It’s that time of year again - and we are not referring to the holidays this time. Exams have reared their ugly head, and every student in the HRM has become shackled to the stacks.
If you feel unproductive spending hours in the library, and your only contact with the outside world has become thanking the nice lady at Tim’s for your double double, maybe it’s time to switch things up a bit and try studying at one of the sweet Halifax coffee shops we’ve listed below.
All nine of these places have great snacks, speedy wifi and all the caffeine you need to catch up on an entire semester worth of power point slides. This one’s for you students.
1. Smiling Goat // 1475 Lower Water Street
Located right in downtown Halifax, Smiling Goat Café is the perfect place for SMU students who live in the South End and need a scenic, quiet spot to study. Their shop is right on the boardwalk, with an incredible view of the harbor and some delicious sandwiches on the menu for when you need a little more fuel. There’s also a location on South Park Street if that’s closer to you.
2. Dilly Dally Coffee Café // 6100 Quinpool Road
For those Dal or King’s students who don’t want to stray far from campus but need a change of scenery, hit up the Dilly Dally Coffee on your next study date. Located right on the corner of Quinpool and Vernon, Dilly Dally is committed to serving local, small batch, market to table coffee, food, wine and beer. The vibes in their shop are super chill, and their high quality espresso drinks will get you focused in no time.
3. Lion and Bright // 2534 Agricola Street
This north end hangout has awesome vibes for those looking to get a lot of work done in a beautiful space. Try some of their awesome snacks, and hustle alongside many local Halifax entrepreneurs and freelancers in this sweet coffee shop/bar/bistro highbred. Stick around until five when the bar opens, and be sure to reward all your hard work with some of their artisanal cocktails – the cantaloupe mojito is a personal favorite!
4. Pavia Espresso Bar & Café // 5440 Spring Garden Road
Grab coffee and a snack at Pavia in the Halifax Public Library, then take advantage of one of the best study spaces in all of Halifax. Peruse the five floors of Halifax’s Central Library and choose the comfiest chair with the best view to resume your exam studies.
5. Seven Bays // 2019 Gottingen Street
Not only is Seven Bays a great place to grab coffee (and beers) when you’re looking to hit the books, but they also have a climbing wall for the perfect study break! This sleek north end coffee shop is an awesome spot to get work done if you’re looking for a relaxed, laid back vibe.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMoXRc2gd8D/?taken-at=266080899&hl=en
6. Cabin Coffee // 1554 Hollis Street
True to its name, hanging out at Cabin Coffee feels like you’re grabbing coffee at a chalet or a lodge in the country. The big stone fireplace and leather couches in Cabin Coffee make this a really comfortable place to get some work done next time you’re downtown.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBc5n0PA_KH/?taken-at=244567849&hl=en
7. Alteregos Coffee House // 2193 Gottingen Street
Alteregos is another awesome spot to check out next time you’re in the north end looking for a place to work. They serve incredible coffee, beer and snacks, plus have some really nice street art all around their shop, making it way more exciting than the library to work at.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNMloCWA6oH/?taken-at=342979776033824&hl=en
8. Weird Harbour // 1656 Barrington Street
This brand new downtown espresso joint is a beautiful spot to study downtown if you really need to caffeinate. Their cozy shop is the perfect quiet spot to get a ton of work done, with a great view of Barrington!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKeHXGPgakQ/?taken-at=221700875&hl=en
9. The Nook // 2118 Gottingen Street
I think we write about this classic north end café every week, but for good reason! Not only is The Nook a great spot to get high quality coffee, but they also serve some delicious cocktails, craft beer, and affordable entrees. Keep your spirits up at this chill café next time you’re cramming for an exam!
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