Cafe Arpeggio
Address: 398 W Broadway
Neighborhood: South Boston/Dorchester
T-Stop: Andrew
Wifi: None
“Explorer” that I am, I took a wrong turn down Dorchester
Ave rather than turning up Leeds St. toward Dorchester Street. Let’s suffice
it to say that my polka dotted iPhone case and J. Crew headband were not in
good company throughout the 1.2-mile detour featuring autobody
shops, construction sites and a car whose license plate read “SNIPRS”. Once I hit West Broadway, though,
things looked a bit more welcoming, and by the time I reached Café Arpeggio I
was in the mood for a nice cold drink.
The 20 oz. “small” was nothing special, but a decent enough bargain for
$2.34. Initially drawn to the name
of this café because of my background in classical guitar, I was
disappointed to find no apparent association to music theory (though according
to its website, the New Bedford location features a weekly open mic night). Though the décor could be seen as
shabby, I got a haimish vibe from the thrown-together variety of tables and
chairs, worn-in couch, and interior brick wall. Regardless, it’s pretty evident that Arpeggio’s owners care
little about ambiance and presentation.
Café Arpeggio is definitely the sort of place that has its few local regulars,
and I imagine it would be a fine spot for a brief lunch break or to kill time, but I would not recommend going out of your way to get work done here (and there's no wifi). Conveniently located a mere few steps from
the 9 Bus to Copley, my trip back downtown was much quicker than the route
there.
