Pavement Coffeehouse: Not Just Coffee?
As a coffee shop that, in fact, is not named after a color (I’m looking at you, Orange-Rock Path and Red-Bowl Tea) — Pavement Coffeehouse stands proudly behind the modern, glass windows of Harvard Square’s Smith Campus Center, drawing in harried students and bandwagon tourists alike with promises of caffeine and content.
Like with the other popular food spots tucked in Smith Campus Center, it can be easy to forget that Pavement Coffeehouse exists beyond the Harvard bubble. But with eight popular locations in the Boston-Cambridge area, Pavement Coffeehouse has built up its brand centered on simplicity and quality with their single-origin coffee and high-quality teas. And so far, their drinks have not disappointed my cravings. From drip coffee to to cortados to matcha lattes, their menu has something for both coffee connoisseurs and hot-chocolate amateurs. Their chai latte is a reliable regular — a perfect balance of cinnamon and foamed milk to spark the nerves for an extra boost — but the spice is never heavy-handed that it’d tingle uncomfortably in the throat, which has happened to me occasionally depending on a cafe’s spice blend. And, even though it was not listed on their large, chalkboard-style menu, I once was craving and decided to ask for a London Fog — an earl grey tea latte with vanilla syrup — and the barista agreed with a surprised smile, no questions asked. I ended the night comforted by the warmth of earl grey tea with subtle hints of vanilla.
Pavement Coffeehouse in Harvard Square’s Smith Campus Center, Cambridge, MA. February 2020
So, even though you might occasionally receive a resentful glance if you drop by ten minutes before closing, the staff are knowledgeable, efficient, and happy to clarify even with the perpetual long line of customers: from reiterating their milk alternatives (almond, soy, oat; for an extra $0.50), drawing latte tulip art, to explaining what their special “Death Cream” is: cold brew, half-and-half, and a shot of vanilla. In fact, one weekday night, I went with their recommended drink: their seasonal fig latte with oat milk. Despite the nearly $6 price, not only did it become my favorite winter drink with its earthy and subtle fruitiness, I struck up a lovely conversation with the barista, who eagerly told me about the new oat milk they switched to that also was his favorite.
Perhaps surprisingly, Pavement has more to offer than just drinks. Their sandwiches — ranging from $6 to $9 — are delicious in their own right, such as the Tequila Sunrise breakfast bagel sandwich with pico de gallo, diablo cream cheese and egg (or its Vegan Tequila counterpart with sprouts and tofu spread), or their classic turkey-bacon-lettuce-tomato on sourdough. And, placed strategically before the order counter is a display of generously-sized baked goods from blackberry scones to vegan banana muffins, and their small cooler even offers overnight oats for health-conscious dining-hall boycotters. But be warned: their pastry supply often dwindles later in the day, and my snickerdoodle cookie was rather hard from being out for too long, though still reasonably cinnamon-y and tasty. Indeed, Pavement’s recipe to success may not be their croissants. But, it may not just be their coffee either.
Picture this: a rare, mild Cambridge January morning, the wintry breeze softened by sunbeams instead of seeping through the cracks of the sidewalk. Headed towards Smith for a post-workout pick-me-up, I was met by the bustling front of the Pavement Coffee counter, the line snaking nearly out the front door. But sure enough, the barista made my Death Cream a few minutes after I ordered— and five minutes later, my spontaneously-ordered bagel.
At its $4.75 price, I was expecting a small or open-face bagel, with a smear of cream-cheese and a few veggie slices. Instead, I was handed a wonderfully hefty bagel: and once I took a bite, I was floored. Nearly flabbergasted, in fact, by the glorious tang of everything seasoning, which heightened the spicy kick of the generously, but not overly lathered, tomato-basil cream cheese on both halves of the large, toasted multigrain bagel, sandwiching fresh slices of tomato and cucumber.
Whole-wheat everything bagel with tomato-basil cream cheese, cucumber, tomato; Death Cream
This serendipitous discovery was only tempered by a more recent instance, when I decided to drop by early evening and was told that they had run out of bagels and sandwiches (and disclaimer: they do not make their egg breakfast sandwiches past an unspecified point in the day). Regardless, Pavement Coffeehouse’s bagels, “handcrafted” in their Allston bakery, seem to be nothing to scoff at, from plain to sesame to cinnamon-raisin flavors, cream cheese and vegan tofu spread selections, and a choice of two veggie toppings: roasted red peppers, bean sprouts, and more. You can even add avocado, tempeh (a soy-based plant protein), or bacon for an extra dollar or two. Who would’ve expected Pavement to be a worthy competitor with Harvard Square’s other bagel shops?
At any rate, I have spent possibly one too many days or dollars, settled at one of the white metal tables clustered in front of the modest Pavement Coffeehouse counter, which is located next to the security-welcome desk of the Smith Campus Center as a convenient go-to for both visitors and students. But as an unofficial regular, it’s been fascinating to observe all the different people who also come enjoy Pavement in the midst of their busy lives. From thesis-writers typing furiously on their Macbook Pros while gulping down espresso shots, to “Future-Harvard Student”-shirt-wearing tourist toddlers nibbling on maple pecan cookies in their strollers, Pavement Coffeehouse, with its minimalist bird logo staring pensively out of every coffee cup, but also enticing golden-brown lemon poppyseed muffins in their display case, conveys a solid balance of sophistication and approachability. In other words, a treat to offer everyone.
(Well, just maybe not if you want a bagel after six pm.)