A Student’s Guide to the Best Coffeeshops in Athens

My two favorite things in the world: coffee and roadtrips. Often when I’m passing through a town and need a reviving cup of coffee of coffee, or I need to go grind out a paper, or if I want to find the vibest place for a coffee date, I google the following: “Best Coffeeshops in____”. So just for you, traveler, student, lover of the aesthetic, I have complied a list of the top coffeeshops in Athens based off the following.

• Vibe: the aesthetic, the feeling, the decoration, lighting, etc.
• Coffee/food: is the coffee roasted in house? lots of food options? absolute best cup of coffee in town
• Student’s Guide: outlets? table/seating space? wifi? noise level?

After years of living in Athens, tons of friends giving me their opinions, hours of studying at cafes around town, I believe this is your perfect list of the best coffeeshops in Athens.

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In case you’re wondering… there’s more to AnitaBelleBlogs that just posts about coffee!!! Check out some of my adventures and travel tips below!

Molly’s Coffee Company

• Vibe: The vibes are a 10/10. The coffeeshop is one big room with a ton of huge windows; the light is always flowing in, and there are big plants everywhere! There’s something special about feeling like you’re outside covered in sunlight while your work on your Spanish homework. The drinks are served in real mugs (again, feels like home).
• Coffee/food: The coffee is pretty good at Molly’s. They actually use 1000 Faces coffee beans. Their matcha is really good, and they have fun seasonal drinks. Their lattes are also a favorite. There are small snacks like scones and muffins. My only complaint is that the coffee isn’t my favorite, and there isn’t a lot of variety with drinks.
• Student’s Guide: I absolutely LOVE studying at Molly’s… when you can get a table. There is limited seating for sure, but I can almost always find a friend to sit with. However, if you’re in a time crunch and don’t want to run into the issue of having nowhere to sit, I’d recommend another place. There are outlets and free wifi, however, which is nice. However, Molly’s does close at 5 pm, which is difficult if you’re trying to pull an all-nighter to finish that research paper!

Address: 8830 Macon Hwy Bldg 100, Athens, GA 30606

Hendershots

• Vibe: I absolutely love this cafe. The vibes are very interesting, but I think they’re really neat. Hendershots is a big room full of old paintings and few windows, so it’s really dark and gloomy. Think old haunted library. There are random musical instruments and couches. It also converts into a bar at night and has occasional live music. There’s also outdoor seating, which is really nice when the weather is good! The staff is really friendly and kind as well.
• Coffee/food: The coffee is roasted in house, which is always a treat. They also have bagels and other treats for sale. All around, you will be set with a good cup of a coffee and a solid snack when you visit Hendershots. It is also right next to a few restaurants and fast food places if you need a real meal.
• Student’s Guide: There’s free wifi (always a plus) and a good number of seats! It’s really quiet in there, making it a great place to sit and grind out all your work. It also has outlets and outside seating. Hendershots is one of my favorite spots to study on a sunny day; I go get a lovely iced coffee and grind out all my work at an outside table!

Address: 237 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30601

Jittery Joes (5 Points)

Jittery Joes will forever be my favorite place in the whole wide world. It’s a local Athens coffee chain that feels like it was made for students! The coffee is awesome, the playlists are always epic, and I always see everybody I’ve ever met in my whole life there! I think I’ve spent more time here than in my own home.

• Vibe: 100000/10. Not only is the staff so perfect and kind, but there are big windows, letting in all the sun. The playlists are full of Caamp, Taylor Swift, the 1975, and every other wonderful band ever. There’s art and books for sale. Everyone just seems content sitting in a chair at an old Jittery Joes table. There’s outside seating with birds chirping and the sun warming your face. Feeling poetic yet? You should be.
• Coffee/food: Some may disagree, but Jittery Joes coffee is my favorite coffee in Athens. The medium roast is my favorite. They also sell Yerba Mates, smoothies, FANTASTIC muffins and cake slices, oatmeal, cookie dough, bagels, and pretty much every other study fuel you can imagine. Their lattes and teas are wonderful… you definitely don’t have to be a coffee lover to love Jit Joes!
• Student’s Guide: 5 Points Jittery Joes is a student’s paradise. There are outlets galore, a good amount of seating, a quiet student environment, and plenty of table space. Also, if you need study fuel that is a little more fulfilling than a bagel, you’re just a short walk from Smoothie King, Condor’s Chocolate, and Earth Fare! Jit Joes also has free wifi!

Address: 1230 S Milledge Ave, Athens, GA 30605

Sips Espresso Cafe

• Vibe: The vibe at Sips is great! It has outdoor seating and all of the big windows open letting in the fresh air and sunlight! In the winter it is COLD! Because Sips is so small, there are very limited seats, so don’t count on finding a place to sit during the busy season.
• Coffee/food: One thing I love about Sips is just the variety of different food and drink! They not only have quality but quantity as well. On top of regular coffee, they have fantastic lattes, chai, smoothies, and frappuccinos as well as pastries, bagels, and other snacks. My one other thought is that they use coffee from Jittery Joes, 1000 Faces, and other places; therefore, if you’re going here just for coffee, you might as well go to Jit Joes or 1000 Faces!
• Student’s Guide: Free wifi! Gotta love it. There isn’t a ton of seating, however, which is a downside.

Address: 1390 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30606

Walker’s

• Vibe: Walker’s is actually a coffeeshop and a pub, which makes for a very interesting interior. It’s a dark, academic vibe with booths and odd corner tables and old seating, but it makes for a very cool vibe. Think “I’m going to brood in a pub in Ireland in the dead of winter.” That’s the feeling it gives me. It’s a fun area because its right in the middle of downtown Athens.
• Coffee/food: There’s no food, but the coffee is pretty good. Nothing crazy to say about it. Don’t expect a crazy drink with lots of flavors, but Walker’s will definitely give you a solid cup of coffee.
• Student’s Guide: I love studying at Walker’s! The old mysterious pub feeling with the booths is a great work environment. There are outlets scattered around if you need one. It fills up pretty fast with students and locals. There’s also wifi! There’s also a decent amount of seating, and it’s pretty quiet as well. However, keep in mind that Walker’s turns into a bar every night at 10, so you may have to relocate if you’re pulling an all nighter.

Address: 128 College Ave, Athens, GA 30601

1000 Faces

• Vibe: After conducting many interviews and asking many of my fellow students what their favorite coffeeshop was, 1000 Faces was the overall favorite! The vibe is so awesome. It has big plants everywhere, and the staff is so kind. The room is fairly small, but the big windows let all the light in! it almost feels like you’re sitting in the middle of a garden, surrounded by plants, sunlight, and coffee of course!
• Coffee/food: The coffee at 1000 Faces is pretty good. They actually talk a lot about their types of coffee, origins of coffee, and overall mission on their website. I found it really interesting, so if you’re interested to learn more, click here. They also have some basic pastries which are SO good!
• Student’s Guide: I love studying at 1000 Faces… IF I can find a place to sit. There’s one main community table and then some smaller tables scattered around but overall, seating is very limited. There are outlets and free wifi; it definitely won’t be a quiet study spot either. All that to say, however, most of my friends and I would say that this is our favorite place to study.

Address: 510 N Thomas St, Athens, GA 30601

Condor’s Chocolate (Downtown Location)

• Vibe: The vibes at Condor’s are perfect. I mean, how can you turn down a room that smellls like a heavenly mix of coffee and chocolate? As a biggggg fan of chocolate, this is absolutely one of my favorite places in Athens. You can even watch as the coffee is made! Very cool vibe with big windows letting in the light!
• Coffee/food: Again, chocolate and coffee. You really can’t go wrong. They roast their own beans that they buy from Ecuador. The staff recommended the iced mocha and the raspberry truffle when I went to visit, and I can testify that it is absolutely freaking fantastic. If you’re needing real food, however, you won’t find a meal at Condor’s.
• Student’s Guide: There’s wifi and outlets at Condor’s, which is lovely. It’s also really quiet. It’s a pretty niche place to get work done, and I love to do work there. However, you have to pay to park outside, and the shop only fits about 25 people, so if you’re needing to get real work done for a few hours, it may not be your best bet.

Address: 160 E Washington St, Athens, GA 30601

Phoenix

• Vibe: This coffeeshop is connected to a church, which is really neat. They have a worship room next to the coffeeshop. I love all the big windows and the light!
• Coffee/food: One super cool thing about Phoenix’s coffee is that they actually have a patented nitro that Starbucks tried to buy off of them because of how good it is! Needless to say, you’ve got to try their blends!
• Student’s Guide: This is a perfect place to study. It’s quiet and has a very studious environment; there’s also free wifi and outlets galore! However, they’re only open from 8-3, so its not ideal for a late night study grind.

Address: 660 W Broad St,  Athens,  GA 30601

@ Local

• Vibe: @ Local is a really cool place to hang out and get coffee. It’s right in the middle of downtown Athens. Its has a very neat retro and disco energy inside, and all the crazy lights and thrifted couches look really awesome together. The staff is so kind and helpful.
• Coffee/food: One thing I love about @ Local is the amount of options they have for drinks. There have tons of syrups and flavors, as well as non-coffee options like matcha, apple cider, tea, and more! They also have various pastries and snacks if you’re feeling munchy.
• Student’s Guide: @ Local is a great place to study because it has free wifi, outlets, and is in an accessible location if you’re walking from campus. There is a decent amount of seating downstairs, and it’s also open until 2 a.m.

Address: 198 College Ave, Athens, GA 30601

Buvez

• Vibe: The vibes at this cafe are AWESOME! It’s my favorite decor and look of any coffeeshop in Athens by a mile. It’s very quirky with really random lighting, seating, and paintings. There’s a swinging chair, small little tables by a big metal garage-like door, cafeteria-like seating, and so much more. I love the random characteristic of this cafe. It’s the perfect place to go sit and read a book and feel like you’re the main character in a hippie boho movie about a girl who lives out of her car. The only downside is that the staff isn’t always the nicest.
• Coffee/food: The coffee at Buvez is fantastic. They also make the most creative lattes and have fun seasonal drinks! You can also get all sorts of random food, bagels, and snacks at Buvez.
• Student’s Guide: As sad as I am to say this, I give Buvez a 1/10 for a study spot. The wifi there doesn’t work at all, and there a few outlets. There’s not many study tables. Even when I use my hotspot, the service is spotty, and I always end up having to leave and head to a place with wifi! It breaks my heart though, because Buvez is one of my favorite places to be.

Address: 585 Barber St Suite A, Athens, GA 30601