Thursday, June 7th, 2018...1:24 pm

10 Recommended Study/Work Cafés for the Busy Grad Student

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Need to get some work done over the weekend but at home just isn’t an option? Libraries are great, but they’re not for everyone all the time (i.e. when HUNGRY, since food/drink is often not permitted).  So, I have compiled a list of 10 Recommended Study/Work Cafés that you can explore and hopefully get a productive session in!

  1. Green Grotto- Bay / St. Joseph or Bay / Grosvenor
     
    Part of a chain, these two locations are fairly close to each other, both just a bit east of Queen’s Park Circle.  This Taiwanese restaurant café offers a large selection of bubble teas and other drinks and even food (i.e. not just muffins or cookies, but full meals as well like noodles and curry rice, etc.). Of course, they have dessert too.


    The locations are also equipped with free wifi and outlets. As for the atmosphere, they have background music but the overall atmosphere is peaceful as many other customers are working away on their laptops as well.  They’re open late, and there are other branch options as well if you’re a commuter in the Markham/Scarborough area.

    In conclusion, GG has everything a graduate student needs (except money).

    For hours & menu:  http://en.greengrotto.ca/#/restaurant
  2. Charidise Baldwin

    Another Taiwanese restaurant serving drinks, food, and dessert, Charidise is great for studying because of its close proximity to the south end of campus and its large venue.  You can either order with the cashier or use the touch screen to generate your order and then pay the cashier.

    There is free wifi, many outlets, a couple of big individual washrooms, background music, and quite a bit of space between you and the next guy.

    Con:  I’ve never seen bubble tea as expensive… this can be remedied by purchasing a lunch combo from the given options. And, I suppose you’re paying for the study space.

    For hours & menu:  https://www.charidise.com/
  3. Crimson Teas Spadina / College


    A different sort of asian  tea restaurant, Crimson Teas is peaceful and artistic and consequently appeals to many studious individuals.

    As an independent store promoting health, both the food items and great tea selection are specialties. Healthy also means no bubbles in your tea (i.e. no tapioca). However, wifi and outlets are a yes.

    Disclaimer: Be sure not to come here short on time (or hangry), as the food can take a while to prepare as sometimes the owner is by himself.  But he’s a really kind guy who may take an interest in your studies. In addition, space is limited and it’s very popular among students, so I hope you’re able to get a seat because this place is a great afternoon study spot.

    For hours & menu: www.crimsonteas.com/
  4. Green BeaneryBathurst / Bloor

    Quite a bit further from campus but something on the north-west side, Green Beanery is generally quieter in the day and pretty busy in the evenings, so it’s a nice place to venture off to if you’ve got a longer break.


    They serve only 100 varieties of roasted and unroasted coffees, as well as other favourite classics, breakfast foods, sandwiches and salads.  

    There’s no wifi as part of their “café culture” so bring your books. No social media distraction here! There are outlets by the window counter though.

    For hours & menu:  https://greenbeanery.ca/
  5. Slanted Door Bloor / Borden

    This art gallery/lounge/cafe is quite new, and it has a wonderful atmosphere to motivate your studying.  

    The place is also very clean and modern. Local artwork is showcased here! There are quite a few seats to enjoy your café beverage and eclectic healthy snack items.  However, only a couple of spots have an outlet, so plan your work/study materials accordingly. On a similar note, some of the tables are petite and seat 1 or 2 people, so leave your most distracting friends behind.  

    They also open pretty early, at 8:30am.  Better check it out before it gains too much popularity.

    For menu & hours:  https://slanteddoor.ca/
  6. Voodoo Child Bathurst / College


    That skull cup is adorable.

    Anyway, Voodoo is a small espresso & cocktail bar with a minimalist menu including a few baked goods and nice beverages (and weekend brunch).  

    Despite its limited space and liquor license, it isn’t that full during the day, and the atmosphere is calming.  This café also caters more to traditional pen-and-paper notetakers (or as long as your laptop battery can last). And unlike most Toronto restaurants, this place opens at 7:30 am for you early birds.

    They’re too hipster for a website domain, so here’s their FB for the hours:  https://www.facebook.com/Voodoo-Child-194163417383931/
  7. Jimmy’s Coffee McCaul / Elm


    Jimmy’s Coffee has six locations in Toronto but the most accessible one for UofT students is the one on McCaul (especially if you’re living at the 222 Elm residence).

    It has a nicer atmosphere than big chain coffee shops and more sophisticated blends of coffee.  And if you’re not into coffee, you can have a tea. There are some croissants and other baked snacks to go along with your drink of choice.

    For hours and locations:  www.jimmyscoffee.ca/
  8. Aroma Espresso BarBathurst / Bloor


    Although it’s a coffee chain, only this location is really accessible for UofT students, and it’s nice and spacious.

    Being big also means free wifi and outlets and competitive pricing.  (Sandwiches under $5 are so rare these days…) Other benefits of Aroma include their healthy Mediterranean-inspired food menu and extensive beverage menu. Therefore, I think they deserve a spot on this list.

    For menu & hours:  https://aroma.ca/
  9. Stay Cafeteria Spadina / Nassau


    Stay’s menu is largely Chinese but can also be described as fusion (e.g. UFO Cheese Kimchi Rice; probably their most filling food item).  It has a similar vibe to 1 Hour Cafeteria just up the road (Spadina / College) but is more suitable for studying because it’s not as busy and you don’t have to subconsciously worry about being allowed to stay for more than an hour.  

    As with the similar restaurant cafés, there are outlets along the walls, free wifi, and Asian background music. The food and drink menus are decently sized.

    However, there is some inconsistency with quality across the menu.  That is to say, it’s a little expensive and some menu items are better than others in my opinion.  (Recommendation: rose tea, blueberry smoothie.) But for getting work done, the atmosphere is perfectly fine for that.

    For menu & hours:  https://staycafeteria.com/
  10. Dark Horse Espresso Bar  Spadina / Sullivan


    If looking from the outside, don’t let the “dark”, “bar”, and a red star fool you into thinking that this place is some grungy bar.  Quite the contrary, it is fancy, spacious, and the large windows make everything bright and warm.

    This location is a bit farther from campus and your latte art may take a while to prepare.  The environment is usually quite suitable for staying and doing work, however. There have been reports of baristas turning up the music very loudly, so you may have to get lucky.

    For food and drink, Dark Horse offers espresso, a cold-brew, and other café beverages, as well as baked goods that have a similar quality as Starbucks.

    If this place suits your fancy, there are also two other downtown locations further south, and multiple Toronto sites as well.

    For hours & locations: http://www.darkhorseespresso.com/

And that’s it (for now)! If there are any other places that you would want me to mention, please let me know and there might be a continuation to this list!

Cheers,

Raymond



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