Hey Brunonians, post-mid-semester check-in. How’s it going? With the second wave of midterms (and finals, eek!) right around the corner, everyone everywhere is flocking to any available café and study spot in and around Brown. If the tables at the Hay are full, you can bet that all the tables at Ceremony, Coffee Exchange, or Hazel Origins are too. So where are people going to study that’s not 20 steps or 10 minutes from campus?
Around this time of year, the energy on campus also becomes a bit too frenzied with the engineers in the ERC with their hundreds of hours of lecture-captures to rewatch, the art historians (hi!) reviewing their thousand-flashcard Quizlet sets in the Rock stacks, or the classics concentrators and their forty books on the Roman Empire (been there, done that) cramming 20-page term papers. And with Thanksgiving break coming up, many students take the long-awaited New York escape, spending most of the week and weekend—that is, if they’re not going home—in the Big Apple. If you’re thinking about going to New York for the long weekend and potentially doing some studying while you’re there, you are in the right place!
As promised in the first part of this series, I’ll be ranking my five favorite cafés in the city (in no particular order), thinking about them not only through their creative food menus and staple drinks, but also by how conducive their environments are for focusing on everything from studying silently for exams or a chatty writing session with your friends.
So, what are you waiting for? The Hungry Rhody is back again…hungrier than ever and with a to-do list longer than the lunch line outside of the Ratty at noon.
1. Devoción
📍Midtown
Best For: Chatty Essay Sessions, Individual Study with a Laptop
Favorite Dishes: Iced Latte (no syrups), going back for a guava croissant!
Devoción was, hands down, one of my favorite cups of coffee in the city. With no extra syrup offerings (other than their seasonal lattes or a simple syrup they keep near the sugar and coffee stirrers) and the firm belief that the taste of coffee should speak for itself, Devoción became my favorite place to step in for a break from the city’s hustle and bustle. While I visited the one on Lexington and 53rd, Devoción has five locations across Manhattan (near Madison Square Park and Union Square) and Brooklyn (Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn), each with the best vibe. Their open concept plan and plant wall make it feel as though you’ve stepped into a sort of calm haven beyond Midtown’s reflective concrete jungle—it’s a Narnia of sorts, if you will. Devoción is definitely a place I would envision writing an outline or drafting an essay, doing readings, or rewatching lectures, even though I’ve noticed it gets fairly loud at peak times. If you are someone who works with a classic café ambiance, with the mechanical clanking of the espresso machine and faint background noise of friends reuniting and families having mid-week brunch, then Devoción is the place for you.
2. Hungry Llama
📍West Village
Best For: Studying with Textbooks, Group Study, Laptop-Heavy Work
Favorite Dishes: Whipped Honey Latte
Viral on Instagram and TikTok for their Whipped Honey Latte (and yes, I did get one while there), Hungry Llama in the West Village is the second study spot on the list. As a study drink, it wasn’t too sweet, which is necessary to sustain a deep focus study session. People around me ordered off the food menu, and every plate they brought to the neighboring tables smelled so incredible—just imagine the agonizing sounds of my traitorous stomach! When I visited with three of my friends, we fit comfortably in one of their big tables and their extremely comfortable winged-back armchairs. Something fantastic about the Hungry Llama is their wide variety of seating options, from funky stools outside to comfy armchairs and a regular community table inside. The space is airy, fresh, and incredibly conducive for any type of study session with friends. I would recommend, however, finding a seat away from the ordering counter, as it can get backed up during peak hours with the number of orders they tend to get.
3. Little Collins
📍Midtown East
Best For: Readings, Non-Wifi Necessary Work, Quiet Study
Favorite Dishes: Egg Dishes (especially poached eggs), Cappuccino
Little Collins is an incredible spot for brunch and for eating—perhaps the lunch stop on your café-hopping journey? With a menu that has breakfast all day on the weekends, I was pleasantly surprised when I ordered their Two Easy (eggs any style with bread) and received perfectly poached eggs. And when I say perfectly, I absolutely mean it! Little Collins knows how to make some eggs. Other patrons ordered divine-looking dishes like their French toast, which I have been told is a fan favorite, and the Shakshuka. While Little Collins doesn’t have charging ports or wifi (they have a big emphasis on connecting with the people around you), it’s a pretty solid place to study in the morning or in the mid-afternoon before the corporate baddies come clamoring to pick up their online lunch orders. Their seating is a bit cramped, so if you are planning to come here to study, make sure to pack a light study bag or do some non-Wi-Fi-necessary readings. However, I will argue that when I sat in one of their back high-top tables, I was able to study quietly with very few distractions.
4. Inès
📍Upper East Side
Best For: Silent Computer Work, Low Conversation Group Study, Essay Writing, Quizlet Study Sessions
Favorite Dishes: Iced Latte, Brie Tartine, Sandwiches
Inès is the not-so-hole-in-the-wall place that is a coffee shop by day and an incredible wine bar and restaurant by night. A friend of mine touted Inès as “probably the best coffee in the UES.” I found their coffee rich, silky, and full of flavor, but, as you know, my heart lies with Devoción! Anyways, as a study spot, Inès is fantastic for solo studying, given its intimate seating experience—a big booth that lines the back wall and two-person tables across from it. When they open their bar windows with the warmer weather, you get a nice breeze and extended table space, making it great for computer-based work, like writing essays or those beginning-of-the-week discussion posts. In terms of their food, I would definitely recommend their sandwiches and am drooling just thinking about their baked brie tartine (can I go back there right now?). Otherwise, Inès is perfect for low conversations with friends or catching up with your girlfriends, if you’re looking for a place that is not necessarily a study vibe.
5. Ole & Steen
📍Upper East Side
Best For: Cramming Last Minute Assignments, Studying with Computer and iPad, Essay Writing
Favorite Dishes: Cardamom Bun, Latte
Ole n’Steen is one of those places that, even across continents, is consistent in its dishes and drinks. I visited their Strand location in London and fell absolutely in love with their cardamom buns, so when I found out they had a location in the Upper East Side, I knew I had to visit. Like all the other cafés I’ve recommended thus far, Ole & Steen is bright and airy, with many windows facing out. I picked up a window seat that faced the Eli’s Essentials right across the street on Lexington, and it proved to be my most fruitful study session. The amount of work I got done and the things I crossed off my to-do list were absolutely insane—the notion of knowing that people are watching you through the window as you work is a phenomenon that must be studied. Somehow, it made me all the more productive, and honestly, I’m grateful. The baristas are the kindest souls on the planet—they double checked with me to make sure they didn’t mishear my order over the chatter of a big group of high school students in the back—and brought everything out to me when they typically call out your name at the bar. I loved Ole & Steen as a place to study or even to do work in general because, even when it got super crowded, I always felt like each patron was in their own bubble at their table. The noise level never got above a white noise murmur, and people tend to leave quickly after finishing their coffee and treats if they’re not there to work. Besides, there were a lot of people working on their computers or reading, so I might have been onto something!
And there you have it! My five favorite coffee shops in the city and the best study spots for your next trip there. Other runner-ups that I wouldn’t necessarily recommend as study spots, but for sure as coffee shops are San Babila NYC, Gregorys Coffee, Matto Espresso, Birch Coffee, Capital One Café, Ralph’s Coffee, Remi43 Flower & Coffee (the Midtown East location on 43rd is the best one!), and Sant’Ambroeus.
For those of you with a sweet tooth and wondering: where can I find the best dessert spots in New York? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! See you very, very soon for part 3!