Providence coffee shops that aren't Blue State
Blue State Coffee is conveniently located right on Thayer Street, so it’s no wonder that it’s a popular coffee place for Brown students. However, it’s literally on campus. Personally speaking, the best places to drink coffee and to study are places that aren’t on campus. There needs to be people other than stressed students hunched over their laptops and steaming lattes. And there needs to be good coffee — something I think Blue State lacks.
As such, I wanted to find an alternative to Blue State. Here are six off-campus, yet within walking distance, coffee shops I visited this past week: Coffee Exchange, L’Artisan Café & Bakery, The Shop, Acoustic Java Café and Microcinema, Dave’s Coffee, and Sydney Providence.
Coffee Exchange
Located on Wickenden Street, Coffee Exchange is one of the most reliable coffee shops nearby. The coffee and other beverages are delicious and decently priced. The ambience is a perfect combination of dimly-lit lights and warm browns. There’s outdoor seating for warm weather.
However, there are two downsides. One, it’s not particularly handicap accessible. You have to climb stairs to even enter the store. And two, it’s hard to get a seat if you don’t go at the right time. A lot, if not most, Brown students know about Coffee Exchange, so it’s a go to for those who want to study in a coffee shop off-campus. 4/5.
L’Artisan Café & Bakery
L’Artisan Café & Bakery is located in Wayland Square, about a 15-minute walk or short bus ride away from campus. There were some significant pros about this place. The coffee was delicious. The variety of food was huge, ranging from sandwiches and soups to baked goods and a large selection of pre-made snacks and other goodies. The music was soothing jazz.
Unfortunately, it’s not the best place to study. The inside is incredibly overcrowded with tables and cold, silver chairs. Unless you can hyper focus on whatever is in front of you, the cold ambiance and the jumbled state of the place makes it inconducive to studying. Plus, there didn’t seem to be a restroom.
If the weather is nice, though, the outdoor patio makes for a great place to study. 3/5.
The Shop
Just like Coffee Exchange, The Shop is located on Wickenden Street. The hot coffee I drank here was fine (not impressive, but better than Blue State), but the chocolate chip cookie I ate was so good it must’ve been sent from heaven. The variability in both the beverage and food menus were satisfying: typical coffee-based drinks, intriguing tea-based drinks, pastries, and foods that included breads with various toppings, yoghurt, salads, etc. The Shop also had the typical café ambience of warm lights, wooden tables and chairs, and obscure alternative and indie music.
Some downsides: a bit overpriced; not a lot of seats to choose from; and the restroom is not easily accessible, as it requires you to walk up several steps of stairs. Also, it becomes not-too-great for studying when more than you, two customers, and the workers are inside. It’s so tiny that sound travels easily. 3.5/5.
Acoustic Java Café and Microcinema
Located on South Main Street, Acoustic Java Café and Microcinema is definitely not my favorite coffee shop. The positives are the following: great variability for drinks and food, decently priced, and pretty spacious.
However, Acoustic Java is not meant for studying. Save its music choice of mostly foreign songs, the ambience of the place was totally off. The coloring was not warm at all, there were few tables in the non-cinema part of the store, and it had a very weird smell.
If you want to enjoy your coffee with a movie, Acoustic Java is for you. But if you want to study, I’d advise going someplace else. 2/5.
Dave’s Coffee
Dave’s Coffee is also located on South Main Street. Thankfully, it has a much different vibe from Acoustic Java.
Dave’s Coffee offered a place almost perfect for studying: a range of seats to choose from; warm artificial lighting mixed with natural lighting; not-overwhelming background noise; and a neutral, coffee-esque smell. I was also really impressed by the number of coffee and specialty drinks they offered, and they had the perfect selection of pastries, kitchen menu items (toasts, smoothie bowls, and breakfast sandwiches), and pre-packaged cold items.
The only downsides are that there are only two sizes for their drinks (8oz or 12oz) and that the place is pretty popular, as many of us might know from just how many laptops adorn stickers advertising Dave’s Coffee. Otherwise, it’s a great place to study. 4/5.
Sydney Providence
Located on Exchange Street near the Rhode Island State House, Sydney Providence is the farthest of the coffee shops I visited. If I went there with friends to eat food, it would’ve been worth it, but for studying purposes, it was not the best.
Sydney offers a decent range of drinks of typical coffee and specialty beverages. Their food selection, while not huge, is satisfying: breakfast sandwiches, pre-packaged cold items, pastries, and a delicious range of macaroons. They also have kombucha.
The ambience was a mix of good and bad, though. It was well-lit, and it wasn’t overcrowded with furniture. However, their music was too loud. Plus, most people seemed to be there to eat breakfast and socialize, not to drink coffee and study.
Sydney didn’t disappoint in terms of taste and aesthetic (other than the blasting music). It actually might be a good place to study at during the week, but it is definitely not meant for studying on a weekend morning. 3.5/5.
While there are many more coffee shops around Providence, I wasn't able to visit them all. Moreover, because of its "basic-ness," I didn't include my favorite one: the Starbucks on the east side. If you ever want to study off-campus and support the biggest coffee chain, I highly suggest going to this Starbucks. Reliable, a large menu, and two gender-neutral restrooms.
Images via and Elliana Reynolds '22.
