Across Lake Carnegie, a new eatery called Meadows Cafe recently opened inside the new graduate housing complex, Meadows Apartments. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., the cafe offers a wide range of drinks, snacks, sandwiches, and sweets. As a University-run store, it accepts Dining Points as a form of payment. But is it worth the trek beyond Carnegie Lake, via foot or a new TigerTransit stop?
To find out, I visited on a bright and sunny Tuesday afternoon. From my class in Aaron Burr Hall all the way at the other end of Washington Street, it was about a 20-minute walk down to the water and another 10-minute walk across the bridge and into the building complex. If someone wanted to talk a little less during the trek and timed it right, the bus would be much faster, as would a bike — although the bike ride home would be all uphill. Without much signage or architectural distinction, I found it difficult to locate the cafe, but I eventually came across it.
Once inside, I surveyed the food. With an airy, modern interior and a display case of sample sandwiches and pastries, the cafe felt akin to a Starbucks. Although the online menu only displayed a few items, there was actually a wide array of options. Not only was there a stand of chips and other savory snacks, among other pre-packaged items, but there was also a freezer with Häagen-Dazs ice cream and an assortment of frozen meals.
For drinks, Meadows Cafe has any kind of coffee, latte, or espresso you would see at any other coffee shop, all sourced from illy Coffee At Earth’s End, a coffee and cigar shop on Spring Street and a block off of Nassau Street. In addition to these traditional choices, they offer four specialty drinks: peaches and cream tempesta (a milky coffee drink with peach syrup), berry chia smoothie, orange aria cold brew, and almond rose caffe latte.
I decided to try an iced version of the almond rose latte, which is also offered at illy. The drink contains espresso mixed with milk and pumps of rose and almond syrup. The rose flavor balanced out the notes of almond very well, ensuring the latte wasn’t overly nutty, and the strong, bitter espresso came through in the aftertaste. Its complex flavor profile made it unlike other lattes I’ve had before, and I would definitely try it again.
In terms of hot food and pastries, the options were just as extensive as the drinks. They offer breakfast pastries like bagels, sandwiches, scones, danishes, muffins, and croissants, as well as desserts like fruit tart and cookies. For lunch, they offer cold sandwiches, paninis, and salads — all of which are about $10 or less. I chose the double-chocolate muffin, which wasn’t as big as the mega-muffins you can find in the Choi Dining Hall, but it was still a hefty size nonetheless. The muffin was rich, moist, and dense, with a light, springy crumb. Paired with the latte, I felt as though I was having the most decadent afternoon snack on campus.
The cafe has many seats both inside and outside. Tall, floor-to-ceiling windows create a feeling of openness. It’s located directly across from a Meadows Apartments community center, where residents of the complex can gather. Outside, I saw people of all ages sitting in groups of two or three, chatting over coffees or tirelessly typing side-by-side.
Compared to other cafes on campus, like the Tiger Tea Room in Firestone Library or the Chancellor Green Cafe in East Pyne Hall, Meadows Cafe seemed to have a wider variety of high-quality foods that feel unique to this location. Although not necessarily better than somewhere you could go on Nassau Street, if you find yourself down near Carnegie Lake or willing to walk a bit further, try going to Princeton University’s newest coffee shop, Meadows Cafe.
Lulu Pettit is a member of the Class of 2027 and a staff writer for The Prospect from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pa.
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