It’s finals season, and we are running out of places to study. Fondren Library is too crowded, so you need to go somewhere else. But where? Here are the pros and cons of the coffee shops near SMU for finals cramming.
Toasted
Pros: Variety of toast types to eat for brain food, ranging from cream cheese with pears to avocado toast. They have amazing coffee and a nice ambiance for studying. It has a low noise level and they have a rewards program where you get three points for every dollar you spend and a certain number of points unlocks rewards!
Con: The parking is limited and Wifi can be slow, so it is best to use a personal hot spot.
Find Toasted at 5420 Ross Ave #180, Dallas, TX 75206.
Halcyon
Pro: Provides a quiet atmosphere, with bright lighting. They have an outdoor patio with plenty of parking. They serve a range of strong and sweet coffee drinks along with Kombucha on tap.
Con: You can’t study here at night because it turns into a bar and can get noisy. On the weekends, this place has brunch, so they don’t let you sit and study for too long. It is best for daytime studying.
Visit Halcyon at 2900 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206.
Royal Blue Grocery
Pro: Close to SMU, it is only a short drive or a short Uber away from school ($5 Uber ride). This place is a grocery store, so they serve great sandwiches and other food items that make for great study meals. There are adorable tables outside where you can watch a plethora of cute dogs and children walk past.
Con: It is difficult to find a table, because this place can get crowded. People go here for meetings and to just hang out, so the noise level is high and it can make it tough to focus.
Set up your study spot at Royal Blue Grocery on 1 Highland Park Village, Dallas, TX 75205.
Mudsmith
Pro: Good coffee and tea drinks. Average price for a coffee shop, which means you’ll be paying $4 or $5 for your drink. There are lots of people that study here so the noise level is fairly quiet. They also just opened up two other locations in DFW.
Con: It has a cabin, rustic vibe with animals hanging on the walls and lots of wood, which creates a dark atmosphere. This personally made it hard to stay awake while studying, because I just wanted to curl up by a fire and take a nap.
You’ll find Mudsmith at 2114 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206.
Sip Stir
Pro: This place has nice marble table of all sizes so you can go alone or bring a group of friends. They serve croissants and bars and a few types of toast in case you get hungry. Their teas come in multi-serving steamers that allow you to sit there and study for hours with the same $4 cup of tea. They will also add hot water to the container once you run out so you can use the tea leaves to make a second, slightly weaker cup if you’d like. This place is bright on the inside which will keep you from getting sleepy while studying.
Con: Parking is two hours long, so you have to move your car if you plan on being here for a while. Avoid the couch area, because that’s the only spot in the shop where people really talk and hang out.