The Wake

“Gutter Punk”
Hard Times Cafe
1821 Riverside Ave.
The Hard Times Cafe is the kind of place where you would ask for your drink in a dirty glass…if you were a 1940s gangster, that is. The music’s a little too loud, they smoking is allowed and black coffee is cheap. “It’s a hole in the wall,” said Katie Tharp, a junior at the ‘U.’ She comes to Hard Times because it’s open 22 hours a day and she likes the “tons of cheap vegan food. There is a downside, Tharp, 20, admits: she often gets asked out by 60-year-old men while hanging out there. Joe Schaedler, 26, said, “It’s a cross between what I imagine Brooklyn to be like and Mos Eisley from Star Wars.”
Flavored Latté: $3.00

“The Blank Slate”
The Purple Onion
326 14th Ave. SE
In addition to booth seating and a lot of floor space, The Purple Onion has high ceilings that don’t carry much personality. The open space is divided by a wheelchair ramp separating the smoking and nonsmoking sections. With a scratch of art on the walls, it’s no surprise a sign posted at the register reads, “Artists Wanted.” The music is quiet enough to create a lively atmosphere without making anyone talk louder. Justin Fabér, a business and journalism major, said the “chill atmosphere” makes it a good place to study.
Flavored Latté: $2.75

“Totally Hip”
Espresso Royale Café
411 14th Ave. SE
Trendy art lines the walls at Espresso Royale and it’s open until midnight every night. Espresso Royale also has a list of favorite recommendable drinks to choose from for the virgin coffee-shop hopper. They won’t let you smoke inside, though. This shop specializes in several pastries and also serves soup and sandwiches during the day. They’re also wired for Internet access.
Flavored Latté: $2.63

“The Clinic”
The Melroast
2508 Delaware St. SE
(In the Melrose apartments)
Apparently, security is an issue at the Melroast. A customer has to maneuver through two locked doors and the cobwebs (okay, Halloween decorations) draped across the counter to get to the coffee kiosk. Music comes from a tiny boom box behind the counter. Beige chairs and white walls create an unbearably bland atmosphere. Don’t even think of smoking in this clinic. The best way to describe the Melroast? Sterile.
Flavored Latté: $2.75

“The Hole in the Wall”
Espresso Royale Café
614 Washington Ave. SE
Only skinny people allowed. The Stadium Village Espresso Royale shop, approximately 10 feet wide, houses very few tables. The solitary worker smiled and talked about the “regulars” that fill the place on Friday nights. As long as intimacy isn’t required, this is a cute place with abstract, pop art decorating the walls. Forget about coming if you’re a smoker, though: this tiny nook has no room for a smoking section.
Flavored Latté: $2.63

“Funk It”
Espresso Exposé
600 Washington Ave. SE
Espresso Exposé, The Purple Onion’s Stadium Village counterpart, has lots of flair. Ethnic art combined with funk music gives the place some personality. Though they advertise Internet access at $4 an hour, they only have two iMacs as a gateway to the information superhighway. “It’s not as busy,” Dimitri Russell, 33, said. “It’s much more relaxed.” Russell turns his nose up at the “weak coffee,” though. Espresso Exposé is a funky place with a little edge, but make sure your stop isn’t going to last very long, because the seats are a little uncomfortable.
Flavored Latté: $3.25

“The Hangout”
European Grind
815 Washington Ave. SE
It’s not just a coffee shop; it’s an entertainment venue. European-inspired decorations line the walls from floor to ceiling and there’s often live music on weekends. It always seems to be crowded with groups of people doing homework, or just hanging out. “I like the atmosphere,” Lindsay Vito, a senior at the ‘U,’ said, “It’s homey and comfortable.” Nonsmokers beware: the cigarette stench clings to clothing long after you’ve left, even with seating in the nonsmoking section.
Flavored Latté: $2.65

“Smoker’s Paradise”
Espresso 22
1501 University Ave. SE
This artsy getaway is located in the Dinkydome. Espresso 22 offers coffee, smoothies and good old-fashioned eats. The colorful walls and comfortable seating are warm and inviting. Relaxing, vintage blues plays at a painless level. It’s the perfect spot after a rough day of stressing over midterms. Wendy Lastine, 20, said she likes the fact that smoking is allowed.
Flavored Latté: $3.50