By Jungsuh Kim
Many people are not morning people (and for good reason). Having to roll out of bed for an early 8:30 a.m. class and still show up alert, awake and decently dressed is one of the harder parts of being a student. That is where good coffee comes into play. Whether you wake up to the smell of your Keurig brewing dark roast or stop by the local Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts to pick up your favorite blend, you definitely cannot get by without a quick caffeine fix to start your day. Here are some of the best (and worst) places to get coffee at Fordham University.
The Grille: A quick, easy stop for O’Hare residents but quite a walk for the rest of the Fordham community. Here you will find a couple of Starbucks blends ranging from dark roast, decaf (who actually drinks this?) and hazelnut (on a good day). Iced coffee is also an option. There are also a variety of different creamers and sweeteners, so you can really modify the coffee to your taste. The Grille also sells Tazo tea at the counter.
Dagger John’s: Fordham’s very own Starbucks makes a comeback this year with earlier opening hours. They now open at 8 a.m., so students can grab coffee before their 8:30 a.m. classes. There are not a whole lot of choices here, but they do have all of the Starbucks basics and have even stocked up on the seasonal pumpkin spice latte.
SubConnection: Quite similar to The Grille, but fewer breakfast food options. The coffee choices are average — they have a few basic flavors, such as americano and dark roast.
The Caf: If you are looking for bland/bleak coffee, this is the place for you. There’s just something about the coffee here that makes me want to crawl back into bed rather than start my day off strong. Perhaps it’s the thinness, or the fact that it is usually lukewarm. The Caf offers subpar tea as well.
Dunkin’ Donuts: Slightly inconvenient to get to but definitely worth the few extra steps off campus! The hot coffee is pretty rich in flavor and the iced coffee is absolutely superb. Prices are pretty cheap as well. If you are looking for tea, the vanilla chai is amazing.
Best Deli: Surprisingly enough, the coffee here is actually not that bad. I highly recommend the cappuccino or the french vanilla if you crave a sweeter drink.
Palombo’s: Once you get past the fact that you have to walk all the way to Arthur Avenue, you will really appreciate this bakery’s take on coffee. The coffee here always smells and tastes incredible. A fan favorite is always the classic cappuccino; the combination of espresso and frothed milk is heavenly.
Starbucks: Just recently opened at Fordham Plaza, this is definitely the place to be. The cool ambience makes it not only a good coffee shop, but also a place to relax and get some homework done. Starbucks always does a bunch of seasonal flavored drinks like a pumpkin spice latte or the peppermint mocha frappuccino. Keep a lookout for more fall and winter-themed drinks. Starbucks also has a host of teas, lemonades and hot chocolates for a less-caffeinated option.
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Jungsuh Kim is a Staff Writer for The Fordham Ram.
