With tumblr and other social media outlets romanticizing big mugs filled with espressos adorned with beautiful “foam latte art”, cute coffee shops are all the rage with the millennial generation. They make the perfect Instagram pictures and serve as the most relaxing places to study and hang out with friends. But finding the coffee shops that serves the perfect environment to do such things is difficult. It's hard finding the cafe that meets your needs and finding ways to make your experience even better. Lucky for you, I’ve explored a plethora of coffee shops and I’m here to help with these tips:
1. Size matters.
Especially when picking a coffee shop, it all depends on your needs. If you are looking for a place to hang with your three best gal pals to catch each other up on life and drink great coffee or tea—whatever you fancy—small shops are your go to. The small atmosphere makes things so much more intimate and a lot of the time the littlest coffee shops are the cutest! They are normally adorned with artwork and knickknacks and offer the cutest pics for insta. #thegirlsarebackintown.
Now if your goal is to study and get sh*t done, you’re in the market for the bigger shops. Bigger shops usually offer an abundance of space, which means you wont have to struggle looking for a seat to actually do your work in. Can I get a yass gurl!
2. Tables are the unsung heroes of coffee shops.
This may seem a little too attentive but tables are so important! Especially for studying or doing homework. You need ample space to lay out your books and notes and some coffee shops just don’t offer that. Square or rectangles—all of the parallelograms—are what you need as an active studier. They have so much space for all of your sh*t, and it doesn’t seem like you’re cramming everything into a small circle table.
Now normally the not cute super marketed coffee shops are the ones that have the tables you’re seeking, Starbucks and Coffee Bean, they are your studying friends. Now for groups or friends who just want to hang, this isn’t a really big issue, since there isn’t really a need for a large table if you’re just ordering coffee or tea.
3. Good coffee hides in small places
While the big brands are all well known and have drive thrus, holiday cups and are probably on every single corner of your town, the best coffee is usually in the smaller places. They just take more time to do the job and don’t have to mass produce like the big brand names which means your coffee or tea is well taken care of. And who doesn’t want coffee filled with love?
4. Always try new drinks
Smaller more kitschy coffee shops normally have new drinks for the month or the season. Try them! The fun part of smaller brand shops is that the baristas are allowed to get creative, there isn’t a set schedule or mass marketing that needs to be changed. They get to have fun and try new things, which means you get to have fun and try new things! Now, I won’t lie and tell you all the drinks are going to be amazing, but you may just find a new favorite.
5. Don’t be afraid to try new places.
Coffee shops are literally sprouting everywhere; I find a new one in my town every time I venture out. Trying out new places is part of the fun of being a coffee shop connoisseur. Every shop has a different vibe and atmosphere; they are special in their own way.
So, don’t get too comfortable with your regular spot, even though it feels so good to have the barista know your name and say, “Welcome back!”. I mean, I can’t be the only one and you can always go back to your regular spot, but just like the drinks, you may just find a new favorite.
