Olivia Hernandez ‘29
Staff Writer
A few Saturdays ago, I began my journey to finding Worcester’s coziest cafes, venturing to various establishments across the city in search of the best food, drinks, and cafe environments Worcester has to offer. I started this quest at iKrave Cafe, located on 517 Park Avenue and right down the street from Clark University. Situated off of busy Park Avenue, we were able to watch cars buzz by and engage in our usual hobby of people-watching. With convenience and plentiful parking spaces, this is certainly a spot to enjoy breakfast with comfortability and a lax environment.
We were invited into the cafe with the welcoming aroma of freshly-made breakfast sandwiches and brewed coffee. There was the perfect amount of customers when we arrived, each enjoying their breakfast to the hums of pop music from the speakers overhead. Clientele ranged from local Clark University and Worcester State students, as well as families and couples looking to enjoy a sunny Saturday morning with delicious food. Without the busy rush of a cafe, we were able to place our orders with ease and comfortability, and wait for our delicious food to arrive.
I ordered a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on an everything bagel, while my company ordered a bacon, egg and cheese on an asiago bagel. Our sandwiches were piping hot, with both bagels tasting fresh yet lacking flavor. For my sandwich, each bite was absent of the savory tastes of egg, cheese, and sausage. I could barely identify the flavors of my bread, and was stuck dealing with the overpowering sesame seeds of my bagel. Similarly, my companion had an unsatisfactory experience with her sandwich, unable to taste much beyond the American cheese of her bagel combo.
We also ordered a few drinks to accompany our sandwiches; I enjoyed a small iced chai latte with oat milk, while my company drank a medium iced coffee with cream and sugar. My chai was certainly sugary, but had an overpowering flavor of vanilla that took away from the traditional cinnamon and spice found in a typical chai. My guest’s coffee was average, lacking a certain WOW factor in her New England staple of a beverage.
My trip to iKrave was overall satisfactory; the welcoming atmosphere, presence of college students, and convenient location would give this experience a 7/10. Despite the flavorless sandwiches and typical drinks, it’s certainly an area to try out if you’re looking for a calming environment to complete homework. Stay tuned for my next adventure on the search for Worcester’s Coziest Cafes!
Copy edited by Molly Croft ‘29
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