The Thoughtful Splurge — worth every penny
Award-winning bakery with breakfast and lunch. Sticky buns, sandwiches, and pastries. Multiple Cambridge locations.
The Maitre d' Recommends
The Vibe
Flour is the neighborhood bakery elevated to art form. Sunlight streams through large windows onto cases packed with perfectly golden pastries. The aroma of fresh bread mingles with brewing coffee. It's Cambridge's living room, where students study, professionals grab coffee, and everyone finds something sweet to brighten their day.
Comfortable conversation level
Why It's Great
James Beard Outstanding Baker Joanne Chang's Gift to Cambridge
Joanne Chang didn't just win the James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker—she changed how Cambridge thinks about bakeries. Since opening Flour in 2000, she's proven that everyday baked goods can achieve excellence without pretension. The sticky bun is legendary. The sandwiches are substantial. The cookies are worth every calorie.
The secret isn't complicated: exceptional ingredients, careful technique, and genuine love for the craft. Chang trained at some of Boston's best restaurants before turning to baking, and that savory sensibility informs everything. The sandwiches aren't afterthoughts—they're as considered as the pastries.
Multiple Cambridge locations have followed the original, each maintaining the same standards. The Central Square and Harvard Square spots buzz with students, academics, and residents who've made Flour part of their routine. The bread pudding sells out. The breakfast sandwiches fuel morning productivity.
What makes Flour special is how it elevates the ordinary. A chocolate chip cookie, a ham and cheese croissant, a cup of coffee—these are familiar forms executed at the highest level. You leave thinking, "Why doesn't everything taste this good?"
A sticky bun and coffee at 8am, when they're still warm from the oven. Start your day right.
Sticky Bun
The signature item—caramelized, gooey, worth ruining your diet for
BLT Sandwich
Thick-cut bacon, ripe tomatoes, perfect bread—the platonic ideal of a BLT
Double Chocolate Cookies
Dark, rich, and legitimately fudgy
Breakfast Sandwich
Eggs, cheese, your choice of protein, on a house-made roll
Why It's In Our Guide
Flour represents the pinnacle of American bakery craft. Joanne Chang's James Beard Award validates what Cambridge already knew: these are some of the best baked goods anywhere.
“Joanne Chang has elevated the neighborhood bakery to something extraordinary.”
— Boston Globe“The sticky bun alone is worth the trip.”
— Bon AppétitFlour is Cambridge's default bakery. Need something for a meeting? Flour. Want to study somewhere pleasant? Flour. Craving something sweet? Always Flour.
Insider Tips
Early morning for the freshest pastries. Lunch (11:30-1pm) gets crowded at all locations.
No reservations—it's counter service. Lines move efficiently.
Central Square has the most seating. Grab a table and settle in with a laptop.
The sticky bun is mandatory for first-timers. Sandwiches are substantial enough for lunch. Cookies travel well.
Both Cambridge locations are T-accessible. Street parking varies by location.
Ratings & Reviews
Based on 4,221 reviews
2,345 reviews
Updated 2024-12
1,876 reviews
Updated 2024-12
Frequently Asked Questions
Flour is most famous for its sticky buns—caramelized, gooey perfection that has achieved legendary status in Boston-area food circles. The bakery also has outstanding sandwiches, cookies, and bread, all made with the same attention to detail that earned owner Joanne Chang the James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker.
Reddit Mentions
Contact Details
Multiple locations
Mon-Fri: 7AM-8PM, Sat-Sun: 8AM-6PM
5 min walk from Central
RedIn Cambridge, even casual dining involves a thesis statement.
“She was my Rushmore.”
— Herman Blume, on Cambridge dining