North of the city, Tamper in Medford offers some delightful coffee and cookie combos. There are brewed coffees and espresso-based beverages, along with tea, lemonade, and even a small selection of beer and wine. For food, there are breakfast sandwiches, omelets, French toast, and lunchtime sandwiches.

Sure, Nine Bar offers pastries (from A&J King Bakery in Salem), bagels, muffins, and even avocado toast, but the real beauty of the cafe lies in its coffee and tea. Nine Bar serves frothy cappuccinos and deep green matcha drinks with beautiful designs, along with simple espresso drinks. It also has hot and iced beverages, tea lattes made with Mem Tea, and more, and it is conveniently located across from the Davis Square MBTA stop. There’s also a tiny bit of outdoor seating in warmer months (or walk around the corner to hang around Statue Park). Nine Bar also has a second location in Boston, near Downtown Crossing.

Revival, which has two locations in Alewife and Davis Square, carries on some traditions from its now-defunct sibling, Crema Cafe, which closed in Harvard Square at the end of 2018. Revival’s menu features house-made bread and pastries, sandwiches, and more, and it serves assorted coffee and espresso beverages and more. A new Revival location is headed for 103 Newbury St., Boston, soon.

Darwin's has been around for over a quarter of a century and operates four locations around Cambridge, including this one on Cambridge Street. It offers soups, sandwiches, and pastries, in addition to its coffees, which are made with the coffee shop's own conical brewing system that mimics pour-over brews in less time. Note: The Massachusetts Avenue location serves coffee cocktails, wine, and beer.

Named for its address in Inman Square, 1369 Coffee House also has a location on Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square. This neighborhood coffee shop covers all the bases: hot espresso beverages, cold brew (available in growlers), seasonal tea lattes (usually with accompanying chalkboard art), bagels, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and more.

Formerly known as Dwelltime, this mid-Cambridge cafe is a cozy neighborhood spot with fine coffees, pastries, weekend brunch, and lunch options. Give the lavender scone a try, or settle in at a table with a cup of cold brew or nitro coffee from the shop's tap. There is no wifi, so this is a good place to unplug. There are also locations in Cambridge’s Kendall Square and in East Arlington, as well as a roasting facility in Woburn.

After saying farewell to its in-house but independently owned coffee shop Longfellows, the Lamplighter Brewing Co. team installed a coffee operation of its own: Pepita leans into an Austin, Texas-inspired menu of breakfast tacos, avocado tostada, and assorted pastries (like jalapeno cornbread and pumpkin rum coffee cake). Pepita has a full menu of espresso beverages as well as drip coffee, cold brew coffee flights, iced spicy chocolate, and a coquito slushie with coconut and cinnamon. Time your visit right, and you can have Pepita coffee and Lamplighter beer at the same time.

Coffee at George Howell is roasted in small batches every day. Its location in the Godfrey Hotel is a European-style espresso bar with quick-serve coffee, a range of espresso beverages, coffee tasting flights, classes, and much more (including beer and wine); be sure to check out the creative seasonal specials that are almost cocktail-like in their intricacy. There are also cafes in Newtonville, at the Boston Public Market, and at Fenway’s Time Out Market Boston, and the main roastery is in Acton. George Howell also provides beans for several cafes and restaurants in the area, so if you can’t make it to the shop, you can still find the beans scattered around town.

This Leather District standing espresso bar takes coffee seriously and offers a beverage selection that includes nitro cold brew, filter coffee, lattes, mocha, hot chocolate, tea, and espresso, of course, for which there are two options: Alpha, Gracenote’s presentation of a classic profile espresso, and a single-origin variety that rotates each day. Gracenote Coffee has a roastery in Berlin, Massachusetts, and distributes its beans to other local coffee shops.

With eight locations around the Boston area, Pavement is a fixture in each of its neighborhoods. Brighton’s location also accommodates Pavement’s roastery and headquarters. Known for its bagels and strong coffee, Pavement serves a simple menu in each of its cafes, with sandwiches, pastries, salads, and more. It's a good place to settle in and do work, but be aware that the free wifi is limited to two hours.

Coffee beans are roasted in-house at 4A in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner, and this small shop has a loyal following. 4A's espresso comes highly recommended, and beans are available for purchase to make coffee at home. It’s closed Sunday and Monday.

Render sources Tandem Coffee from Maine and Gracenote Coffee from Boston, offering pour-over cups of strong coffee, espresso drinks, and pots of tea. The cafe also has a second location in Downtown Boston that can accommodate commuters looking for a quick cup of coffee or those with time to sit and sip.

This place has plenty of coffee to go around, from brewed batches to pour over and espresso, as well as tea. Cafe Fixe serves Barrington coffee and has a lineup of pastries and other treats to accompany its coffee offerings. Note that Cafe Fixe has a $10 minimum for credit card purchases and does not offer wifi.