Andala Coffee House

by lisa v.

A beautiful coffee shop, replete with marble bar and shining brass or something shiny, from what I can recall. The decor is really sumptuous. The free WiFi is great, as is the ease of signing on, and it was a cinch to find a free table near an outlet. It's such a revelation for me to leave Jamaica Plain and JP Licks with its customers' voracious appetite for outlets and tables! If you're looking to come to a neighborhood where the ratio of itinerant worker/sWiFi gypsies to free WiFi squats/outlets is pretty low, then this is a darn good choice. The menu looked interesting on my visit, but my consumption was limited to bandwidth and coffee, so I can't write up any thoughts regarding food. The setting is so airy, light and pleasant, with such beautiful furnishings, I'm sure I'll be back to sample food in the near future. The only downside--and perhaps this is only a downside to cranky middle-aged squatters such as myself--was the waitress' eagerness to interrupt my work so as to ask me, quite repeatedly, how everything was and if I needed anything else. Of course, Andala  deserve to squeeze as much payola out of squatters as possible. Just bear in mind that your space will be intruded upon far more frequently than if you were to WiFi squat in a counter-service shop like JP Licks or Peet's or the like.

by John S.

I'm the 102nd review?  And here I thought this place was out of the way.I've been living within a 15 minute walk of Andala for over three years and only recently learned its name (a friend told me to meet him there).  So I went, happy from the get-go to be finally entering the place I passed all the time on the drive home from the Pike.The first thing I noticed was how much light was coming through the floor to ceiling windows.  Because Andala faces the very wide Central Square/River Street intersection, it's very bright, even on a cloudy day.  I then noticed the menu, which I picked up off a music stand.  I perused the Israeli offerings and opted for a pear juice ($2 too expensive) and an omelette ($2 cheaper than expected).  Both were delicious.Over the half hour or so I was there, I noticed people taking advantage of the free wi-fi on their laptops, reading books, and calmly sipping tea.  Because it's within shouting distance of the Central Square Starbucks, it made me even happier to go to Andala and support local business.

by Te S.

when i was there i felt like i was at a friend's house. there are dining tables. the kind that you would imagine having at home. there are some comfy couches and coffee tables. so it looks like a dining room and a living room. i really like the ambiance here. plus, there's free wifi! i was here just for a coffee in the afternoon and worked on my laptop. there's power outlet and stuff. the servers were cute and polite. but as other reviews say things here move really slow, which i kinda appreciated. you order a coffee at the table like a restaurant. so i saw some confused people who walked in and ordered a coffee at the counter, and the server told him to have a seat and she gave him the menu. i ordered iced white chocolate mocha and an espresso. the mocha was little too sweet for me. and the espresso wasn't spectacular. if the drinks were better, i would give this place 4 stars.

by Calli C.Ina C.Dorise G.Megan C.Molly M.

A little tricky to find, Andala is an oasis in the middle of Central Square. Warm, cozy, free wi-fi, where can you go wrong? I was meeting someone there, and the wait staff definitely didn't put any pressure on me to order up while I was waiting. They didn't put any pressure on us at all - didn't ask if we wanted anything else, if we wanted the bill, or anything. In this situation that was great because we just wanted to talk and be left alone, but I could see how it could be a problem in the service industry.Great tea. Mmmmm.A tenth of a mile from my church, I have now found a new place to get my mid-food-coma, pre-church caffeine! I can only comment on the atmosphere and iced tea, but I still think it's reviewing because this place really has the most seating I've ever seen in a place with the words "coffee house" in the name. Seriously, tons of seating, especially in warm weather with the outdoor patio.It's got a warm feel with maroon-colored walls, high ceilings (on the main floor) and it's spacious. A great place to grab a meal, a coffee, to study, whatever! I'll definitely be back.Oh, my iced tea was delicious, by the way. Unsweetened, very herb-y. :) Love it.Really, really enjoyed this place.Went here for dinner on the recommendation of a cool coworker, and walking up the steps already knew I was going to like it here.  It felt like walking into someone's apartment - cozy with a coffee bar area and a quaint side room, my dining companion and I opted for the side room - nice ambiance and the room all to ourselves at prime dining time on a friday night!  i didn't discover the downstairs area until using the ladies room at the end of the meal, but there's ample seating down there as well.  we each ordered the lamb and a pot of peppermint tea to split.  the lamb was stewed perfectly with carrots and potatoes, and the price was very right at just over $10 a pop.  i'm surprised this place isn't teeming with hipsters yet, but it's a prime place for mediterranean dining.so why only 4 stars, you ask?~minus 3/4 of a star for slooooow service.  our waitress didn't come to ask us how we were doing until we had nearly finished our meal, it wasn't clear we were supposed to seat ourselves, and tho i don't really mind laid back service, it may have been slightly overly laid back.~minus 1/4 of a star because my tomatoes weren't fresh.  everything else about the meal was so delicious, having gotten clearly-refrigerated tomato slices (which totally ruins the flavor and texture of a tomato) detracted from the dining experience, but only a teeeeeeeny tiny bit.  yes, it's picky, but i freakin love tomatoes, and it makes me sad when they're not good.  if it weren't for the slow service, i'd've still given 5 stars.Coffee, Kabobs, Tea Slothful French ServiceHey where's my spoon?? Oh wait maybe I should order. Where is our waiter??Five minutes later waiter enters.Water is now on table waitress vanishes.Okay so living in NYC I'm spoiled we get the best of all possible worlds. We have excellent variety, great waitstaff (if they're not there are a bevy of actors/singers/artists to replace them) apparently Cambridge this isn't the case.  It looks like you're either catering to the Students of the to Staff.  This was a noisy, packed little cafe, where we sat ourselves, begged to order, enjoyed our conversation (no rush) chased down our waitress for the check and even though I'm only giving this spot three stars still had such a great time ( I guess my company distracted me).Date Rating: 5Pick up Scale: 1 (definitely bring your own posse here if you're coming)Strong Suggestion: The lentil soup was good.  Huge portions here choose a few and share.I agree with Katrina L. This place is an Oasis in the middle of the Sahara. After just moving here, and searching for any place to work other than my apartment, because Harvard won't let me into it's libraries (because I'm just an auditor), I searched high and low for any coffee shop that was even tolerable. Harvard Square's establishments generally are overrated. Crema Cafe is always crowded, and Algiers Cafe is cold and it feels disorganized (although those are my favorites at Harvard Square). But Andala is warm. It's spacious. The wi-fi works very well. The servers are punctual and they even smile! There is always seating at Andala, though it is never empty. The coffee and pastries are great. Maybe it is because it is slightly off Central Square that it isn't insanely crowded. They have an upstairs and downstairs, it's spacious and has lots of natural light, and it has a good, organized vibe. Definitely five stars!

by Calli C.Ina C.Dorise G.

A little tricky to find, Andala is an oasis in the middle of Central Square. Warm, cozy, free wi-fi, where can you go wrong? I was meeting someone there, and the wait staff definitely didn't put any pressure on me to order up while I was waiting. They didn't put any pressure on us at all - didn't ask if we wanted anything else, if we wanted the bill, or anything. In this situation that was great because we just wanted to talk and be left alone, but I could see how it could be a problem in the service industry.Great tea. Mmmmm.A tenth of a mile from my church, I have now found a new place to get my mid-food-coma, pre-church caffeine! I can only comment on the atmosphere and iced tea, but I still think it's reviewing because this place really has the most seating I've ever seen in a place with the words "coffee house" in the name. Seriously, tons of seating, especially in warm weather with the outdoor patio.It's got a warm feel with maroon-colored walls, high ceilings (on the main floor) and it's spacious. A great place to grab a meal, a coffee, to study, whatever! I'll definitely be back.Oh, my iced tea was delicious, by the way. Unsweetened, very herb-y. :) Love it.Really, really enjoyed this place.Went here for dinner on the recommendation of a cool coworker, and walking up the steps already knew I was going to like it here.  It felt like walking into someone's apartment - cozy with a coffee bar area and a quaint side room, my dining companion and I opted for the side room - nice ambiance and the room all to ourselves at prime dining time on a friday night!  i didn't discover the downstairs area until using the ladies room at the end of the meal, but there's ample seating down there as well.  we each ordered the lamb and a pot of peppermint tea to split.  the lamb was stewed perfectly with carrots and potatoes, and the price was very right at just over $10 a pop.  i'm surprised this place isn't teeming with hipsters yet, but it's a prime place for mediterranean dining.so why only 4 stars, you ask?~minus 3/4 of a star for slooooow service.  our waitress didn't come to ask us how we were doing until we had nearly finished our meal, it wasn't clear we were supposed to seat ourselves, and tho i don't really mind laid back service, it may have been slightly overly laid back.~minus 1/4 of a star because my tomatoes weren't fresh.  everything else about the meal was so delicious, having gotten clearly-refrigerated tomato slices (which totally ruins the flavor and texture of a tomato) detracted from the dining experience, but only a teeeeeeeny tiny bit.  yes, it's picky, but i freakin love tomatoes, and it makes me sad when they're not good.  if it weren't for the slow service, i'd've still given 5 stars.

by Ina C.

A tenth of a mile from my church, I have now found a new place to get my mid-food-coma, pre-church caffeine! I can only comment on the atmosphere and iced tea, but I still think it's reviewing because this place really has the most seating I've ever seen in a place with the words "coffee house" in the name. Seriously, tons of seating, especially in warm weather with the outdoor patio.It's got a warm feel with maroon-colored walls, high ceilings (on the main floor) and it's spacious. A great place to grab a meal, a coffee, to study, whatever! I'll definitely be back.Oh, my iced tea was delicious, by the way. Unsweetened, very herb-y. :) Love it.

by Josephine P.

I was really drawn to this place when I first rode by it. It looks so inviting from the outside and the word Cafe screamed out at me- amiably of course.I finally planned a day to go with my boyfriend and it was pretty disappointing. When we walked in the first thing we did was obviously walk up to the counter where all the waitresses and Batista's were and they all gave us awkward blank stares, then we saw the sign that said to seat ourselves. That wasn't a big deal but we would have appreciated a gesture or something indicating this fact.The service was OK once we sat down.When we sat down and looked over the menu, I noticed that there wasn't very much variety.I was going to settle for a Tuna sandwich, but I wanted to try a signature dish seeing as though this place was so unique. I eventually ordered a caramel latte and the Jerusalem Hummus Plate (Msabaha). (When I ordered it and asked for a caramel latte, the waitress said she didn't think they had caramel, and I thought it was strange that a cafe of all places didn't have caramel...)The latte is was ok and though the hummus special was really like 'no hummus I have ever had' (according to the menu), but it was more like an appetizer than a meal. I had about 5 slices of thin pita bread and a whole cup of hummus to eat. It's not really what I expected and the description is vague.My boyfriend ordered a chai latte and the Chicken Khalili Sandwich.I must say that sandwich was quite tasty!That chai however tasted like watered down cinnamon seasoning.I don't think I have ever had a worse chai tea in my life.This place is really pricey as well. At the end of the meal the total came to about $30 for the two of us.This place is not the worse place I have ever been to, but I don't think I'll be going back.

by David L.

I'm only an occasional coffee drinker so I don't know my espresso's from my latte's, but I do like a good coffee house to hang out sometimes.  Andala's has a nice atmosphere and location, but the service and food there are not that great.  Food is just kinda overpriced for what you get and the service can be horribly slow.  I've waited for over an hour for food on multiple occasions and have gone 30 minutes without seeing any servers around or anything.  Way over rated if you ask me.

by S K.

Great coffee, food and middle-eastern fare, the minuses are a less-than-desirable service , although all the servers are very friendly they seem to move at a glacial place. However, a great place to relax and unwind (especially if you are not in a big rush)

by Megan C.

Coffee, Kabobs, Tea Slothful French ServiceHey where's my spoon?? Oh wait maybe I should order. Where is our waiter??Five minutes later waiter enters.Water is now on table waitress vanishes.Okay so living in NYC I'm spoiled we get the best of all possible worlds. We have excellent variety, great waitstaff (if they're not there are a bevy of actors/singers/artists to replace them) apparently Cambridge this isn't the case.  It looks like you're either catering to the Students of the to Staff.  This was a noisy, packed little cafe, where we sat ourselves, begged to order, enjoyed our conversation (no rush) chased down our waitress for the check and even though I'm only giving this spot three stars still had such a great time ( I guess my company distracted me).Date Rating: 5Pick up Scale: 1 (definitely bring your own posse here if you're coming)Strong Suggestion: The lentil soup was good.  Huge portions here choose a few and share.