Barista Tatiana Cazacinscaia creates delicious caffeinated concoctions at Kawa Espresso Bar, located on 13 Ave. and 8 St. in the Beltline area of Calgary, AB. STACY WONG PHOTO

Students love their coffee, but sometimes campus life makes it difficult to remember the various establishments outside of the realms of Fratello cups at The Station and SAITSA-sleeved java at The Odyssey.

Since a whole world of coffee is available beyond the school campus, The Weal decided to scope out the best cups of caffeinated joy around the city.

Overall best: Higher Ground Café
Price: $2.45 for a large
Location: 1126 Kensington Rd NW

Higher Ground has been a Kensington staple since before I even hit puberty. All of their coffees are organic, directly traded, and shade- grown which means it not only tastes good, but it also makes you feel good as a conscientious consumer.

My biggest beef with coffee shops tends to be the cup sizing, but Higher Ground impressed with a soup-bowl-sized bright yellow mug for my large coffee.

The shop also recently started hosting vegetarian meal nights every Wednesday between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and offers free wifi for pedestrians and customers alike.

Best flavour: Phil & Sebastian coffee roasters
Price: $3.40 for a large
Locations: 2043 33rd Ave SW and Chinook Centre

It may be expensive, but ordering a coffee from Phil & Sebastian always feels likes ordering a really fancy dessert.

The roster of available coffees changes daily, but flavours often include hints of various fruity notes, chocolate, coconut, caramels and other favoured indulgences.

The company was started by two former local engineers, who place high importance on their relationships with the growers, the brewing and roasting methods of the beans.

All food sold at Phil & Sebastian locations is made using local ingredients. This includes pastries from Calgary-based Manuel Latruwe and Sidewalk Citizen, as well as organic milks and yogurts from Lethbridge-based Vital Greens.

Best for people watching: Caffe Beano
Price: $2.25 for a large
Location: 1613 9th St SW

Located right in the heart of the Red Mile, Caffe Beano provides a wonderful scenery of hipsters, and offbeat eccentrics. The staff are even interesting to look at, as they often sport hipster facial hair, neat piercings, and the store itself is decorated with vintage coffee paraphernalia.

This café also boasts some of the best opening hours in the city, as it is open for early risers at 6 a.m. (7 a.m. on weekends) and doesn’t close until midnight.

While the coffee tends to be slightly stronger than the brews at other stores, many java enthusiasts might argue that a stronger taste makes for a better coffee.

Best Value: Dairy Queen (Braeside Location)
Price: $0.51 with unlimited refills
Address: 1919 Southland Dr SW

They may be famous for their ice cream cakes and blizzards, but few people know that Dairy Queen actually has one of the cheapest cups of coffee in the city.

While it is no Starbucks, the store uses freshly ground beans and puts on a fresh pot at least once each hour. Customers are not charged for additional refills and have access to cream, milk, sugar, and sugar substitutes.

Those in favour of a cheaper café experience should take their study notes to Dairy Queen and spend two quarters in exchange for a few hours of study-time and an unlimited supply of java.

Different locations have different prices. While the Braeside location only charges $0.51, the location on 8th St and 14th Ave charges $1.04.

Best on campus: Tim Hortons

Price: $1.79 for a large

Address: On the ground level of the Senator Burns Building

It’s no secret that students and teachers love Tim Hortons. The company recently introduced a new extra large-sized cup that holds 24 liquid ounces, which works well for all-nighters and staying awake during long lectures.

Customers also get to order their coffee and sweetener fixings at the cash register, which can be a huge time-saver when class starts in ten minutes.