By Erin Fuhr | Echo
The Abbey Coffee Company
Vibe: LA hip
Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: Marion
Already well-known to many Taylor kids, The Abbey Coffee Company feels like a warehouse and has a trendy, urban vibe. Exposed light bulbs hanging from the ceiling and chill music sets the tone for a relaxing cup of coffee. There are plenty of seating options, including outdoor seating and a loft overlooking the first level of the coffee shop. The Abbey's vanilla lattes are a 9/10 as far as vanilla lattes go, and the music taste of whoever was picking the songs was a 10/10. The Abbey experience will satisfy your coffee shop craving if you're looking for a new study spot.
Payne's
Vibe: Hobbit-hole quaint
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: Gas City
Another Taylor student favorite, Payne's is a tiny British-owned café and restaurant hidden behind Cracker Barrel. Famous for their custards, Payne's offers a variety of food and coffee drinks, like sandwiches, soups and breakfast. The atmosphere is homey and quaint, and if you're lucky, your waitress might have a British accent. Payne's cookie dough custard is delicious and will probably keep you full for at least three days.
The Midwest Coffee Roasting Company
Vibe: Your stylish grandma's house
Hours: Tuesday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. to noon
Location: Marion
The Midwest Coffee Roasting Company looks like just another house on the block, but it's actually a hidden gem located in a mostly residential area of Marion. This coffee shop is run from a small yellow house, which gives it an especially homey feel. In addition to a variety of coffees and teas, they offer lunch options too. This is a great place to drink your coffee and feel like you're at your favorite relative's house.
Beatnik's Café
Vibe: "I feel like this is the place I'd go if I wanted somebody to spike my coffee"
Hours: 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Location: Marion
With convenient yet strange hours, this café is the ideal place for night owls or midnight study breaks when every campus building closes way too early. Beatnik's bright blue walls with painted clouds are the backdrop for this grungy yet colorful coffeehouse, serving those 21 and over. It has the feel of a dirty motorcyclist hang-out spot but is full of quirks and surprises (look for the nun poster). Beatnik's also hosts live bands and offers karaoke. In addition to coffee, they serve food, such as their apparently top-rated nachos. Bring hand sanitizer and an open mind to this one-of-a-kind café.
J&L Breakfast & Steak House
Vibe: Scary
Hours: Mysteriously not listed
Location: Marion
From the outside, J&L Breakfast & Steak House might look like a grungy hole-in-the-wall. From the inside, it looks the same. Low ceilings and flower wallpaper lend a nice claustrophobic feeling, and the fake skulls sitting around make it feel like Halloween year-round. Despite the questionable atmosphere, their food and coffee receive solid 5-star reviews on Google Plus. This is a great place to have that first date you're afraid is going to be awkward, because there are so many conversation topics. Like the skulls.
Southside Diner
Vibe: Only for the brave
Hours: 24 hours
Located in the heart of Marion's ghetto, Southside is the place you can depend on if you really need diner coffee at 4:30 a.m. Open 24 hours, this diner attracts all kinds of unique people. The coffee is below average and the booths have what look like stab marks in them, but a trip to Southside late at night always makes for a good story. This is a great place to go if you want to have a cup of "coffee" while meeting the locals who stay up all night.
