Sidge’s Top Spots for Lunch and Coffee

With the demise of the delightful Harvey’s Coffee House, Humanities students find their options for lunch and much needed caffeination breaks thinned. Well-dressed regulars to the concrete vista of the Sidgwick site, look no further for the nearest space to study ambiently or loudly disclose the details of your personal lives!

Without further ado:

The Arc Café 

The Arc Café monopolises the Sidgwick site. This somewhat sterile sixth form common room-esque space possesses usually ample seating indoors and outside, with a lovely vantage on the law library’s glassy front. Be sure to negotiate monstrous queues when lectures are let out, for efficient service. Situated opposite the now vacant History library, Arc is nonetheless convenient for a quick coffee foray or lunch break from most of the bigger libraries.

Arc is closed on weekends, but open 8:30 to 4:30 in the week for all your pre-lecture coffees and post-lecture paninis.

The Buttery

Sometimes forgotten for some undisclosed reason, Arc’s more ambient cousin makes for a cosier study space but unfortunately offers materially less seating. Embedded in the armpit of Sidge’s low hanging brutalist structure, if you can claim a table, the Buttery is a classy alternative for an afternoon’s study.

The Buttery has the same opening hours as its main competitor, Arc.

The IRIS Café

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If you fancy some variety beyond the two not dissimilar options left on Sidgwick, brave the journey across the road to Newnham’s redbrick interior. The college’s IRIS Café, which is apparently also their bar, boasts an open, bright space with what appeared to be a modern art installation gracing the overhead space when I ventured in. The excitement of a menu boasting more variety than Arc’s paninis is somewhat detracted from by extortionate prices if you’re not so lucky to be a member of Newnham college. However, IRIS is open on weekends, if needs must.

Newnham’s IRIS Café is open 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm on Saturdays, and 9am-5pm on Sundays.

Selwyn College Hall

Convenient if your lectures are relegated to the remote Quarry Whitehouse, try Selwyn Hall. Food is variable (hot food) and their pastry spread is stellar. However, Selwyn’s prices aren’t much cheaper than IRIS’s, and the canteen has the most anxiety inducing queuing system, so that even when seated in Selwyn’s really very nice hall, your incredibly high resting heart rate might detract from the enjoyment of whatever baked good that you have selected.

Selwyn Hall lunch opens 12:30-1:30, Monday-Friday

English Faculty Building Vending Machine

Desperate times call for desperate measures – you might be able to source a Twix if the machine isn’t being temperamental.