Cafe Andala is one of a handful of neighborhood spots for me. I've had conversation groups meet there, done work there, met mentors, had business meetings, sent friends there to study, and gone myself to gossip, bask in the scent of hookah, and relax in the comfortable knowledge that such a colorful and versatile place exists in my stomping ground.
I'm not even sure where to begin: with their egg salad sandwiches, to which I am addicted? With the music, which invariably mimics my own playlists at home (and makes it much easier for me to focus!)? There is belly dancing in the basement during the summertime; there are frequently conversations in three different languages taking place around the room.
One of my favorite things of all, though, is the wait staff. Boston can be a town full of colleges and people who are treated poorly by their denizens. What I love about Andala is that the employees are wonderful at their jobs, attentive, and kind (unlike many places that are staffed primarily by undergrads) - without a hint of obsequy, erasing that upstairs/downstairs divide that decades of poor behavior on the part of customers has hammered into some establishments.
I get the sense that if anyone tried to start something with one of the servers at Andala, it wouldn't be tolerated - and that refreshing lack of pretension extends to the regular patrons as well. Overall, I can't give this amazing little business enough stars.
Pros: sandwiches, cheese platter, decor, waitstaff, patio!
Cons: none.
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