Amid the stress of finals and the short, dreary winter days, students are finding a little extra energy in coffee shops around campus.
College Hill is a coffee haven. Within half a mile from campus, there are at least seven coffee shops students can pick from: Coffee Exchange, Brown Bee Coffee, Ceremony, Sydney Cafe, Caffè Nero, Hazel Origin Coffee and the Underground Coffee Company.
The Herald visited these seven cafes, asking students what attracts them to particular shops and what their go-to orders are.
Ceremony
Well known for its novelty matcha and espresso-based drinks and its minimalist atmosphere, Ceremony is always packed, no matter the time of day.
On Dec. 1, Yuki Zhang ’28 was one of the few students who secured a table, which she admitted is not always easy to do.
She’s optimized her order: “A strawberry matcha, iced with no ice,” she explained, “because the milk is still cold, but then you don’t dilute the matcha.”
Sitting across the table, Zhang’s friend Mira Bhandari ’28 told The Herald that she enjoys doing homework at Ceremony. “It’s got nice music (and) nice chill vibes, and there (are) a lot of people that you tend to know here,” she said while sipping on a caramel pear espresso latte.
“And, it’s good coffee,” Bhandari added, although she noted that “it hurts the bank account a bit.”
Bhandari said her favorite cafe is either Brown Bee Coffee or Ceremony, since both are ideal for working.
Coffee Exchange
Coffee Exchange is another off-campus favorite. Located on Wickenden Street, Coffee Exchange charms students with its tiny tables, homey interior and people-watching opportunities.
On Wednesday, Neil Mathew ’29 ordered an oat milk latte and sat down to work. Coffee Exchange is “a very easy place to lock in,” he told The Herald. “The staff (are) always super friendly.”
Two tables over, Nadia McGlynn GS and Emily Snell GS — both in their first year of the Earth, environmental and planetary sciences Ph.D. program — were studying for finals over decaf French vanilla lattes. The drink is a go-to for McGlynn and something new for Snell.
Both had come to Coffee Exchange because they felt like they needed a change of study scenery.
“I would say Coffee Exchange is one of my favorites,” McGlynn said. “I also really like Ceremony, and sometimes Brown Bee, but it’s kind of expensive.”
Brown Bee Coffee
Brown Bee, located on Benefit Street, offers artisanal croissants and a curated atmosphere. Compared to some other coffee shops around campus, Brown Bee is more upscale, which students noted is reflected in its prices.
On Wednesday, Nour Mousbah ’28 was drinking a Spanish latte while seated across from Valeria Marti ’28, who was sipping on a gingerbread latte.
“We come here a lot to study,” Mousbah said. “We just love Brown Bee.”
Mousbah said it was her favorite local coffee place “by far.”
“The vibes are always good, the place is good (and) the food is good,” she added.
Caffè Nero
While freezing rain beat against the windows of Caffè Nero on Tuesday, Jay Maroney ’28 was sitting at a hightop table with two friends. Maroney’s hot latte was “nice on a cold day,” he said.
Maroney, who had his laptop open, said that he “just like(s) studying at cafes.”
While he visits Caffè Nero regularly, he usually goes to the franchise’s downtown location. “I feel like if I’m walking that far, I have to get work done,” he explained.
But his favorite coffee shop — the School of Engineering cafe, located in Barus and Holley — is right near the heart of campus. As an engineering student, Maroney spends a significant amount of time in Barus and Holley, so the cafe’s convenient location is a bonus, he said.
Sydney Cafe
Just a block away from Caffè Nero on Thayer Street, Sydney serves signature beverages and specialty toasts.
Sitting at a table toward the front of the cafe on Dec. 1, Lucca Bertuccelli ’29 was drinking an iced red eye: “I need the energy,” he said.
This caffeination level is not atypical for him, and Bertuccelli said it’s usually what he gets when he visits Sydney.
“I’ve tried Nero a few times,” he said, “but I would say on a day like this, this is my favorite spot.”
Sydney is quieter and has a “much chiller vibe,” he said. He also appreciated that Sydney offers more creative and seasonal drinks.
Hazel Origin Coffee
Hazel Origin Coffee’s decor is eclectic and, for the holiday season, includes a large bear figurine dressed like a nutcracker in the window.
Located beneath Chen Family Hall, Hazel Origin is the closest cafe for many students living on South Campus. One such student is Riley Stevenson ’26, who lives only two blocks away and visited the cafe on Wednesday.
Despite the short commute, Stevenson had only visited Hazel Origin once before. But she told The Herald that she has “been very impressed so far” and spoke highly of the peppermint mocha she was drinking.
“Typically, I spend a lot of time at Coffee Exchange,” Stevenson said, where she goes “for the convenience and the smell.” Stevenson enjoys that a little part of the cafe rubs off on her, saying that she loves to “come home smelling like I was at Coffee Exchange today.”
Underground Coffee Company
Out of all the cafes nearby, the Underground is unique in that it’s the only one that’s student-run and physically underground.
Rohan Menon ’27 has worked at the Underground for nearly a year, and it’s given him his first taste of the barista experience. Menon said he has appreciated the learning opportunity, the community events hosted there and the people.
He doesn’t have one particular go-to order and is often swayed by the specials menu. He recalled the iced hojicha latte from last spring with particular fondness.
The environment at the Underground, Menon said, is full of delightful distractions that naturally brew conversation.
For instance, when he likes the song that’s playing, it “turns into a whole 45-minute conversation about the artist and the song and the playlist,” he explained. Moments like these may not facilitate academic focus, but they bring him joy.
“I just love to yap and drink good coffee here,” Menon said.
While his favorite place to get coffee is “obviously” the Underground, he said he also loves Coffee Exchange because of its “really good coffee” and productivity-conducive atmosphere.
On Monday, Garv Gaur ’26 finished his Underground cappuccino during class, but he came back to the cafe to sit and work.
Gaur frequents Caffè Nero and Ceremony as well, but noted the more “corporate” feeling of the former and the high price point of the latter. Overall, he said he favors the Underground “vibes-wise.”
“I can see my friends here and everything, so I definitely like this place the best out of all three,” Gaur said.
Kate Butts is a university news editor covering admissions & financial aid as well as the career and alumni beat. She previously was a senior staff writer covering University Hall. Outside of The Herald, she loves running, board games and Trader Joe's snacks.
