The advent of every new semester brings in fresh faces and returning promises of an academic comeback by an ever-hopeful student population in Berkeley. I have been a victim of the difficult classes here at Berkeley and am always working on finding my perfect study method, and I find that part of that process starts with having a good environment to study in. While we have more than 20 libraries on campus, sometimes they do get crowded especially during Finals week, so students seek out other places to study that are not their dorms or apartments. Because of this niche, there is a thriving café culture around campus that is the perfect option for anyone who wants to study, catch up with friends, attend a coffee chat for their club, or even meet with their professor for office hours (true story)!
That being said, here are my favorite cafés in Berkeley, in no particular order, that have outlets, free WiFi, and are accessible by bus.
1. Victory Point Cafe
Located on Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley, this board game cafe also offers seating for patrons who wish to study or work indoors as well as outdoors! One of my favorite places to study as it gets lively during the evening, they are open late until 11 pm, and the food is good as well. If you want to take a break, board games are available to play (for a price), but the only drawback is, after 6 pm, patrons who want to play games are prioritized over others if it gets crowded.
2. Berkeley Espresso
A block away from Victory Point, this is the perfect place to go if Victory Point gets crowded. Although a little smaller, there is a good crowd present and enough outlets to go around. They have some outdoor seating as well.
3. HeyMa Coffee
Although a little bit further as it is near the Marina, HeyMa is still accessible via the 51B bus line, and it boasts amazing Yemeni coffee/tea and new offerings every month as they keep up with the trends (recently saw a Dubai Chocolate flavored drink). They have a good amount of seating and free WiFi and are open late as well.
4. Delah Coffee
Close to Northside of campus on Euclid Avenue, Delah is a staple in my rotation of cafés as they are less than a block away, so it’s the perfect place for an impromptu study session with friends if you are coming from a class in Evans or nearby. Also open late with amazing Yemeni coffee, Delah also enjoys close proximity to the many restaurants on Euclid such as Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Seoul Hotdog, and La Burrita.
5. Caffè Strada
The classic Caffè Strada. The list would not be complete without mentioning it! Right across from campus on the Southside and nestled near Greek Row and the Units 1 and 2 (student dorms), this popular café is where many students go for their club coffee chats, last minute studying, or, in my case, meeting with a professor for office hours. Strada is open late until midnight and has indoor and outdoor seating, although it does get filled up quickly.
Although these are my top five to visit due to convenience since I live downtown, the following cafés get an honorable mention as well that I recommend students to go if they live nearby or want to expand their horizons!
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Caffeinated Coffee Company
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MY Coffee Roastery
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Yali’s Cafe
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Cafe Milano
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Peet’s Coffee
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Hidden Cafe