As a university student, there are two essentials to ensure I make it through any given day: a nice, quiet, well-lit place to study, and a consistent supply of quality caffeine. My own room and espresso machine provide these necessities, but my poorly decorated beige walls and Walmart espresso can only take me so far. The UVic campus library is useful when I really need to focus, but the ominous silence of the basement floor removes all motivation to be productive.
So, what is the solution? It’s critical to have a variety of study spots to choose from. When my desk or the library is no longer desirable, I seek the assistance of an over-priced iced caramel macchiato and the comforting background chatter of a nearby coffee shop.
These four student-friendly cafes (plus a few honourable mentions) have been carefully selected: I judge noise level, seating arrangements, Wi-Fi speed, accommodating hours, and, of course, the quality of coffee.
Urban Cup
Urban Cup is one of the cutest, most delicious brunch-style cafes, and it’s close to Campus. It’s located on Shelbourne and Church Avenue, about a 20- to 25-minute walk from Ring Road. The baristas are friendly, and all the food and pastries are made in-house. Their blueberry scone is arguably one of the best in Victoria. Despite being both a restaurant and a cafe, the noise level is comparable to any standard cafe.
Unfortunately, Urban Cup does come with a couple of downsides. The food and drinks are a little on the expensive side. It also closes at 4 p.m., so it’s likely the ideal place when you don’t have afternoon classes. Furthermore, Urban Cup has a “no laptop on weekends” policy. This factor definitely deters many potential student customers, rightfully so. Nonetheless, it’s a worthwhile and close-to-campus cafe to check out on weekdays.
Koffi
Koffi is a great choice for those who live in the Fernwood and Oak Bay area, but even as a Gordon Head resident, I have to include this cafe in my top four. Koffi has excellent, reasonably priced drinks; at $5 for a 16-oz latte, it’s hard to beat. They also have diverse, diet-friendly food selections and a variety of low tables and high tops for studying. From campus, it’s a short ride via the 4, 15, or 14 bus. Koffi is also open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, so it’s a great study spot after morning classes or on weekends. While it can get a little busy, especially on Saturday or Sunday, I’ve always been able to find a table.
The owner, Michael Manhas, created Koffi to serve premium espresso amidst the rising fad of Starbucks and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. The menu is more diverse now, but it maintains its quality while also accommodating a money-conscious customer. Weather permitting, Koffi also has a few tables outside you can study at, with chairs decorated to match the cafe’s modern, colourful theme. It may not be the season to study outside right now, but come spring, I recommend bringing your textbook and laptop to Koffi’s patio.
Moka House
A classic and fan favourite, Moka House definitely deserves recognition. It has two locations, one in Cadboro Bay and one on Cook Street—both are great with different appeals. Although I haven’t studied at the Cadboro Bay shop, the layout is quite spacious and accommodating for quiet studying. Just beware on weekends, especially, this cafe will be flooded with families visiting the beach.
The Cook Street location is my preferred study spot. There are plenty of tables and outlets available at almost every single one. Their Fairfield bars are incredible, and the lattes are to die for. If you’re a bit of a coffee snob, they also pride themselves on serving heirloom coffee from Sacred Acre. Cook Street Village does get a lot of traffic, so I would recommend bringing earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones. Also, while I can’t personally attest to this, I believe their Wi-Fi is not compatible with video calls, so don’t plan on joining a Zoom class while you’re here.
The winning aspect of Moka House—beyond its cute atmosphere and great coffee—is the hours. It opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m., which is perfect should you desperately want a pastry pick-me-up and a reliable study spot to keep productivity going after afternoon classes.
Caffe Fantastico
Last, but certainly not least, I had to include Caffe Fantastico on the list. Caffe Fantastico is open 4 days a week from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and then Thursday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Caffe Fantastico is quite spacious inside, allowing students to pick the best spot far away from the main hub of chatter. At most tables along the wall, there are chargers available—notably, they offer a lot of bench seating, which is rare for Victoria coffee shops. The coffee itself is also high quality, and both the food and drinks are reasonably priced.
Located in the Quadra village area, Caffe Fantastico offers a hipster-type vibe. One reason it opens late three days a week is that the cafe hosts nighttime events such as poetry performances, open mic nights, and a variety of live concerts. This spot is perfect for studying alone or with friends. I do recommend dressing warmly, as the building’s insulation is subpar and your hot coffee mug will only last so long.
Lastly, if you enjoy thrifting, take a study break and walk two minutes down the road to Beacon Thrift, a second-hand shop affiliated with Beacon Community Services—an organization that provides lifelong supportive services to a diverse population of people in need. Caffe Fantastico also has a second downtown location beside the Parkside Hotel, called Tre Fantastico. This location offers a greater variety of food and drink options, including full meals and a diverse wine and ale selection. Perhaps more of a restaurant than a study spot, but if cafe studying turns into dinner time with a necessary glass of wine, then Tre Fantastico has your needs covered.
Honourable Mentions
In addition to my top four cafes, there are a few honourable mentions I wanted to shout out as well.
Habit Coffee has two locations—one on Yates Street and one on Pandora Avenue. Both locations are great with good seating and well-priced drinks. The Yates Street shop is also open every day (except Sundays) until 8 pm.
Roundhouse Cafe is a cute cafe between UVic and Mayfair Mall. While somewhat hidden in the surrounding residential neighbourhood, this cafe provides a quiet place to study.
Windsor Cafe is also worth checking out. Nearby the Oak Bay Marina, Windsor Cafe is the prettiest French countryside-style coffee shop. The upstairs is gorgeous, with one table that overlooks the park next door—you can practically pretend you’re in a Hallmark movie. Lastly, there’s QV Cafe and Bakery. While it’s not the most aesthetic cafe, QV’s selling point is its hours. The Government and Fisgard Street location is open until 10 p.m. every night, perfect for students living downtown or anybody wanting to forgo Friday night clubbing and hang out in a cafe instead.
This guide is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully it can provide inspiration for students wanting to explore beyond their bedroom and campus. I work best with a latte and muffin by my side—if you do too, then any of the above-mentioned spots are perfect. By all means, though, if black coffee is sufficient, then absolutely save your money and opt for Tim Hortons instead.