Sneak Peek: What Caffè Nero Jamaica Plain Might Look Like

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Caffè Nero, 560 Washington St., on June 20, 2014.

Chris Helms

Caffè Nero, 560 Washington St., on June 20, 2014.

A UK-based coffeehouse, Caffè Nero, plans to open in Jamaica Plain. It would be the international chain's second location in the United States. For a preview of what JP could expect, we hopped the Orange Line for a look at their Downtown Crossing location.

The Millennium Place Caffè Nero is at 560 Washington St., across the street from the Paramount Theatre. There's sidewalk seating. Inside it's exposed brick, high ceilings and rustic furniture. You can sit by yourself or at longer communal tables.

The menu focuses on espresso drinks and European-style sandwiches. The family-owned firm sources food locally: for instance, it uses Stonyfield dairy and milk and its bread is baked at Nashoba Brook Bakery in Concord.

Click through the photo gallery above for views of the coffee house's Millennium Place location.

Some JP business owners have taken a formal stand against the European cafe, saying not only that a locally-owned business would provide more benefits to JP, but also that JP is awash in coffee shops already. They've urged the landowner, Christine Elder, to consider scrapping the lease in favor of a local alternative.

The JP location is slated for 733 Centre St., which was formerly Commonwealth Cooperative Bank. A worker at the Millennium Place Caffè Nero said it would open sometime this summer.

Caffè Nero operates more than 650 cafes in seven countries, according to the Boston Globe.

The online reviews I found for the Downtown Crossing location were largely positive. Several Yelp reviewers said they liked the atmosphere, the number of electrical outlets and the taste of the coffee. One negative review came from someone who said service was slow.

We've reached out to the company about their plans for JP and bring you their responses when we get them.

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