There are the late nights spent studying, the early morning classes and the long days to get through. What you don’t have to worry about is not being able to get a good dose of caffeine or substantial nourishment.
UChicago has a plethora of coffee shops ranging from Starbucks to basement cafés. With so many choices it can be hard find the best coffee shop, and no one wants to waste precious flex dollars on a bad cup of coffee. No worries.
I took one for the team and have been trying out these different coffee shops this week. So now that I have enough caffeine in my bloodstream to last me for days, here’s the results.
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Classics Café
Warm and inviting, the Classics Café has standard coffee and snacks for your fulfillment. The environment is warm and you could meet with a friend for coffee here. The Classics Café is also compatible to a working environment. The coffee is not exceptional but still good. I did have my first ever-successful attempt at vegan food here. Every time I try vegan snacks from the coffee shops my stomach ends up unhappy. However, I had a vegan meal at the Classics Café that actually had a good flavor and taste. It wouldn’t be my favorite place for coffee but I could go there again.
Location:
Classics, 2nd floor
Hours:
Monday–Thursday: 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m
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Cobb Coffee Shop
In the depths of Cobb lies my favorite place for coffee. The Cobb Coffee shop has extensive choices for lunch or a snack. Food from local restaurants such as The Sit Down, The Nile, and others can be found here. Whether your vegan or vegetarian or neither, you can find a satisfying bite to eat here. There are also Cliff Bars by the register which I found in one of my many trips there. Now, for the coffee. I’m not sure what it is but Cobb coffee has something extra about it. It tastes delicious, but it also gives you the energy to work for hours. Bring your own mug and the cheap coffee is even cheaper. Not into coffee, no worries there are plenty of tea options as well. Often with retro music spilling into the room, the Cobb Coffee shop is a solid place for work. I would not study for an exam there, but I have found the environment excellent for paper writing. As for meeting a friend for coffee, Cobb is desirable location. There is student artwork on the walls to entertain your eyes and even a happy hour from three to four where tea and coffee refills are sixty cents. All form of payments are welcome!
Location:
Cobb Hall, basement
Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
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C-Shop
The warm glow of the C-Shop is a great spot to socialize or hold small group meetings. Eienstein Bagels has coffee to stimulate your senses and food to fill your appetite. Every Wednesday you can enjoy a shake for just a dollar at the C-Shop. Also, if you buy a thermos mug, refills are just ninety-nine cents! For a standard cup of coffee and cheery experience the C-shop is the place to go.
Location:
Reynolds Club, 1st floor
Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
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Barnes & Noble Café
Here is your everyday Starbucks. They have the usual Starbucks coffee options and some bakery items that would also be found behind the glass at any Starbucks. There are other snacks and lunch type items that can be found on the shelves or in the refrigerator as well. However, this café does not take flex dollars. The prices are not as cheap as some of the other college coffee shops and seating is a little less spacious. If you are truly a Starbuck’s addict then this will suffice but you will be missing out on the embellishments of a student run coffee shop like those found in the libraries and halls. Not a terrible place but pretty run of the mill as far as coffee and food goes.
Location:
University Bookstore
Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
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Common Knowledge Café, Harper Café
Often referred to as the Harper Café, The Common Knowledge Café compliments the Harper Library. There is of course coffee and tea here. I have, unfortunately, never had a good cup of coffee here. However, the tea is a redeeming quality. There is loose leaf tea of several flavors you can purchase here. As in Cobb, if you bring your own mug the prices are cheaper. Probably the best attribute Common Knowledge Café has is its food selection. You can purchase pizza form the Med, Thai food from the Snail, baked goods from JR’s Bakery and other Hyde Park favorites. The café area is usually bustling with activity. It’s a great place to meet to work on a project or take a study break but if you need to get some serious studying done it’s best to walk over to the Harper Library.
Location:
Second Floor of Harper Memorial Library, East Tower.
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9:00 a.m.- Midnight
Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – Midnight