Press
Just the amazingly light popovers — get yours with tart raspberry jam — would be enough for JP’s Ula to make this list. But there’s more. Homemade oatmeal. Apricot crumb bars. Currant scones. Lemon poppy seed muffins. There’s a wide selection of lattes plus loose teas from MEM Tea Imports in Somerville. In nice weather, snag an outside table. This is what a neighborhood cafe ought to be.
If you have resolved to work out more and eat healthier this year, there's a snack that's sure to help keep you energized through the day. No, it's not from a juice bar or the supplements aisle at Whole Foods. It's the trail mix bar from Ula Cafe.
At this award-winning Jamaica Plain neighborhood gem, the coffee is great, the baked goods are delectable, and the sandwiches are inspired. So it's no surprise if even regulars overlook this humble little bar. But if it's energy you're after, look no further than this protein-packed, corn syrup free, and veganish (there's honey) treat.
During the development process of the trail mix bar, Ula's Assistant Back-of-House Manager Kelly discovered that most existing recipes call for corn syrup as a binding agent. For a healthier twist, she used ground flax seed and water for an egg-free, corn-free solution that sticks.
Jam-packed with seeds and nuts of all types, whip up a batch of chewy trail mix bars for an energizing on the go snack, or stop into Ula Cafe and pick one up!
“We both lived in Jamaica Plain and felt that JP could really use a community, neighborhood-oriented coffee shop,” said co-owner Kate Bancroft. Bancroft says she and business partner Korinn Koslofsky have achieved this goal: “I’ve actually seen a lot of neighbors meeting each other in here for the first time.”
On the menu: made with brown sugar and cinnamon, the Café Cubano sounds irresistible.
For a community as artistic and culturally diverse as Jamaica Plain, it's a shame there aren't more — nay, any — quality coffee shops on the area's main drag for creative types to chill. But head over to the Brewery Complex where Ula Café resides amid the Samuel Adams HQ and relocated Bella Luna/Milky Way. It's a tight little spot with a vibe like it was transported from downtown Portsmouth. The baristas are laid back while dispensing liquid joys like Russian Caravan tea and Maté Mocha coffee. The revolving cast of homemade soups and stellar sandwiches isn't too shabby, either.
Truly a JP gem, Ula was founded with the intention of creating a friendly neighborhood space for locals to hang out—and eat some amazing and healthy food. Fresh brewed coffee and tea and an impressive range of baked goods round out the solid menu of creative sandwich and salad options, attracting quite the diverse crowd to the outdoor patio seating.
Nestled neatly in the small business complex known as The Brewery is Ula Café, owned and operated by Kate Bancroft and Korinn Koslofsky.
The special blend at Ula Cafe is the Ula Blend created by New Harvest Roasters.
Honey Jasmine Limeade. This quintessentially summery blend is a combo of iced jasmine tea and lime juice poured over honey. (16 oz., $3.25; 24 oz., $3.75)
You probably already knew that the baked goods at Ula Café’ are outstanding. The popular popovers ($1.95) are the stuff of legend, and there are commuters who go miles out of their way to pick up one of the fresh, baked-on-the-premises delights each morning.