Where is the best coffee on campus?
Bitter, burnt of blistering hot - the perfect cup of coffee at the right price is essential to get students day off to the right start. With 8 a.m. classes, late night cram and the first midterm of the year fast approaching, Fanshawe students will be living off of caffeine for the next couple of months so you better know where to get the best brew.
Olive Oyles Deli
Where: Lower level A building 1001
$$$: Small: $1.20, Medium: $1.35, Large: $1.60
Taste: Serving up Starbucks brand coffee at lower than average Starbuck prices is a bonus for this eatery. The coffee is fresh and done to perfection
Extra: Tea, latte, chai latte, authentic cappuccino, mocha, espresso, steamers
Overall rating: 4/5 Starbucks is usually a treat for most students, who can't afford to eat let alone drop $5 on a coffee. Having the brand on campus, and Olive Oyles in general, is not only a bonus for students, but also the culinary program that keeps this place running. The coffee is great, but the huge lunch line-ups and minimal hours aren't beneficial to the student life.
Grinders
Where: Oasis cafeteria in the Student Centre
$$$: Small: $0.75, Medium: $1.00, Large: $1.25
Taste: Their Brazilian is the best bet, which is always fresh due to the high traffic of residence students. The All Life brand, which is a bit more expensive, is worth it in taste and the knowledge that you are supporting Fair Trade for coffee-workers. Huge portions for very little cost, but watch-out once in a blue moon you may get a cup of burnt java. The self-serve milk, cream and sugar can be a positive for control freaks or a negative for those who are lazy.
Extras: Lattes, authentic cappuccino, espresso, decaf, flavored coffees and a vast assortment of tea.
Overall rating: 4.5/5 With their enormous servings, club card (every tenth coffee is free), extensive choice, Grinders fairs very well. One bonus is the travel mug, which is $5, and every time you buy a large coffee they only charge you for a medium.
Tim Hortons
Where: Food Court Junction and H cafeteria
$$$: Small: $1.07, Medium: $1.17, Large: $1.31, X-Large: $1.49
Taste: The good thing about Tim Hortons is you always get what you want. It's fast, fresh, efficient, a good price and we are not sure if it's exceptional coffee or that the company has brainwashed the entire Canadian population into thinking so. The ladies of Tim's on-campus always get it right and you have to commend them for putting up with students
Extras: Steeped tea, decaf, mocha and sugary cappuccino.
Overall rating: 4.5/5 It is what it is and judging by the insane morning line-ups, Fanshawe loves it. Their convenient locations make it easy to access and even though they had that price-gouge of four cents last spring the price is very reasonable.
Southwest Cafe
Where: D cafeteria
$$$: Small: $1.40, Medium: $1.69, Large $1.87
Taste: Not bad but the regular coffee had a somewhat stale and old taste. Coffee had a bit of hidden flavour, as if a couple of drops of Hazelnut coffee had made its way into the regular coffee cup. There are never long lines here, but that may be a bad thing considering the minimal traffic the coffee station gets.
Extras: Flavoured coffee and decaf, many different kinds of tea
Overall rating: 3.5/5 Not bad for potentially sitting there for a while, but the ridiculous prices leave a horrible after taste. They have a sign posting stating the recent rise in coffee has made the price go up, but the portions are tiny in comparison to others around campus and not worth the extra cash.
Vending Machine
Where: D building right outside the Southwest café in amongst the other vending machines, right beside Michelina's machine.
$$$: One size $1.00
Taste: Unfortunately we couldn't taste the brew because it was out of order, but the machine looked like it was from 1973 and were hoping the coffee came out in a Styrofoam cup. We think this machine coined the term “frothy coffee”, which is it's version of flavoured cappuccino, and just seeing that combination of words written on a machine was worth the try.
Extras: “Frothy Coffee”, mocha, french vanilla, hot chocolate
Overall rating: N/A
Out Back Shack
Where: Student Union Building
$$$: One size $1.25
Taste: Although the staff here are worth the effort and made us a fresh pot, the watered-down brew tasted more like tea than coffee. On the plus side, portions are endless if you are eating in.
Extras: Although they don't offer lattes and chai, there is a large assortment of alcoholic beverages to suit anyone's taste, and really that's what most students would rather have.
Overall rating: 2/5 The watered down coffee might leave you caffine starved, so start the night early and try the beer on tap.
Falcon's Nest
Where: Student Union Building
$$$: One size $1.25
Taste: Drinkable, but it tasted like a pot a coffee that was brewed at the office in the movie Office Space - predictable, boring and unexciting. There are an assortment of flavours and over 20 kinds of tea.
Extras: Irish crème, decaf, vanilla, hazelnut coffee, and swiss mocha and french vanilla cappuccino and hot chocolate
Overall rating: 3/5 You can't help but love this little independent convenience store that serves everything from chicken alfredo to the best giant cookies on campus. The coffee is o.k, but not the best. However, the Falcon's Nest is the cheapest place to buy Coca-Cola products on campus if you are in the market for that type of caffeine boost.
Mr. Sub
Where: Food Court Junction
$$$: Small: $1.00, Regular: $1.20
Taste: Who ever thought Mr. Sub sold coffee? The java is black as tar and tastes the same. The server said the staff is lucky if they make two pots a day. One female taste tester said, “This would put hair on my chest”, which leads us to believe that this is the worst coffee on campus
Extras: You won't find any fancy drinks here, but pickles come on the side.
Overall Rating: 0.5/5
Even though there was a tie between Tim Hortons and Grinders in the taste department, Grinders edges out Timmies due to the club card, large portions and cheap price.
Olive Oyles Deli
Where: Lower level A building 1001
$$$: Small: $1.20, Medium: $1.35, Large: $1.60
Taste: Serving up Starbucks brand coffee at lower than average Starbuck prices is a bonus for this eatery. The coffee is fresh and done to perfection
Extra: Tea, latte, chai latte, authentic cappuccino, mocha, espresso, steamers
Overall rating: 4/5 Starbucks is usually a treat for most students, who can't afford to eat let alone drop $5 on a coffee. Having the brand on campus, and Olive Oyles in general, is not only a bonus for students, but also the culinary program that keeps this place running. The coffee is great, but the huge lunch line-ups and minimal hours aren't beneficial to the student life.
Grinders
Where: Oasis cafeteria in the Student Centre
$$$: Small: $0.75, Medium: $1.00, Large: $1.25
Taste: Their Brazilian is the best bet, which is always fresh due to the high traffic of residence students. The All Life brand, which is a bit more expensive, is worth it in taste and the knowledge that you are supporting Fair Trade for coffee-workers. Huge portions for very little cost, but watch-out once in a blue moon you may get a cup of burnt java. The self-serve milk, cream and sugar can be a positive for control freaks or a negative for those who are lazy.
Extras: Lattes, authentic cappuccino, espresso, decaf, flavored coffees and a vast assortment of tea.
Overall rating: 4.5/5 With their enormous servings, club card (every tenth coffee is free), extensive choice, Grinders fairs very well. One bonus is the travel mug, which is $5, and every time you buy a large coffee they only charge you for a medium.
Tim Hortons
Where: Food Court Junction and H cafeteria
$$$: Small: $1.07, Medium: $1.17, Large: $1.31, X-Large: $1.49
Taste: The good thing about Tim Hortons is you always get what you want. It's fast, fresh, efficient, a good price and we are not sure if it's exceptional coffee or that the company has brainwashed the entire Canadian population into thinking so. The ladies of Tim's on-campus always get it right and you have to commend them for putting up with students
Extras: Steeped tea, decaf, mocha and sugary cappuccino.
Overall rating: 4.5/5 It is what it is and judging by the insane morning line-ups, Fanshawe loves it. Their convenient locations make it easy to access and even though they had that price-gouge of four cents last spring the price is very reasonable.
Southwest Cafe
Where: D cafeteria
$$$: Small: $1.40, Medium: $1.69, Large $1.87
Taste: Not bad but the regular coffee had a somewhat stale and old taste. Coffee had a bit of hidden flavour, as if a couple of drops of Hazelnut coffee had made its way into the regular coffee cup. There are never long lines here, but that may be a bad thing considering the minimal traffic the coffee station gets.
Extras: Flavoured coffee and decaf, many different kinds of tea
Overall rating: 3.5/5 Not bad for potentially sitting there for a while, but the ridiculous prices leave a horrible after taste. They have a sign posting stating the recent rise in coffee has made the price go up, but the portions are tiny in comparison to others around campus and not worth the extra cash.
Vending Machine
Where: D building right outside the Southwest café in amongst the other vending machines, right beside Michelina's machine.
$$$: One size $1.00
Taste: Unfortunately we couldn't taste the brew because it was out of order, but the machine looked like it was from 1973 and were hoping the coffee came out in a Styrofoam cup. We think this machine coined the term “frothy coffee”, which is it's version of flavoured cappuccino, and just seeing that combination of words written on a machine was worth the try.
Extras: “Frothy Coffee”, mocha, french vanilla, hot chocolate
Overall rating: N/A
Out Back Shack
Where: Student Union Building
$$$: One size $1.25
Taste: Although the staff here are worth the effort and made us a fresh pot, the watered-down brew tasted more like tea than coffee. On the plus side, portions are endless if you are eating in.
Extras: Although they don't offer lattes and chai, there is a large assortment of alcoholic beverages to suit anyone's taste, and really that's what most students would rather have.
Overall rating: 2/5 The watered down coffee might leave you caffine starved, so start the night early and try the beer on tap.
Falcon's Nest
Where: Student Union Building
$$$: One size $1.25
Taste: Drinkable, but it tasted like a pot a coffee that was brewed at the office in the movie Office Space - predictable, boring and unexciting. There are an assortment of flavours and over 20 kinds of tea.
Extras: Irish crème, decaf, vanilla, hazelnut coffee, and swiss mocha and french vanilla cappuccino and hot chocolate
Overall rating: 3/5 You can't help but love this little independent convenience store that serves everything from chicken alfredo to the best giant cookies on campus. The coffee is o.k, but not the best. However, the Falcon's Nest is the cheapest place to buy Coca-Cola products on campus if you are in the market for that type of caffeine boost.
Mr. Sub
Where: Food Court Junction
$$$: Small: $1.00, Regular: $1.20
Taste: Who ever thought Mr. Sub sold coffee? The java is black as tar and tastes the same. The server said the staff is lucky if they make two pots a day. One female taste tester said, “This would put hair on my chest”, which leads us to believe that this is the worst coffee on campus
Extras: You won't find any fancy drinks here, but pickles come on the side.
Overall Rating: 0.5/5
Even though there was a tie between Tim Hortons and Grinders in the taste department, Grinders edges out Timmies due to the club card, large portions and cheap price.
