George Howell Coffee

Is it a coffee shop or a French bistro? Between the expansive seating, the subway tiles and the overall sophistication of the space, you’re forgiven for being confused upon first your entrance. George Howell is a small-batch roaster founded by a coffee shop veteran (Howell opened the Coffee Connection in Harvard Square in the 1970s, eventually growing it to 24 stores before selling to Starbucks in 1994). The original coffee shop is a modest, neighborhood affair in a nearby suburb, but this outlet, located inside the urbane Godfrey Hotel, is another beast entirely: a massive marble bar with two espresso machines, coffee education classes, a retail corner for purchasing brewing equipment as well as beans and, yes, a menu of Francophile fare like toasted tartines. But the coffee drinks still reign supreme, including specialty drinks like The Original (a frozen blend of coffee, milk and sugar).