Diesel Café

Reviews 8

MA

Matt Jones

For our annual coffee crawl this year, my wife and I are biking around Cambridge (and Somerville), MA and trying to determine the best place for iced coffee. We are reviewing based on for categories: taste, coffee/ice ratio, atmosphere, and customer service. Diesel Cafe ***Cambridge (Iced) Coffee Crawl 2015 Winner*** Taste: ***** Wow. I expected great things knowing that they brew Intelligentsia Coffee, but these are some of the best iced drinks Ive had. My honey latte was fantastic. Perfectly balanced coffee and honey flavors with an espresso that really complements the honey. The espresso has a sweet caramel and fruity palette that works really well for iced drinks. The star of the show, though, was the salted caramel latte. The homemade caramel sauce combined with that espresso is just about the perfect drink. Whoever came up with that recipe is a genius as its just a perfect pairing. The saltiness and sweetness balance out, keeping the drink away from cloying and safely in the refreshing summer drink range. Its definitely a bit dessert-y, but not in a bad way by any means. Coffee/Ice Ratio: **** They make the drinks and mix them all separate from the ice, so you know your drink is going to be properly made every time. Enough ice to make it refreshing, but a little too much if you dont out-drink the melt. Atmosphere: ***** Again, top marks here. There is tons of space, so even though its crowded, it doesnt feel like it. Theres a great vintage industrial feel to the inside, complete with a garage door that opens up the whole front of the shop to outside. My one small complaint is that they charge for WiFi. Since there is no signal here (at least for Verizon), thats annoying. You can connect via xfinity, though, so theres that option at least. Customer Service: **** They were busy, but were still polite and didnt rush us at all. The barista was very professional and quick. The whole staff is very well dressed, polite, and makes great eye contact. Im sure on less busy days, theyd be more talkative and engaging. Overall, this is a great spot with great coffee... Cant go wrong here.

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HA

Haruka Kato

I love Diesel Cafe. I think it will always be special to me, because my friend took me here for the first time on my birthday. We played pool and brought coffee. We also talked about our life here. Anyways, the interior is aethestically pleasing. It simply screams "hipster" and "alternative." Ever since that day, Ive been coming back to this cafe. I even brought my dad here once. He really liked the coffee and the design. He even shared photos of it on his Facebook, which almost never happens when he goes somewhere. Everyone Ive talked to about this cafe, they all love it. Even my professor :P Of course, the coffee is really good. I only drink iced coffee, but its really good. I cannot say things about the food since Ive only ever brought coffee. The bathrooms are also clean. I only have two complaints: sometimes seating is hard, regardless of the time of day. As other people complained about, there are some individuals, alone, who sit in the four persons booth alone. From my time at the UMass Dining halls, I learned that I should only sit in two person tables if Im going to eat alone. I suppose Im being hypocritical here, since one of the photos I shared, I was alone and took up two tables :P The other complaint is the Wifi. I didnt know how to set up the free 45 minutes. I certainly would not connect to public Wifi and enter my card information to purchase the Wifi. SSL encryption aside, Im sure people could get your information another way when youre using public Wifi. I tried paying with cash for the Wifi, but the staff said the provider was third party, so they couldnt take cash. However, not having Wifi could increase your productivity if you are able to do offline work :)

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TU

tu nguyen van

Địa điểm: Nằm cuối đường Hoà Mã nếu đi từ Phố Huế vào. Đoạn đường này khá vắng và yên tĩnh. Quán nằm ở tầng 1 và rầng 2 của toà nhà Cora. Có tầng hầm gửi xe + Không gian: Không gian sang trọng, có cả không gian bên trong và bên ngoài. Khoảng cách các bàn khá xa nhau nên ko bị ồn ào. + Chất lượng: Mình rất ưng đồ uống ở đây. Nhất là trà hoa hồng. Các loại nước khác cũng khá ngon. + Phục vụ: Bác trông xe rất thân thiện. Nv ko giao tiếp mấy nên ko có nx gì. Nhg mình ko thích cách các bạn nv ở đây toàn tự làm tròn tiền của khách. Bạn mình gọi trà dưa hấu 45k/ cốc. Gọi 2 cốc đưa 100k ko thấy trả lại. 10k ko đáng là bao nhg cứ có cảm giác ko thoải mái ý. + Giá cả: 50k/ người.

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JA

Jacob Goliti-Chase

This is *the best* coffee shop in Boston. Located in the midst of Davis Square, this oversize, partial-service, Queer-friendly café housed in a renovated industrial space is open late, serving made-to-order omnivorous sandwiches, soups, salads, and sweet/savory baked goods to rooms typically buzzing with students (young and less-young), studying in booths, on laptops, playing darts or pool on one of several tables, or just chatting while people-watching. While the energy here is consistent year-round, the New England weather is not: the absolute best time of year here is the summertime vibe, when the overhead garage doors along the shop front roll up to reveal the pedestrians along the main drag of Davis Square.

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AM

Amy Macabre

I am at Diesel at least once a week. Their service is always friendly though sometimes scattered and at least a few times a month they flub my order in an annoying though easily remedied way (wrong syrup in a drink, forgot ingredient in sandwich etc). However they always fix things immediately and with care. I absolutely adore their italian sodas (made just right, not too sweet!) and the soups are absolutely heavenly. Its a great place to meet friends and hang out. I do wish they had free wi-fi but I understand they are an independent business and need to take certain measures to keep afloat. Highly recommended as a low key hangout spot with nice drinks and snacks.

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SA

Sarah Reinstein

Diesel Cafe is the quintessential local indie coffee shop. Local art covers the wall, along with vintage gas station accoutrements, there are pool tables, red vinyl booths, hip coffees, and tons of locals camping out for caffeine and wi-fi ($5 an hour, btw). I come here on the regular for soy chai; its my favorite caffeinated drink, and they do it right. Their Arnold Palmers (iced tea and lemonade) are super-refreshing on a hot summer day, but they are TART. I usually put a packet of raw sugar in there to sweeten it up just a little. Very fresh, though! Diesel, dont go away. Youre a lifeline to us Somerville denizens on the hunt for our next caffeine fix.

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NO

Noah Weinert

Based on the reviews I was expecting a lot more from this institution. My girlfriend and I stopped by for some breakfast and we both left nonplussed. The breakfast sandwiches were good, and the coffee was admittedly some of the best Ive had in Boston. That being said, the pricetag completely ruined the experience. If youre charging $40 for a couple coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and a scone, Im expecting a bit more than a sandwich on a plate with an orange slice as a garnish. If you have money to burn or are buying into the scene you will have a great experience, otherwise Id recommend trying elsewhere.

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PA

Pablo Pinto

I hope its working out for some people but a coffee shop that charges for WiFi wont do for me (and for the tons of other who have left reviews here as well). Id love to hear the reasoning behind this. Internet access is $4.95/hour, $7.95 per day, or $13.95 per month. Thats not worth "the experience" for me. Im all about supporting independently owned businesses when I travel but I also dont have a problem to give my business to corporate chains if theyre doing better for me as a customer. We all know Starbucks has free internet, top notch coffee, and its right across the street so guess where Im headed...

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