Sofra Bakery and Cafe Reviews

Absolutely delicious and distinctively spiced cookies. Amazing food. Awesome breakfast croissants. What else is there to say? Worth the trip from anywhere in eastern Massachussetts

The Turkish coffee literally made my socks shoot off my feet like nerf footballs.

Busy, tiny, cozy. Warming soups, rich moussaka, and lots of tea/coffee drinks with middle eastern flavors and herbs and spices. Great place to pick up edible gifts: spiced or candied nuts, chocolate crackle cookies, black garlic salt, zaatar and baharat, cookbooks... Awesome little neighborhood cafe if you can get a seat.

Absolutely love this place! When I decided to take a trip back home to visit family, this was put on my itinerary!

I've been to Sofra very little, but the food is usually superb. However, last time I was there the guy at the register was very rude and u pleasant. There wasn't even a line to justify his exasperation, not that it would be okay in that case.
Unfortunately, I don't feel very motivated to go back :/

Always full. No table to seat. Food ok but not amazing

Wow!! This place is absolutely heavenly. Their food is superb ! Great job Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick!!

My favorite local place! Get there early to avoid a line.

I went to Sofra for an afternoon snack and had a hard time deciding what to get. I settled on the hummus platter and also an iced coffee, along with one of their famous earthquake (chocolate) cookies. Everything was excellent!

Came to Sofra on a Saturday around 11:30 AM to a short line on the inside (which moves quickly). I had heard great things about it after going to both Sarma and Oleana, its higher-end small plates sister restaurants in the Boston area. Middle Eastern cuisine is my absolute favorite so of course I had to come to Sofra, despite it being on the other side of town.

When you walk in, it is quite small and packed with other fellow lovers of Middle Eastern cuisine. The menu is all written on cardboard which adds a certain level of humility of the restaurant, despite its great reputation. To dine in, you order at the counter, take a number, and try to find a table. Though it was busy, people were considerate of others looking for tables and didn't linger too long. We were able to sit down as we were waiting for our food (which took about 5 - 10 minutes).

I was fortunate enough to come to the restaurant with my friend of Turkish descent who is familiar with many of the things on the menu so we ordered things that I wouldn't necessarily think to get (but I am glad I did):

Kougin Amman - Puff pastry filled with oozing chocolate Halva (a sesame based food, often sweet)...probably my favorite thing we got. While Halva is usually semi-solid and something you take bites of, this halva oozed out and complimented the puff pastry perfectly. Definitely get at least one of the pastries while you're here.

Morning Bun - we didn't even order it but since you are elbow to elbow with your neighbors (and people here are so friendly), our neighbors let us try a piece of their morning bun with orange blossom glaze. My Goodness! The vibrancy of the flavor and the smell. I tasted the orange more than I ever have in any pastry before. Will definitely be getting one of my own when I come back.

Asure - my friend described this as oatmeal but with chickpeas. It's filled with pistachios, dried fruit, and almonds and is so warming on a cold day. This is something I wouldn't think to get but am glad I did.

Lamb Shawarma - I am a big shawarma fan but I was actually disappointed by this one. I thought it would come grilled/sliced on a big pita with lots of veggies and sauces but it came in this little egg-roll type pastry with hummus on the side. It was tasty but the lamb was ground up and for what we paid, I would expect a larger portion.

Cheese Borek - also one of my favorites but something I wouldn't think to order. This is basically doughy squares of bread filled with cheese that you dip in more cheese (labneh, which is a white spreadable cheese).

Turkish Tea Latte - I am not a hot beverage drinker but my friend is and she said it was delicious and came in the cutest little cup. See picture for evidence.

Overall, a great brunch experience and one that I will be schlepping out to West Cambridge for when I am craving some Turkish breakfast food.

Also important to note: This restaurant also serves as a small grocery store of middle eastern goodies...definitely worth checking out if you enjoyed your meal.

Heard so many good things about this place
Managing Covid well by front door ordering

My pita sandwich was a bit disappointing
Thin and small
Will come back for second opinion

Great service, great chef. If you are an entitled huron village old money cambridge karen, please patronize sparingly for the good of the staff.

I've always enjoyed Sofra. The food is wonderful and authentic. I particularly love the Chicken Shwarma, but I'm writing a review for an entirely different reason. I purchased a very expensive gift card for cooking classes through Sofra as a Christmas present. Somehow, in the mayhem of the holidays, it was lost. I approached Sofra with not much hope of recouping the gift card. Their catering department located the records of the purchase, cancelled the old card and replaced it. It was handled incredibly efficiently and professionally, but more than that, it was handled with kindness and trust. Sofra is fundamentally apart of this neighborhood, the neighborhood I live in and it was so nice to feel an inherent warmth and sense of community simply in the way the whole episode was handled.

We came here on a Sunday around 2PM and it was still packed! Service was quick however and if you are patient you can definitely find a place to sit.
I would recommend to anyone who wants a fresh delicious meal with a medditerranean flair.

Lovely place with super Good food and Nice people! Huge fan!!!

Great pastries, especially the pistachio blackberry poptart, but it's crowded af

Best item is the Turkish breakfast or shakshuka. Great pastries for adorable prices. There location is very small so I wouldn't bring a large party, expect to wait for a seat on the weekends, no reservations accepted.

Wonderfully flavorful dishes. Highly recommend the spinach falafel. The staff is extremely helpful in describing dishes we were unfamiliar with and made some great recommendations (thanks Claire and Maggie!)

The sweets are fantastic as well. Recommendations: Earthquake cookie and the Sesame Cashew Caramel.

The pumpkin jam latte is a lovely seasonal drink, and the karma cold brew is a staple. Will definitely be returning to test out the rest of the menu.

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

Amazing pastry!! Everything was spot on with the balance of spices.

This place is the one I like best. I go to a lot of restaurants but here I constantly return again and again. The crew is very cordial and the food they offer is so appetizing. I never decline to have a nice meal in this restaurant. Highly recommended.

Delicious food, very busy and no place to sit. We sat further down the street in front of an optical shop. The good was well worth the trouble

Delightful bakery in Watertown. We tried the Cheese Borek ($10 for 3 pieces)- which tastes like buttered toast stuffed with cheese and comes warm served over Labneh and some tomato based paste. For dessert, we had walnut and cinnamon baklava ($4 for 2 pieces) which was crispy and quite good. We also had the Za'atar bread (1 for $3) which is really a chewy spongy whole wheat tiny pita dunked in Za'atar and Olive oil. Overall, everything was delicious, if a little bland. The pandemic menu online on their website is accurate. Their inner-seating is closed and there are around 3 tables and several standing spaces in the patio. We arrived 2.5 hours before they closed and they did not have any of their customary pastries that they used to serve before the pandemic from their counter.

I cannot say enough good things about Sofra. The Turkish coffee is great, The pastries are stellar (and, as a long time baker and coffee lover, I'm particularly picky about coffee and pastries), and the savory dishes are yummy as well. The only shortcoming I see is that it is located far away from me. Distant or not, I willingly brave the 30 min drive to visit Sofra.

This place sure knows how to please their clients. Always with a helpful demeanor. The food is affordably priced, always yummy and neat.

Best breakfast spot in Cambridge! Get the Turkish coffee. Pastries are all excellent and the yogurt is unreal.

This place rocks, go there and your tastebuds will thank you.

Amazing lamb and they really catered to my food allergies

A location full of spicy spirit. The people are incredibly friendly. A place where you can talk easily with other guests. Just a wonderful place!

Great place to go for breakfast. For a true experience try on a weekday morning. It can get pretty busy on the weekend. Perfect spot to relax before a day of work. Food is great. If your going to have shakaukra and you like your eggs poached a little better than really soft poached make sure you ask. They tend to undercook the eggs for my liking. Not bad but helpful to know ahead of time

Love it but kind of wrong location. Wish they would have branch at Harvard or Kendall Square

Unique food and delicious! Try the small "snacks" in the cooler, in addition to the menu. Excellent to take home for later!

Great service to a first time visitor, asked for smith miles and was advised a salad, which was very good and refreshing.

Baked good are amazing, I'll often add to my order last minute because I see what they have once I'm there and it looks so delicious!

Great spot with delicious Mediterranean food. The pastries are excellent, also the falafel. Note that the humus plates are served with a small bun instead of a pita, so i would recommend ordering any other dish. But that's just me, as I'm used to Israeli humus and pitas:)

One of my favorite spots in the country. Everything I've had has been exquisite

Wow this place is great. Lamb Shawarma was delicious but pretty small honestly. A little pricey but worth it, the food is heavenly

Excellent section of middle Eastern small plates. Chef Ana Sorturn never disappoints

Everything was quite good! I had a halloumi and egg sandwich. The bun was a little dry but overall it was perfectly salty and delicious. The space is pretty small but charming.

Seriously amazing and exotic. The orange morning bun is heavenly.

Really i love this place. Food taste is awesome and the most important thing i like is the decoration on plate they serve. Must try once bcoz i know if you will go once you will go again and again

It's an OK place if you're looking for an average genrefied collage of middle eastern, Greek, and Turkish food.
No clear specialization, Lebanese items not authentic (falafel at lunch only isn't a Lebanese thing, extra bitter zaatar due to using wrong mix of herbs probably substituting thyme for oregano, and their most famous sweet item is an American rock cookie)

Stay clear if you want something authentic.

Delicious savory Mediterranean food, friendly fast service, great experience always.

Loved their baked goods and spinach falafel. The Dragon Iced Tea is simply mind-blowing (Must Try!). Although the Shakshuka was pretty average (again, it's just my opinion, you might find it otherwise).
Will visit again and agian! Quaint place but warm ambiance! Loved it.

Amazing flavors! It's impossible to choose just one treat.

Excellent spot for pastry, coffee, and Mediterranean food.

Hands down one of the best spots to eat in all of Boston. Friends of mine bought their house based on DTS (distance to Sofra). They now have a cookbook too!

Best baklava I ever had: moist with honey, packed with nuts and chocolate makes flavours ludicrously complex.

I always enjoy the food here. Crowded, sure. But quite tasty.

Red lentil durum and the carrot soup were both very satisfying, great Mediterranean selection

Great little spot. The Line to order is worth it.

Pretty good place for a quick and easy taste of middle eastern cuisine. Want to return with friends next time!

Really good. Lots of great choices for any palate. Staff makes good recommendations.

Everything about this place is amazing. The Sausage Pita is a great breakfast, and the seasonal drinks are amazing

The food, pastries, and coffee are all delicious! This place IS a little pricey and the portions are modest, so be aware of that before you go. Still a really good little Watertown place, though! Definitely worth a visit.

Gorgeous ambience, food quality and depth. But way too crowded and difficult to make an experience of it. Hence I dropped the fifth star.

It looks like we found a gem! The coffee is delicious, the atmosphere is great and there is a selection of very tasty breakfast dishes! Also they have a high awareness to customer service!

I stopped by and got some pastries and a breakfast sandwich before walking through the Mount Auburn Cemetery. It was very busy but the line to order food went fairly quick. The pastries were fantastic, and the breakfast sandwich was good. They were eaten before I got my coffee. I ordered a latte, which tasted like frothy milk. I think they forgot the rest of the ingredients. It wasn't very warm either. It took at least 20 minutes to get my latte and I had to check on it since the food arrived first.

We went first time yesterday for breakfast.I really liked it.It was a bit pricey but very yummy.I wish it was more places to sit.I wana eat there again and try other foods.

Tasty Turkish and Mediterranean inspired savory dishes and sweets. Cozy atmosphere. Great chef.

Amazing food, small space because it so amazing and it's always full. Pastries are delicious, breakfast and lunch are great and the menu changes occasionally which is really nice. The coffee and lemonade drinks are delicious as well. Can't say enough good things about this place!

Delicious food! Small space but cozy. Not much seating.

The most unusual, delicious and amazing Middle Eastern food, served canteen-style in a small place, always packed with people.

Made the trip over from a few cities and it was worth it! Love the Turkish Breakfast, so different, having some new options is always nice in the area. The Turkish coffee was great. There are many more menu items I will be trying. Very clean, well priced and busy busy. Little gem if you find the time to go. The only thing I would change is to make this place bigger (:

Too busy, took 15 minutes to get a shawarma and it was really bland. For a $10 meal this was disappointing.

Sofra made me regret moving out of Watertown. I've never had a better Chai and their pastries are perfection.

I love their extremely fresh, quirky foods. Whisk they could add a dining room on a second floor.

The food is always excellent and in a culinary tradition nor frequently seen in the States. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the food provided. It's all colorful and magnificent.

Wao. Bueno. Bonito. Barato. What a great place to have an amazing meal at a great price point. Make sure to come here if you are ever in Boston. Worth the commute

I am a pastry and dessert person and Sofra is tops. The pastries are absolutely fantastic - specifically the Umm-Ali and Persian-spice donut. The espresso drinks are OK (compared to really good spots) and the seating is awkward and limited.

Hidden gem in Cambridge but too crowded and hot. Parking can be a nightmare. The food is decent.