“A Large Coffee Please, With a Side of Procrastination!” -The Best Local Coffee Places

By Sofie Bego and Lauren Lisitano;

Mosaic Fashion Editor and Managing Editor;

Finals are only a week away, whether we want to admit it or not, and it’s time to boost our final averages, and maybe make the Dean’s List- because Mom would be so proud.  Thankfully, the library is open 24 hours to cater to our favorite hobby- procrastination.  And during those late-night cram sessions, what’s the one thing you want by your side?  Coffee, coffee, and more coffee.

Here’s a round-up of different coffee places around Newport to check out next time you’re looking for your daily dose-
Empire Tea and Coffee

The incense of a sweet concoction of grapefruit, chamomile, blueberry and herbal-smelling tea fills up the atmosphere when one walks into Empire Tea and Coffee. Located on Broadway, this quaint café, furnished on the outside with glass, blocked by red frames and a black and white flag in the center, adds a classic Irish touch to one of Newport’s bustling streets. On the inside, Empire’s simple wooden table setting and subtly decorated walls complement its delicious and savory baked goods and drinks, served over a glass-top counter. Matching its small-town, cozy design; Empire’s customers are mostly regulars, from Salve students working away on their laptops to older folk coming in for their daily cup of joe.What makes Empire a beloved café with loyal customers, however, is its ability to offer the most refreshing cup of bubble tea. One can have this iced blend with chewy Tapioca bubbles at the bottom, ranging in flavor from blueberry to raspberry or black tea. The café also provides a large straw to slurp out the fun-textured bubbly, colorful tea-filled sacks, almost always bringing back the childhood years with that first poke and sip.

If that does not satisfy you, then the variety of tea will definitely hit the spot. Even coffee lovers cannot resist asking about the different blends of white, black, green, oolong, and herbal drinks. Flavors from Vanilla Roobois, Indian Spiced Chai, Jasmine Dragon Pearls and Egyptian Chamomile jump out in excitement from the handwritten chalkboard menu.

If your taste buds are already watering, maybe it is time to stop by Empire Tea and Coffee!

22 Broadway Street

(401) 619-1388

For More Information, Check out their Website and Facebook Page

 

Espresso Yourself Café

The Espresso Yourself Café, which is conveniently located right next to Newport Yachting Center, offers a quiet place to grab a unique drink or snack and unwind.  With the smell of freshly baked blueberry muffins lingering in the air, Espresso Yourself offers everything from Thin Mint iced coffees and coconut mochas to vanilla chai teas and protein shakes. Breakfast is served all day long, no matter if you are staying or going, with made-to-order breakfast sandwiches and homemade chive cream cheese (don’t wait too long though, those tomato basil bagels go quick).

A place where the owner Pat says hello to most people by name, the local café feel makes it a comfortable place to glance at the “Mercury” or “The Newport Daily News” as you finish up your bacon, egg, and cheese and get ready to tackle the next section of Thames Street.

Next time you think about going to the generic chain coffee place, check out Espresso Yourself Café for a change of pace.

For more information, check out their website.

 

337 Thames Street

(401) 847-1125

 

Jonathan’s Café

Maybe all you have time for is a latte to go, or today is the one day you can sit back and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Anything goes at Jonathan’s Café.  There is a seat yourself section with a waitress and breakfast menu or a to-go counter whipping together drinks for the people who can’t stay.  While you wait for your large iced double shot soy latte, check out the bulletin board covered with event flyers and business cards.  If that’s not your scene, enjoy the morning breeze outside at the few tables and benches. Serving Ocean Coffee, Rhode Island’s own micro-roaster, the beans offer a unique taste and promote staying local.

22 Washington Square

(401) 846-6060

 

Ma’s Donuts and More

When it is three o’clock in the morning, and your eyes cannot read another sentence, and those flashcards are still screaming your name, a little late-night pick-me-up is in order.  Lucky for Newport residents, when Dunkin Donuts and Marylou’s Coffee are closed, Ma’s Coffee and Donut shop, located on 78 W Main Road in Middletown, Rhode Island, can be your caffeinated support through the early hours of the night.

With its neon pink and orange 50’s theme, drive-thru, and a logo of a smiling woman, whom regulars affectionately refer to as Ma, the shop looks like any other chain coffee stop. However, with its unique menu, filled with flavors such as Snickerdoodle, Mocha Java and an array of our favorite classics such as Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint mocha, Ma’s offers customers what most people cannot get at any regular coffee store. What is even better is Ma’s tasty assortment of breakfast sandwiches, with eggs that do not look like they just popped out of a microwave from a plastic-wrapped bag.   Ma’s is the perfect late-night stop to take a break from crunching numbers on the third floor of the library.

If You are a Fan of Ma’s, be sure to “Like” them on Facebook!

78 West Main Road, Middletown RI
(401) 846-7918