Located at 11 Bow Street in Union Square, Bloc 11 Cafe is the new spot for rich coffee, scrumptious sandwiches and delectable pastries. To any Tufts student, this place might look eerily familiar. Founded by Tucker Lewis and Jennifer Park, the owners of Davis Square’s beloved Diesel Cafe, Bloc 11 will make many Jumbos feel right at home. A slight variation on Diesel’s rustic vibe, Bloc 11 boasts an even broader array of gourmet sandwiches and, just like its predecessor, high-quality coffee for even the most intense coffee addicts.
After realizing that the menu for Bloc 11 is written in what appears to be the exact same handwriting as Diesel’s, you will start to get the gist of 11’s community-oriented vibe and will want to settle in for a little while. According to the cafe’s website, Lewis and Park chose the word “Bloc” to convey “the spirit of owning an independent cafe -- uniting people, creating community and building from this bloc(k).”
Unlike its sister shop, Bloc 11 has what seems like endless seating. Created in the space of what used to be a 70-year-old bank, 11 has maintained all of the old design's original vaults, leaving endless nooks and crannies to explore, as well as a few intimidating industrial-strength cellar doors. With infinite laptop space, don’t fear the creepy, gas chamber-like vault stationed in the back of 11 -- it looks like an easy spot to get trapped -- as there is a game table just around the corner, complete with Connect Four, Twister and more. An angelic courtyard lies just outside, surrounded by vivid pansies and unbelievably green grass, where the café occasionally hosts film screenings. Last year, movie nights were every Monday, featuring flicks like “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984) and “Edward Scissorhands” (1990).
As for the food, the menu is a huge step up from Diesel’s -- so naturally, it might take you about ten minutes to choose. Each sandwich is complete with local, “environmentally-conscious” ingredients, like buffalo tempeh, fresh avocado, gruyere cheese and fig jam. While the names of each sandwich may begin to run together -- “The Cooper," "The Crest," "The Chevron” -- each description will leave you pretty positive you can’t go wrong. “The Clover” is a particular gem: a baguette laden with fresh mozzarella, roasted red pepper tapenade, caramelized onions, tomato and arugula, all toasted to perfection.
The menu is also stocked with soups and salads, embracing asparagus and artichoke hearts as common ingredients. For dessert, try a pastry from Mariposa Bakery, along with the espresso of your choosing, or maybe a Spanish Latte (made with sweetened condensed milk).
Bloc 11 has pretty much all you need for a Saturday afternoon -- a great study spot, coffee from both the famous Intelligentsia in Chicago and New York City’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and even the occasional evening concert or art show. Unfortunately, Bloc 11 has just one downfall: the “coffee soda.”
What appears as an intriguing combo of three things many adore, the coffee soda is made up of soda water, espresso and vanilla syrup. Sounds kind of hipster and experimental, so it ought to be good, right? While you may not know quite what to expect, but don’t get your hopes up too much.
The syrup was too sweet, and unfortunately, coffee is not the best companion to seltzer. Props to Bloc 11 for taking the plunge, but $4 only paid for an unpalatable cup of liquid left half full in the garbage.
So despite a certain drink to avoid, Bloc 11 is a first-class spot for a casual lunch with friends, a weekend study binge or a nearby excursion off campus. Reachable by MBTA bus, a rather lengthy walk, car or maybe even Uber, the cafe is open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and until 9:00 pm on Thursdays. Bloc 11 cafe is a must try for Diesel fans or any coffee lover for that matter. Be sure to check out their Open Mic Night every Thursday as well.
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