Getting out and going to a coffee shops is one of the best ways to warm up and cheer up in the wintertime. The long winter months of being trapped inside with nothing to do seem never ending. I went on a coffee shop hunt and found some of the best hidden gems in the St. Charles and New Town area.

I went out on Sunday, grabbed a friend and headed to Bike Stop Cafe in St. Charles. The little cafe is tucked away right off of Main Street, St. Charles. The cozy shop has outdoor seating, with an individual fire pit next to each table. The café is decorated with cute signs, bike posters and it is filled with  a cozy vibe. There is a full breakfast menu with foods ranging from breakfast sandwiches, to egg wraps, to oatmeal and fruit bowls. They have other macchiatos, espressos and mochas, but I thought the coffee bar was one of the coolest aspects of the café. If you go with the coffee bar, they give you a mug and you have an endless amount of refills of coffee. The prices at the cafe were nowhere near a Starbucks five dollar cup of coffee. For my oatmeal and latte, I paid around eight dollars, including a small tip. There was no room for complaint; the location was perfect, the food delicious and the atmosphere cozy.

Afterward, we headed to another coffee shop in St. Charles, Crooked Tree Coffeehouse. There is a limited amount of parking next to the shop, but there is a lower lot filled with plenty of parking spots. We had just eaten breakfast so I can’t speak for any of their food, but their latte was delicious. Crooked Tree has the best prices by far. I spent a little over three dollars with a small tip included. Though the coffee shop was filled with churchgoers, Lindenwood students and people just looking for a cup of joe, the atmosphere was very calm. They had low and high-top tables, as well as couches. My friend and I plopped down on the couch and enjoyed a game of Scrabble while sipping on our coffee. I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and cheap prices, making Crooked Tree one of my new favorites.

Our last and final stop was by far the best. We went to the Bridge Coffeehouse in New Town. New Town itself is wonderful, so the location was prime. The coffee shop was on the corner of the street, with a cute sign on the outside screaming, “Come On In.” The shop was filled with tables, couches, cute coffee and religious-themed decorations and it had games available for use. I finished off my coffee shop hunt with, you guessed it: a latte; this time it was iced. By the time we got here, it was right about lunchtime. They had paninis, salads, bagels, sandwiches and soups, but I went with a Parmesan bagel with cream cheese. I hate to say it, but Bread Co. was put to shame with this bagel. My friend and I sat down and played a game of Nertz and she sipped on her smoothie as I guzzled down my third latte of the day. Though this shop had the best food and latte yet, the atmosphere was not my favorite. The shop was filled with Catholic verses, a prayer board and encouraging quotes, but something seemed to be missing. There weren’t baristas rushing around, or super hipster coffee lovers deep into a good book. It felt like any regular coffee shop.

By the end of the day, I was bouncing off the walls and cringing at the thought of another latte. Overall, I was glad that I found some great coffee shops for the future. My favorite coffee shop was The Bridge. The food, latte and Catholic atmosphere was great, not to mention the New Town location. My second favorite was Bike Stop. They had a great menu, great service and the best location of all the shops. Last, but still an excellent shop, was Crooked Tree. The latte was great, but the lack of parking and small shop turned me off. Whether you’re going out to get a cup of coffee, ready to write a best-selling novel or you are just looking to get out for the day, a coffee shop is the way to go.