Are you a freelancer who’s starting to feel like your home office is akin to solitary confinement? Or, are you a professional just looking for a space to work outside of the standard office setting? Thankfully, it’s 2019, and there are many New York restaurants with Wi-Fi that’s accessible to patrons.
So, you can hunker down, plug yourself in, and commit to a productive day’s work – all while enjoying the deliciousness of some top-notch food and beverages. Before we list of the best restaurants to work from, it’s vital to highlight the importance of adhering to one fundamental rule: Regularly purchasing menu items throughout the day. Nursing one cup of coffee for eight hours while using up an establishment’s bandwidth isn’t going to sit well with the staff.
The Bean
We’re starting with a café where the coffee is delicious, and the enchantingly laid-back atmosphere is conducive to productivity.
The Bean consists of multiple cafés spread across the East Village and Williamsburg. However, the Astor Place location is most likely to contribute to a productive output due to its ample seating options and lightning-quick Wi-Fi. In addition, The Bean’s abundance of electrical outlets ensures your laptop’s battery life won’t disrupt your efforts to meet your deadlines.
An open, airy, and spacious layout make The Bean a desirable work environment. Its marketplace vibes give off an air of authenticity and the sci-fi-influenced chalk drawings will inspire your creativity. Also, the menu is delicious – featuring a wealth of superfood options to keep you satiated throughout the day.
Berg’n
If there’s one thing the show ‘Mad Men’ should have taught you, it’s that you can enjoy both a delicious alcoholic beverage while producing creatively inspired work. At Berg’n, you can do just that, as a litany of professionals fill the tables of this cafeteria-like establishment, while sipping flavorful craft beer as they type furiously on their laptops.
With regards to food, we’d suggest the succulent pulled pork supplied from Mighty Quinn’s. However, if you intend to work during the weekend, Berg’n isn’t your best bet, since it tends to fill up with families celebrating children’s birthday parties. As such, Berg’n is an ideal establishment for getting work done during standard weekly 9-5 hours.
Epistrophy
Did you know studies are citing that drinking wine helps make you creative? Unsure about the validity of that statement? Then, it’s at least worth your time to put the theory to the test and check out the tasteful selection of wines at Epistrophy, in Soho.
Not much of a wine connoisseur? You’ll be happy to know this all-day café has a full bar. it also has readily available Wi-Fi. Just note that it’s not uncommon for staff to ask you to close your laptops after 6 pm on weekends.
Brooklyn Kolache Co.
As an ambitious freelancer or professional with briefs and deadlines on the brain, you’ll be happy to know that the only brick-and-mortar kolache bakery and café in New York City has open seating areas and a backyard garden.
These features make Brooklyn Kolache Co. a hub for optimal productivity. Note that this novelty bakeshop specializes in ethically-sourced kolaches—an undeniably lip-smacking pastry that surrounds a portion of fruit, cheese, or meat with puffy dough.
Therefore, if you want to situate yourself in a restaurant that will satisfy your taste buds, as much as it bolsters your workflow, Brooklyn Kolache Co. is the place to go.
Café Reggio
Any freelance writer who’s wishing to channel the spirit of Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, while enjoying a full menu of beer, wine, and espresso drinks (featuring ‘the original cappuccino’) will find Café Reggio to be an enticing workplace option.
After all, the two authors regularly frequented the establishment in its earlier days. Located in Greenwich Village, the origins of this laid-back Italian coffee shop/bar hybrid go back to 1927, and it is now a regular destination for literary luminaries and undergrads with a thirst for history.
We’d also be remiss in neglecting to mention Reggio’s enormous tiramisu that’s submerged in heaping amounts of cocoa. Reggio is ideal for night owls looking to grind away at work after sunset, as it’s open until 3 am every day.
DTUT
The Upper East Side plays host to DTUT, a bar that boasts 20-plus American craft beers on tap and an assortment of tantalizing bar food. There is a catch with DTUT, in that you must be comfortable in a dorm-like setting with lots of action.
It’s common for patrons to plug away relentlessly on their laptops (provided they’re not playing Scrabble) amidst the commotion. Plus, DTUT offers DIY s’mores and fondue platters – meaning you can satisfy your unrelenting sweet tooth while grinding away at your work.
