The Smoot Standard

Gloria Ha

year ago

I finally made my way here for lunch, and I had a great experience! I got the beef brisket sandwich, and it was delicious -- plentiful tender beef, perfectly paired with chewy bread, melty cheese, and sharp mustard. It was a pretty perfect sandwich in my book. I also tried the fried green tomato sandwich, which was very interesting. The tomato seems to be pickled and then fried, and has a sweet relish and some thinly shaved ham. I much preferred the beef sandwich, but this was also interesting. We also got the raspberry streusel, which was pretty good but I imagine would be better warm! I'd definitely come back for the sandwiches!

David Bragdon

8 months ago

One November morning of 2025, I dropped by The Smoot Standard Cafe at 313 Mass Ave in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Darwin's Ltd used to be, to try out the new Cafe's atmosphere and food. It has a good vibe - reassuringly busy, yet seats were available. It was reasonably quiet, a mix of generations (including families with kids), and as expected a few students with laptops open (good Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets). The Smoot Standard Cafe is not far up Mass Ave from 77 Mass Ave - entrance to MIT's famed Infinite Corridor. And just further along Mass Ave is the Charles River and the Harvard Bridge, which displays a plaque of Ollie Smoot, whose height as an MIT freshman provides the "smoot" marks of progress all the way across the bridge to Boston. On entry, I went to the order counter and chose the Smoot Breakfast Sandwich: Fried Egg, Cheddar, Black Pepper Mayo, Hash Brown (thin, crisp, yea!), on a Brioche. I chose Applewood Bacon (no charge) and could have chosen Taylor Ham, Chicken Sausage, or Avocado. The staff person gave me a number sign to take with me. I also took coffee with me. I decided to take a seat at a counter which faces out onto the sidewalk and Mass Ave. The counter is obviously one of the bar service areas at night. So watching sidewalk activity through wine glasses and bottles gave an arty look to pedestrian strollers. The tasty, hot sandwich arrived shortly. The coffee was good. The Smoot Breakfast Sandwich was hugely enjoyable and rich with taste and nicely crunchy texture. It was well constructed and substantial enough to last awhile in the company of coffee and enjoyment of the Cafe ambience. I used my iPhone to read up quite a bit on the Legend of the Smoot (some of which I'll include below, for those who wish to check it out). Before leaving I visited the bathroom area. The area is sparkling clean. When finding it at the far end of the Cafe I noticed a nook (with student) and an upper level with seating and customers there enjoying

Kylie Suitum

10 months ago

I was visiting a friend who recommended SMOOT. We went in for a Monday lunch and the owner and sat down to eat with us! He was so kind and welcoming, as was the rest of the staff. We had a delicious meal and loved the ambiance! Highly recommend. Would be a great spot to bring your computer for a work day.

Jed Shugerman

5 months ago

Delightful! Bagels and lox and bluefish spreads, brioche sandwiches, and delicious chai lattes. Our daughter loved her iced vanilla latte. It’s named after the smoot, the unit of length of Oliver Smoot, the MIT frat pledge who measured the length of the bridge by lying down body-length by body-length

Kevin

month ago

Very tasty for a cheap price and great vibes! Love this place and will be back. Recommend getting the beef brisket & Swiss melt!

Mateo Mejia

4 months ago

I love coming back here. The food is delicious, the ambiance is perfect, and the service is truly a 'wow' every time. I want to especially acknowledge our server—she was incredibly sweet and attentive. It’s that kind of hospitality that keeps me coming back. Thanks so much

Lily Mai

11 months ago

Highly recommend breakfast sandwich (I got it with chicken sausage) and the cuban sandwich. I wouldn’t get the latte again, but jasmine tea lemonade has good tea flavor if you’re into that. Great atmosphere with plenty of tables and beer on tap🍻

Alex Issokson (Boston Foodie)

3 months ago

Really excellent sandwiches here! I LOVED the breakfast sandwich with chicken sausage—definitely a top favorite in Boston now. The brioche bun was amazing and I loved the hash brown in it. Had to try the brisket sandwich from the lunch menu too and I have 0 regrets. The Google reviews steered me right! It’s got mustard on it which is different but it really worked well! I would avoid the Belgian waffle since the amount of berries was pretty pitiful for an extra $2. Kinda like a Belgian waffle you’d make at a holiday inn or something.

Carolina M. S.

5 months ago

Had a great experience here! I ordered a latte and it was absolutely delicious — perfectly smooth and well made. My companion ordered the Chicken Cutlet sandwich (with cucumber, shaved fennel, arugula, parmesan-peppercorn aioli, and lemon vinaigrette) and really enjoyed it. The girls were super attentive, the service was excellent, and the space is beautiful and very inviting. My only suggestion would be to expand the gluten-free options a bit more — it would be great to see more variety in the future. Overall, we’ll definitely be back!

Giuliana Giddings

month ago

The Smoot Standard is the most versatile spot in Cambridge, perhaps all of Boston, and it checks every box for any scenario. It’s a cozy cafe/study space by day, and an effortlessly cool bar by night, where they bring in really good DJs from around the country/globe and sometimes have live music too. I’ve been to both corporate events and parties here and the guests are always impressed. The atmosphere is lush, industrial, colorful, and natural all at once. The menu is nostalgic and delicious. I have so many favorites but especially the garlic bread, fried olives, and the burger. They also have innovative cocktails and the bartenders are excellent. Yared leads an amazing team (thank you Olivia, Carlos, Maxine, and Maria!). Smoots is a love letter to Cambridge and the city is better for it.