Café Review: 3 Little Figs

I love my neighborhood, a quiet Somerville spot between Porter and Davis where young professionals co-exist peacefully with people who have lived here for decades. Plenty of trees, plenty of houses... but what about food? For the most part, the nearest places to eat are all a 10-minute walk away - not too much of a problem, at least in nice weather, but once in awhile, I think about how nice it would be to have an amazing cafe just five minutes from my door.

As of a couple months ago, my prayers have been answered! Enter 3 Little Figs, a cafe full of tasty Greek-inspired baked goods, sandwiches, and everything else I could ever want from my neighborhood casual eatery. After two visits, I already felt like a regular. Now it's a struggle not to go every day.

I'm not a coffee drinker, so I can't offer an opinion on the coffee selection, but I do enjoy the hot chocolate, which is always expertly made and topped with a heart in the foam. The tea is locally sourced from MEM Tea (right down the street in Somerville), and the coffee is from Gimme!, based in Ithaca, New York.

As for the food, I'm addicted to the sandwiches, and the pastries are irresistible as well. (Apple cider muffin? Yes, please. You'll also find an ever-changing selection of scones, cupcakes, mini bundt cakes, cookies, and more.) The menu says that the spinach pie is the "best ever," and I've heard that it's true, although it was sold out on the day I planned to try it. I defaulted to my favorite sandwich instead, the Market: prosciutto, goat cheese, arugula, and fig jam on Iggy's Francese. In addition to bread from Iggy's in Cambridge, there's a lot of other local sourcing: Jersey milk from Highlawn Farm in Lee, yogurt from Sophia's Greek Yogurt in Belmont, produce from Stillman's Farm in New Braintree, honey from various Massachusetts beekeepers, and flour from King Arthur in Norwich, Vermont. Figs, of course, make several appearances on the menu aside from the Market sandwich. Try the fig 'n' spice granola, toast with fig jam, or a fig and pear scone.

3 Little Figs is cheery and welcoming with white walls and bright blue accents, framed photos of Greece, and small glittery lettering (used sparingly enough to be adorable). The service is the friendliest I've encountered at any cafe. Every staff member seems genuinely happy to be there.

If you're looking for a delicious breakfast or lunch of local and organic ingredients, be sure to give 3 Little Figs a try. (And don't forget to say hi to me... I'm probably there!)

Rachel Leah Blumenthal is a Somerville-based writer, photographer, and musician. She writes about food on her blog, Fork it over, Boston!, and runs Boston Food Bloggers, a networking community. For more information, visit RachelBlumenthal.net.