From double tall skinny lattes to just plain joe

Whether you are testing the waters on a low-key date, working on an overdue problem set, or meeting with a TA about your midterm, coffee shops are the way to go.

A mysteriously well-kept secret, Koffee? (104 Audubon St.) is the best bet in town. With an artsy, airy interior featuring a wall of windows and a variety of tables and couches, Koffee? is perfect for any occasion. Off-beat music, ranging from Ani DiFranco to Radiohead, enhances the atmosphere. Sadly, Koffee? is seen as a trek from Old Campus, though it's no more than a 15-minute walk. This perception keeps most of the young'uns away and positions Koffee? as a grad-student favorite. It is also one of the few coffee shops open until midnight, making it ideal for late-night study sessions.

ELISABETH MARSHALL/YH At Cosi, you too can buy $10 s'mores

Koffee Too? (276 York St.) was a much-anticipated addition to campus in Spring 2001. Although Koffee? has a far better atmosphere than its cramped off-shoot, Koffee Too?'s convenient location keeps the customers coming. This small yet cozy spot is conducive to studying and people-watching, and the java, other hot drinks, and baked goods are always delicious.

Book Trader (290 York St.) is only barely edged out by Koffee? as the best study spot. The café is housed inside a glass-walled and -roofed atrium that provides access to precious daylight, a rare commodity for academics. A real plus is the attached used bookstore, although the selection is somewhat limited. Last, but certainly not least, Book Trader offers quite possibly the best sandwiches in New Haven, which feature amusing literary names such as the "Jane R'Eyre Roast Beef Sandwich." The only real drawback is the early closing time—for most of the week, Book Trader shuts its doors at 9 p.m.

Down the block from Book Trader is Atticus (1082 Chapel St.), a Yale classic and a solid combination of bookstore and café. Open until midnight and located across from Old Campus, Atticus is a favorite spot for meeting and grab-bing a cheap bite to eat. The bread baskets are a perfect snack, and the soup, both cheap and tasty, is ideal for the winter months. It's usually fairly crowded and noisy, but you can always grab a spot at a table or the counter. Though the service can be slow, if you're not in a hurry Atticus is a great place to shmooze.

On the same coffee-filled street is that Übermensch of coffee shops, Starbucks (1070 Chapel St.). Yes, corporate civilization has hit New Haven. Despite my lingering guilt over consuming from one of the largest and most insidious chains in the country, I have to admit that Starbucks sells, hands down, the best espresso in the area. And don't even try ordering a Frappuccino anywhere else—I promise you'll regret it. The interior looks like every other Starbucks in the country, offering a taste of familiarity for the homesick. If you can nab one of the four cushiony purple velvet armchairs, it's a cozy niche for curling up with a book—there's even a table with plugs for laptop addicts. It closes relatively early at 10 p.m., making the Atticus that sits next door a better option for night owls.

To impress your date, head on down to Cosí Coffeehouse & Pizzeria (338 Elm St.). Late hours and dim lighting provide romantic atmosphere over the flickering flame of your personal s'mores roasting station. Cosí's aesthetic is best described as West Coast urban chic, and it makes for a funky, if contrived, atmosphere. The food is outrageously expensive, but the wood-oven-baked pizza is worth it.

Willoughby's (1006 Chapel St., 60 Temple St.), with two locations near campus, meets your coffee cravings. It has cheap bagels, making it a suitable breakfast stop, though it offers few places to sit. The storefronts are often hang-outs for New Haven gutter punks—a nice splash of local color in the increasingly homogenized downtown area.

Au Bon Pain (1 Broadway), on the other hand, is the most overrated coffee shop in the Yale area. It's overpriced. The food is bad. The coffee sucks. The interior is sterile and the service is horrendous. Yet everyone goes there—and because of its high profile, you'll eventually find yourself there too. The only excuse for even entering the place is the fresh-squeezed orange juice. Otherwise, don't bother.

lg. coffee specialty Atticus $1.40 breads Au Bon Pain $1.80 sandwiches Book Trader $1.49 sandwiches Cosi $1.80 pizza/s'mores Koffee? $1.49 quiche/soup Kofee Too? $1.49 baked goods Starbucks $1.80 chai drinks Willoughby's $1.59 baked goods

Coffee Guide: where, what, and how much?

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