Study Cafes in Berkeley
Great Off-Campus Study Spots
Berkeley is a college town so it’s no surprise it has a ton of cafes. Most of them are good enough to get some work done or grab a cup of coffee at. However, some of them stand out from their peers for special reasons.
We’ll take a look at those special spots (and why they’re special) with this useful guide.
Berkeley Coffee Company
Berkeley Coffee Company recently moved across the street from their previous location (they were called People’s Cafe back then) and it has had an interesting impact on their customer base since then. It’s a lot quieter than it used to be and it has put this place on the list as a great option if you’re looking for a spot that’s consistently quiet and often not completely full. Definitely, a breath of fresh air compared to the spots closest to campus. In addition to space and quiet, they have an extensive menu with some delicious breakfast bagels, wraps, salads and more. If you’re going to be stuck somewhere all day, Berkeley Coffee Company should keep you comfortably sustained. They also have a ton of outlets for charging (something that can be in short supply downtown).
Au Coquelet
Au Coquette wins as an awesome option if you’re working late into the night. Open till 1:30 AM, this place is one of Berkeley’s few late night spots. Even if you don’t plan on staying late, they also have a full restaurant attached in the back to keep you fed for as long as you’re there. They’re far enough away from campus that you can usually find a spot but close enough that it’s not really out of the way. Definitely the best variety in food options than other cafes in the area. Their WiFi also tends to be far more stable than many of the other places in downtown Berkeley.
Caffe Strada
Few cafes in the Berkeley area are as well known (or as busy) as Caffe Strada. Located on Bancroft next to Boalt Hall, Strada is in a perfect spot. Close enough to campus that you can get their quickly and popular enough to make getting people together there easy to organize (everyone knows about it). It also offers one of the best outdoor seating options of any cafe. This helps keep it from feeling too crowded even when it’s full of students. It can be a bit loud so it’s best for group projects or activities that don’t require a quiet atmosphere to focus. Overall, it’s a great cafe to get work done in a group.
Cafe Blue Door
If you’re a regular at Cal’s RSF you probably know of Cafe Blue Door. Its location close to Cal’s gym makes it the perfect spot to get some reading done or write a paper after a long workout or before you hit the weights. It’s also only a few blocks from the dorms so if your life revolves around school and the gym it’s in the best possible spot for fitting well into your life. It can get crowded (particularly around midterms and finals) but it’s also large enough that you can almost always find some space. Be sure to try their Nutella hot chocolate. Even if you don’t need to study it’s a good enough reason to stop by.
NorthSide Cafe
NorthSide is located right across the street from Berkeley’s North gate. This is what makes it such a great place if you have classes on the North side of campus or are living in North Berkeley. They don't have WiFi which keeps away the crowds and makes this spot awesome for reading. They have a pretty extensive menu of snacks and hot food (even breakfast if you’re there in the morning) so it can save you time if you’re looking to get some work done during lunch and still want to eat. In addition, they’re surrounded by decent restaurants so you certainly won’t go hungry if you want more than cafe food.
Sack's Coffee House
Aside from Strada, Sack’s is probably the next most popular cafe in town for students. It’s located farther down College avenue amongst the larger student off-campus apartments. This makes it great for anyone looking to study away from the massive crowds and noise that you find close to campus. Like many spots on this list, they serve food all day in a cozy and traditional coffee house environment. Despite its crowds, it manages to keep noise levels down (probably because most people are there to study). It’s also located only a couple blocks away from the main row of popular restaurants that can be found on College. Once you finish your work it’s a good idea to hit up Ici nearby to reward yourself for being so diligent.
Victory Point Cafe
Victory Point is not a traditional cafe and that’s why it’s on this list. It’s a board game cafe that offers up its collection of 800+ board and card games to customers to play and socialize over ($5 per person for as long as you want to hang out). Because of this, it’s not a great spot in the evenings for work, but due to its reputation as a game cafe, most people avoid it at all times. This creates a unique opportunity to find a quiet spot with lots of space if you head here in the earlier hours of the day (before lunch). If you’re in North Berkeley and you like to work in the mornings this is an awesome option. They also have some unique snacks that you normally wouldn’t find at a traditional cafe. It’s also great to be able to take a break from studying (especially in a group) and unbox a game as a way to relax.
Discover a Better Way to Work
No matter what your needs are you can find a great cafe in Berkeley that meets them. The next time you have to get some reading done or are looking for a spot to cram in a bit more studying before a midterm avoid the local Starbucks and check out this guide.
As always, you can find this list and many other great community lists on the Gojurn app (available for iOS and Android). Discover a place you think deserves to be in this guide? Let us know here.