As a pre-health college student at UC Riverside, I am always looking for new study spots. There are, of course, many around our beautiful campus, like in our libraries, the Student Success Center, in the Highlander Union Building, and more. I’m sure there are many hidden study spots around campus that I haven’t found yet, either. Those spots are perfect for the 1-2 hour gaps I’m sure many of us have between classes. But sometimes on the weekends, with campus feeling like a ghost town and my apartment rife with distractions, to get some productive work done, I like to go to a cafe, buy a drink or a pastry, and grind out all the work and studying I’ve been procrastinating all week. I like to spend 4-5 hours in one spot usually, and it helps to bring a friend or two with you to keep you accountable for doing your work. I like to think I’ve explored quite a few coffee shops around Riverside in my three years here, and I’m here to drop off some of my recommendations! Here’s a list of some of my favorites, in no particular order:
Due to its proximity to UCR’s campus and the quality of its caffeinated drinks, it’s one of my favorite study spots. The coffee is excellent, and the pastries are delicious, but it does tend to be a little pricier than I prefer, making it more of a special treat. The atmosphere is great, there’s plenty of seating, the wifi is stable, and it is normally packed to the brim on the weekends, with lots of other people also trying to get some studying in or out with their friends and family. Unfortunately, it is usually a little loud for me, but I just pop my noise-cancelling headphones on, and that’s enough for me to tune out most of the ambient noise. It’s in University Village, so there’s lots of parking, and there’s plenty of other food options available in the complex if you end up wanting to grab a quick bite at some point. They are also open pretty late, till 11 PM most days, so you can always choose to go at whatever time works best for you.
Lift Coffee Roasters is always a comfortable place to study with its cozy and rustic interior. Located just off of Chicago Ave, Lift is in a pretty secluded area with tons of parking. They have one of the best iced dirty chai’s I’ve ever had, and while I haven’t had the pleasure of trying their food, it always looks delicious. Their pricing is also very reasonable. There is a decent amount of seating, and every time I’ve gone, I’ve seen many other people sitting at tables working on their computers, which makes it feel like a productive place to get work done. If you are trying to get an early start, it’s the perfect place to go as it opens at 7 AM and closes at 5 PM most days.
While quite a distance from Riverside and the other coffee shops on this list, Daily Brew is well worth the drive. They have a very diverse and unique menu. Plenty of caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, and customization of their drinks is welcome too. They have some food options as well, and everything is very reasonably priced. There is also plenty of parking available in the complex that Daily Brew is located in, and there’s a grocery store and other food options available in the same complex, if you want to run some errands or grab a bite after your study session. The coffee shop is pretty busy on the weekends, and while that can be a bit distracting at times, it shows you how well-loved the coffee shop is by all the locals.
Back to the Grind has a very cozy, vibrant, and vintage aesthetic, making it the perfect place to get some work done. They offer a wide variety of drinks, including caffeinated beverages, teas, and even smoothies. There is also a large selection of syrups and flavorings for their lattes, along with plenty of pastries and bagels. Everything there is reasonably priced, but their smoothies can be on the higher end. Parking can be a hassle, unfortunately, with street parking often being the best option, even onweekends. Their Wi-Fi is reliable, and there is plenty of seating, including couches that make studying more comfortable. There are also usually many students around getting work done, which adds to the productive atmosphere.