Sofra Bakery and Cafe Reviews

I have been to Sofra twice and it's great! The tahini brown butter donut and the cheese borek are to die for! I've been a bit disappointed with the gozleme both times. Also really delicious chai.

I only subtracted a star because the crowd and limited seating is a bit stressful. Also, the prices are a bit steep.

I ve been going to Sofra since I was very little and it has been a joy to visit their friendly, helpful staff and cozy environment. The food here though is fine but not great and they are often changing items on their menu.

A COMPLEX MENU OF MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD SOME SYRIAN PALESTINIAN, MOROCCAN, TURKISH, FLAVORS AND TASTE IS WHY SOFRA IS SO BUSY HOMEMADE FROM SCRATCH. I STARTED WITH COLD CARROTT SOUP SO DELICIOUSLY MADE I WANTED MORE MY SALAD CAME OUT WOW SO MANY DIFFERENT FRESH FLAVORS CLEAN MY PALATE. I then had some lamb WOW NOT WHAT I AM USED TO SO DELICIOUS EGGPLANT SPECIAL PLATE INCREDIBLE GREAT CHECK THIS PLACE OUT IF YOU SEEK GOOD FLAVORFUL FOOD I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED MUSTACHE APPROVED ** I WOULD GIVE PLACE ATTACHED TO IT A ORGANIC WINE STORE A GREAT EDUCATION ON WINE, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR BEST YOU CAN BUY REASONABLE PRICE CHECK IT OUT

Good service! taste was very bad and so expensive..

Sofra is one of those beautiful Boston/Cambridge gems that make me think New England can be as wonderful a food destination as New York City. Serving up lovely Turkish/Lebanese/Mediterranean fare to crowded yuppie brunch crowds in West Cambridge, come here ready to have your taste buds blown apart.

1 star- ambiance. Despite the crowded interior, it's decorated charmingly with lots of enticing cookbooks, spices and oils, and ready-made foods and desserts for you to gander at while you wait your turn in line.
1 star- service. Nothing to complain about; despite crowds, the line moves decently quickly and the food comes out as fast as to be expected.
0.5 star- value. Their entrees run $8-14 for brunch/lunch and aren't massive but a fair amount of food.
1 star- taste. I don't think I've ever had a bad bite at Sofra (or at Sarma or Oleana to be honest). Everything is fresh, exciting, with amazing texture and flavor combinations. This latest visit, the twice baked strawberry pistachio croissant tasted even better than it looked (and it looks incredible) -- with flaky, crusty croissant, slightly sweet strawberries, and incredibly green and crunchy pistachios.
1.5 stars- innovation. Sofra just kills it with the interesting menu items. The brown butter donut made me feel like I was going to both heaven and hell, at the same time -- so sinful, so delicious. The sausage pita was spicy and tangy and salty, with great flavor coming through from the olives and feta butter.

Protip: come here early and if you can, run or bike here so you can really earn that dessert!

Rooibos latte & the variety of treats from the kitchen. Intimate space inside.

try the Turkish breakfast, so amazing! just the best!

They tried imitating Turkish based foods but it just didnt work for me. I got the tantuni and it tasted nothing like turkish flavors. If you want to imitate a Turkish menu at least put a little more effort. Bad representation

I love Sofra! They have an amazing spinach falafel sandwich and some really interesting mediterranean baked goods (liberal use of sesame seeds in many delicious ways). Their mezze plate is also great for trying a few different things.

Great coffee, get the surprise donut if you're visiting on the weekend. There isn't a lot of seating and it's always packed, so takeout might be a better option.

I ve been going to Sofra since I was very little and it has been a joy to visit their friendly, helpful staff and cozy environment. The food here though is fine but not great and they are often changing items on their menu.

As authentic as you can get for Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine, with freshly prepared food and a market of local and imported delicacies.

Amazing, uncomplicated middle eastern-mediterranean food served with a smile. The shop itself is worth a trip, they stock a ton of interesting spices

Great bakery shop. I tried their chicken Sharma and few desert items. Great Mediterranean food taste.

This place looks really cute and nice from outside and I always wanted to come and try something. So I was watching reviews and pictures of other people and i thought that this soup looks really tasty but when I tried it I couldn t even eat it till the end. The taste was definitely not mine and actually my friend didn t like the taste too.

Amazing selection of Middle Eastern food: pastries, Sharmas, flatbreads, shakshuka, soups, etc. Coffees, teas, lattes, and chai with interesting flavor combinations. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. There's usually a long line, but it moves quickly. There's some seating inside, but not enough for the amount of business that frequent Sofra; expect to hover awhile for a spot to sit. Highly recommended!

Consistently delicious! Fresh ingredients and inventive dishes. The menu is a good balance of favorites I can count on and new seasonal food/specials, so I can always try something new. Do not leave without the beet tzatziki! I crave it all the time. The baked goods are all excellent, and the meze is great.
Sofra has great options for vegetarians and vegans, I haven't paid much attention to GF food, but much of the meze is probably gluten friendly. There are nuts in a lot of things, especially desserts, so those with severe allergies may not want to eat here.
It is very difficult to find seating, especially on weekends, when they are operating at full capacity but I always find it worth it. The staff are always helpful and friendly, even when there is a long line behind me I don't feel rushed.
Sofra also carries a variety of prepared foods and seasonings/oils/accoutrements so that you can try some new flavors in your kitchen. Highly recommend this place to everyone!

This place is delicious! The date and espresso cookies are my favorite.

I come here often and Cannot say enough good things about this place! The people working there are always so inviting and the food is amazing!

Amazing middle eastern food, baked goods and coffee! Great folk who work there, friendly and welcoming! It is quite small, not much room to sit when it's busy, but it is cozy. I avoid going there at lunch time (weekend especially) because the line is out the door!

Amazing, uncomplicated middle eastern-mediterranean food served with a smile. The shop itself is worth a trip, they stock a ton of interesting spices

This Turkish bakery frequently has a line out the door, and for good reason! Their baked goods are delicious and the breakfast is delectable. I love the cheese borek and Sofra has the BEST chai that I've ever tasted. The line moves quickly and they've been known to give out samples of the Persian donut as a thank you for waiting on the weekends.

Food doesn't live up to the price, nor does it live up to the hype (considering it's part of the same group as Oleana and Sarma)

At 16 acres, this park has a large playing field, lawns, monuments and lots of pathways. Bicycles are common but so are regular walkers and joggers and moms pushing strollers. It's a lovely green space, surrounded by busy roads and the Harvard University campus.The playground is a significant feature, with a mini landscape of its own

Another favorite local cafe! It's right across the street from Mount Auburn Cemetery. Which means it's a lovely place to come rest your feet, grab a coffee, especially after spending a delightful afternoon admiring the beautiful cemetery grounds.

I've tried a couple of food items here but wasn't too impressed. They were lacking flavor and portions were on the smaller side. But they definitely make up for it in their coffee and baked goods! Every time I come here, the array of baked goods is different. And each one looks so appealing. And they're not your standard bakery pastries either. There's a Middle Eastern influence which you can see and notice in the flavors. The Sfeng (?) which is similar to a glazed donut, and the Persian donut, slightly drier version of a donut, are really tasty.

They also make a lot of specialty coffee drinks. And they're house-made, yay! No fake syrups, only real jams, haha. During Fall, they have a pumpkin jam latte which is yummy.

Other points to note: You order at the counter, get a number and they bring your food/coffee to you. Space is tight. It's a tiny cafe, so if you're visiting, be mindful that others might like a seat too especially during the weekends. There are a few parking spaces for customers behind the cafe.

Truly innovative middle eastern fusion food and pastries

One of my favorite food places, everything in here is absolutely delectable. Bright Mediterranean bakery with sweet and savory options. Definitely get the shakshuka if you make it there for breakfast: perfectly poached egg in a dreamy tomato base served with puffed up pita bread to sop up all the flavors. Also great: the mezes (my favorite is the muhammara, perfect with crick-cracks) zucchini fritters, moussaka, pretty much everything on the menu. Their sweets are to die for: chocolate earthquake cookies are chewy inside with a crispy outer shell, the almond-rose cake and kunefe are light yet decadent. The only downsides are there's not much seating and expect a wait during lunchtime, especially on the weekends. But worth it, every time!

Sofra is open for take out and has some seats for outdoor dining! I used the order ahead online and selected a time for pickup. Our food was ready on time. The babaganoush was very different from what I've tasted before, definitely a lot of eggplant but more on the chunkier side than creamy. The green bean salad was also refreshing to try for a warm summer day. Will be back to try some more of the sweet items.

Our favorite cafe in Cambridge! I can't say enough good things about Sofra - we highly recommend. The only downside is the limited seating. My absolute favorite dish is the beet tzatziki, although I've never had a bad dish here. The labneh Sofra uses is on point!

Great food and coffee. Would recommend to locals and visitors. There are ample options on the menu with vegetarian friendly options. The one thing to be cognizant of is the lack of seating. I also don't think this place takes reservations so big groups may find this place difficult to eat at.

Great cafe in Boston! You'll have to go early to miss the rush that starts around 9:45. We ordered a Kougin Amann: a fluffy croissant-like pastry that had a caramelized sugar crust, needless to say it was amazing. The tahini donut was different from what we expected; with a creme filling and tahini glaze on top, it was more Boston-meets-Istanbul than we expected. We also got a chocolate sesame bostock, the most underwhelming of our selection, it was still good but deceiving when expecting a chocolate all the way through pastry and not a chocolate veneer on top of bready pastry. The chocolate cookies were great, with large chunks of chocolate, thick and gooey all the way through, it was a great cookie and would go great with coffee. Trying to be explorative, we ordered a Turkish coffee, not expecting an espresso glass: it was great coffee, but not what we were looking for with our pastries. The pastry that stood out the most was the orange blossom morning bun. With its sugar crust on the bottom and orange glaze on the top it was very sweet but really added to the flavor and made it a stand out. My girlfriend also ordered the egg sandwich, which she found delicious and well balanced. We will definitely come back to try more!

I've been to 13 countries around the world and went to bakeries in every one of them. Sofra is hands-down the BEST bakery I've ever been to in my entire life. It's that good. Everything on the menu is amazing; you can never go wrong.

Sofra pastries were a huge hit at an office breakfast this morning - highly recommend!!! Thank you Sofra staff, I'll be back very soon!!!

Incredibly good. The shakshuka was so perfectly spiced, I also got the biscuit box which had some of the best biscuits and jam I've ever had.

Popular bakery cafe with well chosen middle eastern menu. Always a line outside. Food is fresh.

Most delicious food, nice coffee, warm atmosphere and very friendly service. Love it!

It's really tiny inside with not a lot of sitting. The food and service were great!

I've been a regular at Sofra for over two years now. I love love love their breakfast options. The mezes for lunch are usually pretty good. I really love the cheese borek from catering and the soups.

The bathroom does not have a baby changing station, which is a disappoinment, but they do have these great fold out high chairs. My 4mo loved them.

Seating and parking is limited, but it's worth it.

Fantastic food. Crowded but worth the wait. The red dragon drink was amazing.

Nice ambience. A bit too crowded and some items are overpriced.

Never been to this place. No idea Where you got this information.

The good: the place, althought small, has very nice decorations and overall atmosphere. The staff is super nice and friendly.

The bad: Their shawerma no where near shawerma and tasted, unfortunately, really bad. It truly wasn't shawerma or cooked the way shawerma is made. The lamb seemed to be prepared in a slow cooker, chicken was done on a flat top grill.

Such tasty and interesting food here. Everything is worth a try

Our most favorite and least expensive mediterranean place ever

Love this place for every flavorful dish it has to offer.

Sofra is massively over-rated. I have been twice and I was disappointed both times. The portions are small, flavors are bland, and items cost twice what they should. When I ordered they told me that the chicken shawarma came with chicken, shredded carrot, kale, and a garlic sauce - there was no carrot, perhaps three leaves of wilted kale, and a flavorless white sauce. The space is tiny and is always busy / packed - I ate in my car.

Yum Yum Yum. I cannot say enough good things about this place. You must must get the chocolate hazelnut bakalva and all their other baked goods are delicious as well. I love that you can get the spinach falafel that they serve at Oleana. I love what Sortun does with spice. A little pricey and can get very crowded with limited seating so difficult with big groups but so worth it! Also servings a little small

this place has amazing food just like its sister restaurants. Just make sure to go at a peak time when its too crowded because its so good!

This place is outstanding. A new Twist on traditional flavors. Very high quality

A bit expensive but the quality is amazing. Their teas and pastries alone are worth a visit.

The seating is limited, the lines are long, the portions are small ... This is all true, but it's totally worth it. Whether you try something sweet or savory, traditional or uncommon you'll be pleasantly surprised. Today I tried their egg sandwich with haloumi, feta butter and bacon on a slightly sweet brioche and I'm wondering why this is the first time I'm experiencing this! A perfect way to start the day.

Great but small and usually sardine-packed Brunch / lunch spot and provisions store by the owners of Sarma, one of the best restaurants in the area. Delicious but smallish Mediterranean dishes like spinach falafel and shawarma, inventive specials, wonderful deserts ranging from cookies to cakes, special teas and coffees. Super friendly staff. There s a patio and a few tables on the sidewalk, and about six parking spaces (street parking isn t that difficult). They sell their own packaged spices, preserved lemons, harrisa, etc.

Highly overrated place, as i discovered. Cold falafel on cold pita bread not even grilled, and the bread was not tasty at all....(Moody's Falafel of Central Square, I miss you! ! U were the real deal! )

My first stop when visiting my hometown of Watertown!

This place brings you a joy to eat there. Everything is so good, from the pastry to the tea, Breakfast also is amazing.

Good coffee and small bites. Limited vegan selection tho

Quite possible the best hot chocolate I ve ever had in my life. Also a great selection of pastries and other food. Go early, it gets packed.

The food is worth 5 stars - both savory and sweet. However, it is very cozy inside and seating can be a problem during prime times. In the nice weather, there is plenty of al fresco dining. This small gem of an eatery is great for snacks. It is owned by the chef at Oleana in Inman Square.

Egg sandwich = haloumi cheese, feta butter ($6.50) + bacon ($7) -- tasted good but portion was small for the $. Shakshuka ($7) and apricot almond bostock ($3) were both great.

I didn't get name but the girl that took my money for a choc croisant at 1:30 was so pleasant and has a great SMILE and terrific customer relations..she really shows she loves her job.. I also am drinking the sulfate free wine I bought from Richard. He was so gracious abd helpful to me
I'm glad I stopped in for my 1st time

Food is AMAZING, especially vegetarian/vegan friendly.

Really tough to get a seat here, even on weekdays. Food is excellent and the vibe and ambience are fun and eclectic.

The staff was sensational. They were delighted to answer questions, discuss ingredients, all with great enthusiasm. They couldn't have been better. As a result, we felt welcomed. We tried a whole range of products and had a lovely experience. The raspberry danish was especially wonderful. But, really, everything was tasty and a real treat.

Good. Hearty salads, tasty-looking premade sandwiches. Handy for quick nosh, with outside dining, too. New location near old one, off H.Sq. long-time food purveyor.

Delicious food. Nice internal decoration. Friendly staff. Nice music.