Royal Ground Coffee

Royal Ground sits at 2409 Shattuck in downtown Berkeley, a long-running room that the Cal students and the neighborhood share without much friction. Hours run from 6:30 in the morning to 8 at night most days. Outlets stay available, free wifi keeps working, and the seating holds enough laptops to fill a small library. The bar pulls espresso alongside frappes and a bagel-and-omelet menu deep enough to cover lunch. Order a latte and the bagel with avocado and cream cheese if you want the Berkeley morning the regulars build a study session around. Order a frappe and a New York omelette sandwich if you want the room that has fed Cal students through finals for years.