If you want a thing done well, you’ll have to do it yourself. At least that’s what two South End residents chose to do, creating an award winning
cafe despite their lack of professional food experience. It serves simple and high quality food throughout the course of the day just like
any buttery in England would. Due to its success, the Buttery expanded to offer full service dining at the flagship location, opened a
takeout market next door, and operates a second location nearby on Clarendon Street. The Buttery was voted “Best Breakfast” in Boston by Improper Bostonian Magazine in July of 2015 and all of their food is made using traditional methods and all-natural ingredients.
As always, location is everything and this place has it in spades. The Buttery can reasonably claim that it occupies the prime retail space
within the 8 Streets neighborhood of South End with its corner location at the intersection
of Union Park and Shawmut Avenue.
Pro Tip: If you are gluten intolerant, we recommend the gluten conscious banana walnut muffin that is not only huge, but also very moist and
delicious!
Though it’s not large in terms of square footage, the sheer number of options to whet your palate will not disappoint at Flour. Flour Bakery
+ Cafe’s countless breakfast pastries, homemade cookies, pies, cakes, sandwiches, soups, salads, and grain bowls help to make sure one
never orders the same thing twice. Not to mention that you can go more than once throughout the day. Customers order everything ranging
from an old-fashioned sour cream coffee cake in the AM to a soba noodle + spinach grain bowl for dinner! Flour has continued to expand
throughout the Boston area with eight locations now open.
Pro Tip: If you are looking to pick up a hobby or want to take your cooking to the next level, take one of their classes! Learn how to make
some of your favorite pastries so you can share them with your friends and family.
Some cafes have to try to imbue culture into their offering (space, menu, ambience). Some just naturally have it. Jaho stands out as one of
the later. The passion of those who created and work at Jaho is on display at all times… In fact, they were passionate enough about
creating a great cafe experience that they were willing to travel to Japan to do more of it. (They recently opened a location in Tokyo!)
The South End location was their first in Boston and it has quickly warmed the hearts of many South Enders (and other neighborhood transients).
If you’re not in the mood for coffee or tea, they also have juices and smoothies ready just for you!
Pro tip: Don’t be confused by Jaho’s TWO Washington Street locations in Boston. One is in Downtown Crossing but this one is firmly entrenched
in the Blackstone/Franklin area of the South End.
For a truly cultured experience, stop by this cafe for a treat. It was named after the French painter and mother of Executive Pastry Chef Frederic
Robert. The baked goods are created by classically trained chefs paired with friendly service. Rarely a dull moment at Cafe Madeleine,
watch chefs work in the open show kitchen while you wait for your brew or pain au chocolat. Their freshly brewed coffee is by La Colombe
which is a world renowned Strictly Earth Conscious roaster, allowing them to make our favorite café au lait.
Pro Tip: Do not be afraid to order something adventurous! The head chef, Frederic Robert, was awarded the James Beard award which rewards chefs
for their excellent cuisine, culinary writing, and culinary education in the US. If you want to try one of his specialties ask for Robert’s
signature chocolate cake consisting of rich chocolate layers, mousse, and hazelnut gianduja (sweet chocolate spread that contains hazelnut).
If you want a more quaint and pure coffee shop-like experience, make your way to the northern end of Shawmut Ave where you’ll step down into
this (kind of) hidden gem. A small patio welcomes you in and will undoubtedly be full in the warmer months. Follow your tastebuds’ desires
and order one of their farmhouse loaves or one of many pastries. Not to be missed is their beloved Wholy Bowl, consisting of a mixture
of brown rice, beans and their signature sauce with additional toppings per your request.
Pro Tip: Not only do they have a patio area in the front of the cafe, but there is another one in the back! There’s nothing quite like the
fresh air outside a coffee shop on a warm summer morning.