In one corner of Refuge Cafe, a young man with multiple face piercings and dressed in a tight leather jacket was drawing a human face in the shape of a tree. In another corner, a middle-aged man, while waiting for his order, danced to the sounds of the Jackson 5.
With college students clad in flannel and sporting beards (we counted nine in the entire restaurant, not including the staff), Refuge Cafe captures the unpredictable eccentricities of a Williamsburg house party.
Because it was February, we wanted to find a place to bring a date for a romantic brunch, but Refuge Cafe certainly did not fit that bill through it’s menu, decor and atmosphere.
The menu is akin to any typical cafe, though with an alternative sensibility; it consisted of many vegetarian-friendly options and had more coffee drinks than food. Most of the food was a variation on a sandwich, from the pressed caprese sandwich to the hummus wrap. It seemed mostly breakfast-oriented, offering bagels and fruit drinks alongside breakfast burritos.
Between the five of us, we ordered two bagels with jam ($5), two pressed caprese sandwiches ($7), one ClubRefuge ($8)—a turkey sandwich but with pretzel bun, one small coffee ($3), and a mixed berry smoothie ($4).
The pressed caprese sandwich was at first a nice blend of the strong flavors of mozzarella, arugula, and pesto, but soon the balsamic vinegar turned the dish into a sopping wet mess. As one of our party said, “This sandwich reminds me of everything I hate in this world.”
Even the coffee was disappointing. A small mocha latte ($3) was all bitter coffee on top and sticky chocolate syrup on the bottom.
The ClubRefuge sandwich was slightly better. The pretzel buns were an interesting twist; their warmth and saltiness provided a subtle, yet inviting contrast to the cold meat and fixings inside. Apart from this, it still proved little better than the average turkey sandwich.
The bagels also were nothing extraordinary. You could buy essentially the same thing at the school cafeteria. The smoothie was probably the best tasting item we ordered—something one never looks for at a restaurant.
Despite the disappointing food, Refuge Cafe sported joyfully entertaining decor though it was probably meant to be serious rather than amusing. On the wall next to us hung rocks and feathers tied to notebooks and “abstract” sketches being sold as art.
A pair of burlap bags were attached to the hallway to the bathroom, which had been cheekily described as “the Loo Gallery.”
From the doilies on the ceiling to the rough wooden walls, to the chalkboard menu, this whole restaurant felt like a trip to a crowded Urban Outfitters. The ample windows were nice, however, providing sunlight and a view for the patrons. But they looked out on a city square that consists mostly of liquor stores.
You can get to Refuge Cafe by train, if you can make your way to Boston College to take the B line, or by car (though there is no readily available parking), if you are willing to brave the foot traffic. For a place that took a lot of effort to get to, it did not impress, and we were probably the youngest and least hungover group there.
Despite our complaints, Refuge Cafe is clearly doing something right. It was considerably crowded, and more parties poured in throughout the duration of our meal. It must have some sort of appeal to young, expressive college students that we do not quite understand.
But from a high schooler’s perspective, the Refuge Cafe offers mediocre food and drink with an alienating atmosphere. We were hoping to find a quirkily charming date haven but instead entered a grungy inferno.
And what creativity we saw in the decor did not appear in the frankly uninventive food. For its prices and location, Refuge Cafe is probably not worth your time.
Refuge Cafe
155 Brighton Ave
Boston, MA 02134
(617) 202-5409
Irene Gilbert and Alex Johnson can be contacted at [email protected].
