Into romance books, roasted coffee and lite bites? Lovestruck Books and Cafe’s got you covered. Need a comforting glass of vino or bubbly? They’ve got that, too.
The bookstore in the old Ann Taylor space in Harvard Square is a gem, and its café, formally the George Howell Coffee Cafe & Wine Bar, is part of the second act for Howell, a local roaster (Coffee Connection) who stymied global java giant Starbucks’ expansion into New England. Starbucks couldn’t beat him, so they bought his business. How times have changed: Starbucks has practically vacated Cambridge, and Howell’s cafe ventures have multiplied around the Boston area. The coffee and wine bar is nestled into the bookstore, the same way Page & Leaf is integrated into the Porter Square Book Store.
The cafe is a rich hive of activity — people reading, studying, perusing or settling into an impromptu coffee klatch. The coffee and tea menu includes the essential slate of iced and hot lattes, espressos, and mochas— all roasted/selected by Howell — and the nosh menu is also focused. The all-day menu features breakfast bites on toasted English muffins, bagels from Mamaleh’s Delicatessen, a loaded avocado toast, a BLT, and, for the curious and meat-free, a vegan short rib sando.
The real stars of the sando are the tangy roasted tomatoes, marinated before being put to the fire, nestled in with rich, ripe avocado wedges, and topped with crisp arugula, pesto, and a balsamic reduction that offers a nice offset to the acrid bite of the arugula. The plant-based short rib — shredded meatless beef — is decent, but not a standout like the protein in the vegetarian short rib sando at Saus at Bow Market (different suppliers). And that’s fine, since the symphony of glorious green, roasted red, and blackened plum is really the feature flavor of this two-hander that I’ve had on both plain and multigrain ciabatta on my multiple visits. It’s a flavor-packed power bite — a messy one — that sates but doesn’t weigh you down, making it a perfect hit-and-run nosh paired with your favorite coffee bar concoction (the herbal iced tea is a winner) or glass of wine, sipped while browsing the stack of nearby books.
Wine, beer, and a short slate of cocktails (you know there’s an espresso martini) are available midday and into the evening. After 4 p.m., cheese and charcuterie plates join the menu. Natch, as Lovestruck is a bookstore, there are readings and events. The atmosphere is both homey and festive, with a charming dash of kitsch. There’s a garden level patio, too, that should see more activity as the temperatures rise.
Have a favorite dish or dine out spot that we’ve not covered and think we should? email Tom Meek at tmeek@cambridgeday.com.
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