School has picked up again, and unfortunately for students that can mean piles of homework and tests. Finding the right study space can be one of the most important factors in getting work done. The library is often packed, the quad too loud and home too busy, so finding the perfect cafe to fit your needs is something that every high school student can benefit from. Here are four of our favorites.

Ada’s Cafe

This cafe, located near Mitchell Park, offers delicious snacks and an open area for many to come and study. Ada’s is a comfortable place to get work done and is conveniently located next to the Mitchell Park Library, so there are many resources right at your fingertips.

The small cafe has many delicious snacks such as cinnamon buns, cookies and savory treats. They are all homemade and are served by workers of all abilities. Ada’s prides itself in hiring and training disabled adults to work in the food service industry. Working for this organization allows the disabled adults to be independent and teaches them essential life skills.

The customer service is excellent; the workers are incredibly sweet and make sure everything is to your liking by checking in with you constantly. This cafe is also incredibly easy to access when coming straight from school, with a parking lot and bike cages located near the front. The only drawback is that the cozy cafe has four or five tables hugging the wall, potentially limiting workspace.

Need a break? Take a walk around Mitchell Park —the green grass, blue skies and fresh air will help clear your head when you need to rekindle your focus.

Cafe Zoe

This cafe — which marks a crossroads of sorts between Palo Alto and Menlo Park — feels almost as though you’re entering an entirely different town. A town you’d pass on a family road trip, where everyone knows one another, lives in cottages with yellow trim and buys eggs from their jolly chicken-rearing neighbor Mike on Sunday mornings. Among its many small businesses, this quaint stretch of road is home to a true hidden gem: the inimitable and inviting Cafe Zoe.

Cafe Zoe occupies a pleasantly small yet comfortable space with a unique new-age hippie vibe. There are a few armchairs  and wooden tables scattered about inside. The back garden has a charming patio that features a wooden playhouse for kids and open-air seating on benches with vibrantly colored pillows. Beside the counter are displays of local-made jewelry.

The employees are warm and personable; with their hair in dreadlocks or dyed blue, they seem as if they belong in a trendy thai restaurant in the Mission, but by some twist of fate ended up in this cozy coffee shop. The service in general is good, adding to the local, community-centered corner cafe feel. They made me promise that next time I order one of their paninis and “K’s Pear and Blue Salad.”

According to one of the baristas, Zoe is “different from what people would expect a cafe to be. We want to have a different feel than Starbucks or a more corporate place. When you come here, it’s homey and welcoming.”

They offer free Wi-Fi (the password, of course, is keephopealivepeaceandjobs). If you order the honey cinnamon latte, pair it with a scone and take advantage of the lovely fresh air and cushioned patio seating.  You could easily spend a perfect afternoon studying at Cafe Zoe.

Coupa Cafe

In the busy streets of downtown Palo Alto lies a well known Silicon Valley treasure on Ramona Street: Coupa Cafe. This cafe is nestled in the crowd of restaurants and local stores of downtown Palo Alto, and was the first of the now five locations around the area. The Venezuelan-inspired coffee shop serves a variety of different food and drink options. Coupa is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m, whether you are looking to get work done or to grab a bite to eat.

The study space is brought to life with warm colors. A section of the cafe outlined with couches, pillows and a fireplace adds to the comfortable environment. Coupa is always bustling with people meeting with co-workers, students studying and families getting a quick dessert.

The tables are spacious enough to hold textbooks, laptops, pencils and papers. Dimmed lights illuminate the tables while soft music plays in the background, creating a relaxing atmosphere that is conducive to work. The customers are given free Wi-Fi and have outlets at their disposal.

We recommend the tiger spice iced chai latte and ham and cheese croissant for a sweet and savory study snack!

CoHo Cafe

Marked by an unassuming narrow glass doorway and commonplace overhead sign, Stanford’s Coffee House (CoHo) Cafe is easy to overlook. However, inside lies an incredibly quirky and underrated location, perfect for afternoon studying. CoHo is littered with an eclectic array of chairs and tables, ranging from the stiffest wood to your grandmother’s living room loveseat. The cafe’s appearance instantly reflects my primary take away — it has something to offer for everyone. This point is carried home by the immense variety of their menu, which is written in bright and inviting colors across a classic chalkboard, offering everything from the “Kale Super Salad” to freshly baked vegan pastries. We recommend trying the Havana Latte and a slice of lemon almond tea cake if you’re looking for a light pick-me-up.

The cafe is open until midnight (11 p.m. on Sundays) and always seems to be alive and bustling, mostly with Stanford students relaxing in big groups or studying. Parking outside of Tressider Union is permitted only until 4 p.m., so head over for some late afternoon studying! It’s also accessible if you take the Marguerite from the University Ave CalTrain station.

CoHo is spacious, providing the freedom to choose your seat depending on your desired atmosphere, be it studious or social. So receiving the trademark librarian death stare from stressed-out college students is never a concern during loud and engaging conversations. As for those of us with upcoming exams, it’s easy enough to find a private corner where you can work in peace. They offer free Wi-Fi, and there are a few outlets for charging computers. After you work is done, invite some friends to grab a late night bite and enjoy the unpretentiously cool ambience.