Your plane has barely even touched down at JFK airport when your phone begins buzzing. Numerous emails and messages from your boss wondering when your next article will be ready. You’ve only got a few days in NYC before heading off to your next work location. You are on the hunt for a place with great coffee to crank out as much work as you can while you’re in town.
NYC is no stranger to caffeine. In fact, you probably can’t walk a block without passing some sort of coffee shop or small cafe. They are an essential location for a midday pick-me-up, business meeting, and even a late-night study session. You can find people of all ages and occupations in any given local coffee shop. In our opinion, they are arguably one of the most interesting places to people-watch while sipping on an iced oat milk latte, of course. NYC is home to some of the trendiest coffee shops. Countless cafes where you can bring your dogs to play or where you can pick from a fully chocolate-themed menu.
But in this case, you’re not looking for anything fancy. All you need is a suitable space to grind out the seemingly endless work you have while enjoying a hot latte or matcha tea. Seating, music, restroom availability, outlets and wifi are essential for creating the optimal work environment in a coffee shop. Without them, you’re bound to have trouble getting comfortable and finishing everything you need to get done. Here are our picks on the best coffee shops to get work done in NYC for the digital nomad.
1. The Bean: 31 3rd Ave, 771 Broadway, 54 2nd Ave, Manhattan
With multiple locations around the city, The Bean serves up pretty good coffee and yummy pastries, including vegan treats. With plenty of seating available, this is a good spot to sit down and get work done. But due to its popularity among New Yorkers, it is often crowded with customers coming in and out. Each location exudes a “hang out/study” culture with tons of space, dining allowed, and social distancing. Another perk of The Bean is that they have free WiFi and are open until 12 am every day. Perfect for those late-night editing or content creating sessions.
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2. Variety Coffee Roasters: 261 7th Ave and 1269 Lexington Ave, Manhattan
Variety Coffee has two locations in the city, and both are great spots to sit down for a few hours and get work done. The aesthetic and ambience of the shop alone exude cool and mellow vibes. Even better, the full-length windows allow for optimal lighting. Their coffee is consistent and their menu offers a wide variety of pastries and small plates, not to mention multiple outlets and free WiFi.
3. Sey Coffee, Brooklyn: 18 Grattan St, Brooklyn
If you are one for aesthetics, Sey Coffee in Brooklyn is the place for you. The indoor decor is so cute, full of natural light and plants adorning the walls and even hanging from the ceiling. It’s the perfect place to get work done during the day, as they are only open until 5 pm every day. Sey also has free WiFi and gender-neutral bathrooms, not to mention excellent coffee. I recommend the cold brew with oat milk!
4. Birch Coffee: Multiple locations
Birch Coffee is another cafe that has multiple locations sprawled throughout the city. I recommend the location in Manhattan Valley, about a block from Central Park West. Equipped with spacious seating areas, you are definitely able to chill here and get straight to work on the new project you’ve been working on. The music is low enough to concentrate, and there are many outlets available around the shop. The service is efficient and the staff is super friendly.
5. Double Dutch Espresso: 2194 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10026
Double Dutch Espresso is located in Harlem and is an eccentric and lively spot to settle down with your laptop and get to typing. Although the coffee is a bit on the pricier side, it is definitely worth it. The staff are friendly and efficient in their service, plus the WiFi is free for all customers. One thing to note is that it does get crowded, so you may have trouble grabbing a table right away.
6. Irving Farm Coffee Roasters: 4 locations
With 4 locations in Manhattan, Irving Farm is probably one of my favourite spots for coffee. Their lattes are smooth and their pastry options are to die for. They range from Belgian waffles to chocolate chip peanut butter bars. Unfortunately, there’s no free WiFi here, so make sure you’ve got your hotspot handy. However, their locations are very spacious and provide a nice dim-lit vibe to get you in the study mindset.
7. Gotan: 130 Franklin St, NY 10013
Located in Tribeca, Gotan serves up numerous caffeinated drinks, plus an extensive breakfast and lunch menu. There’s no better way to fuel a good workday with their avocado toast and a warm cappuccino. LGBTQ+ owned, this cafe serves up quality foods and their staff is extremely friendly. Free WiFi is available, along with a gender-neutral bathroom. There are various indoor and outdoor seating options perfect for the warm weather.
8. Partners Coffee: 125 N 6th St, Brooklyn NY 11249
The final place on our list is Partners Coffee in Brooklyn. The decor of this cafe immediately catches your eye. It’s sleek and modern, yet the various knick-knacks that adorn their shelves really create an inviting atmosphere. There is extensive seating, plus long tables great for working with friends or a group. With free WiFi, restrooms, and a solid food menu, Partners Coffee is the ideal spot to finish up on that blog you’ve been working on. Plus, they are open until 6 pm.
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