - did not visibly see any onions. Again, it was mostly tomato but it was missing spices or anything to really make it similar to any other shakshuka's I've had in the past. -Lamb Shawarma ($10.00) - This was awesome. The lamb was nice and tender and the shell of the "shawarma" was crispy and crunchy and provided great texture. The sauce it came with also fit very well with it. A bit small, but this was the only dish that stood out to me. Overall, the prices are a bit steep for what you get. As a bakery, it's sad that none of the baked goods really stood out to me. Given how cramped it is inside the store, you may or may not be comfortable. Also, parking sucks in the area in general. read more

SOFRA Bakery & Cafe - Lamb Shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Delicious food and friendly staff at a very popular spot! I got the poached eggs and tomato sauce as I am gluten-free, not as many options but absolutely amazing tomato sauce and such quick service. Also had the red dragon drink (green tea and sour Cherry mix) which was fabulous. My friends loved the walnut baklava and had great sandwiches, will be returning back! read more

3.5/5 ~8am on a Sunday, 2 patrons in the cafe and no line. 2 more people came in while waiting for my order. Pros: -Cozy atmosphere -Amazing array of Turkish baked goods (+ savory items) -Great service Cons: -Pricey -Limited seating -Street parking -- Dukkah Crunch Donut ($3.00) Shaped like a long john, this tastes like an Old Fashioned Donut! Super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The Dukkah topping adds texture and provides a savory component that's a bit addictive. Out of everything below, I'd probably be most likely to buy this again. Tahini Brown Butter Donut ($3.00) Yeast donut topped with salted caramel ganache and filled with some type of super thick tahini cream. I didn't love the salted caramel ganache--I wouldn't have guessed that that was the flavor and it just tasted odd to me. The consistency of the filling was so thick it reminded me of cheesecake, so although it's fairly small, this donut is super heavy. It wasn't for me but it's interesting and may be worth a shot if you enjoy donuts and cheesecake! Persian Spice Donut ($2.50) Yeast donut coated in sugar and spices. The spices do come through, but it's not super remarkable in my opinion, unless you're usually a fan of sugar coated donuts. Go for the Dukkah over this. Earthquake Cookie ($1.50) Rich, chewy chocolate cookie covered in powdered sugar. Not sure if this fully lives up to the hype, but it is a solid choice if you like cookies/brownies given that the inside is somewhat like a brownie. My second favorite pick. Almond-Rose Cake ($4.00) Super moist cake--texturally awesome. Beware that both almond and rose flavors/smells come through so if you're only an almond fan, this may not be for you. The almond comes through first and the rose lingers after. Umm Ali ($4.00) Egyptian bread pudding with apples. I didn't expect the apples and they were a bit of a turn-off for me, but the non-apple portion was deliciously rich. Not for me, but if you like apple pie, this is a must-try. read more

Hard to access via public transportation, but well worth the trip. The hot pepper labneh is especially good, but all the pastries are amazing as well. Hard to get a table because of the demand, but understandable considering how high quality the food is read more

I will never be able to eat falafel elsewhere again- theirs is just too good! Everything is out of this world- from the food to pastries to drinks (try the dirty chai). Service is great. read more

Really disappointed in the food and portion to price ratio. I would think a flatbread sandwich would be enough for a meal, but I would be incorrect in that assumption. In addition they add admin fee and then forced at least a 10% tip for take out that you pick up. Is the admin the owner? Why am I tipping the owner. I got a sausage flatbread. It was greasy and practically had nothing inside and few vegetables. $78 worth of food was a little tiny bag. Service was pleasant, but would not eat here again. So disappointing! read more