Whether you’re looking for a new place to work on your assignments or a place to hang out with your friends, going to coffee shops is an integral aspect of the college student experience. Though another element people won’t tell you about going off to college: finding things to do on your feet is more challenging than expected. My friends and I live on the USFSP campus, and we don’t have an easily accessible mode of transportation. None of us have cars, and while we have “friends-of-a-friend” that have a car, that’s not always reliable. So through much research, I have compiled a list of all the best coffee shops and cafés within walking distance, of the USFSP campus!
Craft Kafe
For someone like me who doesn’t eat gluten, Craft is one of my favorites. The cafe is entirely gluten-free! They serve coffee, baked goods, salads, flatbreads, and more. They also have a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options in their drinks and food. They’re located a few blocks from the University Student Center, at the corner of Central Ave and Second St. My go-to is an iced “Hot Mom” (a latte with caramel syrup- part of their specials menu) with oat milk. They also have house-made almond milk and syrups to customize your coffee order!
The Wooden Rooster
My friends and I call The Wooden Rooster “old-faithful,” as it’s our go-to place to hang out because it has something for everyone. They have sandwiches, muffins, and crepes (gluten-free and regular)- not to mention so many different coffee flavors to choose from! It’s also right down the street from AMC Sundial Movie Theatre, so if you’re going to check out the latest Wes Anderson film, you can check out our favorite place before or after. It’s about a 15-minute walk from campus, but I can’t recommend it enough. I suggest trying the “Our Crepe Suzette” (a crepe made of lemon ricotta, caramel, and powdered sugar) with a Cookie Butter Latte!
Driftwood Kava & Roastery
Located on Central Ave., Driftwood is a place I found in my first year and have loved to go to ever since. This coffee shop is open till midnight to help supply the coffee, kava, and smoothie to finish that final paper you’ve been putting off. It has an enjoyable atmosphere and even a little swing inside! My go-to order for pulling an all-nighter is a blended caramel latte, but if I’m getting ready to start the day, I’ll have an Immunity smoothie!
Grassroots Kava House
Further down Central, you’ll find Grassroots, another late-night spot to help you finish your homework. My favorite part of this cafe (other than being open till midnight when we need to pull an all-nighter) is that it has an upstairs balcony that overlooks the street. While it might be hard to work outside for the two months it’s cold in Florida, it’s perfect every other month! It’s also dog-friendly, so you can study with your furry friend. My go-to is the Blind Tiger Cold Brew Coffee!
Black Crow Coffee Co.- Grand Central District
Now, I saved my favorite for last. Okay, this is a long walk away (about 40 minutes) but hear me out! It’s about a 45-minute walk OR you could take the St. Petersburg Sun Runner. It picks you up outside Osprey Suites and takes you next to Black Crow. Black Crow is next to my absolute favorite independent bookstore, Tombolo Books, so you can pick up a new read and spend the rest of the afternoon sipping an iced latte. The atmosphere and styling of the cafe are some of my favorite parts, but I also love what they serve. My order is a Chai Tea Latte with Oat Milk!
These are my favorite accessible coffee shops for students without cars (like myself). While some of these are a bit of a walk, you don’t have to go to them to grab a coffee and study. During weekdays, you can visit Kahwa Coffee in the USC, Starbucks in LPH and the school bookstore, and the Campus Grind connected to the tavern! You don’t have to travel far to find a place to study!