If you’re a college student, odds are that you drink coffee, or tea, or energy drinks, or some sort of caffeinated beverage. I’m happy to report that in my first few years of university, I’ve never pulled an all-nighter, but I’m still guilty of drinking iced lattes at 10pm to help me finish a problem set that’s due at midnight. So that being said, I’ve visited a lot of cafes around Berkeley, and here are some of my favorite spots to get a drink and study at—
Souvenir Coffee Co.
This coffee shop has a few different locations, but my go-to is the one located on Claremont Ave. a little ways south of campus. The coffee here is good, and they have different seasonal flavors like lavender, sage, and pumpkin (because we’re all getting coffee for the fancy little syrups aren’t we?). They also serve sandwiches, bagels, and pastries here. This is probably my most visited place on the weekends when I’ve got an assignment to finish. I usually get a hot lavender latte.
Free Speech Movement Cafe
No list of Berkeley coffee shops would be complete without mention of the Free Speech Movement Cafe, or as we commonly call it—FSM. This cafe is located on the 3rd floor of Moffitt Undergraduate Library and has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The patio here is one of my favorite spots on campus to catch the sunset. My go-to order here is an iced caramel latte.
Abe’s Cafe
I’ll admit I’ve actually never studied here, but I get chai lattes and smoothies from Abe’s way too often during the semester. It’s located on Euclid Ave. in Northside, right across the street from McCone Hall where most of my classes are held. The staff at Abe’s are also always super friendly. I almost always get a chai latte here.
1951 Coffee Company
Again, I typically don’t study at 1951, but they’re probably home to the best cup of coffee you can find in Berkeley. They also have a lot of really delicious baked goods, and they’re very close by to campus. I like to get their iced lavender honey latte here, or a cappuccino.
Edmonds Cafe
I may be a bit biased towards Edmonds, given that they’re located just down the street from the Koret Visitor Center where I work. In any case, they serve solid drinks and pastries, and they have plenty of seating inside too. I like to get iced chai lattes here.
Caffe Strada
If you’ve heard of Berkeley, you’ve probably heard of Caffe Strada too. Located just across the street from campus on the corner of Bancroft and College Avenues, Caffe Strada has good coffee but the real charm here is the ambience. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and they’re open until midnight every day. I like their caramel lattes and mochas.
Baker & Commons
Located just a short walk from the Southside of campus, this is a super popular spot. They have good sandwiches, baked goods, and coffee. It can be a bit busy, but I enjoy coming here because it’s very cute and a nice spot to do work or just catch up with friends. I love the lavender latte here.
Cafenated Coffee Co.
This is another coffee shop that has a few locations around. I like the one in Elmwood. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s nice to be able to look out on the street while you’re getting work done. I usually get a cappuccino here.
Peet’s Coffee
Okay, I know, it might be a bit blasphemous for me to include a chain on this list. Hear me out though, Peet’s was actually founded here in Berkeley, and there’s a lot of different locations in the city. They’re typically a bit less busy than a lot of your other options as well, and they always serve a reliable cup of coffee that’s not super expensive. I like to get caramel lattes here.