Stuff to Eat in the Suburbs: Newton—Taste Coffee House

Word of mouth is what brought this Bostonist to Taste Coffee House, while running errands in Newton. Taste is raved about by foodies and locals alike—and for good reason. Their pastries and breads are all local, hailing from Iggy’s in West Cambridge, and everything else on the menu is made in-house from the finest ingredients. Above all else, Taste is dedicated to brewing delicious coffee, which means that they only brew quality beans from local roasters such as George Howell and Barismo. The owner, twenty-four year old Nikolas Krankl, is also the barista—and a fine one he is too. He recently placed 2nd in the Northeast Regional Barista Competition a fact that is proudly displayed in a bright homemade sign behind the barista station.

In addition to good food and great coffee, Taste offers customers a comfortable, down-to-earth atmosphere. Absent are the disinterested baristas and annoyed customers that plague other coffee shops. At Taste, everyone seems truly happy to be there. Upon entering, you find your eyes drawn to the chalkboard wall menu boasting everything from breakfast to crepes and sandwiches. Then, of course, there’s the coffee. The small coffee menu is behind the bar, and can sometimes be a little difficult to see or read while standing in line. However, don’t be deterred. Taste is definitely the kind of place where, if you want it, you can probably get it, whether or not it’s on the menu. Small tables and chairs invite customers to take a load off while they wait, enjoy their coffee and a bite, or just sit and hang out with a laptop or a friend. Despite their limited space, Taste encourages customers to make themselves at home by offering a small collection of board games. If all of this wasn’t enough to make Taste a favorite, the shop also serves beer and wine! And what about the coffee, you ask? Well, the latte that this Bostonist sampled was both artistic and delicious, and the iced mocha was the perfect blend of coffee and chocolate—not too sweet and not the slightest bit bitter. We will definitely be going back to enjoy a fantastic cup of Joe with friends soon.

Original posted on the Bostonist.