Coffee around Campus

As spring term comes to a close, I wanted to make a fun blog about places to get a coffee around Northfield, both on- and off-campus. I think throughout my three terms, I’ve managed to get a snack or drink at most cafes and shops around town, and so here are my rankings of the different treats available.

Goodbye Blue Monday

Starting off strong with a classic Carleton student favorite is Goodbye Blue Monday. It’s close to campus, has a really cozy atmosphere, tasty coffees and cookies and scones, and is a great place to stop by on a rainy day for some studying or a meet-up with a friend. Personally, this one is in the running for my favorite.

Little Joy

The favorite of many Carls, Little Joy is more of a modern, trendy coffeeshop. They make really great lattes and cappuccinos and have a rotating menu of flavors, but their store fills up quick, as it’s a relatively small space. Usually I stop by this shop with my friends if we’re passing through town.

Raven’s Nest

Tied with GBM for my favorite, Raven’s Nest is located in the same storefront as Farmstead Bike Shop, making it a convenient place for students to study and get their bikes fixed. They have some fun flavors of coffee as well as some really great crepes that are definitely worth trying. They also have a resident dog!

Carleton Cafes

Carleton has three cafes on campus: Sayles, Weitz, and Schulze (also called the Anderson cafe). Each of them has coffee and snacks that you can buy throughout the week, as well as different “specials” — this week, it was a honey hazelnut latte. They’re pretty good, and convenient to stop by on your way to and from classes.

Random Spots on Campus

Lots of departments around campus, basically in every building, have coffee or bowls of candy in their lounges (I recommend checking out departments that focus on international topics, since they usually have candy from across the world!) The language center also always has a coffee machine available, and the dining halls have an unlimited supply of coffee as well!

Takeaways

Overall, I’d say that if you’re in need of a caffeine boost, the department lounges and dining halls are a great place to stop, with the Carleton cafes being a close second. However, the coffeeshops in town are definitely worth checking out if you want a well-made drink, some tasty snacks, and a change of atmosphere for your studying.

Felix (he/him) from Washington, DC is a freshman at Carleton this year interested in geology, environmental studies, and art history, and is excited to explore campus and all it has to offer throughout his first year. Felix is an officer of Carleton Birders as well as an editor with the blog this year, and participates in the Carleton Association of Nature and Outdoor Enthusiasts (CANOE), the Carleton Disability Alliance (CDA), Carls with Artistic Taste (CAT), the Equestrian Club, and the Gender & Sexuality Center (GSC). In his free time, Felix enjoys exploring the outdoors, drawing and painting, and listening to music (currently enjoying Hozier, Car Seat Headrest, The Velvet Underground, TV Girl, and Elliot Smith).