It’s time to face the truth. There’s more to life than Starbucks. Yes, coffee shops basically serve as second homes to students, but why limit yourself to the green giant when Boulder has so much more to offer? Here are 12 of the best cafes in Boulder (in no particular order) for those of us who can’t bear to look at another Starbucks cup.
1. The Point Cafe
The Point is as charming as it is tasty. This teeny tiny coffee shop is a local one-of-a-kind, just steps away from campus, on the corner of 13th and College. The space is ideal for those who seek a small, quiet, intimate study spot with few distractions but a lot of character.
It will make you feel right at home and ready to focus, and offers the perfect menu to get you going. As far as building customer relationships goes, The Point can’t be beat, as they feature portraits of their regulars on the walls, are very active with the community on social media, and employ genuine people that care.
When the weather’s nice, they open up their patio so you can soak up the sun while you work, or just catch up with friends. In the summer months, they even have Patio Sessions that feature local acoustic talent to liven up your study sesh!
Hours: Open Monday-Friday 7 am-5 pm, Saturday & Sunday 8 am-4 pm.
Location: 1101 13th St.
2. Trident Booksellers and Cafe
If you’ve got some late night cramming to do, Trident is your place. Open until 11 pm every night, Trident Booksellers and Cafe welcomes the “eleventh hour” crowd with open arms. The menu is drink heavy (and food light), so don’t come on an empty stomach expecting to fill up on something beyond their yummy array of pastries.
DO come anticipating a productive study date with a hot coffee, pleasant surroundings, and undeniable downtown Boulder vibes. When you need a study break, look no further than the next room over. The space is split up into one part cafe and one part book shop. It’s perfect for browsing when you need to clear your mind, and you might just find a literary gem while you’re at it! It’s located on the west end of Pearl, between 9th and 10th St., so be sure to check it out next time you’re on the mall.
Hours: Open Monday-Friday 6:30 am-11 pm, Saturday & Sunday 7 am-11 pm.
Location: 940 Pearl St.
3. Amante Coffee
Wifi with a view! With a location off of Baseline and 29th, Amante’s outdoor seating looks out on a panorama of the Flatirons, Boulder’s most iconic view, making it one of our city’s more scenic study spots. Inside, they bring Italian culture to Boulder (Amante means “lover” in Italian) through their atmosphere, decor, and even their menu, as they import their coffee beans from a third-generation coffee roaster in northern Italy.
Amante Coffee’s cafes are the only ones that serve this coffee in the United States, and it’s definitely worth tasting. They also offer two floors of seating, both indoor and out, so you never have to worry that you won’t be able to find a spot. To top it all off, they open at 5:45 am every day, for all you early birds. Check out their other two Boulder locations (Uptown and Downtown) for a similarly pleasant experience.
Hours: Open 5:45 am-7 pm everyday.
Location: 2850 Baseline Rd. / 1035 Walnut St. / 4580 Broadway St.
4. The Laughing Goat Coffee House
This cozy yet energetic coffee house doubles as a live performance space for local musicians every night. It’s stationed on the east end of Pearl St., on the block between 17th and 18th, and is absolutely worth stopping in. The Laughing Goat is the place to be if you’re into the local music scene—both as an artist or an audience member—or just want to get an A on your midterm.
That being said, the nightly performances can get pretty noisy, so you’d be better off getting your studying done before the sun goes down so you can enjoy the show later. The Laughing Goat has managed to find the perfect balance of practicality and character, which is probably why it’s a local favorite. They also serve their coffee and some treats courtesy of Spruce Confections at a small-scale shop in CU’s Norlin library. Talk about convenience!
Hours: Open Monday-Friday 6 am-11 pm, Saturday & Sunday 7 am-11 pm.
Location: 1709 Pearl St.
5. Alpine Modern Cafe
Located on 9th and College, this trendy cafe looks like just another house on the hill from the outside, but opens up to a cozy, all white, one-room study space complete with potted plants, marble counter tops, and the most elegant avocado toast you’ve ever seen, among other delicious options for both food and drink.
Alpine Modern is a popular hangout for CU students especially, and it isn’t hard to see why. If an aesthetically-pleasing atmosphere (and good coffee, of course) is what helps you get your study on, this is the place to be. The decor puts a modern twist on embracing the outdoors, community, and what it means to be a contemporary Coloradan.
They also have a retail shop on Pearl St. with a built-in coffee bar, and their very own editorial about architecture, design, and the elevated lifestyle that you can check out on your next visit.
Hours: Open everyday 7 am-5:30 pm.
Location: 904 College Ave.
6. Pekoe Sip House
One of the best cafes nearing North Boulder is Pekoe Sip House, in the Ideal Broadway Shops. People rave about the positive energy, relaxing music, and interesting and creative drink choices (we’re talking boba) and healthy food options—vegan, gluten-free, you name it. If you like tea, Pekoe is your new go-to; it’s their specialty!
When it comes to atmosphere, everyone who comes in is on a mission to get work done, which is super helpful if you get easily distracted or need to be able to just focus. When you need a break, let your eyes wander to a perfect side-view of the Flatties overlooking the patio, through the huge windows that make up the front wall and let the natural light through. Just like The Laughing Goat, they also have a smaller location in the Atlas building on the University of Colorado’s campus with the same productive environment and delicious treats.
Hours: Open Monday-Saturday 6 am-7 pm, Sunday 7 am-7 pm.
Location: 1225 Alpine Ave.
7. The Cup Espresso Cafe
The Cup is packed with so much character, it’s hard to keep from asking the baristas to explain every single decoration. They have maps, murals, and a shelf that lines the ceiling adorned with at least 10 pairs of old-fashioned ice skates. I couldn’t tell you why, but it definitely adds to the feel of the place.
Beyond that, my favorite thing about The Cup is that it has both a regular door, as well as a “garage” door that is kept open when the weather is nice. This allows customers to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air without that annoying glare on your computer screen.
Come to The Cup with friends or with your laptop, and enjoy a vast menu with everything from quiche and salad, to cake and milkshakes, as well as every coffee essential, of course. The cafe is full of life and energy, making it great for collaboration, and two full rooms of seating make it easy to find the perfect study spot.
Hours: Open every day 7 am-10 pm.
Location: 1521 Pearl St.
8. Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe
Innisfree is yet another favorite on the hill (13th and Pennsylvania), but it offers so much more than just coffee and croissants. Beyond the basics, its appeal lies within the poetry readings and other live performances that it hosts just about every night, as well as the array of interesting books that it sells.
It’s a local, small business that serves organic food and drinks and celebrates self-expression through storytelling—just about everything you’d expect from a cafe in Boulder. Study by day, expand your mind by night!
Hit up the calendar on their website to see who they’ll be showcasing every night, or peek at the sign right outside their door for a listing of the events that they have scheduled for that day. And, of course, if you’re just looking for a place to pound out your paper, it’ll serve you well for that, too.
Hours: Open Monday-Friday 7 am-9 pm, Saturday & Sunday 7 am-6 pm.
Location: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave.
9. Ozo Coffee
Ozo Coffee, found on the west end of Pearl St., is bright, welcoming, and looks out on the hustle and bustle of downtown Boulder, back-dropped by the Flatirons. The bright, natural light is soothing and welcoming, and makes for a stress-free study zone. And, of course, the coffee is incredible! They’re a prevalent wholesaler for a reason.
Don’t let the fact that Ozo is a big name in coffee turn you off, they’ve still got Starbucks beat in originality by a landslide. You couldn’t find a bad review about this place if you tried. Ozo has developed a strong fan base for the great atmosphere, location, staff, and menu—they serve food, too! They have plenty of room inside, the space looks like it goes on forever, as well as bar seating right outside. Next time you’re scrambling for the perfect study locale, give Ozo a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Hours: Open Monday-Saturday 6 am-9 pm, Sunday 7 am-7 pm.
Location: 1015 Pearl St.
10. Wonder Press
Need to finish a project, but craving something fruitier than coffee? Head to Wonder Press, also on the west end of Pearl, (right next to Trident, actually). Wonder is Boulder’s go-to cold-pressed juice bar, featuring both a “made to order” menu with smoothies, coffee, and tea, as well as a “from the case” menu, with a selection of their signature bottled juices and nut milks.
They’re also big on sustainability and wellness, rewarding customers for bringing their glass bottles back in for reuse, and incorporating all organic ingredients into their products (which explains some slightly elevated prices). The atmosphere is great for cramming, with artful, bohemian-style decor and calm lighting that will give you some serious apartment inspo. Wonder is sure to bring a little sweetness into your next study session.
Hours: Open Monday-Friday 7 am-6 pm, Saturday & Sunday 8 am-6 pm.
Location: 946 Pearl St.
11. Caffe Sole
This one’s for all you South Boulderites. Caffe Sole covers all of the coffee shop basics, and then some. It prides itself in being one of the first coffee houses in the state of Colorado, and has been serving our great city for almost 20 years. Caffe Sole fosters a great sense of community, knows how to make you feel at home, and keeps you coming back.
Like some of the downtown cafes, it hosts live music on weekend nights, and a productive work space from open to close. It features a broad, farm-to-table menu, two full rooms of seating, tasteful artwork, and plenty of outlets—everything you need to crank out that assignment.
Hours: Open Monday-Thursday 6 am-7 pm, Friday & Saturday 6 am-7 pm, Sunday 6 am-6 pm.
Location: 637 S Broadway St.
12. Boxcar Coffee Roasters
Boxcar Coffee Roasters on the East end of Pearl St. offers a somewhat non-traditional cafe experience, but a good one nonetheless. It has more of a marketplace feel, as Boxcar shares their space with Cured, a meat, cheese, and wine seller, that has stations posted up throughout the store for each of their specialties.
The set-up can be a little disorienting at first, but once you navigate to the coffee “booth,” and then to an open table (people LOVE this place, it can get pretty crowded) you’ll see what all the hype is about. The coffee is incredible, and the wide variety of seating areas, each with different decor and surroundings, allows you to choose the study space that works best for you. This cafe will have you working hard while enjoying your setting. And you can even celebrate your productivity by picking up a bottle of wine on your way out.
Hours: Open Monday-Friday 7 am-6 pm, Saturday 7:30 am-6 pm, Sunday 8 am-5 pm.
Locaiton: 1825 Pearl St.
Finished your work and ready to hit the bars? Check out the 5 best happy hour deals on Pearl.