Time for some local joe? Five independent coffee shops with cool flavors, relaxing vibes
Lillian Eden
If you're looking to support locally owned businesses, look no further than your morning cup of joe. Here are five independent coffee shops in MetroWest and greater Milford area that offer books, sandwiches and even discounted screen-free meals.
Coffee Haven, Holliston
Address: 76 Railroad St.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Unique on the menu: Coffee Haven has flavored coffees like pistachio and cinnamon sticky bun
Website: https://www.coffeehavenbooks.com/
If you go: This shop, which opened in 1997, is right off the Holliston rail trail, making it a perfect spot to grab a bite to eat, like "Here Comes The Boom," a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich with spinach and Boom Boom sauce, or "The Hemming," which has veggie cream cheese, hot sauce, cucumbers, bacon and lettuce. The shop also has a selection of books for browsing.
Rhapsody's Victorian Coffee House, Franklin
Address:395 East Central St.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Unique on the menu: In addition to coffee, the coffeehouse serves crepes, both savory and sweet, like "Love You A Latke" with a sweet potato latke, bacon, a sunny-side up egg, cheddar cheese, arugula and spicy honey, and "Crepe Suzette," with orange butter, brown sugar, Grand Marnier, cognac and candied oranges.
Website: https://rhapsodysvictoriancoffeehouse.com/
If you go: This Victorian-themed coffeehouse, which opened in 2017, offers a 5% discount to anyone willing to enclose their phone in a box on the table for the duration of their meal or coffee; they provide the box. The owner, retired aerospace quality engineer Michael Bernier, prides himself on creating an atmosphere of "what I think people need, even if people don't know they need it: a place to escape from the outside world."
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Saxonville Mills Cafe & Roastery, Framingham
Address: 2 Central St.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Unique on the menu: In addition to coffee, this cafe offers a caffeine-free spicy turmeric latte and smoothies, including flavors like passion fruit and soursop.
Website: https://saxonvillecafe.com/
If you go: This local cafe and roastery, which opened in Framingham in 2018, sells Colombian baked goods and coffee beans, including a medium roast decaf arabica coffee, made with beans sourced from the Andean mountains in Colombia.
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The Coffee Loft, Marlborough
Address: 406 Lincoln St.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Unique on the menu: Lattes and espresso drinks are on offer at this coffee spot, with specialty flavors including samoa, "bee sting" and butter pecan. They also offer maple chai lattes, crepes and sandwiches, like the "l.g.b.t," a spin on a BLT sandwich with guacamole.
Website: https://www.coffee-loft.com/
If you go: This Marlborough spot aims to run "on love, laughter and coffee," according to its menu. Serving coffee from Jim's Organic Coffee, The Coffee Loft also sells beans from the Massachusetts beanery, like "Blend X aka witches brew," a dark roast or "Espresso Jimbo," which has chocolate-like notes.
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Karma Coffee, Sudbury
Address: 100c Boston Post Road (Route 20)
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon
Unique on the menu: This coffee spot is all about the beans, sourced from all over the world, including "Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Misty Valley, with notes of pineapple and stone fruit, and "Guatemala Q'anil" with notes of orange and apricot.
Website: https://www.stiryoursoul.com/#karma-coffee-roasters
If you go: Although this coffee spot is no longer offering drink service because of the pandemic, beans can still be ordered online and curbside pickup is available. According to their website, owners are hoping "that coffee can help bring some normalcy to everyone's lives right now."