This International Coffee Day, there are plenty of local coffee shops to experience, each one with a different atmosphere and unique flavors.
Colorado State offers a few shops on campus to sit down and study but when Sweet Sinsations and Morgan’s Grind start to get old, there are better options. Within walking distance from campus, there are places for students who need to sit down for six hours to pound out an essay or two.
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Here are three shops that stand out for their perfect “study cram session” atmosphere.
- The Wild Boar Café
Nestled in an old house off of Lake St. and College Ave, is the Wild Boar Cafe, lovingly nicknamed, ‘The Boar.’ The shop is right across the street from the University Center for the Arts and is a go-to spot for music, theatre and dance students after the first class of the day.
The shop is great for doing homework because of the isolated rooms, plentiful electrical plugs and free WiFi. The tables are a unique amalgamation of styles giving the whole place a warm and homey feeling.
The shop offers freshly brewed coffee, as well as a house-made chai tea. For those who aren’t big coffee or tea drinkers, try the peppermint hot chocolate filled to the brim with warm milky chocolate goodness and a mountain of whip cream.
Time seems nonexistent within the shop and the coffee offers epic brain power to get through even those long, last minute essays.
- The Alley Cat
The Alley Cat is a hipster’s dream. The atmosphere, as well as the loose leaf tea and red-eye coffee, make the Alley Cat a destination coffee shop for CSU students.
A personal favorite is the Paris tea blend, a strong black tea with a sweet aftertaste. Rows of loose-leaf tea for all tastes are located in jars next to the register. The Red Eye latte packs a punch and will keep you wide-eyed and ready for a few hours of studying before the next class of the day.
The 24-hour shop can get pretty busy, especially in the afternoons. The shop is only a 10-minute walk from the Lory Student Center off of Laurel St. and College Ave, but patrons should be prepared for a little wait. If things are too busy, the Alley Cat offers drink delivery to the hookah bar downstairs, Algiers Hookah and Shisha for those who want a smoke along with good coffee and study time.
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McCabe Callahan at Mugs Coffee Lounge on College and Laurel (Anna Nixon | Collegian)
Mugs
Mugs is a little bit smaller than the other two aforementioned shops, but it is a great place to escape to when campus becomes overwhelming.
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Vinny’s Vienna latte is a sweet and lovely drink that keeps the blood pumping and the mind working. Mugs also offers cold brew coffee that is fresh and crisp with or without cream.
This coffee shop is great for breaks between classes, especially if you have had the same coffee on campus for the past three years. Mugs has a second location in Old Town that offers more space with a nice patio for people watching.
Happy International Coffee Day, and don’t forget to fuel.
Claire Oliver can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @claireity21.
