Caffè Nero Opens Shop in Brookline

BROOKLINE, MA — Dark wood booths and book-lined walls create a cosy atmosphere are the new Caffè Nero at 1 Harvard St. Brookline's newest cafe opened its doors on Dec. 19, 2016, for a soft opening, and is open for full hours starting today. The European-style cafe features an espresso-heavy menu, sandwiches, and desserts like limoncella mascarpone cake.

U.S. director Jay Gentile told Patch, "We had just under 300 people come by and the response was fantastic. The neighborhood and the town have been nothing but supportive throughout the entire experience." Gentile is seeking to bring an authentic Italian coffeehouse experience to local communities. He spent a year in Europe working at multiple locations and at the companies' roastry.

He is assisting founders Gerry and Michael Ford in expanding into the United States, and has opened ten locations in Massachusetts, including in Central Square and Downtown Crossing. The company is working with Rainforest Alliance to provide sustainable coffee beans to customers. Nero has partnerships with local New England vendors like High Lawn Dairy of Lee for dairy and Nashoba Brook Bakery of Concord for bread. Wood for fixtures and furniture is reclaimed from local barns and mills.

Brookline Village is the tenth location in the United States. The company has 775 cafes in the U.K, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Cyprus, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and U.S.

Brookline location

Caffè Nero is open Monday through Friday 6:30 am-9pm and Saturday and Sunday 7am-9pm. Management is accepting applications for baristas.

Credit: Caffè Nero