As a grad student, we spend a lot of our time studying and sometimes studying at home/on campus just doesn’t cut it.
I found that I get distracted often at home and that studying at cafes really kept me focused - plus I got a sweet treat out of it as well! Here are my favorite places to study in Fullerton and the surrounding areas:
1. Rabbit and Bean - La Habra
A lot of my classmates know this already, but I will never stop recommending Rabbit and Bean. It has the perfect trifecta: best drinks, best study spot, and best service (make sure to say hi to Julie)! It’s about a 12 minute drive from campus and the drinks range between about $5 - $6.50, so pretty normal prices for really good drinks. Most of the time, I go in the morning and have the whole cafe to myself for at least a couple hours, but it’s also a nice place to go after exams or if you just need some good coffee/matcha to get you through your day. They have tons of outlets and the wifi password is everywhere on the walls. Parking is also really easy, they have a lot right outside the cafe that they share with the neighboring businesses.
2. Sip & Savor - Downtown Fullerton
Great for studying with a small group or for individual studying! As with any location in downtown Fullerton, it’s a good idea to come in the morning (anytime before about 10 am) to make sure you get a seat. There’s a good parking lot in the back (on W Amerige Ave) that fills up pretty quickly. They have outlets at each table and all along the walls, and their wifi is pretty good. It’s about an 8 minute drive from campus and is also a good place to go as a little reward after exams. The fancier drinks (tiramisu series) can be a little on the pricier side, but overall they range from about $5 - $7.50.
3. Bag of Cakes - Fullerton
This trendy patisserie/cafe is super close to campus (about 4 minutes away) and is a great place to get a pick-me-up for those long lecture days. Drinks are about $5 - $6 and parking is super easy. I wouldn’t necessarily come for the coffee, but the matcha drinks are pretty good and all the pastries are amazing! It does get pretty busy because of its popularity, so make sure to come early and bring a jacket/layers because it does get super cold inside. Also, their tables are metal, so the magnetic case on the iPads sticks to them, which I thought was a little bit of a downside to studying here.
4. 525 Coffee Co. - Fullerton
Really good place for individual studying and the seats are super comfy! It’s about a 10 minute drive from campus, but parking is limited. It looks like a small house that they made into a cafe, so the vibes are comforting and quiet inside. Drinks range from about $5 - $7 and they have a lot of signature drinks like a black sesame oat latte and strawberry matcha. Overall, it’s a good place to lock in and study for a while, and there’s a big table with outlets in the middle so you can really plant yourself down for hours and get some work done there.
5. Chase Coffee Roasters - Fullerton
This used to be called Able Coffee Roasters and I think they switched ownership this year, but their menu is still the same! It’s on the other side of CSUF (4 minute drive from campus) and is a really good place to study because of all the tables, outlets, and open space. The drinks are about $5 - $7 and parking is super easy. Pro tip: bring a jacket if you’re there for a while because it gets pretty chilly inside here too!
Bonus: Caffe In Coffee Co. (Anaheim) unfortunately isn’t a good study place (no tables), but it’s great for a little pick-me-up before/after clinic! It’s down the street from Ketchum Health (2 minutes away) and they have really good einspanner and matcha drinks. I would definitely recommend visiting if you have time and/or are near KH!
