Coffee Talk in Columbia!

There are a variety of coffee houses in downtown Columbia and near the USC campus. Three within walking distance for USC students are Cool Beans, Immaculate Consumption and Adriana's.

Cool Beans, 1217 College St. Open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-midnight Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-midnight 779-4277

Prices at this coffee house are moderately low, ranging from 95 cents-$3.50.

This coffee is great, with a warm and wholesome taste. I had the cappuccino, which was really rich, and my friend Amanda tried the White Mocha, deeming it good and sweet.

Cool Beans has regular house blends and fancier things like mochaccinos, white mochas and lattes.

There are speciality sandwiches and desserts from carrot cake to kahlua cake. In Cool Beans, the atmosphere was very "art deco". Andy Warhol would probably have hung out here. To me, there was a combination of a jazzy and a Spanish feel. The coffee house consisted of mix-and-match tables and chairs with art work for sale on the walls. They also had borrowable books on the shelves, which I thought was really cool.

Overall, Cool Beans has a fresh modern but classical look. It's a good place to snuggle up to read or to study late at night. They had several rooms to lounge in, and one room reserved for non-smokers.

Immaculate Consumption, 933 Main St. Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. lunch) Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Closed on Sundays. 799-9053

Prices are low, from 95 cents-$2.50. Here, coffees are refreshing and exotic. Immaculate Consumption has a world of coffee flavors, such as Brazilian, Costa Rican and Peruvian, as well as Kenya, Sumatra and Java blends.

IC also has lunch specials, such as sandwiches and soups. It has limited dessert choices -- mainly cookies and Tiramisu.

The atmosphere at IC caters to the young and modern. Rich, bold techno colors cover the walls in this coffee cafe. IC is very neat and clean. Outdoor seating is limited, but inside, it's spacious and comfortable.

At IC, I tried the Mocha, which was absolutely wonderful. Amanda chose the hot chocolate, which was made from real ingredients, not from a mix. She said it was the best hot chocolate she's ever tasted.

Adriana's Gelateria, 721 Saluda St. in Five Points. Open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-midnight Friday, 8 a.m.-12:30 a.m. Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. 799-7595

Prices were moderate, from $1.50-$3.75. Coffee variety included the usual blends, mochas, cappuccinos, lattes and frappes.

We got the Italian sodas, raspberry and orange, because we had a little too much coffee at the other places. They were very refreshing. Adriana's also serves food, including a variety of desserts (Tiramisu and cheesecake) and ice cream, bagels, soups, sandwiches and pizza.

Adriana's is spacious and funky. There was a techno feel to this cafe. Adriana's had a new-age atmosphere that was attractive to people of all ages, but especially college students. Adriana's was very clean with outdoor seating available. It has a great location in the heart of Five Points. The service was also very friendly and laid-back.