It's just shy of 11 a.m. on a post-snow Saturday morning, and the Bee's Knees in Allston is full of life. There's a line at the counter, a mix of those wanting their coffee, food, or juice to go and those wanting to stay, from the looks of it, all day.
It's a cozy atmosphere, and some people have made themselves right at home, curling up in one of the high-backed, leather banquettes. There's a student close to the window typing away rapidly on his computer, lost in his work and oblivious to the fact that his breakfast sandwich has arrived. Several minutes pass before he almost seems startled by the appearance of the meal. He takes a break from work to dig in. A young woman comes in and sits down next to him and promptly buries herself in her phone. Her breakfast sandwich arrives, and she removes the top part of the English muffin and eats half of the egg before casting the whole thing off to the side. She stays in her seat, lost in her phone.
There is a foursome in the back, near the counter. They are boisterous and laugh loudly. One of the guys from the table has refilled his coffee way more times than one should. In front of them, a family of three has long finished breakfast and is just chatting as a trio of students walks in, armed with computers, yoga mats, and more Boston College apparel than the campus store. They take up a round banquette in the corner, and within minutes, their phones and computers are plugged in, creating a web of charger cords and an instant makeshift study space.
The food comes out fast and is delivered to tables by a server. The most popular food item is the breakfast sandwich, a fluffy cube of scrambled eggs that is coated in cheese and slathered with dijonnaise, dressed with arugula, and stuffed in between halves of a Stone and Skillet English muffin. It arrives on a sheet of parchment paper and a wooden paddle. There's also a healthy mix of waffles and smoked salmon sandwiches being ordered, as well as the breakfast special of the day, a brisket and egg quesadilla. Served with a side of home fries, a scoop of sour cream, and three slices of avocado, it's a beast of a breakfast.
A trio arrives and gets comfortable in the back corner. They each order an item, agreeing to split it all. Another special of the day, the chicken and waffles, arrives, and the whole table erupts in laughter. It's a massive plate with a thick waffle providing a bed for stack of fried chicken, and the tiniest person at the table has ordered it. She jokingly yet firmly reminds everyone at the table that they will, in fact, be helping her finish the order.
It's a constant flow of people that are coming in out of the cold, but the noise level is light with the occasional shout of a name from the barista, announcing that someone's order is ready. Behind the action of the front, the backside of the counter reveals a bar. It's quieter back there, and there's a pair of couples enjoying breakfast. Opposite the dining room, a sizable nook offers comfortable leather chairs, a fireplace, and a record player. Several people are curled up with coffee, books, or just their phones. It's bright outside, and the light pours into the space, giving it a warm and sunny feel, making a lengthy stay at Bee's Knees all that more appealing.
