Cicada

cicada has a clear sense of what it wants to be, and it doesn't waver from that. prospect street in cambridge runs through a neighborhood that already has opinions about coffee, and a shop survives here by being genuinely good rather than convenient. if you're coming in expecting the kind of place that hedges its bets with a full food menu and a dozen syrup options, adjust your expectations. the focus is tight. that tends to produce better coffee than a scattered approach does, and cambridge regulars have figured that out. the local reputation here didn't accumulate by accident, it built slowly the way these things do when the coffee consistently clears the bar. a good reason to show up on a weekday morning, before prospect street fills up.