Finding the perfect place to study outside of the dorm or grab coffee (or both) is a must. For a lot of students at the University of Washington, that perfect place is the Starbucks in the Suzzallo Library. A hallmark of the University of Washington campus, Suzzallo is home to the Reading Room (known to some as the Harry Potter library) and the Grand Staircase (often used for graduation or wedding photo shoots). It is also home to the Suzzallo Starbucks, a bustling hub for busy students and the general public.
But, Suzzallo Starbucks gets busy and crowded, especially between classes when the line wraps around the entire room. So, where is a sleep deprived student supposed to get her caffeine fix? Well, Suzzallo Starbucks is not the only location for coffee. Let’s talk about the underrated, hidden gems on this campus.
- Parnassus Café
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Let’s start with a literal underground café. Parnassus is a student-run café located in the basement of the Art Building on campus. It is the oldest café on campus, established in 1951 by UW students. Here, you can sit at one of the many tables or sofas to study, work, or sip on a sweet chai.
Parnassus also functions as an art gallery. The walls of the café are decorated with artwork made by UW students. Additionally, half of the Parnassus’s profits and tips go towards the Parnassus Endowed Fund, which supports scholarship awards to undergraduate and graduate students.
- City Grind at The Henry
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Every UW student has walked by the Henry Art Gallery (and nearly tripped down the uneven staircases right in front of the entrance.) The Henry isn’t only home to many exhibitions of contemporary art curated by budding artists. It also houses the City Grind.
The City Grind at the Henry provides a tranquil space to sip on drinks like the London Fog or munch on sandwich. Here, you can hit pause on the hectic life of a student and lean into a quiet atmosphere surrounded by art and new perspectives.
- Orin’s Place
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Orin’s Place is located in Paccar Hall. The café has an open space with floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing natural light to filter in and offering a view of Denny Yard. There’s even a fireplace to keep you warm as winter quarter rolls around. Orin’s Place provides a relaxing, minimalistic environment to combat the stress of student life, so stop buy and indulge in a cup of coffee!
- Reboot
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Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering is home to Reboot café. (Get it? Reboot? Computer Science? Haha.) Stop and recharge with a drink from Reboot café. While you’re sipping on your coffee, you can admire the architecture of the building: the crisscrossing stairs and walkways, the sparkling lights that go up and down the brick walls.
- By George
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By George isn’t exactly hidden in the UW campus. In fact, you can see it right before you enter Red Square from West Campus. However, what makes it special is it’s late night hours. Many students study at Odegaard late into the night. Need a coffee fix during your late night study session? You can access By George even after its doors close from the basement level of Odegaard Undergraduate Library. The café is open until 1 AM on Sundays through Thursdays.
See? There’s more to coffee than the Starbucks at Suzzallo Library! Check out some of these places. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite study space!