5 of the Best Cafés to Work from in London

5 of the Best Cafés to Work from in London

Working for yourself or for a company that allows for remote work can be an absolute dream. Rush hour on the tube is no longer something you have to panic about and neither is sitting in the same spot for 9 hours straight. But if you’ve been doing it for a while, you will know that working from the your micro-apartment day in and day out is not all that either.

Home claustrophobia (also known as ‘cabin fever’) is real and sometimes the best thing you can do for your productivity is mix up your surroundings. London has tons of restaurants and cafés on offer, but not all of them are as welcoming of you and your laptop as you would hope them to be. This is understandable when the demand for a spot at a table is high, as is often the case in London.

I have put together this list of 5 of the Best Cafés to work from in London. Though there are many more, these are some of my favourites. Long tables, big windows that let in lots of natural light, friendly staff and yummy food are the main things I want from a restaurant-office. And these ones check all the boxes.

1. Mare Street Market

Hackney

When cabin fever strikes and you simply must get out of the house, there is nothing better than finding somewhere expansive to sit and carry on working. Mare Street Market is just this. 

Freelancers are the regulars at Mare Street Market. Image sourced from Mare Street Market official website.

The massive double-volume space allows for lots of room for thought and creativity. There are tons of big windows which allow in natural light and help to combat that cabin fever even more. Long tables are perfect for setting up your laptop and getting on with it. On good days, there is also the outside section (the Market Garden), where you can work away under a sunny blue sky.

The staff are super chill and you order and pay at the counters, so they don’t bother you while you’re in the thick of concentration. The food is great and the drinks even more so! 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Mon — 8am to 11pm,  Tue to Thu — 8am to 12am, Fri — 8am to 1am, Sat — 9am to 1am, Sun —  9am to 11pm
ADDRESS: 117 Mare St, Hackney, London E8 4RU
Metro Station: London Fields (overground)

2. Granger & Co.

Chelsea, Clerkenwell, King’s Cross and Notting Hill

Granger & Co. is a chain of restaurants by Australian foodie celebrity Bill Granger. There are four locations in London, each of which has a different aesthetic. They are all pretty welcoming to freelancers and remote workers. During lunchtime however, the restaurants can get super busy and then it’s best to move to the bar or head off for your own lunch break somewhere new. 

Granger & Co. in Clerkenwell is a great spot to sit and work. Just be mindful during the busy rush hour. Image sourced from Granger & Co. official website.

Breakfast is served until 12pm and each Granger & Co. has a delightful selection of quick snacks like raw bites, muffins and open sandwiches. They also have amazing smoothies and shakes, in case you are there in between meals.

The Clerkenwell spot is my favourite for remote work. It is just that little bit less busy than the others and is filled with dappled natural light. Clerkenwell Green is right opposite the restaurant if you need a dose of nature after staring at your screen for hours.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Granger & Co. clerkenwell
OPENING HOURS: Mon to fri –  8am to 11pm, Sat — 9am to 11pm, Sun — 10am to 6pm
ADDRESS: Clerkenwell Green, 50 Sekforde Street, London EC1R 0HA
Metro Station: barbican, farringdon (train station)

3. Timberyard

Covent Garden

This is hands-down the best spot to work from, if you are a freelancer who happens to find themselves in London. While the other restaurants on this list are very welcoming, there are none as dedicated to providing and creating a remote workspace culture as Timberyard. 

Timberyard has everything that freelancers and remote workers truly need, without all the bells and whistles. Image sourced from Timberyard official website.

Timberyard is designed to facilitate and foster the important networks that are created out of necessity in the freelance and remote working world. Maybe not quite as chic as many of the other spots on this list, you will never feel like you have overstayed your welcome at Timberyard.

They also offer private meeting rooms which can be reserved for any number of occasions, from meetings with clients, to book clubs.

The all-day menu offered at Timberyard is simple, well priced and totally delicious.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Mon to Fri –  8am to 6pm, Sat –  9am to 6pm, Sun –  10am to 6pm
ADDRESS: 7 UPPER ST MARTINS’S LN, LONDON, WC2H 9DL
Metro Station: Covent Garden

4. The Book Club 

Shoreditch

Speaking of book clubs, The Book Club in Shoreditch is another great spot for daytime remote working. That is, until the crowds roll in for the party. By day, The Book Club (or TBC) welcomes freelancers for all-day working or meetings. 

If you can, grab a spot on of one of those upholstered recliners – so comfy you could sit there all day! Image sourced from The Book Club official website.

The restaurant is spread over two floors of a former Victorian factory and offers plenty of variety when it comes to choosing your spot for the day. Rolling art exhibitions keep the space feeling fresh and interesting. The way TBC offers support to artists by showcasing their work makes you feel right at home while working on your own dreams alongside them.

Like Mare Street Market, you order and pay for all food and drink at the bar, so the staff are never interrupting your thought patterns, which is great.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Mon to Wed –  8:30am to 12am, Thu –  8:30am to 2am, Fri –  8:30am to 3am, Sat –  10am to 3am, Sun –  10am to 12am
ADDRESS: 100-106 Leonard St London EC2A 4RH
Metro Station: Old Street, Shoreditch High Street (overground)

5. The Coffeeworks Project

Angel

There are three Coffeeworks Project branches in London – one in Blackfriars, one in Angel and one in Battersea. The atmosphere at all three is laid-back and simple – great for freelancers with busy minds full of creative ideas. The staff are generally pretty young and hip themselves, so they totally understand you and your cabin fever. The Angel store even has a lush patio at the back when you need a fresh-air break.

The Coffeeworks Project in Angel. Image sourced from The Coffeeworks Project official website.

Brunch is the meal of the day at the Coffeeworks Project. While the menu at the Angel store is a bit more pared down with croissants, muffins and toasts available, the one in Battersea has a bunch more really great options. At all the stores however, the food is exceptional and really well-priced for what you get. Unsurprisingly, they serve a mean coffee, fit for any freelancer needing to power through mountains of projects!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The Coffeeworks Project Angle
OPENING HOURS: Mon to Fri — 7.30am to 6pm, Sat & Sun — 9am to 6pm
ADDRESS: 96-98 High Street, Islington, London N1 8EG
Metro Station: Angel

While the staff at these spots won’t bug you (most of the time), it is polite to order some food and drink while spending the day working away at any of these restaurants. The waiters make money from your tips and if you’re taking up space but not ordering anything, you might be saving, but you’re costing them.