Forge Baking Company

Owned by Tucker Lewis and Jennifer Park, Forge and its siblings Bloc and Diesel make up a family of giants: huge, warehouse-like cafes where there is always a seat to be had. Eldest sibling Diesel, opened in 1999, has long been the go-to cafe for Somerville’s Davis Square. Primed by Diesel’s success, Forge opened in 2014 in a fresh white space that feels on the cusp of rustic and modern. To say it’s located in a strip mall doesn’t quite do it justice; though parking abounds, many customers come on foot or by bicycle. Like its siblings, Forge serves well-prepared Intelligentsia coffee, but its unique added value is the top-notch bakery on the premises (excellent pastries, breads, and a full lunch menu) and a charming, vintage-y ice cream parlor, naturally more popular in summer than a Somerville winter. 

— Alexander Henry