The end of the semester means final papers, final exams, final projects and lots of coffee. It’s the time of year when everyone shares one thing in common: they just have a few last loose ends separating them from sweet, sweet summer! Anyone who can make it through this grueling time without coffee deserves some sort of medal.
There are tons of places to grab some joe around this time, but almost too many! How does one decide which place to go to? Some of them have great snack and food options, some of them are open really late and some of them offer unique environments to really help you get down to work. Check out this guide to coffee shops in the campus district to help you find which one was best for you! Then if you’re feeling really adventurous, head to downtown Urbana or Champaign for even more delicious options!
Here’s to hoping that your finals week is productive, successful and well caffeinated! Cheers!
The place: Starbucks
The location: 503 East Green St, Champaign*
Right by: Potbelly’s
Hours: Monday – Saturday 6:30 a.m. – midnight, Sundays 7 a.m. – midnight
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $1.95
Snack situation: Bakery goods, hot breakfast sandwiches, popcorn, nuts, dried fruit and other snack items.
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Billy Sluis recommends an iced Venti, 6 shot, 7 pump vanilla, no water, heavy whipping cream topper, Americano
Study vibe: If you can find a place to sit, Starbucks on Green St. offers your standard Starbucks vibe. Complete with 1-2 person tables, tons of outlets and matching chairs. People tend to come and go more during the day, making it easier to find seating than at night. The chairs aren’t the most comfortable if you plan on staying for a long time, but after their remodel over Christmas break, there’s a lot more tables to to get to work at.
Sound level: The music is usually subtle enough to not bother you, but depending on the night, the other patrons not be. Later in the evening, it can get kind of loud with large groups of people, but nothing your headphones can’t block out.
The place: Dunkin’ Donuts
The location: 607 E Green St, Champaign*
Right by: University Campus Florist
Hours: 5 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: 1.69 for 14 ounces
Snack situation: They offer a wide variety of menu items, but tend to be more breakfast friendly. They have lots of donuts and a few other baked goods, hot breakfast sandwiches and other fast-food-esque items.
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Alejandra Davila recommends andiced caramel latte.
Study vibe: Not the most study-friendly choice. Dunkin’ Donuts on Green St. has a few tables and a window bar, but that’s about it. The lighting is harsh and there’s a lot of hustle and bustle because the seating is right beside the door. Your best bet is probably to grab a drink and breakfast on your way to the final instead of to study the night before.
Sound level: It’s not necessarily loud, but there’s a lot going on near the cafe area. It’s right by where people are coming and going. The place isn’t very big so the noise from the espresso bar tends to fill the place.
The place: Cafe Paradiso
The location: 801 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana
Right by: Jimmy John’s on Lincoln Ave
Hours: 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $2.70
Snack situation: Bakery breakfast items, fresh fruit, bagels, yogurt as well as a wide variety of soups, sandwiches and salads for meals.
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Chris Bauer recommends an espresso macchiato and to add extra shots if you have a really long night.
Study vibe: This cozy coffee shop definitely has a hipster vibe, but in a good way. The mismatched chairs and scattered seating is actually quite inviting, and the brightly painted walls are very cozy. The place is pretty big and the tables have a decent amount of space between them, so it feels really open. It’s tucked away in Urbana a bit so it draws a different, slightly quieter crowd than some of the shops closer to campus.
Sound level: Between the clientele, the Urbana location and the bar being tucked to one corner, the noise is very tolerable. The music is very conducive to studying and is loud enough to pick up, but soothing enough to zone out. A great place to get away from the hectic Campustown closer to Green St in Champaign.
The place: The Etc. Coffeehouse
The location: 1203 W Green Street, Urbana
Right by: Mechanical Engineering Building
Hours: 9 a.m. – noon; 2 – 5 p.m.
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $1 donation for 10 oz
Snack situation: popcorn and candy
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Brewed Coffee
Study vibe: This place doesn’t have that much to offer, but what it does offer is a quiet, peaceful place to get things done. With a few tables and a handful of comfy chairs, it’s a great place to get serious about that exam you have—as long as your not a high-maintenance coffee snob. There’s also a bunch of games available for use in case you and your friend need a study break!
Sound level: This seems to depend. Since there’s no music to drown out any conversations, it depends on who you share the room with. You might on occasion have to pop your headphones in to drown out conversation from some professors or peers, but overall, it’s very low-key.
The place: Caribou Cafe
The location: 331 E Stoughton Street, Champaign*
Right by: County Market
Hours: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $1.79
Snack situation: Almost anything you want! While Caribou itself offers a few bakery items at it’s kiosk, an entire grocery story is in the same building. There’s chips, fresh fruit, ice cream and other groceries, as well as soup, buffalo chicken, pre-made sandwiches, etc.
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Geneive Niemann recommends a vanilla white chocolate mocha.
Study vibe: This grocery store coffee shop is surprisingly intimate considering it’s location. With big windows, lots of seating (including an upstairs loft) and a corner spot in the grocery story, it’s isolated enough to create it’s own coffee shop vibe. The bright white lights will keep you alert, but the open widows can be a little depressing after you realize that the suns already starting to rise and you still can’t solve your math homework.
Sound level: The main level can be a little loud, depending on whether the registers nearby are open or not. If you need to get away, just head up stairs for a quiet get away to get to work.
The place: Espresso Royale
The location: 602 E Daniel St, Champaign*
Right by: Canopy Club
Hours: 7 a.m. – midnight
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: 1.75
Snack situation: Soups, chips, cold sandwiches, bakery items, candy, biscotti and breads from Pekara bakery
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Jaime Giovannone recommends a chai latte with a shot of espresso.
Study vibe: The atmosphere varies depending on where you sit. With a variety of different “rooms,” you can create your own study environment. A variety of brightly painted tables and mismatched chairs offers a unique feeling, even compared to the other Espresso Royales in town. There’s a few comfy chairs, lots of tables and even a loft in the back but is a little short on outlets.
Sound level: The music inside is soft and hard to hear over the sounds of the espresso bar in the front and the people coming and going. It quiets down as you move back, and the loft in back is a nice place to get away from the busyness below.
The place: Bevande
The location: 105 S Mathews Ave, Urbana; Engineering Quad*
Right by: Material Science & Engineering Building
Hours: 7:30 – 5 Monday – Thursday; 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $1.75
Snack situation: Bakery items, bagels, yogurt, hot paninis, smoothies, candy, chips and hot breakfast sandwiches.
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Mika Tanaka recommends a Black Eye, which is a coffee with two extra shots of espresso.
Study vibe: Bevande itself is just a coffee-to-go style place, but since it’s tucked inside of the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, the coffee joint is right by a cluster of tables just up the small flight of stairs. If you need a library feeling to get you in the study-zone, then this place will be great for you. Complete with spacious tables and harsh lighting, it feels just like you’re in the basement of the UGL—minus the sporadic comfy chairs. There’s also a computer lab right there if you need to print your final paper or anything.
Sound level: The seating area is pretty quiet except during passing periods, when it can get a little loud. There’s not music or background noise, so if that’s a must for you then be sure to pack your iPod.
The place: The Toasted Bean
The location: 706 S Sixth St, Champaign
Right by: Firehouse (or right inside The Clybourne)
Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $1.75
Snack situation: A full menu is available at The Toasted Bean, so you can grab anything from cheese sticks to a build-your-own pizza. There are breakfast sandwiches available all day as well as lunch and dinner options.
Barista pick for a late-night study session: Jane Bailie recommends a Wide Eye, which is a coffee with a shot of espresso.
Study vibe: Think of Cly’s on a Saturday night with the DJ spinning some sick beats and the cry of bar-goers ordering their drinks. Now think of the exact opposite of that and you have The Toasted Bean in the morning. It’s quiet and cozy with plenty of room to make yourself at home. If you’re not a morning person and don’t get around to your coffee and studying until a little later in the day, then you’ll get along just great with The Toasted Bean.
Sound level: The Toasted Bean is nothing like Cly’s and stays nice and quiet throughout the day. Even as the evening comes along closer to the coffee shop’s close, the front room is isolated enough that it blocks out a lot of the beginning bar noise.
The place: Intermezzo Cafe
The location: 500 S Goodwin Ave, Urbana
Right by: Canopy Club
Hours: 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (unless there is a performance, then they’re open for 30 minutes after the end of the performance)
Cost of 16 oz. Brewed coffee**: $1.75 (one size only)
Snack situation: A full menu that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees such as soups, sandwiches and burgers, as well as bakery items.
Barista pick all-nighter solution: Hui Lin Ng recommends a hot chocolate.
Study vibe: If you walk in the main doors at Krannert, this coffee shop is all the way to your left (the Northeast corner). Intermezzo is a hidden gem that is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. With plenty of seating, natural light and plenty of grub options, it’s a great place to go if you have a full day to devote to some serious studying. With lots of tables available, you’ll most likely find one, but you can also wonder into the lobby and cozy up on one of the cushioned benches to get away from the rest of the patrons.
Sound level: The quiet hiss of foaming milk and the occasional clanging of pots or pans in the kitchen is just about all you’ll hear from your table. It’s a quiet place that’s not overly popular, so you don’t have to deal with a lot of people.
*before tax
**Other locations in area