If you’re working remotely or studying hard, you may be in need of an environment that inspires you to get busy — and makes you put on something other than pajamas for the day.
New York City’s coffee shop scene offers a little something for everyone. Like Los Angeles or San Francisco, turning cafes into co-working destinations is as popular as ever on the east coast.
In this article, we share our Best Co-Working Cafes In New York picks for you to check out if you’re a local or visiting the Big Apple.
Whether you need some quiet space to let the ideas flow uninterrupted, or, you crave a lively environment to get those creative juices flowing, find a place to work that works for you in the list below.
“Some people prefer silence, some people prefer a lot of noise, some people prefer a lot of chaos, some people prefer a lot of calm. Why not let them work where they’re most comfortable where they can do their best work?” Jason Fried, author of Office Not Required [1].
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Autonomy in their environment and over their workflow are two main reasons why people love co-working spaces (Spreitzer, Bacevice, & Garrett, 2015).
When you want the independence to come and go as you please, dress casually and determine your own pace without giving up on the social aspect of an office, find a coffee shop that blends both.
Some of the best coffee shops, like these three, keep co-working comfort in mind will help you feel energized and connected as you move through your tasks.
Ace Hotel Cafe
More than just a coffee shop, this cafe is the first home of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, an internationally beloved brand of boutique beans.
Located in the NoMad neighborhood, Ace Hotel is a favored location for meeting up and making plans with your business network over a supremely good cup of coffee.
Gossip Coffee
Let your afternoon chat over a cold brew stretch into a cocktail hour at one of Astoria’s treasured fixtures for professionals who like to keep things casual, but keep their conversation on brand.
You won’t even need to leave for lunch since they offer a chef-curated menu and a variety of dishes to satisfy the midday munchies.
Ninth Street Espresso
As another cafe that has a few shops in New York, Ninth Street Espresso appeals to dedicated customers who may need more than one location option throughout their nomadic work week.
Their namesake location on 9th Avenue, as well as their headquarters in Chelsea Market, offer the most space if you’re looking to work in a crowd or create one.
Comfortable, Chill Vibes for Quiet Minds
Working at home can create one of the most comfortable environments possible, but sometimes it’s a little too comfortable.
If you have family or roommates who are also home with you, they may find it too easy to disrupt your focus.
Packing it up and taking it to a coffee shop like the ones below may just be what you need.
These are some of the best coffee shops NYC has to study, too.
If you’re worried about visual or aural distractions, use focusing exercises like planning ahead and taking care of the most difficult tasks first (Deutschendorf, 2014).
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
It makes sense that this downtown bookstore and coffee shop is one of the best places to study in NYC.
Plug an obscure, but fully cited, reference into your paper or take a mental break in the magazine section while you recharge with your tenth cup of coffee.
The selection of seating arrangements makes it easy to work on your own or quietly in a group for an intense study session.
Double Dutch Espresso
Cozy and comfortable no matter which New York location you go to, the mood at Double Dutch Espresso lets you hunker down and get to work with a trusty cup of joe and a delectable pastry at your side.
The decor and vibe favor a vintage look and a living room feel, so if you wind up thinking you’re right at home while you work, then you’re in the right place.
Avenue Cafe
The vibe at Ave Brooklyn, as it’s sometimes called, is decidedly low-key compared to the wave of modern NYC coffee shops that focus on being social hubs and places to be seen.
If you’re looking to keep things quiet and work with your headphones firmly attached to your head, you’ll fit in here.
Just remember the cardinal rule of working while in a cafe: buy a cup or three while you’re there, and maybe one of their cookies with the massive chocolate chips.
Funky, Inspiring Atmospheres for Creativity
Even if you’re just crunching numbers or compiling code, you may need more than a sterile or minimalist environment to help you get through the workday.
Every sector of business can benefit from creative inspiration (Landry, 2017).
Many New York cafes pride themselves on fostering just such an environment and fill their walls with works of art or arrange their interior design with imagination in mind.
Places like these will inspire and inform your work whether it’s data entry or daydreaming about your next story.
Dear Mama Coffee
Taking its name from hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur’s 1995 single, Dear Mama holds a special place in the hearts of its East Harlem fans.
They have a satellite location inside Columbia’s science center, so you can grab a cup there if you’re looking for a learning experience to pair with your deadline.
However, their east-side flagship store is the perfect place to draft your next work of art.
Caffe Reggio
If you’re missing that old-world feel that brings back the yesteryear of classic coffee shop atmosphere, look no further than one of the best places to work remotely in NYC.
The founder of Caffe Reggio, Domenico Parisi, introduced America to the Italian cappuccino in this very spot in New York’s beautiful Greenwich Village. Sipping on history like that is bound to inspire anyone’s work.
Little Skips
While art shows and open mics typically take place in the evenings, the daytime crowd at Little Skips is the perfect breeding ground for coffee culture’s wide range of conversation and brainstorming.
Bushwick pride runs strong for those who make themselves a part of the Little Skips community, so this is a great place to set down some networking roots as a creative professional and digital nomad.
Picture-Perfect Hotspots for Media Moguls
It’s a fact proven time and again that colors have an impact on human behavior and emotion, which goes some of the ways towards explaining which social media photos go viral or not (Bakshi & Gilbert, 2015).
If you’re keeping up with the latest content trends as a social media influencer or manager, then having viral-worthy backdrops are key to advertising your skills.
Check out these trendsetting locations and show up ready for a series of work selfies.
Irving Farm
With locations all over Manhattan, Irving Farm has made a name for itself as one of New York City’s premium purveyors of roasted whole beans and expertly extracted hot coffees and cold brews.
As co-working spaces go, there’s just enough old-school cafe-style mixed with new wave minimalism, plus plenty of tables to choose from.
Try their Upper East Side location if only for the location tag’s humblebrag.
Cafe Jax
There’s a variety of indoor and outdoor seating options at this midtown favorite, so you have a choice of lighting and settings for hashtagging your breaks between the social media hustle and grind.
Showing off your promotional skills by shouting out one of the best NYC coffee shops and it could help you land that next brand deal.
Or maybe a discount on your next cup of Cafe Jax coffee.
Ground Support
This SoHo hotspot serves up hot coffee and cold brew with understated style and an ultra-cool New York vibe.
The atmosphere at Ground Support makes a great setting for professional but candid headshots, though you should always check with the staff on duty before you hire a crew to catch your best side.
Stick to snapping pics of your work in progress and the half-empty cup of upscale Ground Support brand coffee by its side when in doubt.
And so that wraps up our Best Co-Working Cafes In New York guide, do comment below if you have found a hidden gem in this wonderful city.