Dean’s List Café provides a sweet and charming on-campus oasis

Tucked away next to the Joint Educational Project House on 34th Street sits a quaint cafe underground. A small gate leads down a few steps and into Dean’s List Café. Outside, luscious green vines against brick walls and countless succulents give the space a tranquil atmosphere. A beautiful little patio in front of the entrance is scattered with tree trunks as table tops. Surrounded by greenery, and even chirping birds, this courtyard is its own little escape from campus. Twinkling lights are strung across the top for when the sun goes down, giving the area charming vibes. Inside, wood floors and long wooden tables give the room a warm, casual coffee-shop feeling. Around noon on a Thursday, people chat with friends, study on their laptops, or simply enjoy a lovely lunch at this hidden shop.

Reading over the list of coffee, tea, paninis, crepes, boba and milkshakes, recommendations from the staff were needed to make a decision. According to the barista, the most-ordered items on the menu are the paninis and the iced matcha green tea. The paninis are sizeable, and almost everyone in the restaurant who was eating had ordered one. However, the strawberry-banana-Nutella crepe, along with an iced matcha green tea, sounded fantastic. The barista asked what kind of milk was preferred for the tea, offering options of regular, almond or soy milk. Almost every restaurant charges extra for almond or soy milk, but not at Dean’s List; it is nice being able to choose a preference without the extra cost. In addition, there is a fridge full of pre-made salads, wraps, juices and soda providing other options. At $10 for the crepe and drink, the food and beverage prices are about average for a local café. Whether one craves something sweet or savory, healthy or indulgent, Dean’s List has an assortment of options.

Only two employees were working at the time, who were friendly as well as helpful. The small area used for cooking is pretty limited, so everything is made to order. After a few minutes, the massive strawberry-banana-Nutella stuffed crepe appeared on the table. Unfortunately, the crepe was not the best. Though packed with a plethora of fresh bananas and strawberries — inside and outside — with just the perfect amount of Nutella and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, the actual crepe itself was not warm or soft but instead crisp and cool. The thin layer of crepe didn’t measure up to what was expected, although the appearance of it was wonderful, not to mention very filling. However, the iced matcha green tea is perfect for those craving something that is just a tad sweet. This drink itself is a refreshing light treat, especially for a warm day in L.A. The three iced tea options on the menu can be made with boba; Dean’s List is one of the only places to get boba on campus, so one may want to take advantage and try it out.

In the center of the shop, there is a large-screen projector that hangs down which supposedly has movies playing sometimes; however, at that specific time, nothing was playing and it was pretty quiet inside. The calm atmosphere of Dean’s List allows for a relaxing afternoon or evening.

Dean’s List is a relaxing study spot where there is no sense of rush or urgency. It is an ideal place to hang out with friends, get some studying in or just stopping by for a casual, refreshing treat. Overall, this place should definitely be on the radar to check out.

Dean’s List is open weekdays 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and weekends 11 a.m.-7 p.m.