Daily Provisions Review: No, You’re Not Seeing Double

Those who find themselves near One Brattle Square might consider stopping by Daily Provisions, a New York City-based coffee chain that marks the newest addition to the growing list of coffee shops in Harvard Square. You may be thinking, “Another trendy coffee chain? How is this one going to stand out?” Well, the exterior is as simple as it gets: nothing but the name of the cafe overtop the facade of the building.

Customers are greeted by a carefully manufactured design and layout that is objectively agreeable but impersonal. The white countertops and sharp lines create a look so clean that it’s borderline sterile, and the small shared seating space surrounded by outward facing bar seating ensures customers do as little socializing as possible.

The cafe attempts to cut through some of these corporate-cafe stereotypes with some character flourishes, but falls well short in its execution. Rather than opting for a classic printed menu that can be found in smaller coffee shops, they project a crude imitation of one onto a large television screen. Rather than giving Daily Provisions a more intimate feel, this just makes their half-hearted attempts at connection feel hollow and all the more transparent. They also attempt to showcase the local community with a couple of small murals on the back wall. However, rather than adding some art that would give a human touch to the store, they opted instead to overlay fine line portraits of the John Harvard statue and Harvard Square that lack any personal style.

The food is similarly underwhelming, with their main breakfast choices being some form of egg and cheese sandwich with any choice of meat. Nothing is wrong with the food, but one shouldn’t expect it to be particularly good either. The Portuguese roll used for the egg and cheese sandwich is fresh, light, and fluffy, but the ingredients that sit between the roll are completely uninspired and lacking in genuine flavor — a statement which could be applied to the restaurant as a whole.

At the end of the day, however, Daily Provisions is a coffee and pastry shop. And ultimately, the coffee and pastries do pass the taste test. The cinnamon and orange cold brew, for instance, is genuinely novel. While the drink could do with a bit more cinnamon flavor, the citrus of the orange provides a pleasant twist to what is an otherwise standard coffee drink. And while the maple cruller isn’t worth going out of one’s way for, the maple glaze is an ideal level of sweetness to not overpower the maple flavor.

While the decor and general atmosphere feel altogether insincere, the service from the staff and manager is anything but. Part of the aforementioned sterility of the shop is due, in part, to the diligent staff wiping down tables and clearing plates as soon as they’re finished. The baristas and cashier are also more than happy to offer guided recommendations to first time customers, and will have orders ready almost immediately.

On the surface, Daily Provisions is just another cheap attempt to ride the wave of overpriced, trendy coffee shops, because that’s exactly how it presents itself. But it seems like underneath the blue facade and spotless aprons lies a genuinely good product that — with a little more character, introspection, and flavor — could be something worth revisiting. For now though, customers are better off taking their money elsewhere.