Princeton's coffee scene runs heavy on independents. Small World Coffee has two cafes (Witherspoon and Nassau) and roasts its own beans; the Witherspoon branch is the one for working alone on a laptop. Sakrid Coffee Roasters on Witherspoon is the newer challenger, slightly more serious about the pour-over.
For evening drinks, the Nassau Inn's Yankee Doodle Taproom is the unavoidable institution — a long wooden bar, panelled walls, and a vast painted mural by Norman Rockwell of a young Yankee Doodle himself. Triumph Brewing Company brews on the premises and is the obvious choice for craft beer. Witherspoon Grill has the best after-work bar scene for the older crowd; Alchemist & Barrister is the dependable pub for students.