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Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Boston, MA

Trident Booksellers & Cafe

4.4 (158)
$30 and under
American
338 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 11 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for brunch
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
Since 1984, Trident Booksellers & Cafe has been providing Back Bay residents, students, and tourists with sustenance for the mind and body. Trident is the perfect place to catch up with friends, study for your exam, grab brunch, or browse our wide selection of books and magazines. We offer free wifi, an award-winning magazine selection, a full service restaurant, books, cards, gifts, and, above all, a unique Boston experience. Check out the Trident’s extensive menu, featuring fresh juice and smoothies, as well as all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner. Be sure to look at our events calendar to see what’s happening tonight!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Breakfast, Comfort Food
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 8:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome a variety of private events! We offer several options for room set-up and can accommodate any style of dining. Our dedicated events coordinator will help you plan your perfect event and ensure a seamless experience for your guests. Some of our favorite gatherings to host include: *graduation parties *birthday parties *holiday parties *murder mystery dinners *bridal showers *baby showers *work team outings *networking events *bar/bat mitzvahs *anniversary parties *business meetings *alumni events Let the Trident's independent spirit make your next event one to remember! https://www.tridentbookscafe.com/private-events
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Back Bay
  • Cross street
    Between Hereford Street and Massachusetts Avenue
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Steps away from the Hynes Convention Center stop on the Green Line.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

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What 158 people are saying

Trident Booksellers & Cafe reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Greater Boston

    Great for brunch

  • Boston

    Great for brunch

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Trident Booksellers & Cafe offers a unique blend of literature and dining, with "wonderful, caring staff" and a "beautiful" bookstore setting. While the food receives mixed reviews, the "perfect vibes" and friendly service make it a popular spot for a cozy brunch. Reservations are recommended for busy times.
158 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    New York City2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on May 30, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    Unfortunately, this visit didn’t live up to past experiences. I’ve eaten here before and really enjoyed it, so I made a reservation to bring my family. We were all looking forward to sitting in the beautiful main café inside the bookshop but despite our reservation, there weren’t any tables available there, so we were taken upstairs instead. The upstairs space felt like an afterthought. It’s completely closed off from the rest of the bookstore and it was empty, bland, and lacked the charm and cozy atmosphere that makes the main café so special. It seems like a missed opportunity not to have any book-related decor or anything to tie it into the rest of the store. The food wasn’t great, and our server seemed like he wasn’t particularly interested in being there, which didn’t help. Sadly, I wouldn’t come back based on this visit. I really hope they put some more thought and care into the upstairs area. There’s so much potential!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Brian

    Seattle / Eastern Washington5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A fun place given the bookstore, but it also meant the noise and crowd (at least the day we went) was a bit much, at least until we were seated. The servers were very friendly and accommodating, so we enjoyed our time. Personally, I had the corned beef hash, which was very good with al dente veggies and a fair amount of corned beef - I would order it again. My friend ended up getting the stuffed french toast, which looked...overwhelming, in a good way, and the bite I had was fantastic. Definitely a choice when you don't have anything to do for a few hours after.

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  3. Nelle

    Greater Boston1 review

    4.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    We were seated right next to where they were clearing and washing the dishes and it was constant, really loud, we had to yell across the table to hear each other. Otherwise a great experience.

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  4. Adil

    Greater Boston1 review

    3.0

    Dined on April 27, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Ordered coffee with breakfast Never arrived Asked about it and was told they have to brew more. Didn’t get any until near the end of the meal Cmon guys, you’re serving brunch and you don’t have coffee? Otherwise, pretty solid

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  5. Ken

    San Diego8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic experience. Food, service, atmosphere. I wish I had one in my hometown. Plus the bookstore part was amazing.

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  6. Gregory

    Greater Boston1 review

    2.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Great ambiance, but 3 separate dishes containing poached or over easy eggs all cooked to a hard yolk. Food is meh, atmosphere is good. I wouldn't go back for the food.

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  7. Bharima

    Greater Boston1 review

    4.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Food was not great. French toast was nice other than that everything ordered was pretty bland and dry

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  8. Kelly VIP

    Seattle / Eastern Washington1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A perfect place to grab a bite and check out some books.

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  9. Michele VIP

    Greater Boston1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The Cafè was LOUD and PACKED. Reservations - especially on a Saturday - are an absolute necessity. Some of the menu items were unavailable - like blueberry muffins and bagels- were sold out. Really? The coffee was NOT great. But, in general the food was. And the servers were fun and energetic despite having to service multiple tables. Would I go back? Maybe. If the schools are on spring break.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Nashville1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    waitress was not very attentive and food just okay..probably better to just have a cup of coffee and check out the bookstore.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Trident Booksellers & Cafe offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Trident Booksellers & Cafe also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 267-8688.

Trident Booksellers & Cafe is rated 4.4 stars by 158 OpenTable diners.

Trident Booksellers & Cafe does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Greater Boston
  4. Boston
  5. Back Bay

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 11 times today
Google Map for Trident Booksellers & Cafe

338 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Between Hereford Street and Massachusetts Avenue
  • Neighborhood
    Back Bay
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 8:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Breakfast, Comfort Food
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Steps away from the Hynes Convention Center stop on the Green Line.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Delivery, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome a variety of private events! We offer several options for room set-up and can accommodate any style of dining. Our dedicated events coordinator will help you plan your perfect event and ensure a seamless experience for your guests. Some of our favorite gatherings to host include: *graduation parties *birthday parties *holiday parties *murder mystery dinners *bridal showers *baby showers *work team outings *networking events *bar/bat mitzvahs *anniversary parties *business meetings *alumni events Let the Trident's independent spirit make your next event one to remember! https://www.tridentbookscafe.com/private-events
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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