It’s a well-known saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day — but not all breakfasts are created equal, which is why choosing where you eat matters just as much as what you eat. Whether you’re looking to grab something quick before a long day of classes or trying to find a spot to relax and catch up with friends on a Saturday morning, there’s no better place to do it than Fojo Beans.

Though a popular coffee spot within the Colgate University and Hamilton community, Fojo Beans is still too often overlooked as a go-to breakfast option. A lot of times, students seem to just line up at other village establishments instead, or maybe grab something quick from the breakfast buffets at Frank Dining Hall or the O’Connor Campus Center (Coop). However, the variety of drinks, food and pastries at Fojo makes for a great breakfast for Colgate students to start their days with.

The lattes are rich in flavor with tons of light foam on top and definitely worth getting in a “for here” mug just to see the beautiful designs on top. There is also a long list of flavor shots to choose from when ordering any type of drink, including caramel, pistachio, coconut and more, so there are many ways to customize your drink just the way you like it. Senior Abigail Shadwick loves to stop at Fojo Beans for a quick study break.

“Fojo provides the best cafe study space off campus,” Shadwick said. “I can’t go too many days without their delicious pretzel breakfast sandwiches that are easy to reheat when I’m on the go.”

Aside from the drinks, the food items available at Fojo are another strong selling point. The sandwiches are customizable with multiple protein options, including bacon, sausage and shiitake mushrooms. There are also a few different choices for the sandwich bread, including a bagel or cheddar biscuit. 

First-year Corinne O’Mara is a huge fan of Fojo’s breakfast sandwiches, especially the specialty breakfast sandwich, which has a unique blend of sweet and spicy flavors. 

“Fojo Beans is one of my favorite breakfast spots in town, and their specialty breakfast sandwich that comes with hot sauce and syrup is so yummy and a must try,” O’Mara said.

Fojo’s pastries are as impressive as their other food and drinks, with a wide variety of options including cookies, croissants and more. The pastries are perfect if you want to add a sweet treat to a balanced breakfast, and they’re also great for a quick grab-and-go breakfast.

“You can’t go wrong with a little pastry to go with your breakfast,” O’Mara added. “My favorite is the chocolate avalanche.”

Senior Paige Foa, who works at Fojo Beans, has a number of favorite menu items of her own.

“My go-to drink is latte or iced coffee, but if I am feeling fancy, we also have some really good smoothies,” Foa said. “Food wise, I often go straight from my shift to class, and my favorite to-go lunch is the chickpea wrap or chicken salad sandwich.”

In addition, Foa shared some hints about exciting hidden gems on the menu for anyone who isn’t sure what they’d like — or even just anyone looking to try something new.

“If you need a treat, some of my co-workers have been getting really creative with the specialty drinks menu,” Foa added. “And I think there is something for everyone there.”

Apart from the delicious food and drinks, there is another aspect of Fojo Beans that really contributes to making it the best breakfast spot near campus: the environment itself. The service is always amazing, and there are constantly people inside the café chatting, doing work or even just laughing together.

“My favorite part about working at Fojo is the people,” Foa said. “My co-workers are all very kind and unique, which makes every day exciting at work. Additionally, we have a lot of regular customers who I have really enjoyed getting to know and interacting with regularly.”

Even if you feel like you never have enough time before class in the morning, and even if you already have your weekend breakfast routine down, I cannot recommend making the time to go to Fojo Beans enough — it definitely lives up to its campus fame.