Familiars Coffee & Tea

Loved the vegan options and the cold brew was very tasty. But one star removed for lack of eco friendliness. Let me explain.

Re: Covid safety, I appreciated how you could order via QR code on outside tables (plenty of seating) and your items would arrive through a door outside. You also had to wear a mask to order inside. This makes sense as we know 3 years into the pandemic, the virus is carried via inhaled droplets. However, in this liberal town you can’t bring your own cup / mug? They claim it’s Covid safety but there’s never been a case passed by touching surfaces. And they use SO much single use plastic containers for cold drinks. Please please consider accepting mugs or providing mason jars “for here.”

Great food and even better coffee! Highly recommend the turkey sandwich on sourdough and the lox bagel. Right now, all orders are done using their online ordering system (as part of COVID-19 precautions). I’d suggest ordering ahead of time, so your food and drinks will be ready when you arrive.

Great coffee, great prices, cool interior with outdoor seating. Love it!

A very cozy place to get any variety of drinks - teas, coffee, and various other options are present, as well as a few various food items. I particularly enjoy the iced chai latte!

Best coffee in town, hands down! I have been waiting for some incredible espresso since moving from the Bay Area, and Familiars Coffee & Tea has it! Beautiful atmosphere inside, perfect for reading a book and enjoying the bustle of downtown. Fresh and modern, Familiars puts a spin on the classic diner car, and is Northampton’s best coffeehouse. Also, great food! Their hummus sandwich is amazing and they have such speedy service. The staff is friendly and the owners are wonderful! Great options for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. Yum!

Update: Months later and they still are the best establishment in town. Best coffee and sandwiches!
Thank you Familiars for bringing the best dining and coffee experience to Northampton!

Nice, calm coffee shop with a great aesthetic! Lots of hardwood surfaces/floors. It feels more "cozy" than "claustrophobic", despite it's smaller size. In terms of physical appearance, this is one of the nicest establishments I've been to in a long time. Clean, good aesthetic, good atmosphere, quiet, and comfortable.

In terms of the actual coffee! That's good too! It's not burnt, and actually flavorful. They also sell cold brew! Which is always great! Prices seem to be about average for most coffee shops.

Small selection of outdoor seating for those nicer days.

Service is friendly and welcoming!

Handicap accessible ramp and bathrooms are an added plus as well.

UPDATE: With COVID they've implemented more outdoor seating and a really well done curbside pickup!

Familiars started strong and has only improved since they opened. I love the bacon and tomato sandwich.. like everything i’ve had here, every component is fresh, delicious, and well made. The Strong avenue outdoor dining area is beautiful. This is currently the very best dining Northampton has to offer in my opinion.

Needlessly complicated ordering process that requires you to order online even if you’re right there, then pick up your stuff at a predetermined destination like it’s a dead drop. Needless to say they still don’t allow indoor dining. The food and coffee are decent.

I really love the atmosphere here and literally everything I have had has been delicious from lattes to cold brew even to iced tea. My favorite this is the Turkey Avo sandwich. Some may think $9 is a little pricey but I think it is well worth it. There is the perfect ratio of turkey (and not super thin or a fat slab of it), crispy bacon, cheese, mixed greens, avocado, and honey mustard on delicious seven grain bread. I will go out of my way to get this sandwich any day, and it even come with a little bag if chips as well which is nice. It is usually fairly quiet in there and even when it is busy and all of the tables are full it is not a loud and obnoxious busy and I can still get work done, and the outside seating is awesome as well. Dan has been at the front nearly every time I have been in and he is so super friendly which is awesome. Great place and a great addition to downtown Northampton, highly recommended!

Warning, you can't order at the shop. You need to call in or do it online. Even if you just want a coffee. It was surreal, having them come outside to tell me I needed to call them to order.

Two stars because coffee is good