Coffee with a Friend

by A. Coffee Snobbe

When you are a student, your life revolves around finding places where you can feel productive and actually get work done. You will find your North lounges and your favourite nook in the library, but occasionally you also want a sense of exploration or being somewhere that your professors can’t look over your shoulder as you write a paper for them. And for those moments, may I present to you the humble coffee shop. Below in no particular order are some of my favourite places to sip some java and crank out a few thousand (ok.. maybe hundred) words. Hildegard’s Bakery, 686 Portage Ave #100 Known for its expanse of sourdough based goods, and exceptional pizza, Hildegard’s Bakery will also give you a cup of coffee if you ask nicely. Hildegard’s has some appropriately sized tables if you need to spread out a little, exceptionally large windows that let in lovely amounts of light, and hanging plants everywhere that make you feel like you are in your own little corner of a jungle. This place is often hopping, so only try to study here if you thrive off of a constant buzz of noise and people coming in and out. Joe Black Coffee and Bar, 2037 Portage Ave Joe Black is one of the most accessible places for CMU students, as it is a 12 minute bike ride or half an hour long walk through the glorious Assiniboine Park. Parallel to Sergeant Sundae, this coffee shop offers a few cozy chairs by a roaring fire, a long bar table to view the hustle of Portage life, and an impressive spread of drinks, homemade soup and sandwich collections, and a case full of tasty squares. Often occupied by pairs of older folks, this study space is big enough that you can usually find a spot to hunker down in and not get distracted. Thom Bargen Coffee Roasters, 64 Sherbrooke Street Probably one of the cutest coffee shops on this list, Thom Bargen on Sherbrooke is the perfect place for people who care deeply about the quality of their coffee. Close to Wolseley (which lends itself to a lovely walk if you feel like taking a stretch), this coffee shop has knowledgeable baristas, many tiny tables for studying, and more Blundstones walking through the door than you can shake a stick at. High Tea Bakery, 2103 Portage Ave While not what I would actually technically consider a coffee shop, I do believe you can get iced coffee here at select times (and it’s within walking distance to CMU!). Known more for their vast collection of tea varieties, and beautiful artistry of imperial cookies, you can feel like you are sitting down for midafternoon tea while reading in their quaint upstairs section of the store for hours for nothing more than the cost of an Earl Grey shortbread. With bright window light and low foot traffic, I have curled up here for hours to feel like I am writing in the English countryside. MAKE Coffee + Stuff, 751 Corydon Ave If you ever want to feel like you are a struggling genius, scraping to make a living with other creative souls, MAKE Coffee + Stuff is the place for you. Built as a long galley style layout with handcrafted looking tables, you will be shushed into submission by the other folks who are working hard out of their coffee shop offices, as you pay for 2 more hours to stay at your spot with every coffee that you purchase. The sheer force of work ethic and creativity bubbling around you will have to rub off, right?

Folio Café, 500 Shaftesbury Blvd The central heartbeat of CMU campus, we can’t forget the Folio Café on our list of study spots. With friendly staff, a tasty selection of drinks and snacks, and natural light that is unparalleled to anywhere in the city, Folio can really hit the spot on those days when you don’t have the brain space to venture very far. Be warned though, you are undoubtedly going to see at least 1-6 people that you know and/or are related to, so the possibility of being sidetracked from your mission of homework is high. Little Sister Coffee Maker, 470 River Ave A Don your favourite thrifted pants and flannel layered on top of a screen printed t-shirt, and you will find yourself amongst friends at Little Sister on River. Little Sister is often a bumpin’ place, so expect to enjoy some chatter, or make sure that you have your headphones along as you sit at their cozy bar table by the window watching the world go by from ground level. Little Sister gets big props for having the most magical salted caramel latte I’ve ever tasted. Daily Grind Coffee, 3043 Portage Ave If you’ve ever wanted to have enough caffeine and whipped cream to fit into a mug that is bigger than your face, the Daily Grind is what you’ve always been craving. The Daily Grind is an ideal place to study with a group of friends, as it is a low light setting and has huge squishy booths that will block your inevitable giggles from the other patrons around you. You may want to plan out your visit though, parking can be cutthroat. Scout: Coffee + Tea, 859 Portage Ave To be fair, I’ve never sat inside Scout to study, but I have deep appreciation for them as a coffee shop and I think more people need to appreciate their good work. Known as “Winnipeg’s Only Play Café”, Scout often hosts hordes of children in Elsa costumes who are playing energetically in the corner. But when you can find a child-free time, Scout has an excellent variety of tea and coffee flavours, a bright cheerful atmosphere, and a tantalizing smell of mini donuts at all times. Timothy’s World Coffee, 2090 Corydon Ave Technically I think that all of the coffee on this list could be classified as “World Coffee”, but I digress. Timothy’s on Corydon is a place that I passed on for years in the search of hipper coffee joints, but after realizing it was a quick 6 minute bike ride away, or 4 minute drive, I figured I had to try it at least once. It had a great selection of tables to choose from, the most joyful barista I’ve ever met (shoutout to Carlos), and some pretty decent drink selections, even if it still feels like a big chain. Would go back again.