"Not the kind of shop I was looking for when I went to find a coffee, but I’m glad for it. While the coffee isn’t my preference, I appreciate the authentic feel — as well as the lemon slush cups!"

"Local Legend! Italian coffee beans at its best. No exaggeration here, they have probably 20+ flavors of beans. All smell wonderful. The expert staff there are not only friendly and patient to bring down the jar and let you smell it if you can't decide, but they are also polite and knowledgeable. You can slice and dice however way you want, half a pound of this, half a pound of that in whole beans or even quarter pound grounded in front of you. This is such a gem. No wonder even Harvard bookstore features this Polcari's Coffee in one of their postcards! And I've seen some paid local tour guide also feature this as a "mandatory" stop. It is that good. I'm a self proclaimed latte artist and nerd; I can tell you that their coffee beans provide a very even grind and distribution. Most beans extract for 16 to 25 seconds and their beans extract for 47 seconds in a fine setting and produces great aroma. Their coffee beans have the perfect consistency and amount of oil that you can tell is expertly blended and roasted. Bonus fact: they serve really good Lemon Slush until early October (when cooler weather starts)."

"So helpful! Picked a bold Italian roast coffee for me to use in my new espresso stovetop maker - PERFECTION!"

"If you're in the North End, DO NOT SKIP POLCARIS. They'll mix the beans for you if you want just the right flavor for you. In my case I'm widway from the Medium or Dark Roast. Tell them what you like and they'll blend the beans and offer to grind. Also have great oils, deserts, snacks.....if I'm brining in out-of-town friends, this is where I love to take them before we go for dinner."

"I grew up in Charlestown Bunker Hill Projects and back in the day 1970's I use to always eat at Polcari's and the food and service are amazing.....The old school Italian may be lost in our Culture today but eat the once and you will get a glimpse into the heart of old school Italy.....Delicious...."