The pandemic has totally normalized working from home. But there’s only so long you can work in a tiny New York apartment, and sometimes you just want a change of scenery. It sounds easy enough, but finding a place with outlets, wifi, bathrooms, and coffee/food sometimes feels like the stars aligning.
We know the struggle, and we’ve got you covered with this list of 15+ laptop-friendly cafes in NYC, perfect for freelancers, work-from-home folks, digital nomads, and students.
1. Partner’s Coffee
Something about working at Partner’s Coffee feels like a vacation. Maybe it’s the bright and cheery cups and outdoor tables? Or the sun-filled cafes? Whatever it is, this is a top-notch spot for getting some work done. And they have locations in both Manhattan and Brooklyn! Treat yourself to a meal while you’re there because they make incredible breakfast sandwiches, salads, and wraps.
2. Blank Street Coffee
The mint green coffee shops popped up all over the city seemingly overnight, but you can’t deny that they serve up a good cup of joe. Bonus points – they’re laptop-friendly, making Blank Street Coffee a great stop to get a few hours of work done and treat yourself to some coffee and a treat.
3. Book Club
This charming East Village bookstore is a coffee shop and workspace by day and transforms into a lively wine bar and event space by night. The interior gives major library vibes with a dark and moody interior, bookshelves lined with interesting books, large leather armchairs, and dim lighting. There’s also an outdoor patio with tables.
Book Club is laptop-friendly and has free wifi until 7 pm when it transitions to the evening service.
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4. The Bean
If you’re looking for a spot to work late around East Village, add The Bean to your list. There are locations throughout Manhattan, but the East Village location has loads of seating, free wifi, and conveniently located outlets. This is a great spot for students to meet for group projects or study sessions.
5. Variety Coffee
Variety Coffee has locations in Chelsea, the Upper East Side, Bushwick, Greenpoint, Park Slope, and Williamsburg. Each of them has a cool, modern interior with natural light streaming through big windows.
And the cafe is laptop-friendly too, with outlets and free wifi. Don’t skip out on their incredible coffee and pastries.
While all of the cafes are worth visiting, the Park Slope and Chelsea locations are personal favorites!
6. Laughing Man
You won’t feel bad spending your money at Laughing Man because all of the profits go directly to charity. That’s right, Hugh Jackman owns the coffee shop, which now has two locations.
Tribeca is the larger location, but if you want waterfront views, head to Battery Park, which overlooks the Hudson River.
The food menu has options for breakfast and lunch, with gluten-free and vegan selections as well. And the highlight is the flat white, which is reportedly Hugh Jackman’s favorite coffee.
17. Felix Roasting Company
We love a coffee shop that goes to the nines with the details, and Felix Roasting Company is certainly one of those. Step inside, and you’ll feel like you’re transported to Turkey, with vibrant teal and pink everywhere, intricate mosaics, and velvet seating.
If you’re in SoHo looking for a place to work, this is one of the best places. Come early, because it can get busy during the day.
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8. Joe & The Juice
Located all throughout the city, Joe & The Juice cafes have a happy, upbeat vibe. They’ve got free wifi and great tunes (if you know you know – here’s their playlist on Spotify).
On the menu, you’ll find smoothies, juices, acai bowls, sandwiches, salads, coffee, and more. Depending on the location, you can find seating inside or outside.
9. Starbucks Reserve
This is at the top of the list for getting seating fast. If you’ve never been to a Starbucks Reserve, it’s a step up from the usual Starbucks, serving higher quality coffee and food items. You can get sandwiches, croissants, and pastries here.
We love that the cafes are super spacious and accommodating for people working, with lots of outlets throughout and free wifi. Head to the location in Chelsea to enjoy a seat by the fireplace!
10. Think Coffee
Think Coffee feels like a more local version of Starbucks. You can tell a lot of thought has been given to accommodations for people working. This is always a good option for working at a cafe, and there are plenty of locations throughout the city.
11. Devoción
Devoción has nailed the home away from home vibes in the best way. There are multiple locations between Manhattan and Brooklyn, but the crown jewel is definitely the Williamsburg location with its large leather sofas, plants all around, and huge skylight overhead. This is a great place to get focused work done and they have free wifi Monday through Friday.
12. Hungry Ghost
With 13 locations between Manhattan and Brooklyn, Hungry Ghost is a coffee shop you’ll want to keep in mind if you’re looking for a laptop-friendly cafe in NYC. The largest location is on Flatbush Ave, and is a comfortable spot to hunker down for the day. When you surface for a break, enjoy a cup of locally roasted coffee and healthy lunch options.
13. Ground Central
If you’re in Midtown looking for a spot to crank through work for a couple of hours, Ground Central is the place for you. It’s located right next to Grand Central and is the perfect place for travelers looking to kill some time (or New Yorkers in desperate need of working on something that’s not a kitchen table).
The cafe has different areas depending on how you prefer to work – from large communal tables to leather armchairs in a room full of books.
14. Café Kitsuné
Located on a buzzing West Village corner, working at Café Kitsuné feels like a snippet of Carrie Bradshaw’s life. Yellow taxis whizzing by, stylish people all around – there’s always something interesting happening here.
You can connect to free wifi, but laptops are only permitted outside. While we wouldn’t normally add an outdoor-only cafe to this list, you have to trust us on this one. There are 10-15 tables outside and heaters overhead for cooler months. During the warmer months, it’s a must!
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15. Irving Farm
Located right near Washington Square Park and New York University, this is a central spot for students to get some work done. Irving Farm has lots of seating, free wifi, and accessible outlets. On their menu, you’ll find an assortment of sandwiches, salads, bagels, and croissants. And early birds will be happy to know they open at 7 am on weekdays.
16. Merriweather
If you’re looking for a low-key, underrated coffee shop, head to Merriweather in West Village. The Aussie cafe serves up amazing food and coffee and has lots of seating inside the cafe and also an outdoor patio. It’s rarely jam-packed and has just the right vibe to get productive work done.
And there you have it, 15+ laptop-friendly cafes in NYC.
Save this post for your next work-from-home day or to find a good study spot!