One of the many things I love about going to college in Boston is the variety of cafés surrounding my urban campus. They make for the perfect weekend outing with friends for a quick bite to eat and are some of Emersonians’ favorite study spots. While I love the view of the Commons my dorm room offers, sometimes a cup of coffee and a new environment are necessary to inspire creativity. This month, I tested out caramel lattes, my must-have caffeinated beverage, from three different cafés around campus.

I began my search at Explorateur, located conveniently across from the Boston Common at 186 Tremont St. Soft acoustic music played over the speakers as people came and went, exchanging nervous first-date glances or studying textbooks; it’s the perfect place for either. As their website says, “whether it’s exploration of food, travel or culture, there is an explorer in all of us.” Explorateur is frequented by Emerson students and professors alike due to its close proximity to campus.

The café also has a bar that comes to life at night but during my visit, everyone was brunching and munching over the rich aromas of pastries and coffee. I sat down at a table near the large picture window and found myself unwittingly people-watching the busy street before me. I sipped my latte and took in the buzzing energy of the café around me. A little bitter for my taste and still in need of sugar despite the caramel flavoring. Nevertheless, it did the job at $4.25, and the café, while crowded in the mornings, is a good study spot in the later afternoon.

Moving on to my next stop, I investigated Thinking Cup. This café has several locations in the downtown area, including one at 165 Tremont St., one at 85 Newbury St., and one a bit further out in the North End at 236 Hanover St. Walking in, the lighting is low, the music is moody, and pastries and sandwiches are elegantly lit. The tabletops are printed with old newspapers and the menus appear almost hand-lettered on chalkboards.

The line was long, and the space was small, perhaps the only downfall of the café, which, according to NPR, The New York Times, Food & Wine Magazine, and USA Today, serves “the best coffee in the world.” Their brews are created in Brooklyn according to their website. But I must say, the line and $4.50 price tag were worth it. The latte had the perfect blend of flavors without being too bitter or too sweet and, paired with an almond croissant, made for a heavenly combination. The atmosphere is the perfect place to get lost in your writing or catch up with an old friend. I definitely plan on returning here. I think it may be my new favorite spot.

A few blocks away is Jaho Coffee Roaster and Wine Bar on 665 Washington St. They are located in the Kensington Building near Downtown Crossing and Chinatown, and this is the chain’s second location (they originally opened in Salem, Massachusetts). Like Explorateur, Jaho is a café by day and a bar by night. This location was definitely the outlier of the three. While I still saw students and professionals engrossed in their laptop screens, the eclectic light fixtures, hand-lettered menus and pop music made it feel like more of a social hangout spot than a café. My caramel latte cashed in at $4.50, and came in a colorful to go cup with a bubblegum-pink lid and a sleeve decorated with a graphic design of rainbow sunglasses over a mustache.

This café was certainly the most social and colorful of the three and offered outdoor seating for warmer weather. While the café itself was a great environment, this definitely had the least appealing location, closer to Chinatown and separate from the Common, offering slightly less picturesque views from its windows. As the barista handed me the cup, I could see this was definitely the foamiest thus far, but had a good ratio of caramel flavoring that didn’t feel too sticky or sweet. It was an enjoyable experience, second only to my favorite: Thinking Cup.

My expedition led to great coffee finds in different atmospheres. All of these cafés offer a good coffee fix and good company. I would definitely recommend you give these a try.

The Caffeine Machine