Why bother fighting with foreign students and study groups at Balzac? Just take a two minutes walk and head to Yorkville Espresso.
They have great coffee and awesome baked goods. Selection of tea is limited, but hey, it is a coffee shop after all.
THE BEST PART: You will have a quiet spot to enjoy your coffee and read a book that you just took out from the Reference Library.
Don't forget to grab a key when you want to go to the bathroom, the "Harry Potter cupboard under the stairs" type bathroom.