With the fall semester just a couple months away, you may be gearing up for your first semester of graduate school. If you’re new to the Boston area, it can be challenging to find the right study spots in the city. In today’s blog, we’ll walk you through our 5 favorite coffee shops and go-to study spots in the city. From the most budget-friendly option to the best quality pastries and atmosphere, we’ll give you the rundown of all our favorite spots.
1. Most Budget-Friendly: Farmer’s Horse Coffee
Prices are high everywhere, especially in big cities like Boston. On a tight student budget, just getting a fun coffee shop drink can be a strain financially. That’s why I love the Farmer’s Horse Coffee shop. A small drip coffee is just $2.49 and a small cappuccino or latte is $3.99. If you’re hungry, you can get breakfast for $5-8 and lunch for $9-12. These prices are comparable to those at Dunkin Donuts or Panera, but the quality of the Farmer’s Horse food and coffee is much better.
In addition to the reasonable prices, the Farmer’s Horse has a great study atmosphere. There’s a window seat near the entrance and tables in the art-filled main building. Connected to the main building is a greenhouse space with plenty of tables so that you can work outside regardless of the weather. The Farmer’s Horse also offers free wifi, making it a great space to hunker down and study for the day.
This quaint coffee shop is just a 2-minute walk from the Orange Line–you can get directions here. They are open from 7 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday and 8 am to 6 pm on Sundays.
2. Best Coffee and Pastry Combos: Broadsheet
In terms of pastry and coffee quality, my personal favorite is Broadsheet Coffee Roasters. About a 15-minute walk from Harvard Square, Broadsheet is a lovely coffee shop in Somerville. They roast their own beans in a warehouse about 5 minutes down the road, so they’re the definition of local!
Broadsheet’s coffee is my favorite in Boston. It’s smooth and not too bitter, and their lattes are delicious. They feature a special syrup flavor seasonally, which is currently mango. In addition to excellent coffee, Broadsheet gets its pastries from local bakeries. Some of my favorites include their pink peppercorn biscuit and almond croissant. The prices at Broadsheet are a bit higher, so depending on your budget, this might be an occasional treat to yourself rather than a daily visit.
In terms of atmosphere, Broadsheet has plenty of indoor and sidewalk seating. The entire front wall is a large window perfect for people-watching. And with all that natural light, the baristas keep tons of plants in the shop, which makes the space feel cozier.
To get to Broadsheet, you could take the Red Line to the Harvard stop, the Green Line to Union Square, or the 86 bus, depending on where you’re coming from. During the week, they’re open from 7:30 am-4 pm and on the weekends 8 am-4 pm.
3. Closest to Campus: Thinking Cup
If you’re looking for a place to study between classes, the Thinking Cup on Tremont St. is just a 5-minute walk from Emerson’s campus. Thinking Cup has a fun, cozy atmosphere that is conducive to studying. All of the tables are collaged with vintage newspapers, and comfortable booth seats run the length of the cafe.
Thinking Cup also has great variety on its menu. They’ve got coffees, teas, pastries, salads, and sandwiches, to name a few. They also have a nice selection of gluten-free and dairy-free options if you have any dietary restrictions.
Plus, their coffees are reasonably priced, with a medium drip coffee for $2 and small iced coffee for $2.75. For a bit more, you can get a flavored latte with one of Thinking Cup’s homemade syrups. If you use their loyalty punch card, you can get a free coffee of any size after 9 visits. Just ask to start a punchcard when you order. If Thinking Cup becomes your go-to location, you’ll earn a free drink in no time.
The one drawback of Thinking Cup is that they don’t offer free wifi. As such, you might need to bring work that doesn’t require an internet connection. If you have a mobile hotspot, you could also use that to connect to wifi.
What they lack in wifi, though, Thinking Cup makes up for in location. Directly across from the Boston Common, this Thinking Cup is in the heart of downtown. Plus, they are open every day from 7 am to 7 pm.
4. Nearby the Boston Public Library: Blank Street
If you’re like me, you love studying in a library. The Boston Public Library is huge, beautiful, and has all sorts of study spaces. While the library has a cafe on the first floor, it’s a bit overpriced and not the best quality. If you’re looking for a good pick-me-up though, just across the street from the library is Blank Street.
This Blank Street location is tucked right into the other storefronts of Boylston Street. With their app, you can order ahead to have your drink ready to go on your way to the library. Or, if you want the bustling coffee shop atmosphere, you might grab a table in Blank Street itself.
Blank Street is known for the quality of its coffee, so be prepared for some drinks to be a little pricier. For reference, a shaken brown sugar cold brew is $5.75 and a yuzu matcha spritz is $6.80. However, if you’re keeping things simple, the prices are lower. A hot coffee is $2.80, a peppermint tea is $3, and the pastries are $4-6.
To get to the Boylston Street location across from the library, just take the Green Line to Copley station, and it’s at most a 5-minute walk. On weekdays, Blank Street is open from 7 am to 5:30 pm, and on the weekends they are open from 7 am to 6 pm.
5. Quaint Outdoor Seating: South End Buttery
Boston weather often stays warm through the end of September. As such, you might want to find somewhere shady to sit if you’re studying outside. South End Buttery has quite a few tables outside, all of which are under large trees.
Another perk of South End Buttery is its extensive menu. You can get pastries, sandwiches, salads, wraps, you name it! The cafe is split into two sections–one is a coffee shop and the other is an area for sit-down meals. Because of this wide range of options, the cost can vary significantly, depending on what you order.
The easiest way to get to South End Buttery is to take the Orange Line to Back Bay station. From there, it’s a 15-minute walk to the cafe. Plus, they open at 6:30 am daily, so this is a great study spot for a morning bird.
We hope this blog has given you a few ideas of where to study in Boston. You can find even more study spots in our blog about on-campus study spaces. Comment your favorite Boston study spot below, and be sure to follow us on Instagram to see more of Emerson’s graduate student life.
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