My name is Camilia Bhandari. I am a second generation Tylerite and a 23-year-old college student attending The University of Texas at Tyler.
As the next assignment due date approaches, I look at my desk and think, “Anywhere but back there.”
My studying malaise reached the tipping point during finals last semester. I realized I needed a better plan moving forward. Part of what helped? Coffee with cream and a sense of adventure.
Instead of “work,”I treated my studies as an opportunity to explore and find the best places in Tyler to get the job done. These are my findings and ratings.
La Madeleine Country French Cafe
419 W Southwest Loop 323
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Free WiFi: Yes
Electrical outlets: Fair
Parking: Free, abundant
Atmosphere: Cozy, sophisticated, Cottage Core vibe
Prices: Competitive
Substantial meal options: Yes
The coffee was richer and less expensive than Starbucks and presented in a cute mug with foam on top. Light French music plays in the background, and the bathrooms are nice and clean with large stalls. Business is slow in the afternoon, so I often have the place to myself. The staff was so friendly. If you take a sip and blink your eyes, you can convince yourself you are indeed in France.
Café 1948 Coffee and Juice Co
110 N College, Suite 103
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Free WiFi: Yes
Electrical outlets: Abundant
Parking: Free at Fair Plaza parking garage; pay at meter if closer
Atmosphere: Chic, hip, trendy
Prices: Hurt my wallet
Substantial meal options: Yes, but pricey
The shop is located downtown – convenient for some of us. I had to park in the Fair Plaza Parking Garage and walk a block to get there (but that was part of the adventure). Approaching the shop, you are greeted by chic wooden chairs and decorative plants. The interior looks like a luxury art studio without the mess. Contemporary, variety music blasts in the background as you sift through the menu. The sitting area is small, and they stay pretty busy. There is only one place with plug outlets in the cafe, but the shop is connected to Plaza Tower, which is filled with plug outlets and comfortable seating. Its main downside: Expect to pay close to double as the same quantity of beverage from Starbucks.
Corner Bakery Café
3306 Troup Hwy.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Free WiFi: Yes
Electrical outlets: Sparse
Parking: Free, abundant
Atmosphere: Welcoming, warm, homey
Prices: Reasonable
Substantial meal options: Yes
The cafe has a cozy atmosphere with dim lighting and lots of menu options. My search concluded there are only two places with outlets and one of them was at a large booth. The coffee was cheaper than Starbucks and delicious. The staff are very friendly, and the food is delicious.
Tyler Public Library
201 S College Ave.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Free WiFi: Yes, but prone to slowness
Electrical outlets: Abundant
Parking: Free, abundant
Atmosphere: Family friendly, academic
Prices: none
Substantial meal options: Food and drink not allowed
As soon as you walk in, there’s a powerful quiet that testifies to reading and thinking minds. The front desk staff are nice and excited to tell me where I could find chairs and outlets. I walked around the entire second floor and found countless single desk nooks with outlets and other cozy study and work spaces. This is a library and not a coffee shop, so outside food and drink are only allowed in the lobby area.
Robert R. Muntz Library at UT Tyler
3900 University Blvd.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Free WiFi: Yes
Electrical outlets: abundant
Parking: Free and abundant for students; further away for visitors
Atmosphere: Classy, collegiate
Prices: None
Substantial meal options: Food and drink not allowed
The space has a very modern layout, and there are lots of sitting spaces in a beautifully landscaped setting outside. Lots of study nooks with outlet access inside and comfortable couches, seating and white boards.
The Foundry Coffeehouse
202 S Broadway Ave.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Free WiFi: Yes
Electrical outlets: Sparse
Parking: Free at the Fair Plaza Parking Garage
Atmosphere: Classy, modern, artistic
Prices: Costly, considering the portions
Substantial meal options: Few
Lovely coffee, lovely people, lovely food and lovely atmosphere. This coffee house has become a famous staple among Tyler residents. The only reason I have ranked The Foundry further down the list is the lack of seating close to an outlet. I found fewer than five outlets. There is quite a lot of open space but more indoor seating is needed during high traffic hours.
Starbucks Coffee
Multiple locations in Tyler
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Free WiFi: Yes
Electrical outlets: Sparse
Parking: Free, abundant
Atmosphere: Chic fast food vibe
Prices: Expensive
Substantial meal options: Few
I have gone to Starbucks to study many times and, although I am usually not deeply disappointed, I am not wowed like I have been at the local shops. This being the fast food of coffee shops, you can expect a harried employee to only half-fill your overpriced cup of coffee and find there is no space available to sit. Alternatively, your seating option may be within hugging distance of someone else. The experience, of course, differs at each Starbucks location.
Having been defined “different” all her life, Camelia Bhandari has a love for what makes people unique. A Tyler native and University of Texas at Tyler student studying mathematics and English, Bhandari enjoys exploring what makes Tyler unique.
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