If you’re getting tired of the usual Starbucks latte from Library West, there are plenty of places close to campus that serve yummy coffee and offer new settings to study or relax with your friends. Here are a few of our favorites:
1. Maude’s Classic Cafe Located next to the Hippodrome State Theatre in downtown Gainesville, the independently owned coffee shop offers inside tables with board games or patio seating for its customers. The clientele at Maude’s ranges from UF students to Gainesville locals who like to take the afternoon off to hang out with friends. It’s beautiful for studying outside on a sunny day because there are chargers available on the patio. The menu caters to various tastes, including vegan. Besides its unique drink list, Maude’s menu has everything from quiches to cupcakes. The price for the largest coffee may be a little high, but you also get to experience this local coffee shop’s. Personally, my two favorites are the iced mocha and the Cafe Vienna because they have a bit of a kick, unlike your usual latte.
2. Karma Cream This local dessert cafe offers the best possible combination: ice cream and coffee. But if you’re not in the mood for dessert, you can still have one of its delicious vegan sandwiches. Karma Cream is located on University Avenue and is open well past midnight. It’s the perfect midnight snack! The coffee shop offers ample seating to study for your tests or catch up with your friends, and ice cream choices like lavender chocolate and mint ice cream await you. I may be partial to the taste of lavender because my favorite drink from Karma Cream is the lavender earl grey tea latte – a must try!
3. Pascal’s CoffeehouseConveniently located behind Midtown, Pascal’s Coffeehouse is affiliated with the Christian Study Center but is open to people of all religious preferences. Unfortunately, unlike the other two coffee shops, Pascal’s closes at 7 p.m. or earlier on weekdays and is closed on the weekends. The two-story building gives students plenty of space to get homework done. Pascal’s has great bagels too. I highly suggest the spinach bagel. Pascal’s coffee is also substantially cheaper than Starbucks, so if you’re at Library West craving some coffee, you can cross the street and grab a hot coffee to go. My favorite drink there is the white mocha.
If you decided to torture yourself for 40 days and give up coffee for Lent like I did, all these places also offer tea to warm you up when random cold fronts come through Gainesville. Even if you don’t practice Lent and you’re just looking for a change of scenery from the usual Starbucks on campus, make sure to visit one of these great places for a new take on coffee!