The idea of being able to work from home sounds amazing but the reality can be rather different.
Advantages like saving up travel time, working in comfy clothes, and cooking fresh food in the comfort of your own home, can soon turn into homely distractions or feeling lonely.
London is a popular nomad destination, so If you’d like to spice up things a bit without having the financial burden of visiting a co-working space, you could get a change of scenery by checking out some of London’s best cafés to work from.
Whilst some of them can be noisy, not offering stable Wi-Fi or making it feel awkward to stay for several hours, others are the perfect alternative to working from home.
Here is our list of 9 of the most laptop-friendly cafes in London. So let us introduce your new, favorite cafés to work from in London…
1. Bean and Hop
One of the best coffee shops to work at in London is the Bean and Hop café in Earlsfield, Wandsworth. Here, you have everything you need for a successful workday: Fast Wi-Fi, plenty of plug points, delicious coffee fresh from the Nude Espresso Roastery, and a relaxed working atmosphere. In case you have a dog, you can bring him and when you want to treat yourself for all the hard work you’ve done (or if you just need to calm your nerves), you can pick from over 60 different beers on offer.
2. Look Mum No Hands!
Look Mum No Hands! Is an Old Street cycle café and a great coffee shop to get work done. With free Wi-Fi, power sockets, sofa seating, and a chilled vibe, it’s the perfect place to go with your laptop, especially if you like to cycle and want to get together with other bike enthusiasts for a nice little chat in your coffee break (you’re missing these colleagues, aren’t you?). One thing to be aware of is that they sometimes turn off the Wi-Fi during weekday lunchtimes and at weekends, so check the website for details if you’re working on that really important pitch. Or just do tethering… this place is worth it!
3. F.Mondays
A place that can’t be missed in the list of the best cafes to work in London is F.Mondays, a modern, calm café in buzzing Brixton. It is flooded with light which is great to keep your energy levels high. They have good Wi-Fi, plug sockets, and even an out-of-office working spot. You will definitely start to like Mondays – and any other workday you’re spending here.
4. The Wren
This might be the most extraordinary place, on our list of cafés to work from in London. Why? The Wren is an independent coffee shop in a church near St. Paul’s in Central London. Going to work in a church might feel a bit strange in the beginning, but you will get used to the stunning scenery rather quickly! Could there be a more beautiful place than one where you are surrounded by high ceilings, dark wood, and stained glass? A truly special and peaceful place to work from.
5. Rude Health Café
The Rude Health Café in Fulham at the end of the King’s Road just by Putney Bridge gets its name from an English idiom. It means that someone is up for life with energy and this is exactly what we need when we go to a coffee shop to work, right? There are quite a few seating options: with tables outside, a communal area inside, a bright turquoise bench, or a quiet corner at the back. The Wi-Fi is good and you can grab a great coffee and plenty of nutritious brain food before kicking off your busy working day.
6. Department of coffee and social affairs
Department of coffee and affairs in Leather Lane in Holborn counts to the smaller coffee shops to work from in London. It has many power outlets, comfortable chairs and a series of small tables. It can get a bit busy during lunchtime but if you are a person who is not easily distracted, this could be the perfect place for you. Their coffee is great too (and we know how important this is!).
7. Mare Street Market
Another great café to study or work from in London, is Mare Street Market, a huge multi-use warehouse space with a stylish bar in London Fields in Hackney. The large windows let lots of natural light inside and normally there’s a lot of space at any time of the day. There are long tables that allow you to have lots of room for creativity, unlimited Wi-Fi, plenty of sockets and plants that give you the feeling of being in a forest. On sunny days, you might even get the chance to work outside under the blue sky. The staff are nice and relaxed, and you order and pay at the counters so you won’t get interrupted while working.
8. Lighthaus
This café in Leyton with high ceilings and overflowing plants has an industrial vibe but is still a really beautiful place to work from, not least because of the access the sun has, filling the room to give you that energy push you really need – alongside with your one, two or countless coffees. Take a seat on one of the counter stools or blue sofas and get your creativity flowing.
9. Dark Habit
The café Dark Habit in Kilburn makes a good last one in our list of the best coffee shops to work at in London. While some coffee shops have a distracting bustle, Dark Habit in Queens Park is stylish and calm. It can get busy in here (which speaks for itself) but once you have found a space, you’re safe, and can easily spend a few hours here. Their coffee is of amazing quality too, so there’s no excuse for laziness!
...Now go get some work done!
Hopefully, this article has inspired you to a change of working environment whether you’re based in London or visiting this capital of England as a digital nomad. We hope you also want to share your knowledge of secret cozy gems, that are great to work from in London. So leave a comment below, with your favorite coffee shops to work from in London.
