If there is one thing in life that fuels me it's coffee. Back in 2021, when 18 year-old Liv first arrived in Oxford, I hated the stuff. I thought it tasted grim, and would only resort it when I really, really needed the caffeine. Even then, it would be instant coffee mixed in about at 1:3 ratio with Cadbury's hot chocolate powder and I would down it as rapidly as possible so as to not have to taste the coffee part.
A classic flat white from a recent trip to Peloton
In my years at uni though, the need for coffee to fuel my day of study, along with the influence of my friends and honestly also social media, has turned me into a big coffee drinker. I still wouldn't say I like strong coffee, and you would rarely catch me opting for an espresso, but get me an iced latte any day of the week and I'll be one happy girl. So, with this new appreciation for the drink came a new appreciation for studying in coffee shops. Yes, a library is great for a focused study session, but the vibes of a coffee shop make it far more appealing to work in. It's much more inviting to set myself up in a cosy coffee shop, with an aesthetic cup of coffee, and background chatter around me than a silent library, filled with nothing but the sniffles of freshers and clicking of laptop keys. In the run up to exams last year, I did the majority of my morning study sessions in coffee shops in an attempt to romanticise my revision, and get me out of bed in the morning. So, with all that being said, I have decided to compile a list of my favourite spots in Oxford, for work and for coffee, as well as my personal opinions on the benefits and negatives. Hopefully you enjoy! But remember, take it all with a pinch of salt, this is one girl's opinion and there are probably many more comprehensive guides out there if you look.
1) Peloton, Cowley Road
I discovered Peloton when living just across form it in my third year. Great coffee, immaculate vibes, always full of students on laptops so you don't feel like you're weird working there. In the summer it's also got a cute little garden out the back. I spent most of my exam period last year in Peloton and have zero regrets about doing that, it's great!
Donut day at Peloton
Pros:
Donut Thursday - literally the best donuts I have ever tried every Thursday, but you need to get there quick in the morning or the chocolate one (objectively the best flavour) gets sold out
Loyalty card - 10 coffee purchases and you get a free one. I had my first free Peloton coffee the other day and they whipped out a congratulatory buzzer as a celebration which was pretty cute
Nice to work in - tables set up for just one or two people, low level chatter as good background noise
Cons:
Limited space - its quite a small coffee shop so is often full during term time
Plug sockets - there are plug sockets but they are high up on the walls and a little inconvenient to use
2) Missing Bean, Magdalen Road
There are a couple of Missing Bean coffee shops dotted around Oxford, but my favourite one to go to, perhaps due to the proximity of it to my house, is the one on Magdalen Road in Cowley. Magdalen Road does seem a little far out for anyone that lives in the centre but if you are located in Cowley then this is a lovely road with a number of coffee shops dotted along it.
A flat-white-fuelled study session at Missing Bean
Pros:
Really nice coffee!
Lots of space - big tables to sit and work out as well as window seating and outside seating
Good Wifi!
Cons:
Plug Sockets - Not the most accessible and not at every table
3) The Larder, Magdalen Road
Situated practically next door to Missing Bean, the Larder is one of my favourite places to work, going there makes you feel like you aren't in Oxford in the best way possible. As in it doesn't feel studenty, instead feeling cozy and artisan but with plenty of space to work and window seats great for people watching and with lovely views of the world passing by.
A rainy autumn study day at The Larder
Pros:
Table space - is never that busy so you can usually always find a seat. The window seats are particularly lovely and the view across Magdalen road is great
Cakes - Some of the best cakes I have ever had, highly recommend, a little pricey but so worth it
Vibes - A really good one if you are wanting to romanticise your study life, it's a bit further out from the centre and has a lovely rustic feel
Cons:
Wifi - it does have Wifi but I can never get it to work well on my laptop so do end up having to hotspot myself if I need internet use
4) Ole and Steen, Westgate
Moving to the other side of Oxford now, Ole and Steen located in Westgate was not somewhere I had been until about a month ago, but has quickly become a favourite! It is definitely on the pricier side but they have recently launched an app which if you download gets you a free coffee, and also runs lots of different reward schemes so I've been a few times and got my coffee or a pastry for absolutely free!
Coffee and snack date with my boyfriend at Ole and Steen
Pros:
App - The app is honestly so good for getting free stuff if you keep an eye out on what offers they are running
Seating - plenty of seating, you are almost guaranteed to have somewhere to sit and lots of window seating which I love as well as a spacious upstairs area
Coffee and Food - really good coffee, especially the honeycomb latte which I highly recommend. The food is also very yummy, they often have bags on the Too Good To Go app which can get you pastries and bread etc so worth looking out for that too.
Wifi - Fast wifi, quick to log into
Cons:
Price - If you aren't getting your coffee for free on the app it is a bit more expensive so that's worth keeping in mind
5) Knoops, Turl Street
Knoops is not really a sit down and study kind of place but I thought I would give it a mention because it's coffee is really good! I also recently discovered the Knoops app which gets you coffee for around £1.80 before 12pm which in my opinion is an absolute steal!
A Knoops mocha being consumed on my way to the RadCam for a library study session
Pros:
App - Coffee, actually nice coffee, for less than £2!
Location - Close to the Bod and the RadCam so ideal for a study break coffee
Mocha - As Knoops is best known for it's hot chocolate you can imagine that the mochas there are really good! Quite expensive for what they are but as a one off treat they are really nice!
Cons:
Price - After 12pm they are more on the expensive side
Seating - Limited seating, like one table, so not somewhere you would go and sit to study
6) Costa, Castle Street
When I was cycling past Costa on the way to Westgate today I saw that it is actually currently under construction and closed, but, I am reassured it will be back open again shortly. Costa to me is quite a generic coffee shop. It's true there is lots and lots of seating upstairs, but I personally find it a bit dark and venturing all the way from Cowley down to Westgate is not normally worth it for Costa in my opinion. If I'm going that far I may as well go to Ole and Steen or somewhere else more exciting. That being said, my Aunt kindly gifted me a Costa gift card for my birthday and that makes Costa a whole lot more appealing, and it's current closure a whole lot more upsetting.
A picture back when it was open, taken from TripAdvisor
Pros:
Seating - Always lots of seating upstairs, no worry of not having somewhere to sit
Coffee - Costa does good coffee, and also good snacks
Plug Sockets - Plenty of them
Cons:
Lighting - I find the upstairs and bit dark but that may just be a personal opinion
Vibes - It lacks the atmosphere of an independent coffee shop, you're not romanticising your life by studying in costa. Also is often filled with sixth form students studying which again takes away from the vibes.
Location - For me personally, its not near where I need to be, the Earth Sci department, my college, and my student house are all on the other side of town
7) Coffeesmiths, Cornmarket Street
Coffeesmiths is a cute little independent coffee shop tucked away between Cornmarket Street and the covered market. It does excellent coffee, really good bagels, and offers both indoor and outdoor seating in a quiet courtyard so is a nice break from the hustle and bustle while actually being in a very convenient location. The one draw back is the Wifi which never seems to work for me, so personal hotspot needs to be at the ready if you plan to use the internet while you are there.
A study session on the outside tables at Coffeesmiths that (as you can see by the location tag) was deemed aesthetic enough for the insta story.
Pros:
Vibes - Very quiet, nicely decorated, coffee served in very aesthetic mugs and saucers
Seating - Both indoor and outdoor, usually quiet empty, indoor has nice big open windows so there is always lot of sunlight (UK weather permitting)
Coffee and Food - Very good coffee, also very good bagels so can work as a lunch spot where I can then stay to work rather than having to get my laptop out on the top floor of Wasabi, as fresher Liv had been known to do
Cons:
Wifi - this is the main drawback from Coffeesmiths, maybe it works for someone people but unfortunately I am not one of them.
8) Love Coffee, Cowley Road
Love Coffee is a chain of Coffee shops, with a few dotted around Oxford, but the Cowley road one is my go too as it's on my way into town so is perfect to stop by and grab a coffee as I walk, or cycle (see image of my very handy coffee cup holder on my bike that my boyfriend thinks is silly but I personally think is wonderful). I have yet to do any work in Love Coffee but it always has a lot of tables free, both inside and out and looks like it could be a good work spot. My favourite thing is that they do the freddo espressos, which from what I have managed to establish is frothy espresso and was something I came across in Greece and have yet to find elsewhere in the UK.
Bike coffee cup holder in action - tell me that's not the best invention ever?!
Pros:
Location - Many locations around Oxford, Cowley Road one is very convenient for me, but also ones on Iffley road, and the High Street
Coffee - Very good iced latte, also the aforementioned freddo espresso
Cons:
Wifi - This may not be a con I just personally haven't tested it out
Vibes - Not usually filled with people working, again I have never tried to work in here so I can't really comment but I feel more people around you makes better vibes.
9) Pret, Cornmarket Street
A classic, Pret is a go to study spot for the great students of Oxford, so much so it can often be very hard to get a seat. But maybe now the infamous Pret subscription has been discontinued it might quieten down a bit. I am also not a major fan of Pret coffee itself, but the falafel and halloumi wrap is another story - one of my favourite, yet a little expensive, lunches.
My view right now as I sit in Pret and edit this article!
Pros:
Food - I like the Pret food, not so much the coffee
Location - Anywhere on Cornmarket Street is prime location for a study spot as you are in the centre of everything
Vibes - Although a little dark sometimes, it is always filled with students chatting and studying so I like the vibes here
Cons:
Coffee - As mentioned, I'm not a major fan of it here
Price - Bit expensive for what it is, especially now the subscription is no more
Seating - Lots of it but is usually packed
10) G&D's, Cowley Road
G&D's is a wonderful place! With three different locations in Oxford, the one of Cowley Road being my go to again because of it's location, they are best known for their Oxford-made ice cream and delicious bagels. G&D's became a favourite study spot during exams last year due to it's proximity to my accommodation at the time (3 minute walk) and their late opening hours (until 11pm) which meant I could go, purchase a camomile tea (a little random but I'm not about to drink coffee at 9pm) and get to work. Another favourite of mine is their brownies, which they warm up in the microwave and can actually be only described as heavenly.
G&D's incredible bagels
Pros:
Opening hours - staying open until 11pm is ideal for a late night study session (or a late night sweet treat)
Coffee and food - Both excellent, no complaints there
Plugs - Many of them near the tables round the edge, Wifi is also good here
Cons:
Noise - The music is a little random, I didn't really mind studying to upbeat pop songs but this caused a bit of a distraction to my friends at times
Temptation - Once I had discovered the brownie, going to G&D's and not getting one required a lot of self restraint, but it was getting a little worrying for both my health and my bank account
Honorable mentons:
Leon, Cornmarket Street (Rip) - Which has now closed down, a fact that deeply saddened me. I used to love the coffee here (the one with the vanilla syrup, and it also had great seating upstairs where I spent many hours working)
Eat the Future, Oxford University Museum of Natural History - Immaculate vibes being able to study overlooking the museum, really good to get you in the geology mood. However often filled with many noisy kids and very busy at weekends.
Green Routes, Magdalen Road - A completely vegan cafe with really lovely coffee, and such cute aesthetics, just a little on the pricey side.
Black Sheep Coffee, High Street - I haven't been that much but they do £2 coffee on a Monday for students
Theo's, Broad Street - Such a cute little place, serves it's ice coffee to go in ring pull cans which the lady working their told me they were the first place in England to do so (unsure if this is true I am yet to fact check)
Cafe Nero, High Street - Cafe Nero is another well-known brand that has a wonderful student discount. They also have a lot of space to sit and work and do a really good iced flat white in the summer that I have been unable to find anywhere else.
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