A coffee shop is like a favorite brand of jeans. Once the right fit is found, one will keep on coming back for more.

State College's diverse assortment of cafés can be overwhelming, until one discovers that place where he or she can spend hours studying, chatting or chilling. Each coffee shop has a distinctive character that mirrors its customer's personality traits and pursuits.

Whether the desire is an alternate study-lounge, a date destination or a rendezvous location for professors, classmates or friends, students can frequent a café that meets all of their needs. The following four cafés represent the various atmospheres and services of coffee shops in and around campus.

A sense of serenity uncharacteristic to a place filled with so much caffeine permeates The Daily Grind. Hardwood floors, high ceilings, and leafy, potted plants create a calm, relaxed atmosphere.

Customers convene in the raised seating area, where they drink from the 28 varieties of fresh-roasted coffees.

"We roast our own coffee here," said owner Kim Caprini before rushing off to make hummus. She believes that this, as well as the entirely homemade selection of food, attracts customers.

Customers value the coffee, pleasant atmosphere and familiar faces, Caprini said.

The café's acoustics are suited for studying, said Scott Thaller (junior-physics).

"It seems that no matter how busy it is, (with) all the people talking, the noise doesn't bother me," Thaller said.

A lot of upperclassmen and graduate students come to The Daily Grind, Thaller said.

"I haven't seen any professors I recognize, but I've seen my TAs (teaching assistants)," he said.

PHOTO: Antonella D'Agostino Omar Rivera (graduate-philosophy) ashes outside The Daily Grind, 107 E. Beaver Ave.

To the left of The Daily Grind's entrance is a retail spot in the style of a general store, filled with exotic coffees, bagged and loose teas, logo mugs and pottery.

The number of tables and warm environment make The Daily Grind an appropriate place for group studying, said barrista Melissa Mendez.

Sunlight filters through the leaded glass windows of Saint's Café as the soothing scent of steamed milk wafts across tall tables of customers. Jazz music resonates through this café's dimly lit interior. A piano rests in the back corner, waiting to be played.

Saint's Café boasts not only typical coffees, but also an eclectic selection of other drinks, Kim Caprarotta (senior-communication disorders) said.

"We get a lot of juices and sodas that you can't really find anywhere else in central Pennsylvania," said Caprarotta, who has worked at Saint's for three years.

The crowd here tends to be older than that of a typical college town. Graduate students, professors and local professionals spend time at Saint's listening to the Saturday afternoon live jazz band, sipping from oversized ceramic mugs while working.

Many customers said they are loyal to Saint's.

"I've come here every day for the last six years," Jennifer Nolan (graduate-geography) said.

Nolan said she enjoys Saint's Café's convenient location, natural light and that she can sit undisturbed for hours. "They let you sit here forever," she said.

Ruth and George Steinberg, who are 83 and 85-years-old respectively, have been visiting Saint's for 12 years. They said they have noticed an excellent camaraderie between customers and employees and appreciate the café's "cleanliness, baked goods, wonderful music, and very nice clientele."

Many customers, including Nolan, believe this coffee shop is well suited for a one-on-one meeting with a professor or a charming date.

Located underneath Pattee Library is MacKinnon's Café, a convenient site for library visitors in need of a study break.

Chairs with wide backrests surround tables that rest on a slate-gray, tiled floor. Sparse decorations add to MacKinnon's basement setting, although the full-length glass doors brighten up the front of the café.

The coffee shop serves a variety of sandwiches, salads, bagels, and pastries in addition to its coffee selection. All drinks come in paper cups, contributing to the idea that this place is best for a fast rest and refuel.

Jayme Morgan (junior-accounting) works behind the counter at MacKinnon's Café. "I recognize the people and know their orders," she said of the customers who come in regularly.

Morgan added that employees choose the background music, which ranges from Dave Matthews Band to mariachi.

Erica Zerfoss (freshman-engineering) studies at MacKinnon's.

"It's usually quiet during classes," she said.

After a long study session at the library, this is the place to come to grab a cup of caffeine and something to eat, said Bob Oltra (sophomore-film and video).

Webster's is not a typical coffee shop, although it may seem like one at first glance. The entrance is set up like a basic café with an espresso bar cluttered with coffees, teas and treats.

However, a few steps ahead sprawls a setting where individuals and groups can drink and study while surrounded by wall-to-wall used books. Webster's sells not only cappuccinos and lattes, but also Tom Clancy and Madeleine L'Engle.

"We have a lot of regulars," said Shea Patton (senior-psychology), the barrista behind the counter that is crowded with jars of loose teas, canisters of coffees and cases of pastries. Patton said many professors, study groups and clubs congregate in the shop's seating area. She said this is because of Webster's quiet atmosphere, late hours and private setting.

But the tables are not the only resting spot. Cushioned chairs are nestled throughout the maze of crammed bookshelves that stretch to the back of the store.

"Last year I fell asleep in a chair here," said Jennifer Elliott (junior-English), who said she spends much of her time in Webster's studying, hanging out with friends and writing poetry. "Books are a good atmosphere to have around you," she said.

State College resident Robert Vander Voort, who comes to Webster's "pretty damn often," likes to "sit outside with a drink and watch people go by before going to work," he said. Patrons can sit at the wrought iron tables set up on the sidewalk of South Allen Street.

Other features include more than 40 varieties of tea, open mic poetry readings and occasional live music.

Because of its distinctive environment, Webster's makes a great place to meet with a professor, or study on your own or with friends, said Pat Althouse, a Webster's bookseller.