After doing a class project on Barriques, it has become on of my favorite coffee/wine shops to go to. Not only does it bring a bit "cooler" crowd than some of the other coffee shops that seem to be full of chatty coffee moms and obnoxious students, but the menu caters to a different taste. Between the spinach and artichoke dip and the chicken pesto salad (obviously not coffee shop traditional items) and delightful cafe miel....barriques has the food/beverage category nailed.
The huge wooden tables offer lots of room to spread out books/computers, etc, and the dark lighting creates an interesting atmosphere that I always found conducive to getting lots of work done.