The end of the semester is looming, and students are flocking to coffee houses to sip on legal doses of liquid caffeine while burying their minds in textbooks. The sublime-for-studying cafe no longer simply offers coffee to its consumers — rather, it also serves liquor for a dash of gratification after a night full of studying. A&E serves a roundup of cafes that satisfy your mouth’s palate ’round the clock and liquefy your night’s mind into an ease of ecstasy.
Wilde Roast Cafe
65 Main St. SE, Minneapolis
Wilde Roast is a delightful cafe with an atmosphere suitable for pleasing the tastes of its icon, noteworthy playwright Oscar Wilde, as well as the modern-day cultured student. Adjacent to the Mississippi, it offers appreciable views of the river and of downtown dimensions when suffering from a bout of writer’s block. Sitting at tables near the entrance will allow an adequate amount of outlets in range to reach a laptop cord — a night-of-study requirement. Enjoy an espresso upon your arrival, and before you exit, take a page out of Oscar Wilde’s book of life and cheers to decadence with a classic cocktail, beer or glass of wine from the full bar.
The Bad Waitress
2 E. 26th St., Minneapolis
Though a bit of a drive, walk or bike ride, depending on your level of green, this Nicollet delinquent is worth the distance if you’re a fan of minimal communication when studying. To order food or drinks, you simply fill out a ticket and pay at the counter — very little human interaction is needed. The funky, omnipotent superhero theme is a pleasant decor fit to ignite an inferno of creativity in the minds of its observers. Its furnishing takes the place of the less-than-spirited interaction between the wait staff and customers. Leave your ear buds in your messenger bag and bop your brain waves to the beats of the jukebox. Though at the mercy of others, the library holds a cohesive mix of tunes from sepia-tinted blues to restrained electronic songs; it’s alarmingly satisfying. The Bad Waitress serves coffee, wine and beer with a side of strong Wi-Fi to get a mind in study-mode straight to work.
Common Roots Cafe
2558 S. Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis
Common Roots has a very granola ambiance, housing a relatively casual and content clientele. It’s a pleasant Uptown cafe that uses only local and organic ingredients in its menu items. The seating area isn’t necessarily generous in terms of space between tables, though there is an abundance of small wooden tables and chairs to ensure a spot to yourself. The cafe offers free Wi-Fi, however, it should be noted that it shuts down the Internet during busy hours on the weekends to accommodate more people for lunch and dinner. Common Roots has a solid wine and beer list and an evening happy hour from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. to cap your night being buried in the books off well.
Acadia Cafe
329 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis
This one is for the renegades on campus, hooting their night-owl lifestyle on the West Bank with beer as the main course and a side plate of books. Caffeine in the form of an extensive list of coffee drinks isn’t Acadia’s forte; however, a bottomless cup o’ joe for the price of a beggar is. Early afternoon is the best time to nab a table and dive into literature. As the evening progresses, the volume of the music will increase and the faces on the album covers will become 3D. You’ll have to toss Brontë and your mug of beans to the back of the booth and soak in the live tunes with a drink from the bar that serves “no crap on tap.”
