Nice place with a small hometown vibe. Cappuccino was ok, not great but a nice place to read in their book area with a cup of coffee.

We chose Grounds for Thought while in Bowling Green visiting family. It was a neat little place. We loved the coffee selection and ambiance. The book choices were great as well. I choose a lavender white chocolate latte. It was very good! read more

See all

This coffee shop is sooo cute. It's also a great place to study and in my case practice Spanish with a language exchange group. The bevy's are delicious. I look forward to going again. read more

Wonderful old school bookstore coffee shop community center. Such a nice change from the corporate makeovers that have marred many college campuses. read more

Back again - Grounds for Thought still has it going on. This time I tried an ice sugar free coconut soy latte and it was AMAZING. As I stopped by on the way to prepare brunch with family I refrained from ordering the vegan Belgian chocolate cheesecake in the display case, but a day later I'm still thinking about it so this may not have been the right decision. Thank goodness for second (and third) chances. read more

Grounds For Thought - Iced sugar free coconut soy latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

I loved how this place was a coffee shop and a used bookstore; hard to beat that for a fun stop. They had lots of things to choose from, including different types of London Fogs. I got the caramel ghost latte, which was very good, but not super coffee-ish (that may have been the point though). I would have loved to try one of their other drinks. There were lots of people there, and it really seemed like a place with repeat customers. read more

Your local college coffee shop. Great gathering place for many types of students. I stop to check out their records. Records come second or third after coffee and eats. People sit in front of the displays and there is no easy access. I'll find a nice addition once in a while but I feel like I'm in people's way so usually cut my search short. Good coffee, OK record shopping. read more

Y'all I've found it. The gem of Bowling Green. If you are in the area, you must must must stop here. Honestly, it's been along time since I found a place so honestly charming and delightfully vibrant for every single human on earth. Let's start with the obvious reason for this review... the coffee. They have so many different choices and options. It can be overwhelming, but just ask them for a recommendation and they will help you figure out what your dream order is. They are so friendly and helpful that I really wish I could transport them into some of the places I visit more often where I live. The ambience is some thing out of a movie I would say. It ranges from coffee shop to study hall to hippie listening corner to bookworm to an I just need to chill kind of vibe. You can also buy just about anything. My friends and I insisted on getting matching sweatshirts because we wanted to encapsulate our visit forever in our brains and hearts. But you can also pick up local art, records, books, and the obvious an afternoon or morning pick me up and sandwich . Even if you're not in town, and you're somewhat close, within an hour, or so, still, plan a visit. You won't be sad you did. read more

See all

The quintessential coffee shop. Plenty of tables to get work done (though the noise can be a bit loud at times). There's a chess set that's often in use, and I've seen multiple D&D groups convene here. Great place for the community with something for all ages. There's plenty of books from picture/beginner reader's to genre to self-help. They also have a wide music collection (both vinyls and CDs). Of course, they also have food and drinks for sale, along with merch and an assortment of stickers and other trinkets. There's a wide variety of coffee flavors, and a lot of them change seasonally. The food is mostly little treats like cheesecake slices and donuts, but they also have bagels (though these do sell out throughout the day). The prices vary. I've tried a few food items, and none have been amazing but not bad (maybe just not worth the price at times). The workers seem stressed which is totally fair. Some are a bit rude, but others are very friendly. It's best to know exactly what you want when you go by the counter. They sometimes won't ask questions, so if you want a coffee cold instead of hot, for example, make sure to explicitly say that. It always seems very clean in here. They also have single bathrooms which is nice. Definitely a spot that stands out in BG. read more

Grounds For Thought - Seating Area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

See all

i don't like coffee but it always smells good in there and I've been buying used books from there since i was a little kid. everyone's always really nice too read more

Been quite some time since I've been here. But I do remember the coffee being hot and actually served in dishwater if you dine in, and the coolest option to look through books! Library vibes and coffee? What more could you want! read more

This is the best coffee shop in the state. Outstanding coffee. Never had a better one. Baristas know their stuff and are always willing to help find the right coffee drink just for you. read more

This is the center of Bowling Green life. Community members meet to play mahjong, chess and puzzles. Young people play D&D and everyone has coffee, tea or specialty sodas. Records and used books are available for purchase. Homemade donuts, bagels, cookies and sandwiches are also available. read more

GfT is the quintessential coffee shop, in my opinion. They've got great coffee, super small town ambience and charm, and seem to support local business enough to call it a staple. They're exactly what I picture being on main st bg. Their baked goods are great, especially with a nice doppio or Cafe au lait. It's worth trying their food if you're at all hungry. As a writer, it's also great to see local authors racks in book stores. It's funny to see movies and stuff like that in 2024, but hey if people buy them, that's awesome. I would say, compared to the other coffee shops in town, this is the one I'd chill in (or right outside) when writing or reading a book and downing a steady stream of cappuccino. Great, small towny, classic coffee shop vibes. read more

Small bookstore plus coffee shop. Fewer pastry choices. Coffee was okay. 3 stars for grumpy service. read more

See all

Best tea and coffee shop ever!! The service is great, the drinks are creative and delicious and the ambiance is great for studying, writing, or chilling with friends. Highly recommend. Looking for reasons to travel to Ohio just to go back. read more

This is a place I usually stop at when in BG. I love that it's a coffee shop that sells books and vinyl. It smells wonderful when you walk in and everyone is so friendly. The prices are fair and I usually find at least one thing while there. I've attended an event there and while it does get cramped it just feels like chilling at a friend's house. read more

Very best coffee in Americ and I'mbeingserious. We travel often and most coffee is good, Grounds is consistantly delicious. The staff and owners are always friendly. read more

Best cafe around. Friendly staff. Massive seating area in the book. Check the hours to make sure they're open. It doubles as a bookstore and has so many good reads. There are also board games. We got the flavored coffees: one with cinnamon and the other with mint. They were excellent. Felt wired all day. We will Be back! read more

Grounds For Thought - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

See all

Great spot for a local vibe of Bowling Green. Coffee, books, lit bit of wares. Great place to sit, meet, study or read.

So Cool! Comics, cookies, & coffee Oh my! Vinyl too. Food & cheesecakes. Classic cool read more

Grounds For Thought - Books & Seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

Great service and an ambiance I always want to be in. Will always be one of my favorite part of town hands down. The records and books along with the coffee always make my day better :) read more

See all

Grounds for Thought is a staple of Bowling Green. I loved going here as a student, then as a BGSU employee, and then whenever I was in town for business or fun. The atmosphere is lovely - who doesn't love books and coffee?! Good coffee, good book section, and tasty cakes!! It's always been a home away from home for me. read more

See all

I hate paying for parking so I love coming here in the evening because there is a free parking lot behind here starting at 5pm. Grounds for Thought is a local business that was one of the only non-chain coffee places in BG until a few years ago. You'll typically see people playing board or card games, doing some homework, or catching up with friends here. In addition to beverages and items to eat, this place sells comic books, vinyl records and used books. I don't think they have WiFi here, but I'll come here every now and again when I'm in town. It's like paying homage to one of the BG staples. There is music in the background that plays, but there's also quieter sections in the back and a private room that people use as well. read more

See all

I like to come here just because it's a nice place to sit and do homework... well, that is of course if you aren't using a laptop. Good luck finding an outlet any place in the joint. There's a few tucked away in the back against a wall that's only practical for a single person. Hope you're not doing group work. Considering it is a college town you'd think you would create a more study friendly atmosphere. Along with that laptop situation, the WiFi is weak. Don't even try it, connect to a hotspot on your phone or a friends. It'll save you the frustration and a solid 10 minutes figuring out how to get your internet to work. Coffee is just eh. I've had a few different things, raspberry chai, earl grey tea, peppermint mocha, peanut butter cup latte... basically all had the flavor of, well... milk. Or water. Practically no flavor. Absolutely don't go for the day old sandwich deal, I thought it couldn't be that bad... wilted veggies and soggy bread. I am not sure why they would even have it as an option, it probably could have given me food poisoning. The way they take your order is absurd especially during times of a rush. They ask you what you want, you stand around awkwardly not sure where to stand as other people try and push past you to order.. all while they're creating your drink. Then they have to go around asking people what they ordered to cash them out because they didn't cash you out when they took your order and they didn't write it down or enter it in on anything. You'd think that they would take your order, cash you out, make your drink & set it on the counter off to the side where it looks like you should wait for your drink... & then move on to the next customer. But nope, it's pure chaos every time. Staff are always a little rude and kind of unhelpful in terms of offering you drink suggestions. Now onto the good stuff, the things that give the place personality and make it worthy of two stars, the things that could make this place unimaginable if they could only fix the above issues... Books on books on books. Browse around, read, and buy some books if you want to. Also, if you have books at home you can sell them here. Not sure what the profit is but still pretty cool. You can buy vinyls, comics... it's essentially a book store/used record store/library/coffee shop all in one. A community puzzle sits on a table. Take a crack at it. Usually a couple thousand pieces. Other unique flare including local art to be admired and an opportunity to purchase vintage stamps for 50 cents and mail out a post card (you pick from a free selection). Latte designs on your coffee (only good thing about the coffee). And an overall vintage school library vibe. I want to love Grounds for its unique and local business but it misses a few marks for me. I guess it won't stop me from coming every few weeks for study sessions with some classmates. read more

Grounds For Thought - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

Grounds for thought is a cute coffee shop in downtown Bowling Green. It had rows of books and also puzzles to choose from if you have a lot of time to spare. I went in not expecting much, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere and this is a great place to hangout and do homework or talk with friends. I enjoyed my coffee and thought it had great flavor. I would bring a snack if you were hungry cause they don't have much food options besides sweets. I really liked the glasses they served the coffee in. read more

Grounds For Thought - M&M cookie and Marilyn Monroe Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

Go to coffee shop and hangout in Bowling Green. It's a downtown staple, the atmosphere is cozy and they make the best beverages around

Grounds for Thought is a Bowing Green staple. It is my favorite place to go if I want to either cozy up with a good book or to do my homework. All of their baked goods are so fresh and delicious; their coffee is some of my favorite ever; and the atmosphere is just so cozy and homey - especially when you first walk in and the amazing smell of coffee & baked goods just hits you. The staff who work there are so sweet and truly make you feel at home. This is more than just a little bookshop & cafe - it's truly one of the best places to be in BG! read more

Grounds For Thought - area to sit inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

See all

Amazing book selections and the coffee is great. Amazing staff as well! I would highly recommend this place!!

My all time favorite coffee shop! The best beans are found in this place and line the walls of the cafe. My favorites are easily the Highlander Grogg, Fireside Nights, & Black Swamp Blend. Don't come here looking for some cold new modern coffee shop. This place is warm and cozy feeling. Don't forget to check out the library, comics, or grab a board game while you're here! Also they have a coffee club if you're interested in bringing home their bags roasted coffee. read more

Grounds For Thought - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

Great food and drinks and a perfect place to study! I loved being surrounded by books and picked up a few good ones while I was there as well. Definitely a must-visit spot to study or just relax. read more

~ A Bowling Green legend ~ If you ever come to or pass by Bowling Green, Ohio, there are two spots you need to visit. If you don't have stuffed breadsticks at Campus Pollyeyes and a coffee or tea at Grounds for Thoughts, you truly haven't been to BG. For a town this small and where just about nothing goes on (similar to Hawkins in Stranger Things), it's all about the little things. Plus Kelly and Lara Wicks are awesome people and the owners of the place. Grounds offers peace of mind for a short respite from the outside world. It's calm, quiet, filled with knowledge (townie and book wise), great coffee smell, comics, and myriads of vinyl. It is one of two places in the vicinity to purchase vinyls, the other being the seller of new vinyl and CD, Finder's. Grounds has some of the most welcoming staff and open possibilities for conversation or running into an old friend. All the locals come here not just for breakfast doughnuts and coffee, but there are specialty drinks such as Italian sodas and more, along with sandwiches, allowing for an anytime of the day visit. I find myself either visiting in the mornings with family, or meeting up with friends or by myself in the more relaxed evenings. I also run into old friends or coworker on every visit guaranteed, so that may be a good or bad thing depending on your situation at the current time. While I can't attest too much on the sandwiches, the doughnuts are great and the drinks are awesome. Best coffee in town. I highly recommend swinging by for a sip and rest. Feel free to browse the largest comic collection (store-wise) in town, and you can also sell books, vinyl, and comics for store credit. read more

See all

First time visiting here this weekend! Very cool place with great coffee and a nice book selection!

I love their coffee and the staff is always friendly. Service is slow but the coffee is worth the wait. They also have very good apple fritters. It's nice to grab a coffee and be able to sit there and read. read more

Very good coffee shop / used bookstore / hangout spot in Bowling Green. I had a pleasure of visiting a friend in Bowling Green a couple weeks ago and was happy / relieved to find a local coffee joint to pass time while she was teaching at BGSU. Most important: the coffee / beans are good. They roast their own around the corner, and everything seemed very fresh. I had both drip and espresso on separate days, both were good. Otherwise: there are plenty of different places to sit indoors as well as a few tables under cover on the sidewalk. I hadn't seen rain a couple of months (California is boring), so it was nice to sit outside under the roof and watch it pour for a change. There are a few tables inside with both power outlets and access to free wi-fi. Unfortunately wi-fi signal strength is pretty weak in that part of the building, but its hard to complain too much with free wi-fi. Still, could be closer to a perfect 5. I'll look forward to another visit to BG some time! read more

Grounds For Thought - Grounds for Thought - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bowling Green, Ohio

Favorite coffee shop in BG and favorite spot to do homework! I would always come right when they opened in the morning to get a good seat and wait for their bakery items to be brought in fresh every morning! Any coffee is great- regular cappuccino made with almond milk and iced mochas are my favorite! The doughnuts are local and always amazing but sell out fast! Also the cookies are to die for! Try the peanut butter cup or chocolate chip cookie with your coffee! read more

A very cool place in Bowling Green to have a variety of coffees. They have books, comic books and coffee beans for sale as well as some other items. The atmosphere is nice. Its not a fancy place but it had character which is great. Its worth a try. read more

My new favorite place. Their desserts are some Of the most delicious I've had, and I had the lavender latte which was phenomenal. Lines are long for a reason- best cafe I've ever been to! read more

This is my favorite coffee shop in the whole world! The service is friendly and efficient and it's always great to browse the books. Highlander Grogg is the best bean. We have it shipped to us in Chicago! read more

"I'm going to Grounds." "We're going to Grounds." "See you at Grounds." These statements are a guaranteed part of every visit to spend time with family in Bowling Green, and for good reason: good coffee, a massive selection of reading material (i.e. used books, random comics, magazines), free WIFI, and easy accessability. They're right downtown, and parking is readily available, be it on the street, behind the building, or in a number of other locations. I also periodically enjoy rooting through their vinyl selection, more for laughs than for purchasing - barely remember that random band from the 1970's and 80's? Their record can probably be found in the GFT bin. During the summer, it's also the place to sit outside of and try to look at least mildly studious. read more