UVM is home to an assortment of places to get coffee from Bailey-Howe to Waterman Café. I’m here to tell you the best places to spend those precious meal points. So here’s a (mostly) definitive ranking of iced coffee at the University of Vermont from a self-diagnosed coffee addict.
8. Waterman Café Iced Coffee
Photo by Caroline McCune
Turn back now. Go. RUN. Underground this beautiful testament to New England’s architecture hides the most desolate and depressing food establishment on campus (maybe in all of Vermont)! Hot coffee poured over ice will always yield the same sad story and flavor no matter how much Splenda you add. Still, you can go and enjoy the café’s ambiance… on Halloween.
7. Grundle “Iced Coffee”
Photo by Caroline McCune
This one is more of a joke, but, as a bored freshman looking for some more pep in my step, I combined Green Mountain Coffee with Gifford’s Camp Coffee ice cream. While a poor substitute for iced coffee, it makes a decent affogato for those stuck on the unlimited meal plan.
6.Henderson’s Plain Iced Coffee
Photo by Caroline McCune
Note: some assembly required. Maybe this is just because I’m barista-challenged, but when I buy iced coffee, it is a million times better tasting and Instagram-worthy than whatever I could have put together. So when I bought a no-syrup iced coffee at Henderson’s and was handed an empty cup, I was just a tinge frazzled. Did you know the ice goes in first? Of course, duh, me too. Now excuse me while I clean the splashed coffee off the counter. By the time I finished “frankenstein-ing” my monstrosity together I already knew I would have to give Henderson’s another shot… and then I tasted it. My fellow “spoonie” who works there said the iced coffee is a mix of 3-5 different coffees and differs everyday. Maybe it was a bad day, maybe it was because I’m partial to dark roasts and mixing just isn’t for me, maybe it was all a part of an elaborate taste bud assassination attempt and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m sticking to syrups from now on.
5. Cyber Café Iced Coffee
Photo by Caroline McCune
Truly, the Cyber Café coffee should always be at the top of the list because it’s in the library, but it’s not. Nonetheless, the coffee itself meets the expectations of an iced coffee, but does not exceed them (still, C’s get degrees!). It gets kudos though, because the Cyber Café has simple syrup on the counter which blends seamlessly into cold coffee (while sugar granules do not).
4. Samoa Iced Coffee from Henderson’s
Photo by Caroline McCune
If you’re looking for some Girl Scout nostalgia, you might be disappointed. However, if you’re just craving a nutty, chocolaty coffee experience, prepare to be impressed. While the individual flavors aren’t as potent as other flavored drinks on this list, the combination is delectable and distinct to Henderson’s.
3. Mocha Iced Coffee from Henderson’s
Photo by Caroline McCune
Rich and chocolaty, this mocha can serve as a comfort drink after a long week of classes, homework, and the everyday chaos that defines life. And yet, because the dark chocolate coffee isn’t too sweet, it can also serve as the flavor backdrop to whenever you feel nonchalant, chic, or perhaps a little Parisian.
2. Wow Bao Thai Iced Coffee
Photo by Caroline McCune
If you take your daily caffeine with sugar, then bao down (sorry, had to be done) to the Thai Iced Coffee at Wow Bao. Creamy and flavorful like a melted milkshake, this drink is more dessert than beverage. No judgement if this is your breakfast, but Thai Coffee is better before a night out than your 8:30am lecture. Pros: no ice means it won’t get watered down. Cons: sugar = sugar crash.
1. Maple Madness from Henderson’s
Photo by Caroline McCune
Exceptionally delicious coffee with a splash of maple syrup, this drink reigns as supreme as it is sweet (but not too sweet) and is full of flavor. It’s an energizing combination sure to wake you up for class and all-nighters, but I personally think its best right before a hockey game to boost school spirit with a taste that couldn’t be anything other than Vermont.
Go forth and caffeinate!
Gif courtesy of giphy.com