George Howell Coffee: Rebirth of the Coffee Connection?

George Howell Coffee opened last week in Newtonville in the space formerly occupied by Taste Coffee House.

As many in Boston recall, George Howell was the founder of the Coffee Connection, which opened its first location in Harvard Square in 1975 and later expanded into a local chain. Several hounds have fond memories of the Coffee Connection—Allstonian worked there in the mid-'80s, and CookieLee and her husband had their first date there in 1982! The Coffee Connection stores were sold to Starbucks in 1994, and the shop in Newtonville marks Howell's return to the retail coffee scene.

Initial reports from the café are good. Science Chick recently tried an espresso and a drip decaf. "Both were outstanding," Science Chick says. "[They] boasted a complexity of flavors lacking in many preparations around town."

tatsu points out that George Howell took over Taste Coffee House over a year ago, even though the renovation and name change took place this winter. He says the coffee has been consistently good since the ownership change but thinks the recent renovations are a big improvement. Science Chick agrees: "The café has a much lighter feel" than the previous incarnation, she says.

George Howell Coffee [Newton]
311 Walnut Street, Newton
617-332-6886

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