Best College-Town Coffee Shops

Whether you need a place to work or relax, coffee shops are truly safe havens for college students. College towns are filled with charming coffee cafés that can serve as your home away from home. If I can give one piece of advice, it is to find a sanctuary space off-campus where you can feel at peace, even if its finals week. Since Pumpkin Spice Season is upon us and school is in full swing, here is my caffeine-filled tribute! In this list, I include 15 amazing college town coffee shops perfect for working on assignments, getting some reading in, or just a having fun day out.

Best College-Town Cafés

Ugly Mug Café - Seattle, WA This coffee shop provides a cool and quirky atmosphere to get some work done. They also have some really fun merchandise in-store and on the website! Z’otz - New Orleans, LA This coffee shop is open until 1 a.m., making it the perfect place for those all-nighters during midterms season. The location has a ton of character, with a mural in the bathroom and grungy decor throughout the place. Verve Coffee Roaster - Santa Cruz, CA Verve has a few locations around Santa Cruz, all with an earthy aesthetic to keep you calm and grounded while you work. Coperaco - Harrison, NJ Coperaco is an international franchise in Mexico and Columbia, with only one café in the United States. Their New Jersey espresso bar is conveniently ten minutes away from University Heights! Brick & Bell - La Jolla, CA I’m a sucker for a quaint breakfast spot such as Brick & Bell. There’s a lovely outdoor seating area perfect for enjoying the La Jolla breeze. Plus, they have small personal touches throughout the store, such as the dainty floral arrangements at every table! It’s such a dreamy study and relaxation space. Pavement Coffeehouse - Boston, MA Pavement has nine locations throughout Boston and Cambridge. Each store has a unique yet cozy character to it. Make sure you grab one of their fresh-baked bagels, which they have been perfecting for the past 20 years! Cafétal Coffee - Tempe, AZ Cafétal’s slogan is “our family crop to your cup.” They use responsibly-sourced coffee from their own farm in Columbia to make fresh, quality cups of joe. La Monarca - Various locations across Los Angeles, CA La Monarca has such a cozy, homey feel that is great to de-stress in, and the wide selection of baked goods is a plus as well. A percentage of all proceeds are donated to saving the shop’s mascot, the monarch butterfly! Coffee Joint - Chicago, IL Coffee Joint has plenty of indoor seating and outlets for those days you’ll be glued to your laptop working all day. And they do amazing latte art for your study break pick-me-ups! The Pop Parlor - Orlando, FL While they are technically an “ice pop café,” The Pop Parlor offers a nice selection of coffee, including mochas with real chunks of melted chocolate and specialty lattes. Requiem: Coffee, Tea & Fantasy - Anaheim, CA Requiem is an immersive experience located in between two different SoCal college towns. Maybe this isn’t the ideal location to study chemistry or calculus, but I could see this being a fun environment for certain classes and assignments, like creative writing or art classes! Spill Coffee Co. - Wilmington, NC Spill has an adorable, feminine aesthetic and even offers a pink coffee. The interior design and drinks make for great photo ops. Café Smitten - Bakersfield, CA Located inside a teal blue brick building, Café Smitten offers a charming coffee shop experience. They even have outdoor seating that is pet friendly! The Nitro Bar - Providence, RI The Nitro Bar brews their signature nitro cold brew in-house everyday. They also make visually stunning craft drinks and vegan chocolate chip cookies! The Night Owl - Fullerton, CA The Downtown Fullerton coffee shop is open from 8:00 am to midnight every day, so both early birds, and of course, night owls can study here. They even have live music to set the ambience! Happy ​​caffeinating, students!