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Central Square java joint sports a good feel and top-notch coffee..
In Short
Perhaps the area's most beloved independent coffeehouse, the 1369 caters to a fiercely loyal crowd of academics and cerebral types. There's a small and changing selection of soups,
salads and sandwiches at lunch. Whether eating or not, just about every patron orders a mug of hard-hitting brew; any of the grinds are excellent in flavor and depth. Non-coffee drinkers can choose cocoa or brewed pots of 15 loose teas.…
Pretty good but not the holy grail of coffee.
I've been here a couple of times. I recommend it if you're in the area, you like the earthy crunchy scene, and you're not a free wireless hound like I am.
Pros: Coffee and pastries are decent. Ambiance is coffeehouse-esque -- the seating area is dark and secretive, which I like.
Cons: The coffee, while decent, is not magnificent. There are long lines, which is generally a good sign but here there's just not much room. The help is reliably sullen, which is tolerable but sometimes exasperating. Also, the cafe makes you pay for wireless.
The real drawback for students and other customers who want to drink coffee and do some work is the lack of free wireless, so I usually just go to a nearby Arabic cafe where the clientele is less crunchy, the coffee is better, the menu more exotic, and the service is consistently cheerful.
Still, 1369 is good for quick coffee before you get on the T.…
Decent, but Inconsistent. Since I live in the Inman neighborhood, a cafe like 1369 is a welcome retreat on hot days and cold ones alike. I've been to both locations, I've found the one in Inman to be the better run of the two. However, occasionally you get surly help and not quite hot lattes at the Inman location, you can be guaranteed to get that more often than not at the Central Sq. Location.…
Central Square Gem. This was one of my favorite coffehouse/hangouts when I lived in the Boston area. Central square is home to a few gems, and this is one of them. A place where you can read, play chess, people watch, socialize, get a snack or a good cup of coffee. Nice staff and you never know who you'll run into. I've both met and reaquainted myself with some good people there.…
Best Coffee in Boston. 1369 was the only reason I stayed in Boston for the last year while I was unemployeed. It is a grat environment to sit and look like you are writing the great american novel or just play chess.
