Website: http://www.starbucks.com
Yelp Reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/starbucks-somerville-5
Location: In the heart of Davis Square, Starbucks is popular with Tufts undergrads, grad students, and Somervillians. It is one block from the Davis Square T. Street parking is reasonable (though the meters go until 8pm).
Food and/or Drink: Come here for brewed coffee, reserve coffee (on the Clover), espresso drinks, seasonal espresso drinks, Frappuccinos, iced teas, breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, pastries, cake pops, snack boxes, Izze sodas, chocolate milk, cookies, and mixed nuts. My favorite drinks: iced unsweetened passion tea, iced green tea latte. If I go back on coffee, my favorite will be the Guatemala Santa Catalina Antigua reserve blend. If it’s cold outside: tall decaf pumpkin latte. I’m not a big fan of the food, but if I had to get something, it would be the bacon gouda breakfast sandwich.
Table Space: There is a variety of seating type here: one long table down the middle, a high table with bar stools next to the baristas, small square tables near the front, four comfy chairs, a bar with barstools along the window, and a small corner with bench seats by the door. The long table is the best for doing work because you can fit a laptop, drink, and papers in your table space, and you have proximity to outlets. I would choose the comfy chairs next, followed by the bench seats, barista bar, small table, and window bar. The small tables and window bar have enough space for a laptop and a drink, and it’s difficult to fit papers as well.
Ease of Finding a Seat: During the school year, it is very difficult to find a spot with good table space and outlet proximity after 10:00 a.m. on the weekends. Weekday evenings can be crowded with students doing homework as well.
Atmosphere: There is free wifi, but it can get slow. The music is quite commercial. If you are there on a weekend morning, hordes of hungover students will wander in seeking coffee. If you are there late on a weekend afternoon, you may encounter couples trying to impress each other on first dates. The bathroom has only two stalls and can get dingy by the end of the day. However, it has an Xcelerator hand dryer (my favorite).
