River Road Coffeehouse

You'll know you're in a college town when you pop into the River Road Coffeehouse. An older building featuring a meandering maze of rooms (and free Wi-Fi), the cafe is a gathering spot for student study groups, professors grading papers, solitary readers and young mothers with tots in tow. You can enjoy your coffee or tea and a tasty pastry on the sun porch or in one of several rooms bearing thrift shop furniture and sturdy tables. Sunshine pours through the tall windows and onto the original, well-worn wood-plank floors. Known for their scones (we sampled the blueberry, and it was densely delicious and full of good, squishy berries), the coffeehouse also sells muffins, brownies, cookies and a variety of New York-style bagels with toppings that include herbed or roasted red pepper cream cheese, hummus or basic butter, and strawberry jam. Prices are modest with coffee starting at $1.50, scones priced at $1.75, brownies at $1.85, and a bagel and cream cheese for $1.75 ($2.25 for the hummus).