The best cups of coffee to keep you warm in Ann Arbor

There’s winter, and then there’s winter at Michigan. It’s pretty on postcards — show someone a picture of the Law Quad covered in snow, and you’re guaranteed to get a comment about our school looking like Hogwarts. But the magic only lasts so long. When you miss the bus, have to trudge up State Street in ankle-deep ice sludge, and can’t move your fingers for the first 30 minutes of class, you might be wishing a little more for Butterbeer and a little less for class.

But before you decide to crawl in a hole and hibernate until Spring Break, here’s something to make the daily grind a little better: a little daily grind for yourself, roasted by the best coffee shops in Ann Arbor. Some are tucked right off the Diag, like Comet Coffee, a cozy shop that’s cute enough to thaw any frozen hearts. Others are a hike from campus, like Roos Roast, a cafe that’s a little bit grungy and a whole lot delicious. I’ve picked five drinks from five different coffee shops, all of which are more than enough reason to journey out into the cold. Cheers to caffeine!

Comet Coffee

Vibe: Comet is like that secret boutique you’re lucky enough to stumble upon in a big city. Sided by a shoe store and an antique shop in Nickels Arcade, the tiny coffee shop is easily overlooked, despite its popping mint walls and heavenly countertop dessert display. Still, its coffee speaks for itself — Comet is often packed with everyone from students to tourists to Ann Arbor yoga moms — so if you’re looking for a study spot, this may not be the best place.

Best for: Insta-worthy latte art

What to get: Cappuccino or Drinking Chocolate

Sweetwaters

Vibe: Following Ann Arbor tradition, Sweetwaters is quirky and homey at the same time. The shop is stuffed with cozy armchairs and tea tables, its shelves covered with brightly colored pots and hand-painted mugs. Though Sweetwaters is primarily a tea shop, the coffee menu is second to none, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Plus: Sweetwaters has three locations near campus, so you can keep your winter walking to a minimum!

Best for: Sweet drinks and giant slices of cake

What to get: French Vietnamese Au Lait (French chicory coffee with steamed condensed milk)

Mighty Good

Vibe: You know that cool guy who reads newspapers and hangs retro bikes on his walls? Me neither, but I want to meet him, and Mighty Good is definitely where that guy would hang out. Along with the wall bikes, the shop is host to eclectic music, dozens of industrial-chic tables and a team of coffee connoisseurs working behind the counter. If you’re looking for somewhere to study chemistry, work on your screenplay, or generally look cool while sipping from your stainless steel thermos, look no further. (Warning: People may judge if you add cream and sugar to your coffee.)

Best for: Learning way more than you needed to know about the pour-over method

What to get: Brown Sugar Sea Salt Latte

Espresso Bar

Vibe: A book lover’s coffee house. Tucked in the upstairs half of Literati bookstore, the Espresso Bar isn’t so much of a shop as it is a community — instead of paying immediately at the register, customers are asked if they want to start a tab for their coffee, and are encouraged to take a seat at a stranger’s table while the drink is brewed. Though bookshops famously attract a quieter group, the coffee bar is warm and inviting, with local characters and students sharing the same space.

Best for: Talking to cool grad students about their dissertations

What to get: Vanilla Latte

Roos Roast

Vibe: Underground rock concert. Okay, not quite, but Roos is by far the most obscure gem on the list — about two miles from campus, resting in a bland, concrete building whose only defining feature is a green “COFFEE” banner above its doorway, the shop is seldom tread by students. (Instead of hiking all the way there, you might want to run, like my friends and I did.) Inside the nondescript door is a shabby coffee paradise: mismatched mugs, tables made of refurbished pinball machines, weird wall-to-wall art for sale. And of course, freaky good coffee.  

Best for: Listening to “Trap Queen” while you write your philosophy term paper

What to get: Lobster Butter Love roast