Blank Street

Blank Street Coffee is a New York-based specialty coffee chain founded in 2020 by Issam Freiha and Vinay Menda, who originally launched the concept from a wheeled cart before rapidly expanding to dozens of locations across the U.S. and U.K. The Cambridge location sits at 1380 Massachusetts Avenue in Harvard Square — a former Starbucks space steps from the MBTA Red Line — and serves a menu of espresso drinks, cold brews, matchas, teas, and baked goods in a compact, grab-and-go format. The chain is known for its use of automated espresso machines designed to ensure drink consistency while freeing baristas to focus on customer interaction.