Porter Square Books
11 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/Somerville, r/boston, r/CambridgeMA15 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Many commenters recommend Porter Square Books, and one calls it a large independent shop with a broad selection. A couple of commenters point to it for zines. The shop moved to a new spot nearby, and one visitor found it bigger and better than before. Before the move, one commenter feared it would cut spontaneous drop-ins, and one long-time customer said losing free parking would keep them from visiting. Other mixed views include one visitor who calls the shop fairly small though its cafe and patio are decent, and one commenter who thinks the chairs may not be very comfortable.
Address
Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave suite 118-119, Cambridge, MA 02140
At a glance
- Opinions divided
- Yes
- Known for
- Broad selection, Zines
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Porter Square Books, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/MasLaza in r/Somerville · Apr 2025
Visited after the move and found the shop bigger and better; calls it still a gem with more to offer.
- Recommendsu/kay_rah in r/boston · Jan 2025
Named in a personal list of shops the commenter likes and suggests.
- Recommendsu/paxmomma in r/boston · May 2025
Suggests watching this shop's event listings, saying it hosts events nearly every day.
- Recommendsu/Honeycrispcombe in r/boston · May 2025variety
Praises Porter's literary fiction section and general selection.
- Recommendsu/notgreat1228 in r/boston · Sep 2026variety
Lists Porter Square Books among bookstores open to stocking zines.
- Recommendsu/Rich_Home_5678 in r/boston · Aug 2026
Suggests Porter Square Books when asked for overlooked nonfiction and translated fiction bookstores.
- Recommendsu/Jumpy_Professional_7 in r/boston · May 2025
Recommends Porter Square Books and notes branches in Porter Square and Seaport.
- Caveatu/SgtStupendous in r/Somerville · Aug 2024
Says the move will cut walk-in traffic; popping in for impulse buys was a big draw, so visits become deliberate trips to the new site.
Show all 15 cited comments
- Recommendsu/ScarletOK in r/boston · Jan 2025variety
Describes it as a large independent shop with a broad selection, recommending it for browsing.
- Recommendsu/Pristine_Drawer_301 in r/boston · Sep 2026variety
Says Porter Square Books holds a modest set of zines, sounding pleased.
- Recommendsu/reveazure in r/boston · Mar 2026
Unsure, but suggests this shop as a likely place to find the magazine.
- Recommendsu/Automatic_Dinner_941 in r/CambridgeMA · Oct 2025
Calls this Porter Square shop wonderful.
- Mixedu/HeatOne7323 in r/Somerville · Aug 2024parking
Long-time customer who enjoys buying books there and supports local shops, but losing free parking would stop them visiting.
- Mixedu/orangeaustrian in r/boston · Apr 2024ambience
Says it fits what the asker wants, but suggests its chairs may not be very comfortable.
- Mixedu/Le7emesens in r/CambridgeMA · Aug 2024variety
Calls the Porter Square shop fairly small but says its café and patio are decent.
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Freshness
Details last checked 11 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.