The Best Coffee Shops To Get Work Done
Presented by
Justworks
Whatever your work-from-home setup may be - whether you’ve mastered that 9am meeting from your bed or turned your kitchen table into your multipurpose desk - after a year plus, you might want a change of scenery. That’s where coffee shops come in. But you can’t just work in any coffee shop. Your workspace needs strong Wi-Fi, a noise level that makes concentrating possible, and preferably some food to keep you in your zone. Here are some of our go-to spots.
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Los Angeles
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Friends & Family is a cafe in East Hollywood with excellent food - that also serves as the unofficial coworking space of office-less Eastsiders. Come in any weekday, and you’ll find a crowd of people getting work done while they eat grain bowls and avocado toast. And despite the big crowds, the place is huge, so you’ll never have to worry about not having a place to sit.
If you’ve ever typed something into a laptop while in Los Angeles, you probably did it at Coffee Commissary. The coffee chain has developed into probably the most well-liked place to write and get work done in the city, and while its Fairfax location can be an all-out mob scene, the Culver location is far more relaxed. There are also outlets aplenty.
Insomnia might be the only spot on this list solely created for people to write in. Located on Beverly Blvd., Wi-Fi is free with a purchase, there are more outlets than they know what to do with, and they even play opera music most of the day (hopefully you’re into that). The coffee is fine and if you get hungry, the sandwiches will certainly do the trick.
Chicago
We’re big fans of Hexe, a large, industrial-feeling coffee shop located in a section of Roscoe Village filled with office buildings instead of used record shops and brunch places. There’s nothing this place doesn’t do well - along with great coffee and a ton of space to work, Hexe also has outstanding pastries, friendly staff, a fantastic patio, and serves alcohol.
photo credit: Sandy Noto
When you just need a comfortable place to work for a few hours, Kusanya in Englewood has you covered. This place wants you to sit and stay a while - it literally says so on its website. It’s a pretty standard cafe set-up, with lots of little tables and wifi, and all the food costs $2-$5 - dishes like baked oatmeal, grits (you choose either sweet or savory), and the Tuna Turner sandwich, which is just fun to say.
Andersonville is a pretty neighborhood with cute boutiques where people always seem to be shopping in the middle of the day. While these people apparently have no bosses to report to, you might. And if that’s the case, you need to know about La Colombe. This coffee shop has no distractions, and plenty of tables meant for individuals. In other words, its sole purpose seems to be helping people get work done.
San Francisco
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If you’re the kind of worker who needs snacks within a 15-foot radius at all times, go to Cafe St. Jorge in Bernal Heights. They have a ton to ensure you never go hungry while you work, like strawberry coffee cakes, grilled cheeses, and great breakfast sandwiches. And when you’re actually paying more attention to your laptop than your pastries, you’ll notice the wifi here is good and the place doesn’t get too loud.
photo credit: Virginia Mae Rollison
With its retro tabletops and killer music selection, Jane on Fillmore is cool without trying too hard. If you can get a table, order coffee and try an egg white sandwich. They also have some pretty incredible pastries in rotation (and gluten-free things if that’s your game), not to mention huge and delicious salads. Add a good number of outlets and free wifi, and it’s obvious why this is one of our go-tos.
photo credit: Mercury Cafe
Mercury Cafe in Hayes Valley is bright, airy, and unpretentious - exactly what you want in a neighborhood coffee shop. It’s one of the more relaxing places to work, but make sure to charge up your laptop beforehand - there aren’t a lot of plugs (and nothing like the impending stress of 8% battery to cramp your productivity).
Nyc
photo credit: @youngskeletons
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If you want to handle some emails in a space that looks like the inside of a salt cave, head to Daughter in Crown Heights. In addition to its Stoneage-chic interior, Daughter also happens to be a mission-driven cafe in Crown Heights that donates to a rotating list of charities every month. Swing by for a frittata and an iced coffee in the morning, or stick around and get some work done at a patio table outside.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Feeling the workweek blues? Well, you can always take your work to Gotan, a comfy Tribeca spot where the food’s as good as the coffee. Bring your laptop, have a salad, and feel good about the fact that, unlike the employees here, no one’s making you wear a bowtie.
This spot is Permanently Closed.
The bathroom here is nicer and cleaner than most of our apartments. Granted, you don’t know what our apartments look like, but trust us. It’s nice. And so is the staff. This place was opened by a couple of Australian designers, and it’s a great spot in Williamsburg to sit with your laptop while you maybe eat some avocado toast.
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