Davis Square: Cafe redux Part I
There is no shortage of cafes in Davis Square, which is one of the reasons why I love it so. Winter Sundays are made for lazy long afternoons at a cafe with good coffee and the Boston Globe. Davis Square is on the T (Redline to Davis between Porter and Alewife) and located near Tufts, MIT, and Harvard (as well as Lesley, Cambridge College and probably many other colleges). Between college and grad students, the Somerville/ Cambridge crossword-playing intellectuals, and the rest of us looking for a relaxed place to sit and chat, and maybe nosh on a little something, there is probably a cafe at Davis to fit the bill.
This will be the first in a two-part series discussing the options. I've broken them down into two categories: Cafes which are primarily coffeehouses and those which are primarily eateries (counter service only). Today I discuss the eateries, later I'll talk about the coffeehouses. There are also other many restaurant and bar options at Davis, which I may explore in future articles.
Au Bon Pain: Holland Street. Standard issue Au Bon Pain, but a good place to meet people just the same due to the large seating space (so it is not usually all that crowded) and of course the rotating soup menu 
Bhoja: Elm Street. This warm and intimate cafe offers unique, homemade soups and sandwiches with a Tibetan focus, ice cream, and pastries. Bargain priced day-old pastries are also available- with a quick trip in the toaster they taste like new, so this is a great deal! Seating is usually available, and service is friendly. The soups are delicious and the sandwiches are huge.
Blue Shirt Cafe:424 Highland Avenue. A taste of California in Somerville. An upbeat cafe offering smoothies, wheatgrass, fresh made-to-order vegetable and fruit juices, large selection of unique sandwiches and wraps. Very vegetarian and vegan friendly- even offering tofu scrambles and soy sausage for breakfast in addition to the mainstream choices. The menu features a diverse range of options (Thai, Moroccan, Mexican to name a few) and focuses on fresh and local produce when available.
Dave's Fresh Pasta: Holland Street. A deli and fresh pasta shop, very European feel to some very fresh food. No more than a few seats, but simply put, this place makes great sandwiches on great bread. Daves offers salads but temptation being what it is I would say it is not for the carb-conscious. While you are there, check out the fresh cheeses in the dairy case and freshly frozen ravioli- you might as well pick up a few things for dinner while you are there!
Mr. Crepe: At Davis Square between Holland and Elm. This cafe is newly re-opened in a new, larger location. They are still working out the kinks as I have found the service to be quite slow, but it's worth the line, plus once you finally order the food comes quick. They have both sweet crepes and savory crepes, and also some very yummy sugary belgian waffles. I recommend trying the Spiced Pear supercrepe, which comes with arugula, candied walnuts and blue cheese crumbles.
O'Naturals: Elm Street. Like the name would suggest, this cafe caters to those looking for healthy, natural foods. Service is pretty quick and the food is consistent. From what I can tell this regional chain is actually pretty eco-friendly and fits right into the Cambridge culture. I also like this place because it has organic ingredients and free wireless.
