Excellent study spots in Boston?
December 2, 2007 9:26 AM   Subscribe

Where are the best spots to study and get work done in Boston?

I like to be able to bring my laptop and sit for as many consecutive hours as I can before I've had enough. So I'm looking for: free wi-fi, comfortable chairs, late hours, relatively quiet (live bands for instance would be a deal breaker), proximity to the T as it is freezing outside, and high ceilings if thats not too much to ask. Hopefully this place exists.
posted by pwally to Education (14 answers total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Diesel Cafe in Davis Square (Somerville) would fit the bill.
posted by dagnyduquette at 10:08 AM on December 2, 2007


Here's a decent list.

If you can do without WiFi (or you know a BU student), Boston University's Mugar Memorial Library satisfies all those requirements quite well. You don't have to be a student to get in, and they're open 8am-midnight (24/7 during exam periods).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:39 AM on December 2, 2007


Free WiFi is surprisingly hard to find in Boston! University libraries (specifically, the MIT libraries or classrooms, in my case) work, though you may not be able to get useful WiFi access if you're unaffiliated.

Generally, I tend to opt for 1369 (Central Square) or Diesel (Davis). You have to pay for WiFi, but you've got a quality source of caffeine, reasonable tables/chairs, access to plugs, reasonable hours for Boston (1369's open til 11, Diesel til midnight), high ceilings, etc. I've never found the music too bad, though I often bring my own headphones while working, making it something of a moot point. Toscanini's Ice Cream has free wifi and coffee. It's near Central Square, and also has delicious milkshakes. Mmmm, milkshakes. It's also open until 11, but the layout isn't all that great for sitting and working for hours on end (though I've done it.)

If you can do without WiFi, I've always loved going to Tealuxe in Harvard Square - great tea, generally pretty quiet, fulfills all your other requirements.
posted by ubersturm at 10:48 AM on December 2, 2007


Nice advice, ubersturm, except that none of those places are in Boston.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:01 AM on December 2, 2007


Hey, man - plenty of people use "Boston" as shorthand for the Boston metropolitan area, whether or not you approve. Given that the poster specified T-accessible (and a host of other attributes) rather than anything geographically specific like "within JP", there is a reasonable chance that easily accessible places in Cambridge (or heck, even nearish bits of Brookline like Coolidge Corner, or whatever) might be acceptable. (Depending on where the poster lives, plenty of places that are within Boston proper may actually be less accessible.)
posted by ubersturm at 11:11 AM on December 2, 2007


Bates Hall at the BPL is my favorite place to work and meets most of your requirements. Free wi-fi with a library card #, 50 ft ceilings, very quiet, and the Copley stop is right there. If you're doing academic work you have access to every reference book you could want. It's only open till 9 weekdays, though, and closes even earlier on Friday and Saturday nights.
posted by otio at 11:47 AM on December 2, 2007 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Yah cambridge is perfectly fine I'm there every day.
posted by pwally at 12:01 PM on December 2, 2007


yeah, the BPL, totally
posted by matteo at 12:07 PM on December 2, 2007


JP Licks has free wifi and is open until midnight at almost all of their locations. Also this yelp list has compiled a nice set of wifi-enabled options.
posted by zachxman at 12:36 PM on December 2, 2007


3rding the BPL. Quiet, beautiful, and if you need a reference book they'll deliver it right to your desk. No food though, which is a downside.
posted by fermezporte at 12:43 PM on December 2, 2007


I fourth the BPL. Also note that there is apparently wireless at the branch locations as well, although I've never tried using it at any branches. Not all of the branches are set up to be comfortable places to work, but if there's a nearby branch you should be able to get wireless there. If you are in the Brookline area, the Brookline Public Library also has wireless service, apparently. They have a branch in Coolidge Corner.
posted by posadnitsa at 2:58 PM on December 2, 2007


Trident! I love this place. There are always lots of students hangin' around. The conversation noise level does rise a bit when it's busy. The bookstore part is quieter, though.
posted by yogurtisgenocide at 3:06 PM on December 2, 2007


(Depending on where the poster lives, plenty of places that are within Boston proper may actually be less accessible.)

Very true.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:00 PM on December 2, 2007


Can't believe no one's mentioned Darwin's - two locations, thought the one on Mt Auburn is closer to the T (Harvard Sq). Great food, tends to be relatively quiet, good coffee, free wifi. The only problem is that sometimes (like around lunchtime) you might have a little trouble snagging a seat. I've found hovering is pretty effective here, though.

Has the Emack and Bolio's in JP re-opened? Another dual-duty coffee-shop and ice cream place with good seating and free wifi.
posted by lunasol at 4:25 PM on December 2, 2007


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