In London, the capital that this year was voted the best city in the world for young entrepreneurs (Forbes) and has an ever-expanding community of freelancers of over 2 million (IPSE, 2020), more and more hybrid workspaces are springing up to cope with the new habits and needs of remote working, such as hot desks, co-working studios and hubs for creatives.
For some, the preferred format is that of work cafes, aka spoiling yourself with good food and a cozy atmosphere in small venues that are happy to host local remote workers, letting them sit undisturbed for hours and offering comfortable, equipped workstations.
The must-have elements that make a venue a good workspace are a fast and easily accessible WiFi connection, spacious tables that can turn into messy desks, plenty of sockets, good natural light, a not-too-noisy environment and, not to be underestimated, good coffee.
Often though, it is the curated interiors that make the difference. Being able to work in spaces that are also aesthetically pleasing and comfortable has an impact on the quality of work, stimulates creativity and can make hours in front of the screen more enjoyable.
From readapted churches to glamorous clubs and terraces reminiscent of California, we have selected 10 cafes in various parts of London that we hope will bring some relief, and maybe even a little inspiration, to your ‘work from home’ days.
10 London cafes to work in a creative environment
From deconsecrated churches to glamorous clubs and terraces reminiscent of California, careful interior design makes these venues ideal for working remotely and bringing inspiration.
Photo: Kindred.
Photo Mare Street Market.
Photo: Rude Health Café
Photo: Bellefields.
Photo: Ginger and White.
Photo: Vagabond.
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- Gaia Lamperti
- 04 March 2022
Inside a Georgian mansion, this members club is a perfect place to freelance in London. There are many rooms where to work in peace, an outdoor terrace and live music evenings. wearekindred.com | Tube stop: Hammersmith.
By day, this warehouse-like venue it’s a proxy office/cultural space/cafe/all-day diner catering to freelancers and creatives. In the evenings, it turned into a lively cocktail bar. Their Espresso Martini is a great end to your work sessions. marestreetmarket.com | Overground stop: London Fields.
A spot for healthy food lovers with large communal benches and free WiFi to grab a healthy breakfast while working on your laptop from 7.30am. rudehealth.com/pages/cafe | Tube stop: Putney Bridge.
This Mediterranean restaurants with art on the walls and made out of sustainable and raw materials is designed for flexible workers. From 8am to 5.30pm a co-working space is available for hot desking at £10 a day fwith WiFi access, printing, tea and coffee. bellefields.com | Tube stop: Brixton.
Whether at a communal table or on a leather sofa, this friendly space’s calming atmosphere conciliates deep work. Extra points: artisan coffee, freshly baked cakes and all-day breakfast menus. gingerandwhite.com | Tube stop: Hampstead.
This cafe is brilliantly suited to remote working thanks to its large wooden tables and early opening hours. There are plenty of charging points and it also benefits from fresh pastries and an adorable little garden in the back vagabond.london | Tube stop: Highbury & Islington.
In one of Crouch End's oldest commercial buildings, this venue’s highlights are its old brickwork and wooden floors, art-deco lighting and intimate velvet booths. Its Garden Room is filled with natural light, marble tables and all sorts of plants. Open form early morning until midnight every day, the all-day diner is targeted to the flexible workforce with super fast WiFi, lots of plug sockets and bottomless coffee. Hot desks available with daily, weekly and monthly passes or you can just take a seat for a fw hours. allorahall.com | Tube stop: Crouch Hill.
A creative indoor spaces and courtyard terrace with concrete and earthy tones inspired by the Californian desert, make this cafe a perfect co-working space and a cosy setting for a meeting, laptop day or coffee with a friend. shaman-coffee.com/coffee-shop-bermondsey | Tube stop: London Bridge.
A recovered church in the heart of The City, it offers widely spaced tables perfect for meetings and spreading out all your stuff while you work away. The stunning interiors from St Nicholas Cole abbey facilitate focus and inspiration. thewrencoffee.com | Tube stop: Mansion House.
It is the cafe of a science exhibition centre, which may be worth a visit for the interested. The interiors combine the juxtaposition of a traditional façade with internal light and modern spaces, prime location just around the corner from Euston station. wellcomecollection.org/pages/Wvl1wiAAADMJ3zNe | Tube stop: Euston.