Fitzbillies

Website: www.fitzbillies.com
Corner of Trumpington and Pembroke Streets
Fare: coffee, pastries, afternoon tea, desserts, sandwiches, dinner
Price: £
Service Tips: one side is the cafe, other side is the bakery counter and table service; all takeaway espresso drinks are 8 oz

Fitzbillies is a must for any student staying anywhere near Trumpington Street, especially if it's early in the morning and you're desperate for a caffeine fix. Fortunately, your nearest coffee shop, aka this one, is fabulous. To be fair, Caffé Nero is a bit less expensive and more spacious, but you have to go to Fitzbillies at least once, and I highly recommend being there between 8:45 and 9AM when the chelsea buns are made available. Rumor has it that you might be able to get one while it's still warm from the oven, although this doesn't always work, and if you get there too early, they may not have them at all. For the uninformed, chelsea buns are like sticky buns, except they have thinner dough, so there are more spirals to fill with cinnamon-y goodness, plus they're packed with currants. The syrup tastes like it might be sweetened with honey. In other words, it's the perfect complement to a cup of coffee, although it is not for the faint of heart.

As far as the coffee goes, their espresso drinks are all pretty well done, and they actually serve iced coffee all year round. Word to the wise: all of their drinks come in one size, but the size is specific to the drink, so if you want a smaller espresso + milk beverage, you should order a cappuccino, and if you want a larger espresso + milk beverage, you should order a latte. That works if you're staying in, but all takeaway drinks appear to be 8 oz. The jury is still out on what exactly a flat white is, at least Fitzbillies-style. Whatever it is, it looks and tastes identical with a cappuccino, so let me know if you discern its true nature.

As food goes, their grilled cheeses make a great takeaway option, and their scones are pretty good. All of their food prices go up pretty quickly if you're staying in, so don't be too surprised if you end up spending an extra pound or two that way. Generally, it will be a little more expensive than some places, but it's a nice spot and the coffee and food rarely disappoint.

Hot Numbers Coffee

Website: www.hotnumberscoffee.co.uk
Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street (just off Mill Rd, south of Parker's Piece)
Fare: house roasted coffees, tea, Fitzbillies pastries, breakfast, sandwiches, bottled drinks, wine & beer
Price Range: £-££
Service Tips: leave dishes at table
Reviewers Tried: 8 oz. cappuccino (Brazil Sertaozinho); iced latte; porridge w/ prunes & honey

This little coffee shop is a bit of a walk, but if you have the time and you love seriously good coffee, Hot Numbers is a gem and well worth the effort. First of all, they're an independent small batch coffee roaster -- music to my ears, anyway. They've incorporated that into quite a nice menu, where you can actually choose from one of three different single origin espressos, served as a 2, 4, 8, or 10 oz. americano or traditional cappuccino. They also offer another roast for "filter" coffees, in this case, not drip coffee, but rather a choice of aeropress, syphon, or pour over. For those who are inclined to have their coffee over ice, that's also an option, and they even shake their iced lattes, which doesn't necessarily accomplish anything special, but the end result looks pretty. You can even get a single origin decaf there, which is a feat in and of itself.

The cafe itself looks like a great place to work, with a couple of large wooden tables meant for group work (if you've been to Fitzbillies, it's like the long table they have on the cafe side, except that Hot Numbers has at least four of those, and they look like they can far more comfortably accommodate a large group). It's nice and sunny with the big front window, and they double as an art gallery, so you can peruse the collection or just enjoy the ambiance of a clean, artsy cafe that knows how to make your coffee right. Plus, they serve Fitzbillies' pastries, so if you want all the goodness without all the crowdedness, Hot Numbers is the place to go.