Coffee Shop #5: The Beanery
I’ve been to the Beanery to pick up an iced tea while in the Elmwood hood, but this was my first experience doing any hard time there.
The Beanery does lose major points for having the same vast selection of Numi teas that can be found at your local grocery store, and I noticed they even make you get your own tea bag and steep it if your order a hot tea. It’s not that I’m too good for this task, but come on now, you’re a coffee and tea shop! Do your job.
At least the iced tea was better and I appreciated that the dude asked before plopping a lemon wedge in there.
What I was really impressed with was the layout. There is a front room with a few tables, a small hallway with the bathrooms, a back sun room with tables and then a back patio. The patio could be cuter, but then I’m more of an overgrown, Secret Garden type when it comes to outdoor seating. (Check out Peets at Claremont for this.)
Despite the slowish wifi, I found this to be the most study friendly stop thus far on my summer tour. The music was classical, and the back room allowed for the more focused to sit farther away from street and espresso machine noise.
The Beanery
College Avenue, Berkeley (Elmwood)
Atmosphere: 5/5
Drinks: 3/5*
Food: 4/5**
Study Factor: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
*I’ve decided that any cafe that sells Numi or Mighty Leaf tea has a 1% chance of earning anything higher than a 3/5 on my “Drinks” scale.
**I didn’t eat anything, so this is based on looks and selection. They have some good looking sweets.
Cool coffee bean tables
If ever find yourself in the borderlands and are unsure if you are in Berkeley or Oakland, there are little hints if you look around.
I love the second picture.