The best parts of eating out are not just the great food but also the people you’re with, and the list of restaurants and cafes below showcase the same sentiments. There is a strong commitment to the community, whether it’s giving back or buying locally-grown products from Massachusetts. Restaurants with a sustainable-focus tend to be more expensive, but our list is of places that provide high quality and organic products without the high cost.

Equal Exchange Café ($)

226 Causeway Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617.372.8777)
MBTA: North Station (green and orange lines)
M-F: 7 AM – 7 PM
Sat: 8 AM – 5 PM
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Equal Exchange is a cooperative owned by the workers and its workplace system is one-person, one-vote creating a horizontal structure instead of a hierarchy. In addition to their commitment to their own cooperative, they also work with farmers’ cooperatives, which are smaller and more democratic. Paying producers with a livable minimum wage, supporting sustainable farming, and focusing on the environment before business success are part of their many principles. They have produced coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, and other products according to those guidelines of their cooperative spirit and fair trade. At their café in Boston, this is their way of connecting directly with their consumers and the community around them. They serve their own coffee and products but also include pastries and sandwiches from local independent businesses around them.

Haley House Bakery and Café ($)

12 Dade Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 (617.445.0900)
MBTA: Ruggles (orange line)
M-W, F: 7:30 AM – 4 PM
Th: 7:30 AM – 9 PM
Sat: 9 AM – 4 PM
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Haley House Bakery and Café is a community gathering space center around food and also around its workers, who have found great work at Haley House but may not have been able to otherwise. Haley House provides the training to give them a job and financial stability. Many of their employees live in housing provided by Haley House. With all that is provided, the employees also give back to the community by preparing meals for the homeless and soup kitchens, working in the community farm in which the produce will either be  given to the local community or used by Haley House Bakery and Café, and working in the food pantry. The inclusive and caring system implemented by Haley House so wonderfully ties the employees and community members together, while still serving local and organic products.

Ula Café ($)

284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (617.524.7890)
MBTA: Stony Brook (orange line)
M-F: 7 AM – 7 PM
Sat: 8 AM – 7 PM
Sun: 9 AM – 3 PM
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A huge part of Ula Café’s mission is to serve great food but also reduce their environmental impact. Because of their work in sustainability, they are certified as a Sustainable Business Leader. They work to purchase and support local vendors, recycling within their restaurant, use appliances that conserve energy and water, and ensure their staff thoroughly understands sustainability practices and Ula’s sustainability policy pledge. In addition to the work internally, they also provide support through donations or collaborations with other community organizations, such as Ballet Rox (an organization focused on using dance as a way to break down racial barriers and celebrate the community’s diversity).

Other Restaurants and Cafes

ALLSTON/BRIGHTON

Angora Café ($)

1024 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (617.232.1757)
MBTA: Babcock Street (green line towards Boston College (B)
M-Sat: 8 AM – 12 AM
Sun: 9 AM – 12 AM
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A Mediterranean café located near Boston University’s west campus serving fair trade coffee.

CENTRAL SQUARE

Toscanini’s ($$)

899 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 (617.491.5877)
MBTA: Central Square (red line)
M-Sat: 8 AM – 11 PM
Sun: 10 AM – 11 PM
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Considered the best ice cream in the world by the NY Times while its biggest supplier for all their dairy needs comes from Chelsea, MA. Also serves fair-trade coffee and organic teas.

JAMAICA PLAIN

Canto 6 Bakery and Café ($)

3346 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (617.983.8688)
MBTA: Green Street (orange line)
M-F: 7:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Sat-Sun: 8 AM – 5 PM

A cozy bakery and café great for breakfast, lunch, or a study nook with Clear Flour breads, Equal Exchange coffee and espresso, and Rishi fairly traded and organic teas.

HARVARD SQUARE

Crema Café ($$)

27 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA  02138 (617.876.2700)
MBTA: Harvard Square (red line)
M-F: 7 AM – 9 PM
Sat-Sun: 8 AM – 9 PM
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A nice study spot in Harvard with sandwiches, salads, and sweets along with locally-sourced coffee from Acton, MA and MEM teas from Somerville, MA.

Dado Tea + Coffee ($$)

50 Church Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617.547.0950)
MBTA: Harvard Square (red line)
M-F: 8 AM – 9 PM
Sat: 10 AM – 9 PM
Sun: 10 AM – 8 PM

Central Square location:

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (617.497.9061)
MBTA: Central Square (red line)
M-Th: 7 AM – 8 PM
F: 7 AM – 6 PM
Sat: 8 AM – 6PM
Sun: 9 AM – 6 PM
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Serves healthy food without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives with fair-trade coffee and tea.

Tealuxe ($)

0 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617.441.0077)
MBTA: Harvard Square (red line)
M-Th: 8 AM – 10 PM
F: 8 AM – 10:30 PM
Sat: 8:30 AM – 10:30 PM
Sun: 8:30 AM – 10 PM
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Huge variety of organic teas in addition to bubble teas and pastries.

PORTER SQUARE

Porter Square Books: Café Zing ($$)

25 White Street, Cambridge, MA 02140 (617.491.2220)
MBTA: Porter Square (red line)
M-F: 7 AM – 9 PM
Sat: 8 AM – 9 PM
Sun: 8 AM – 7 PM
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Bookstore and café combination serving Equal Exchange coffee and espresso and MEM teas.

WELLESLEY

Boloco ($)

102 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 (781.489.6071)
M-Sun: 7 AM – 10 PM
Burritos and fair trade tea!

Bruegger’s Bagels ($)

97 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 (781.235.2358)
M-F: 5:30 AM – 6 PM
Sat-Sun: 6 AM – 6 PM

Bagels and fair-trade coffee!

J.P. Lick’s ($)

63 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 (781.416.1799)
M-Sun: 7 AM – 11 PM
Ice cream and fair-trade coffee!