Words and Photos By Sarah Puleo.
Lucky Finn Cafe
A non-coffee drinker buys a coffee shop. This might sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but it’s actually the true story of Lucky Finn Café in Scituate. Mary Ellen Stoddard, a regular at Lucky Finn, decided to take her role a step farther when she purchased it in 2017. “I’ve never had a cup of coffee in my life! When I was a customer, my go-to drink was an Arnold Palmer (iced tea & lemonade), but since then some of the baristas have gotten me hooked on the Scituate Fogg, an Earl Grey tea latte,” said Stoddard.
Owning Lucky Finn has been a perfect fit. “I’m a real people person. I come from a large family–the youngest of 10. Getting to know the regular customers––hearing about their lives, children and grandchildren––has been wonderful, they’ve become a second family.” For Stoddard, Lucky Finn is also a family affair with several of her four children taking shifts and creating their own delicacies. “My sixteen-year-old son loves our garden salad. This might sound like an odd choice for a teenager, but he makes it his way. Double bacon,” said Stoddard with a smile.
Pastries come from Hyannis bakery Pain D’Avignon while cupcakes and whoopie pies are produced by a local Scituate baker. Sensitive to diverse dietary needs, the café also has a couple of gluten-free and vegan options.
While most coffee shops become a meeting place by default, Lucky Finn Café actively seeks new ways to bring the community together, even serving as a bouquet pick-up spot for Norwell’s Cross Street Flower Farm’s weekly flower share. If you want to enjoy Lucky Finn’s unique space after hours, you can rent the coffee shop for your special event. Perched right on Scituate Harbor, the café has a deck where you can sip by the sea.
I stopped by with my one-year-old on a Wednesday around 11 AM; convinced I’d beat the lunch crush, but I get the feeling Lucky Finn never has much downtime. The entire place stayed filled during our visit. We sat inside, thankful for a doorway wide enough to accommodate our stroller/mobile high chair. It was sticky hot outside but every once in a while, a breath of cooler, salty air would sail by.
Despite the bustle, my BLT avocado salad came out quickly and my toddler’s grilled cheese arrived piping hot and golden-brown made with some seriously gooey cheddar and the best sourdough bread. I ordered an Arnold Palmer to enjoy with lunch and it was perfectly balanced, tart & sweet. For dessert, we shared a chocolate chip scone but kept a double shot of espresso all to myself.
More excitement is brewing at Lucky Finn––a second location! The newest Lucky Finn Café will be located at the redesigned Merchant’s Row on Washington Street in Hanover. The new café will have everything you love about the original Lucky Finn but with an expanded menu and a dedicated coworking space, a perfect spot to hunker down and skip your commute.
Lucky Finn Café
Scituate Harbor, 206 Front Street
Lucky Finn hours and merchandise can be found here.
Lucky Finn Café in Merchant Row, Hanover. NOW OPEN!
Check out the complete coffee shop series here.
