Espresso Love

I was fortunate enough to grow up visiting Martha’s Vineyard every year with my family, and over the years we’ve developed quite a list of our favorites places to eat and drink (this is always a priority for us!), as well as fun things to see and do. As a family full of people who all appreciate a darn-good latte, we’ve had an ongoing debate over the best coffee shop on the island for years. The two top contenders have always been Espresso Love in Edgartown, and Mocha Motts in Oak Bluffs. I don’t think there’s ever really a clear winner – we visit both pretty evenly whenever we’re on the Island, and always love each visit. Mocha Motts has some seriously killer breakfast burritos, and Espresso Love always makes a mean coffee cake. Basically, you can’t go wrong.

The Vineyard to me is a magical home away from home, and tends to keep much to itself which I have always loved – never incorporating businesses like Starbucks into the Island culture, and never exporting it’s stores and brands to the mainland. In the past couple of years, this has begun to change, what with the opening of a Black Dog store in Portland Maine, and most recently with the opening of a Boston Espresso Love branch. At first, I was a little bit sad that they had come all this way, as I associate the Espresso Love name with the Island, and prefer to separate my everyday life with my vacation life. That being said, I was none too sad when I first set foot inside the new restaurant, and tasted the same sandwiches, and saw the same pastries. Somehow it felt a little bit like coming home.

A few weekends ago Kevin and I were headed to a late brunch with his family at Eastern Standard, but of course could not resist buying up a bit of everything when we stopped into Espresso Love. I started with an iced latte (which had to be made twice, since I forgot to order it nonfat, and so of course it came full fat… Kevin happily “helped” me with that one), and Kevin had a hot caramel hazelnut latte, and we both got bagel sandwiches. Kevin got a Heath bar white chocolate cookie for his “appetizer” and his sandwich had egg, cheese and bacon on an everything bagel. I opted for a wheat bagel packed with egg, cheese, tomato and avocado. Simply delish. Soul-satisfyingly good. Everything was super fresh and exactly as I remembered it,

The feel and décor is completely different – the Vineyard location is very small and homey, with lots of little tables packed in – and the Boston location is large and spacious and airy, but it still had some of that familiar charm. The blackboard menus seem to be identical to the ones they have in the Edgartown location, and the merchandise and apparel was all the time too.

It was refreshing and wonderful to stop into this little spot, and it gives me a sense of comfort to know it’s now right in my backyard! I can’t just stroll over there and expect to see the local islanders, but I can still have the same tasty eats, and daydream about vacationing in the greatest place on earth. Kevin says we’ll definitely go back, because they have a sandwich menu that has some pretty outstanding sounding burgers, I say we’ll go back just so I can feel so at home. Either way, this place is a gem, and a lovely addition to the neighborhood.

Espresso Love
33 Broad St.
Boston, MA 02109
(857) 284-7462