But the main reason I am writing this is because there is still a ridiculous number of upstanding Amherst students who do community service or are in positions in student government or just like coffee who have never heard of Rao's or have no idea where it is. The culprit behind this atrocity is none other than that insatiable monster of corporate greed: Starbucks.
The coffee at Rao's is absolutely amazing. I developed my own loving relationship with caffeine in my hometown of Wellington, New Zealand-a town with one of the highest rates of cafes per capita in the world, so I know a good cup of coffee when I taste one. Rao's espresso is deliciously rich and is of a much higher quality than Starbucks' or any of the many bland Starbucks wannabes out there. Rao's hot apple cider-complete with a slowly-dissolving stick of cinnamon-is a wonderful non-caffeinated treat. They also serve tea, steamed flavored milk, water, juice and all kinds of other high-quality drinks. The iced drinks are perfect during the stifling heat of the summer, although I don't feel that they're at quite the same level as the hot coffee drinks.
In addition to their sublime coffee and other flavorful drinks, Rao's serves an excellent variety of desserts, which are perfect complements to the tasty drinks. Rao's has all sorts of cookies, pies, cakes and other scrumptious morsels which are even better than the attempts of the so-called dessert experts over at Bart's. My personal favorites include rich cream-filled torts.
The other reason that Rao's is so popular is the free wireless Internet that it provides to customers. Many regulars will set up their laptops on a table, order a rich espresso and then sit at their computers for the remainder of the day, working on school-related assignments or just relaxing and surfing the Internet.
Rao's coffee is markedly superior to any other cafe anywhere near Amherst, its desserts are even better than those at gourmet dessert specialty shops and it gives its customers unlimited access to free high-speed Internet. The only thing that stops me from camping out at Rao's every day after class is that it is slightly pricey. It's not any more expensive than any other cafe that serves gourmet coffee or desserts, but if you spend a lot of time there, you'll soon find that the expense begins to add up quickly. Regulars who spend many hours at a time at Rao's avoid high costs by sipping slowly and ordering infrequently as they read, write and relax in the wonderful atmosphere.
It's this great atmosphere at Rao's, more than any of its individual highlights, that really makes it special. It's always warm with wonderful smells of ground coffee beans gently wafting around the room. Photography and artwork hang from the walls and soothing music plays softly in the background. The outside tables and benches are great for kicking back and spending more time than you have to spare having great conversations with good friends during the warmer months. For some reason, Rao's seems to be the perfect incubator for great conversations. Sitting warm and comfy inside Rao's with a piping hot drink when it's dark and cold outside makes you feel indescribably safe and happy. No matter what time of the day or year, it always has a magically cozy, friendly and unique atmosphere. Nowhere else in Amherst is quite the same as Rao's.