This one is for those dedicated few still around during the winter holidays as you might be wondering where to get a tasty treat to stave off the cold during the winter break…
Campus has become remarkably quiet, leaving some cosy coffee and study spots up for grabs throughout uni. The end of the year is bringing some seriously cold weather, and there can be no better time to explore some comfortable nooks and snug cafes while there are less people around to fight for seats with.
Take advantage of a quieter campus and have your pick of usually hotly-contested seats all over campus.
Bar Fusion
Staying open until 21st December, Fusion can often be overlooked as a study spot because of its business during term time, being not only a fusion of cuisine, but also somehow of a bar, restaurant, and games room. But once the majority of students have diffused out from campus, comfy armchairs and huge windows create an airy space ideal for a change in environment.
Humanities Café
Like Bar Fusion, Humanities Café is around to tide you over on the weekdays up until 21st December. Seeing as the library cafes shut after the first week of the winter break, humanities will become your closest stop for a caffeine boost if you’re working in the library, and it’s a snug corner to choose. Being able to sit almost directly beside a pond whilst still staying in the warm means you might forget about the season, but the festive drinks will soon remind you of it.
Oculus
Unlike Humanities, Oculus’ café isn’t open over Christmas, but being so close to Costa means you can snag a drink en route, or just enjoy the views from the huge windows in their own right. Being one of the newest buildings on campus, the WiFi speeds are amazing for any avid researchers, and window-side tables also make it prime game for some old-fashioned people-watching if your brain needs a respite.
I’m based near Leamington, so I can also provide some recommendations around this popular area for Warwick students. Although you might need to compete with the locals for space, Christmas lights and a break from the bubble are reason enough to venture into Leam for a well-needed hot drink.
Rosie’s Vintage Tea Shop
Within throwing distance of the old favourite Zou Bisou (a solid shout for a cosy café in its own right), Rosie’s is a spot of the traditional amongst the niche and modern coffee hang-outs in Leamington. Classic food, varied teas, and charming service come together to create a warm environment you won’t want to leave.
Leif Tearooms
If you’re a heavy sufferer of the winter blues, Leif has enough indoor plants to not only convince you that it’s still summer, but that you’ve also been transported to a forest. High, sky-lighted ceilings and airy décor add to the outdoorsy feel, and the combination of a classic British pub bar and a well-priced food menu fulfils any customer’s craving. Making it through the whole day in Leif could also treat you to a musical end to the day, with them seamlessly turning into a piano bar on the occasional evenings, the perfect end to a cosy day away from the Midlands’ winter.
The Clarendon
The ultimate spot for friends to catch up together now that you aren’t seeing each other in classes, the Clarendon offers so many different types of bar food that no one will go hungry. If you’ve escaped the cold and managed to leave work behind you for the day, the wealth of choice in board games dotted around the various tables and sofas will also make sure you won’t get bored. What more could you need than enough food and entertainment to ensure you won’t need to layer up against the cold for hours?
With so many cosy options, you’ll have no problems beating the chills this winter, making sure you end your year on a coffee and cake-induced high. Enjoy exploring these café corners and maybe you’ll find a new favourite of your own to carry with you into the New Year as your favourite study spot.
