Cobblestones

Spotify may provide the background tunes at Cobblestones, located at 30 Charles Street. But the real harmony comes from behind the counter, where the café’s staff flow seamlessly, gracefully, like professional orchestra members, moving from order to order, station to station, exchanging roles when needed, to keep their steady line of customers well-fed and hydrated.

Co-owner Jennifer Gallagher (with Dave O’Connell) laughs at the suggestion that her talent in putting together such an ensemble makes her a conductor on par with Keith Lockhart, and quickly turns the spotlight back to her team. “I think kindness is the main ingredient of our secret sauce…and that’s something they all that have.” Among her first hires were undergrads who were part of the same sports team who understand firsthand the adage ‘there is no I in team’. “The biggest compliment was when they [would] tell their friends that it’s a really fun place to work,” Jen says.

Staffer Emilee Anderson (Favorite sandwich to eat: The Reuben; To make: Pear and Gouda Grilled Cheese) – credits the owners with setting that tone. “I think [Jen] attracts the right kind of people…the people who are kind and outgoing and are really just interested in connecting with other people. You attract what you are, and she definitely attracts those kinds of people.