With finals underway, The Daily Texan runs down to the top five on- or near-campus coffee shops best suited for stressed students to do their studying.
Flightpath Coffeehouse 5011 Duval St.
Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday to Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Flightpath is, simply put, a divine place to study.
The absolute main qualifier for this coffee nook is its ability to preserve the peace - they strive to make their coffeehouse a get-your-work-done kind of place. Their patio equips each wooden table with a personal lamp, and the interior is a rather spacious area, with bright lighting that reflects nicely on the yellow walls.
Come here, create your own little niche and savor their nutty yet decently strong espresso. If you really need to, you can even purchase earplugs for 50 cents. Overall, they're pretty average on the price; they won't completely rob you of your parents' money.
If you really need to buckle down on the books, Flightpath is the place to land. The decor is rather accommodating and is characterized by a hint of 1950s flare. If you like your coffeehouses to be a bit eclectic, then the crazy artwork on the ceiling should do the trick.
Only sometimes does the music volume get turned up, but generally every part of this cafe's production cohesively works toward maintaining prime studying conditions.
JP's Java
Corner of San Jacinto and Duval streets
Monday to Thursday: 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Friday and Saturday: 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Sunday: 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
You gotta love a place that's close. JP's Java is nicely settled at the corner of San Jacinto and Duval streets, making it easy for you to rush over and slam some espresso while studying.
During finals, doors remain open 24 hours, just for us. They advertise that their staff is trained by "world-class baristas." What qualifies as "world-class" and just who these baristas might be is not clear, but so far the dispute over whether their espresso is actually "world-class" continues.
For the most part, drinking a cappuccino here is not an experience to be overly enthusiastic about. Their espresso is average, and those who seek a heavily roasted, deep flavor might be the only ones who appreciate it. The decor and overall vibe isn't anything too unique, either. The tables are shaky and the stairs a bit stiff, but nevertheless, it's a nice little hub to hang around in.
Probably the best part of this coffeehouse is that, when the weather's nice, they open up two large garage-style doors (that are at first camouflaged as another wall), creating an open-air area and making the whole shop feel much larger.
Epoch Coffee
221 W. North Loop Blvd.
Open 24 Hours
It is hard to say how consistent Epoch is on being a good place to productively prepare for exams, because talkative, trendy kids sometimes zone in on the hangout space in the late evening. However, the beautiful gift that Epoch has brought into this world is its 24-hour availability. Thank you, Epoch, for being so kind.
The java here is good, too, nicely complemented by hilarious baristas who seem jovial even at 4 a.m.; they'll talk you into making that latte a quad shot instead of a measly triple.
Sometimes Epoch is a solemn place where the fat couches and old concave chairs greet you with cozy comfort, but still, be warned for the busy hours - particularly on weekends it can morph into an overly social rowdy crowd that will probably annoy the heck out of you. Although it is spacious, the strange music is sometimes inescapable, which frequently needs a volume check as well.
Though the coffee is good and made quick to order, unfortunately Epoch is just not as conveniently located as its coffee shop counterparts. If you live on campus, chances are you might choose a closer option to hit the books at.
Metro Espresso Bar
2222 Guadalupe St.
8 a.m. to 12 a.m.
It used to be open 24 hours - bummer. Oh well, 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. will have to do.
Metro is convenient to all of us students, as it is just a hop over to the Drag, waiting for us to succumb to its copious amounts of seating. There are a few couches and chairs to suit your anatomical needs when cramming calls, but also there are plenty of hard, metal table and chair sets to keep you alert if need be.
etro can err a bit on the expensive side with its $1 refills on drip coffee, but it does offer a wide selection of other forms of pure energy for you to slurp down.
Metro is pretty basic. Sometimes it seems a bit understaffed, and there is nothing worse than watching your precious time slip by while you stand behind four other tired souls waiting, desperately, for someone to show up behind the counter.
Quack's 43rd Street Bakery
411 E. 43rd St.
Monday to Saturday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The image here does not deliver a gloriously over-decorated trendy scene, cluttered with eclectic character and odd art collections.
Instead it's one of those places that you can tell has only obtained everlasting popularity because of the simplicities it has evolved around: a homey environment, decent prices, a great location, lots of tasty treats and constantly cheerful baristas. No crazy art gallery staring back at you, no stylish guests watching you sip that latte.
Quack's has the basics - you know, some chairs and tables, dim lighting against calm white walls and a kitchen that constantly emits that treasured home-baked aroma. It's a study cave that actually provides food options, which is exciting if you are the type who suffers embarrassment in bringing a lunch box to your study hangouts.
Perhaps the simplicity of Quack's will help you sort out the tormenting complications of your studies.
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