The Friendly Toast
Classic comfort elevated to its highest expression
The Thoughtful Splurge — worth every penny
Retro diner with creative comfort food and all-day breakfast. Fun atmosphere, huge portions, great for groups. Known for inventive pancakes and Bloody Marys.
The Maitre d' Recommends
The Vibe
The Friendly Toast throws you into a fever dream of vintage kitsch and creative breakfast. Retro toys cover the walls. Tie-dye colors assault your eyes. The menu features pancakes with ingredients you'd never combine sober but work perfectly at brunch. It's loud, fun, and exactly weird enough to be memorable.
Part of the experience—embrace it
Why It's Great
Where Breakfast Gets Weird (in the Best Way)
The Friendly Toast started in Portsmouth, NH in 1994 with a simple premise: breakfast should be fun. The Harvard Square location, opened in 2023 after the original Kendall Square spot closed during COVID, brings that same energy to Cambridge—vintage toys on every surface, creative combinations on every plate, and portions sized for sharing (or serious hunger).
The menu rewards adventurous ordering. Pancakes come topped with s'mores ingredients, Nutella and bananas, or savory combinations that shouldn't work but do. The Bloody Mary bar lets you build your own hangover cure. Breakfast runs all day because nobody should have to wake up early to eat this well.
The aesthetic is aggressive nostalgia—Pee-wee Herman-era toys, psychedelic colors, staff who seem genuinely happy to be there. It's the kind of restaurant that photographs well because it's designed to be memorable, and the food backs up the visual promise.
Harvard Square needed this energy. Among the historic restaurants and serious dining, The Friendly Toast provides permission to play with your food. Come hungry, order weird, and embrace the chaos.
Weekend brunch with friends: order multiple pancake variations, share everything, and let the vintage toys fuel your nostalgia.
Almond Joy Cakes
Pancakes with coconut, chocolate, and almonds—breakfast as dessert
Build Your Own Bloody Mary
The hangover helper with all the fixings
Drive-In Deluxe
The serious breakfast platter with everything
Elvis Toast
Peanut butter, banana, bacon—the King would approve
Why It's In Our Guide
The Friendly Toast brings creative, playful energy to Harvard Square breakfast. The vintage aesthetic, adventurous menu, and all-day hours make it perfect for anyone who thinks breakfast should be more fun.
“The Friendly Toast proves that breakfast can be both delicious and entertaining.”
— Boston Globe“Come for the Instagram photos, stay for the surprisingly good food.”
— Eater BostonThe return to Cambridge after the Kendall closure was celebrated by loyal fans who missed the creative breakfast options.
Insider Tips
Early brunch (9-10am) to avoid the rush. Late breakfast/early lunch works too.
Reservations accepted and recommended for weekend brunch. Walk-ins may wait.
Booths offer the best view of the décor. The bar works for smaller groups.
Share pancakes—they're huge. The Bloody Mary bar is worth exploring. Breakfast runs all day.
Harvard Square parking is challenging. Harvard T station is a short walk.
Ratings & Reviews
Based on 801 reviews
456 reviews
Updated 2024-12
345 reviews
Updated 2024-12
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the original Cambridge location in Kendall Square closed permanently during the COVID pandemic in 2020. The Friendly Toast returned to Cambridge in July 2023 with a new Harvard Square location at 1230 Massachusetts Ave.
Reddit Mentions
Contact Details
1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139
Mon-Thu: 8AM-9PM, Fri-Sat: 8AM-10PM, Sun: 8AM-9PM
2 min walk from Kendall/MIT
RedJulia Child lived on Irving Street. She would have opinions about this.
“She was my Rushmore.”
— Herman Blume, on Cambridge dining