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Coffee Shops in State College, PA

13 cafés, coffee shops and one famous creamery, grouped by part of town.

By Matt Glick · Updated October 30, 2026

Most of State College's independent cafés are downtown, on Beaver Avenue, College Avenue and the streets in between, a short walk from Penn State's campus. A couple more sit south of downtown on Hamilton Avenue and South Atherton Street, and Lemont and Boalsburg each have a café worth the short drive.

Each listing below has the address, the kind of visit it suits and a link to the official website where we've confirmed it. Bistrozine on Calder Way also serves coffee and tea; it's listed in our restaurant guide.

Hours change often, so check each place's website before you go.

How we choose

Places are chosen by the editor, Matt Glick, based on visits and local knowledge. Nobody pays to be listed. Labels like 'Our pick' are editorial opinions, not ratings. Spotted something out of date? Contact us.

Quick Picks

Sit-down breakfastSowers Harvest Café Near campusIrving's Bagels Books + coffeeWebster's Bookstore Cafe Worth the driveCafé Lemont

View coffee shops on the map

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All 13 Cafés and Coffee Shops

Listed A–Z. Switch to "By area" to group them by part of town.

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Worth the drive

Café Lemont

$

Good for: A slower morning outside town

A daytime café in Lemont serving breakfast and lunch. They roast their own organic coffee on-site in small batches.

921 Pike St, Suite 103, LemontLemont & Boalsburg

Chew Chew Bun

$

Good for: Pastries and a quick snack

A bakery café on East Beaver Ave with baked goods, tea and coffee. Handy for a grab-and-go snack downtown.

115 E Beaver Ave, State CollegeDowntown

Coffee Hemp & Tea

$

Good for: Trying something different

A café on West Foster Ave serving Puerto Rican-influenced coffee, tea and pastries. The shop also sells hemp and CBD products.

313 W Foster Ave, State CollegeDowntown

Elixr Coffee Roasters

$

Good for: Specialty coffee near campus

A downtown café from Elixr, a Philadelphia-based roaster, on West Beaver Ave. Espresso drinks a short walk from campus.

123 W Beaver Ave, State CollegeNear Penn State Campus

Local favorite

Good Day Cafe

$

Good for: Coffee with a community mission

A nonprofit café in Hamilton Square, run as a program of Strawberry Fields. Coffee, breakfast and lunch, and your purchase supports the program.

286 W Hamilton Ave (Hamilton Square), State CollegeSouth Side (Hamilton Ave & South Atherton)

Irving's Bagels

$

Good for: A grab-and-go breakfast

A bagel shop and café at the corner of College Ave and Allen St, across from campus. A quick breakfast or lunch stop.

110 E College Ave (College & Allen), State CollegeNear Penn State Campus

Momotaro

$

Good for: Bubble tea

A bubble tea shop on West College Ave downtown. Popular with students.

220 W College Ave, State CollegeDowntown

Local favorite

Penn State Berkey Creamery

$

Good for: Visitors and families

Penn State's creamery, which dates to 1865, now in the Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building on campus. Ice cream rather than coffee, and a stop most visitors make.

Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building, Penn State campusNear Penn State Campus

Pump Station Café

$

Good for: Breakfast or lunch in Boalsburg

A breakfast and lunch café in Boalsburg. An easy stop if you're spending time in the village.

103 Boal Ave, BoalsburgLemont & Boalsburg

Rothrock Coffee

$

Good for: Coffee fans south of downtown

The café of Rothrock Coffee, a local roaster, on South Atherton Street. A good coffee stop if you're south of downtown.

1736 S Atherton St, State CollegeSouth Side (Hamilton Ave & South Atherton)

Our pick

Sowers Harvest Café

$

Good for: A sit-down breakfast

A café on East Beaver Ave serving coffee, breakfast and lunch. A calm place to sit down for a morning meal downtown.

421 E Beaver Ave, Suite G1B, State CollegeDowntown

Vibe Coffee Co.

$

Good for: Working or catching up over coffee

A specialty coffee shop on West Beaver Ave at the west end of downtown. A good place to sit with a laptop or meet a friend.

401 W Beaver Ave, State CollegeNear Penn State Campus

Local favorite

Webster's Bookstore Cafe

$

Good for: Book lovers and quiet reading

A used bookstore and café in one, on East Beaver Ave. Browse the shelves with a coffee in hand.

133 E Beaver Ave, State CollegeDowntown

Coffee Shops Near Penn State

A short walk from campus. Most of the downtown cafés above are close too.

Elixr Coffee Roasters

$

Good for: Specialty coffee near campus

A downtown café from Elixr, a Philadelphia-based roaster, on West Beaver Ave. Espresso drinks a short walk from campus.

123 W Beaver Ave, State CollegeNear Penn State Campus

Irving's Bagels

$

Good for: A grab-and-go breakfast

A bagel shop and café at the corner of College Ave and Allen St, across from campus. A quick breakfast or lunch stop.

110 E College Ave (College & Allen), State CollegeNear Penn State Campus

Local favorite

Penn State Berkey Creamery

$

Good for: Visitors and families

Penn State's creamery, which dates to 1865, now in the Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building on campus. Ice cream rather than coffee, and a stop most visitors make.

Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building, Penn State campusNear Penn State Campus

Vibe Coffee Co.

$

Good for: Working or catching up over coffee

A specialty coffee shop on West Beaver Ave at the west end of downtown. A good place to sit with a laptop or meet a friend.

401 W Beaver Ave, State CollegeNear Penn State Campus

Drive-Thru Coffee in State College

The independent cafés in this guide are walk-in. Chain coffee shops with drive-thrus are along North and South Atherton Street.

Coffee Near State College: Lemont & Boalsburg

Lemont and Boalsburg are both a short drive east of downtown, and each has a daytime café.

Worth the drive

Café Lemont

$

Good for: A slower morning outside town

A daytime café in Lemont serving breakfast and lunch. They roast their own organic coffee on-site in small batches.

921 Pike St, Suite 103, LemontLemont & Boalsburg

Pump Station Café

$

Good for: Breakfast or lunch in Boalsburg

A breakfast and lunch café in Boalsburg. An easy stop if you're spending time in the village.

103 Boal Ave, BoalsburgLemont & Boalsburg

Frequently Asked Questions About Coffee in State College

Irving's Bagels at College & Allen, Elixr and Vibe on West Beaver Ave are all a short walk from campus. The Berkey Creamery is on campus for ice cream.

Chain coffee shops with drive-thrus are along North and South Atherton Street. The independent cafés in this guide are walk-in.

Webster's Bookstore Cafe combines a used bookstore with a café. Vibe Coffee Co. and Elixr are popular for sitting with a laptop. Seating can fill up during the semester.

Rothrock Coffee is a local roaster with a café on South Atherton Street. Café Lemont roasts its own organic coffee on-site in Lemont. Elixr is a Philadelphia-based roaster.

Help Keep This Guide Accurate

Know a spot we should cover, or see something out of date? Tell us.

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Cafés open, close and change. If a listing here is out of date, let us know and we'll fix it.

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