Faro Café — a vibrant new coffee shop on the corner of Arrow Street — opened its doors last month, inviting passersby to step into the regenerative space for a hot cup of coffee.
Owned by Henry F. Hoffstot, Faro Café served its first cup of coffee on Dec. 14. Though it joins several other established coffee shops in Harvard Square, its owners say Faro aims to do more than just serve coffee: the vision behind the cafe, Hoffstot said, is around the “sensation” customers have when they enter the space.
“It’s about letting the space be something that people interpret how they want to envision it or define it or inhabit it,” he said. “We’re hoping that people make Faro what they want — what they need — and that the space can lend itself to a variety of different community-focused purposes.”
The cafe’s name comes from the Spanish word for “lighthouse,” a nod to Buenos Aires, where Hoffstot lived for four years.
Trading paper to-go cups for ceramic mugs and latte art, Hoffstot said he hopes Faro Café gives a more “romanticized” idea of coffee — something to be enjoyed slowly, instead of just being fuel for productivity.
Even in the quiet of an early Sunday morning, customers had already found their way inside, settling in with books and laptops.
Priyanka Saxena, a Somerville resident, chose a spot tucked in behind the soundsystem of the cafe.
“I come a pretty long way to get to a cafe early in the morning and it’s because it’s a really nice vibe,” she said. “There’s nothing too busy or ostentatious about it, but it’s cozy.”
“The pastries are great, the coffees are delicious, and it’s just a nice spot to relax in the morning,” she added.