Brewed Awakenings

Today, I tried Brewed Awakenings in the South County Commons for the first time. I had wanted to try Brewed Awakenings for quite some time but it was being remodeled. In fact, today was the first official grand reopening! Although I was unable to compare and contrast the old from the new Brewed Awakenings, the interior was extremely comfortable and aesthetically-pleasing. Brewed Awakenings, or "Brewed" for short, was the perfect place for me to try and get some homework done on a nice afternoon. The interior is open and has several areas for watching one of the flat screen TVs, studying, or eating. There is also an impressive stone fire place!

Besides the pleasant interior, Brewed Awakenings also boasts some delicious coffee, frozen drinks, sandwiches, and baked goods. They have a variety of iced and hot coffee flavors. Today, I tried the mocha cinnamon swirl coffee -- a new taste for me, but enjoyable nonetheless. My friend tried the cookie dough frozen drink, a delicious concoction containing an entire M&M cookie.

Evidently, Brewed Awakenings has a faithful line of followers. The grand reopening drew in several customers, excited for Brewed to be back in action. There was even a Facebook group entitled, "Can I Survive Without Brewed?" with over one hundred fifty members. The page featured updates regarding the status of Brewed's remodel. It also served as a forum for customers to share their struggles of dealing with life without Brewed Awakenings.

When I was there today, it seemed like all the customers picked up where they left off. I also noticed a significant amount of URI students. Brewed Awakenings has a casual, quiet atmosphere perfect for studying, reading, or just relaxing. People gathered around tables to sip coffee, sat on the armchairs to use their laptops, and lined up to get their favorite Brewed creations. I felt a little out of place, a Brewed newbie of sorts. My solution? I'll have to go more often.



















Quick Info:

What: Brewed Awakenings
Where: Wakefield
Price Range: Moderate
Best Feature: Comfortable environment

Simon Says

Simon Says Café in East Greenwich is one of my all-time favorite coffee shops. I first stumbled upon Simon Says when I was about thirteen and thought I was just the coolest person because I could walk there with my friends and get something to eat. Now, however, I am pretty much addicted to Simon's iced coffee. I live on the Warwick-East Greenwich line, so it's really close to home. It's about a twenty five minute drive from URI, but I think the coffee (among other options) is worth the hike. Simon Says is located in the heart of Main Street, so there's usually a steady stream of cafe-goers coming in and out. Simon Says also features free Wifi, so it's an ideal spot to set up a computer and get some work done. If you're computer-less, Simon Says' storefront windows also function as great tools for people-watching. I'll admit, my friends and I have been guilty of drinking coffee while being entertained by the passerbys of Main Street.

Upon entering Simon Says, you will be faced with an impressive chalk board, listing all of the iced/hot coffee flavors of the day. Simon's has the classics, like house blend and hazelnut, but also features specialty flavors like "Jamaican me crazy," mocha vanilla, and mudslide. The flavors are brewed in, so if you are like me and prefer flavor brews rather than flavor shots, Simon Says is ideal.

Besides coffee, Simon Says features a variety of teas, fresh baked goods, and sandwiches. You can have any of their deli sandwiches grilled on their panini-maker which makes any 'ol sandwich taste infinitely better!

Warning: You might become addicted to this wicked good coffee! Fear not, however, because Simon's has a coffee card; for every six coffees you buy, you get one free!

Quick Info:

What: Simon Says Café
Where: East Greenwich
Price Range: Moderate
Best Feature: Iced coffee flavors