Life without coffee is not an attainable reality, at least not for some. You get up, drink your coffee and then you can let your day begin. But not before.  For many college students, coffee is a necessary part of the daily routine. Without the stimulant of caffeine, 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. classes are impossible concepts, let alone physically achievable feats.

So where does one living in St. Peter go to get his or her fix? The Market Place, for one, offers decent coffee at a decent price—with free refills, a nice bonus. Then of course, there is the Courtyard Café, offering higher quality coffee at a higher price. Off campus, there are Waldo’s and River Rock.

Of course, for those who are more committed to their addiction, there is the option of home brewing. There’s nothing like waking up to the smell of coffee freshly brewed in your own home/dorm/apartment.

Courtyard Café

The Courtyard Café is Gustavus’ own version of a coffee shop. It has sandwiches and chips, baked goods and bottled teas. But most students know it for its coffee. Stand around by the P.O. boxes on any given morning between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m., and it may literally be impossible to walk a foot in any direction without running into someone carrying a white cup filled with piping hot perfection.

“The coffee downstairs is better than the coffee they serve upstairs in the [Market Place],” Junior Music Major Logan Arndt said. “And they have really great cookies.”

The Courtyard Café serves Peace Coffee, which is organic and fair trade. So, you know you can feel healthy about feeding your addiction, because it’s all natural and all good.

Really, the only downside to the Courtyard Café is the fact that you have to have your Student ID (or cash) in order to buy; ID numbers won’t get you anywhere.

Waldo’s

For a quieter, older crowd, Waldo’s is the place to be. The coffee is fantastic and the seating is ample. There’s a nice fireplace and set of couches that make for great homework stations.

“Waldo’s is a moms’ coffee shop, but it has decent coffee. Also, it’s open later than River Rock a lot of times, which is nice,” Sophomore Dan Enright said.

River Rock

River Rock employee and Junior Psychology Major Josh Plattner dishes out the skinny on what makes River Rock so great.

“River Rock is unlike any other coffee shop I have ever been to, and I am not exaggerating just because I happen to be employed there; it’s the most unique coffee experience around,” he said.

A unique aspect of River Rock is its wholehearted dedication to a sustainable lifestyle.

“[It] is committed to the green revolution. We only use 100 percent certified organic products, including many certified fair trade coffees. Our cups and lids are all made from corn plastics and are completely compostable. This does not mean that our cups can be recycled, but that the cups, lids and straws won’t take up any space in landfills or trash sites,” Plattner said.

Not to be outdone by its container, the coffee at River Rock is pretty good, too.

“The materials we use to serve our drinks in play second fiddle to what’s actually inside of them: perfect espresso drinks. The flavors, both bitter and sweet, are perfectly harmonized by our extensive menu testing and playful creations.  Each drink is made with absolute precision to guarantee the tastiness that our customers have grown accustomed to,” Plattner said.