I have always been a coffee connoisseur and general caffeine enthusiast so upon arriving in San Antonio one of my first tasks was to identify my favorite coffee shop. The search for a favorite coffee shop in my new city led me to contemplate what actually defines an excellent cafe. Those who frequent coffee shops will tell you that buying a cup of coffee is about so much more than getting your daily caffeine fix. A coffee shop can become a sanctuary of quality beverage options and comfortable seating where patrons can take a break from their busy life. The perfect coffee shop should have fantastic drinks, reasonable prices, cozy seating, and a chill vibe. Only when these factors combine correctly is coffee shop nirvana reached. So without further ado, my favorite coffee options in San Antonio are as follows:

Overall Best in Class: Press Coffee

Press Coffee has it all- excellent coffee, friendly baristas, and a fantastic atmosphere. Press is nestled into a quaint old carriage house just north of San Pedro Park. On weekday afternoons sunlight floods through the building's elegant old windows creating an airy place to study or simply enjoy sipping an afternoon cup of coffee. The coffee is always expertly brewed, and if coffee is not so much your thing Press also carries a great selection kombucha and juice. If you need something for breakfast their case of locally sourced baked goods should do the trick; I am partial to the tomato mozzarella tart which never fails to uphold its standard of buttery, flaky, perfection. Press is the perfect coffee shop for any occasion. If you haven't already been to Press, I highly recommend you pay it a visit.

Best Study Spot: Candlelight Coffee House

Candlelight is a cozy little coffee shop/restaurant/ bar on north St. Mary. It is filled with comfy couches and overstuffed armchairs which make it the perfect spot to camp out with textbooks for an afternoon of studying. I like to come around 3:00pm when the place is still quiet and grab a cup of the house brew to sip throughout the afternoon. The plus side of Candlelight's dual identity as a bar means it is open late at night making it the perfect study spot any time of day. Next time you're looking for a new place to study, why not try Candlelight?Bonus! Candlelight also serves a fantastic brunch on weekend mornings. My friends and I can attest that there is no better way to spend a Saturday morning than brunching with friends in Candlelights shady courtyard.

Best Baked Goods: The Fairview

Overall The Fairview is not one of my favorite coffee shops in San Antonio; however, its retro-chic interior and proximity to campus keep it in my rotation. Personally, I find The Fairview's drinks to be overpriced and underwhelming, but if you are going to get a drink I recommend "el chignon," a satisfying blend of horchata and espresso. Although The Fairview's drinks leave something to be desired, I would highly recommend their baked goods. The Fairview has a fantastic selection of muffins and donuts made fresh every day in creative flavors like "horchata," or "rosemary honey glazed" (pictured above) which are definitely worth the splurge. Also their head baker's Instagram @theginger_snap is a must follow for all foodies and urban explorers in San Antonio. Next time a sugar craving hits, consider dropping by The Fairview to grab a donut.

Best for Coffee & Food: Commonwealth Coffeehouse

What makes Commonwealth special is that in addition to having fantastic coffee, it also has a full-service kitchen. Commonwealth's shady patio and charming gardens are the perfect places to sample their tomato basil soup or tarragon chicken salad croissant. All of their bread and baked goods are made in-house, so it's the perfect place to pair your macchiato with a macaron.

Best Late Night Coffee Spot: Halcyon

Halcyon functions as both coffee shop and bar which means it stays open considerably later than most other cafes in San Antonio. Its coffee is always brewed to perfection, and they have a great menu of sandwiches and snacks if you need something more substantial to tide you over. It is not the best coffee shop if you are looking for a quiet place to hang out; however, my friends who prefer a steady hum of white noise in the background still enjoy studying here. If you are enjoying a late night cup of coffee here with friends a fun thing to do is order the s'mores -- they actually bring you a little flame to roast your marshmallows over. Halcyon is by far my favorite coffee spot to spend a festive late night with friends.

Most Knowledgable Baristas: Local Coffee

Local coffee had several locations throughout San Antonio which all churn out reliably excellent cups of coffee. The atmosphere is always chill and the music selection is always on point. One of my favorite parts of visiting Local Coffee has always been chatting up the baristas. The baristas at Local all seem to be true coffee connoisseurs and always seem happy to chat me up on coffee culture. The baristas at Local can wax eloquent about the merits of the French press versus slow-pour coffee and seem to have a more in-depth understanding of their craft. Go to Local for a great cup of coffee and consider talking to the expert who made it next time you're there.

Best Tea Selection: Rosella Coffee

Rosella Coffee is yet another one of San Antonio's fantastic cafes. Rosella is located in a cool renovated warehouse space near the San Antonio Museum of Art. Its food is excellent and its house brew is one of the best in the city. One thing I always enjoy about visiting Rosella is its extensive tea collection placed at the front. Exotic varieties of tea such as "Turkish mint," and "hibiscus lavender" are available in little containers in the front for customers to sample and choose from. Stop at Rosella to pick up a perfectly brewed cup of coffee, or branch out and sample one of their exotic varieties of tea.

My Favorite Underdog: Beat Street Coffee Co.

I cannot say enough nice things about Beat Street Coffee Co. Beat Street is a hole in the wall tucked away in Beacon Hill, but nonetheless, it makes possibly the best coffee and breakfast food in the city. All of the latte syrups that Beat Street uses are made in house; if you ask for a mocha latte you will see the barista spoon in the mocha syrup from a little pot that has been simmering on the stove. What really wowed me about Beat Street was the food. When I met a friend there for breakfast I ordered an apple turnover. The man behind the counter created homemade whipped cream on the spot to serve with my turnover and then drizzled the pastry with home made caramel sauce. The excellent customer service and beyond excellent quality of the food and beverages at Beat Street blew me away. It also has the most reasonable prices of all the coffee shops in the city. Since Beat Street is a little out of the way it hasn't quite exploded on social media like some of the other places on this list, but believe me, it is worth your while to try it out.

Bonus: Joseph E. Coffee

Joseph E Coffee has recently entered Southtown as San Antonio's first cereal bar. Similar to The Fairview, the coffee at Joseph E. Coffee leaves something to be desired, but that's okay because the coffee isn't really why people go there. The real draw of Joseph E. Coffee is its extensive cereal bar. You can order a pre-made combo like the Southtown (Cinnamon Toast Crunch & French toast crunch with vanilla almond milk, cinnamon, and bananas), or create your own by combining choices from the extensive milk, cereal, syrup, and topping options. This is the kind of thing I'm sure my Dad would consider a waste of money (after all, many of the same cereals are free in the dining hall), but it can be a fun breakfast option.