Hard beans and easy chairs: where to get your caffeine fix

The Coffee House at University Circle

Like it for its coffee. Love it for its day-shift barista, Paula, who will greet you with a smile and a laugh. Go there for the atmosphere. The Coffee House at University Circle takes home The Observer’s distinction as the best coffee shop in University Circle.

A longtime fixture of the neighborhood, The Coffee House offers a wide array of flavored, organic and decaf coffees. Additionally, their in-house bakery produces fresh scones, muffins and other pastries each morning. From lattes to mochas, they have the espresso spectrum well covered and their fresh soups are sure to satisfy. They also have a customer loyalty program that rewards you with a free beverage after your tenth purchase. The Observer’s editor can be found in the back corner of the sunroom each Tuesday writing his Editor’s Note, holding a flavored coffee in one hand and typing away on his laptop with the other.

 

Euclid Avenue Starbucks

Do not be fooled; the Starbucks inside the Village at 115, which you love to hit-up on your way out to class, is owned by Bon Appetit and will not earn you any stars on that Starbucks gold card you’re working towards. If you want the real version of Seattle’s finest coffee, you’ll need to venture over to Euclid Avenue.

Located at the corner of Cornell Road and Euclid Avenue, this Starbucks serves the best dark roast coffee on campus and will become your best friend this winter when you are knee-deep in snow and traversing the ice-riddled sidewalks to the Main Quad. In the final days of summer while you’re sweating in the first-year residence halls, grab a couple of your hall-mates and take a trip there for a refreshing Frappuccino. This Starbucks has the most open floor plan of any coffee shop on campus, which makes it easy to work alone or in groups. Also, be advised: you are more than guaranteed to run into someone you know there.

 

SAGES Café

When it comes to the overall best tasting coffee on campus, the SAGES Cafe on the ground floor of Crawford Hall is hard to beat. Serving Peet’s Coffee & Tea, the SAGES Cafe has a fine selection of espresso offerings, as well as a reliable medium roast coffee blend. The baristas are always students, so be sure to greet them with a smile. The ground floor of Crawford Hall is enclosed by windows, which creates an uplifting and inviting atmosphere. (Copies of The Observer are delivered on the coffee table by the couches in case of a reading material shortage.)

The SAGES Cafe serves mediterranean-inspired lunch offerings, such as salads and flatbreads. They do not take credit cards; so, be sure to bring dollar bills or Case Cash.

 

PBL Café

The PBL Cafe, located inside the Weatherhead School of Management’s Peter B. Lewis Building and operated by Taste of Excellence catering, is your stop for that quick, cheap caffeine fix when you are working near the Mather Quad. The PBL Cafe serves the traditional black cup of coffee, but also has some Weatherhead favorites, such as sticky bun, hazelnut and french vanilla. When you stop by, make sure you pick up a coffee punch card, and your 10th cup of coffee is on the house.

And, if you are hungry for breakfast and do not feel like stopping by a dining hall, the PBL Cafe serves an awesome egg, potatoes and breakfast meat platter for under $4.

 

Cramelot Café

Occupying the ground floor of the Kelvin Smith Library, the Cramelot Cafe debuted on campus in 2011. It does not get the foot traffic associated with many other coffee spots on campus; therefore, it is a great choice if you’re looking for a decent cup of coffee and a quiet place to enjoy it. Operated by Bon Appetit, this cafe serves Seattle’s Best Coffee, as well as soups, wraps, salads and pastries prepared by Bon Appetit.

The seating arrangement of the Cramelot Cafe is one of its strongest assets. There are a plethora of wall and ground outlets, so power is never far away if you find your computer dying while you’re sipping away at your cup of joe.