Once the taboo taverns of the Middle East, now the sprawling study halls of today, coffeehouses make late-night and early morning cram sessions all the more enjoyable. They’re also hot spots for meeting people, cozying up to daydreams or pondering the philosophies of Hegel or Heidegger. And for students on campus at UC Santa Cruz, a caffeine fix is only a stumble-out-of-bed away, or a much-needed midpoint between classes.
Banana Joe’s (BJ’s), Crown College, UCSC
Although sparsely furnished, the killer sandwiches and smoothies of Banana Joe’s compensate for its lack of décor. The coffee gets a thumbs-up for being largely fair trade. Though the hot chocolate—which contains generic, artificially saccharine-flavored chocolate—is so-so, but bearable, as long as you’re not a syrup snob. Located right next to the Crown/Merrill dining hall, its hefty oven-roasted subs have been known to lure unsuspecting freshman away from their meal plans.
Monday-Friday 9a.m.-4p.m.
Cowell Coffee House, Cowell College, UCSC
While not exactly brimming with ambience, this easy-to-miss, hole-in-the-wall cafe has all the goodies, from $1 gigantic fresh-baked cookies and focaccia to cheap coffee, as well as–for all you granola-loving, health junkies out there–orange juice and tofu stir-frys. The large size of the few tables inside makes it a prime location for group study sessions. You might by chance notice this hidden nook while wandering between the Eloise Smith Gallery and the dining hall.
Monday-Friday 8a.m.-4p.m. and Sunday-Thursday 8p.m.-midnight.
Hungry Slug, Porter College, UCSC
This traditional favorite offers greasy comfort, and the cheapest burritos around, to scholars and slackers alike. While better coffee is to be found elsewhere, the Hungry Slug–engulfed by lush landscapes, that iconic red squiggle and the bountiful ocean view our campus is famous for–still manages to pull in a crowd.
Monday-Thursday 7:30a.m.-midnight, Friday 7:30a.m.-4p.m., Saturday-Sunday 4-10p.m.
College Eight Café, College Eight, UCSC
With a large pool table consuming one corner of the room, and frequent multicultural performances and poetry slams staking claim on one another, the College Eight Café may just be the most fun place to “study” on campus. It’s also a comfort zone with steaming lattes and a soup of the day–often a creative and flavorful vegan or vegetarian concoction. If need be, its large, rectangular tables are great spots to spread open the books–whether or not you’ll get around to reading them is another story.
Monday-Thursday 7:45a.m.-11:30p.m., Thursday 7:45a.m.-5p.m.
Perk Coffee Bar, Baskin Engineering; Earth and Marine Sciences; Physical Sciences, Bldg. 2, UCSC
Strategically located in the midst of students’ trails to classes, Perk’s coffee may lack a café, but it lives up to its caffeine-jolt name, due to a delicious selection of lattes, espressos, coffees and teas. Pastries and yogurt also glitter beneath the glass display. If you ever see a line of sleepy students lining the halls, most likely you’ve discovered Perk, as well as the community that has grown dependant on it for a quick fix.
Monday-Thursday 7:30a.m.-4p.m., Friday 7:30a.m.-2p.m. (Physical Sciences: Monday-Friday 8a.m.-2p.m.).
Stevenson Coffee House, Stevenson College, UCSC
The Stevenson Coffee House is the grand daddy of all coffee houses (for the sake of journalistic integrity, it should be mentioned that the author of this article is, indeed, a Stevenson alum). Huge couches and an outdoor patio drenched in shade make this place ideal for studying, even when you’re not in the mindset to study. Day-old 50-cent snickerdoodles (or whatever yesterday’s creative concoction happened to be) and gargantuan sandwiches with a price tag that doesn’t match up, further fortify the lure.
Monday-Thursday 7:30a.m.-11:30p.m., Friday 7:30a.m.-5p.m., Saturday 8-11:30p.m.
