Conversation and the smell of coffee fill the air. Students chat with friends while other Evanston residents catch up on the latest news with a newspaper and their drink of choice in hand.

This scene could be taking place in any of Evanston’s numerous coffee shops.

There’s hardly a block downtown without one. The 1700 block of Sherman Avenue alone boasts five possible coffee stops.

And new establishments continue to open in the city.

For Mike Renollet, owner of Cafe Ambrosia, 1620 Orrington Ave., his store’s proximity to Northwestern was a big draw.

A week before purchasing Cafe Ambrosia, Renollet interviewed students to find something unique that his shop could provide.

“Students said they wanted more seating capacity,” said Renollet, who wanted to have an edge on the competition. “We have the main seating area and a basement.”

Since Cafe Ambrosia’s June 25 grand opening, Renollet said he has seen a growing student clientele.

“We get a variety of customers,” General Manager Matt Steponik added. “(There are) always new faces every day.”

Nicole Matuska, a Medill senior, prefers sipping her coffee and catching up on some reading outside Unicorn Cafe, 1723 Sherman Ave., she said.

“(Unicorn Cafe) is close to my apartment and has outdoor seating,” Matuska said.

Matuska said she does not frequent Starbucks, 1724 Sherman Ave., although it’s located right across the street from Unicorn Cafe.

She would rather support independent coffee shops, she said.

“Starbucks doesn’t have a lot of room and the atmosphere here is better,” she added.

But for Weinberg senior Maggie Dumin, Starbucks is the best “hands down.”

“Unicorn doesn’t make good coffee,” Dumin said. “When I go to Starbucks, I always get pretty much the same thing and it tastes great.”

Dumin said Starbucks’ atmosphere is also more appealing, “especially when it’s cold and yucky outside.”

Many of Evanston’s coffee shops provide alternative beverages for non-coffee drinkers. Erin Justice, a Weinberg freshman, said she goes to Unicorn Cafe for its chai latte.

Justice, an English major, said she first tried Unicorn Cafe after reading in The Daily that the shop is frequented by other English majors.

“I really like the atmosphere – it’s very chill and a little Bohemian,” she said. “Most of the people working there are young and really friendly too.”

Reach Jasett Chatham at [email protected].