A bite-sized guide to coffee at Yale
Because naps are for the weak
Find yourself in need of some Z’s midday? You’ll never reach inbox zero with that attitude. We’ve put together a 12oz guide to the daytime breweries on campus so you can keep being non-stop. Don’t take a break—get back to the room where it happens.
Blue State (York):
Look at these people getting things done while you read The Tab
Blue State is the all-purpose flour of local coffee shops. Whether you’re writing a paper and want everyone to know how industrious you are or you were called out on a half-hearted platitude, you can count on Blue State. Unfortunately, everyone knows this, so you can’t count on getting a table. The baristas are attractive, the coffee is good, and the internet is free: there is not much to complain about here.
Book Trader:
This is a man who knows what he likes
Book Trader is by far the most Brooklyn coffee shop on campus (Jojo’s lovers, hold your tongues for a moment). The literary aesthetic, solar seating area, and actual used book store all point to the happiest hipster place for coffee—which, by the way, tastes fantastic here. Book Trader is where you want to go to talk over paper revisions with the attractive TF. You can pretend you’re drooling over the food.
Jojo’s:
Life would be a lot easier if real criminals wore masks all the time
If Book Trader is Brooklyn transplanted, then Jojo’s is easily Berkeley transplanted: weirder and grungier than its counterpart down the street. Everything here screams “locally owned”, and it’s wonderful. Plus, it’s a comfortable working space. The coffee isn’t worth the extra distance, but nothing rivals the Honey Ginger Lemon Tea.
Atticus:
Atticus is to a coffee shop what Apple products are to the tech industry: not necessarily better, but definitely more expensive. You’ll like Atticus if you think Book Trader needs some internal renovations and a paint job. It’s probably most well known for the free bread, which I remind you is there for the homeless people of New Haven.
KB Cafe
The staff photographer sent upriver to this outpost returned gibbering about someone named “Kurtz”
Going to the KB Cafe for coffee is the surest sign of academic masochism at Yale. You probably need the caffeine for an upcoming four hour orgo lab. Thankfully, you worked through lunch, and you can get two coffees on a single swipe.
Willoughby’s
It’s rumored they were purchased from an Inquisition supply store
It’s generally agreed the coffee from Willoughby’s is significantly worse than the coffee anywhere else. The baked goods taste stale, the chairs feel uncomfortable, and the music sounds sub-par. Why would you ever go here? Only for the schadenfreude of watching architecture students covered in foam board pieces on pre-crit days.
Starbucks
This image could have been taken at any of the 12,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S.
When the leaves turn colors and the air gets nippy, it’s time to put on your SSO and get a #PSL. Otherwise, maybe you need a lot of table space, or just don’t want to run into people you know. Starbucks is Starbucks: it’s the devil you know.
Blue State (Wall):
Look productive, stay comfortable
Almost exactly the same as the York street location, except all of your friends in TD or Silliman will ask to move meetings here. Sit in a window seat and watch everyone fix their hair as they pass!
Koffee?
Overheard: ‘Wow, I didn’t even know this street existed!’
The coffee shop for the discerning drinker. The proud few who frequent Koffee? are either dedicated to the drink or live closer to East Rock than LC. There’s a lot that’s good about this place: the food is wonderful, the music is first class, and it turns into a bar at five every day. Also, it has board games. The killing blow? Even TD students think it’s far away.
Dunkin’ Donuts
A slippery slope
If you find yourself at Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee: Look at your life. Look at your choices. You’ll find the neighboring liquor store will serve you better.