Best coffee shops for remote work in D.C.
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It's all work and some play at Colada Shop. Photo courtesy of Rey Lopez
Like it or not, D.C. is a big remote work town — and thankfully we have great coffee shops and cafés with free Wi-Fi to get it done.
Why it matters: Sometimes it's nice to get out of the home office without going into the office — plus there's better coffee and food than at either.
Between the lines: There's been a boutique chain boom, popular with the laptop crowd: French country-chic Maman, millennial bodega-café Foxtrot Market, Mah-Ze-Dahr bakeries, and of course, Tatte.
Plug-in at these D.C. spots (weekday opening times included):
🐻 Big Bear Cafe: The Bloomingdale café's grapevine patio or rustic rooms are some of the prettiest places to type — especially with local Ceremony Coffee, homemade pastries, and bang-up breakfast burritos. Open: 8am.
☕ Café Unido: This Panamanian coffee house is serious about its beans (cue the prized geisha variety) — but not too serious that you can't post up with just a good cup of coffee. Note: the La Cosecha location is in a huge food hall with free Wi-Fi everywhere, while Shaw has a bigger food menu. Open: 7am.
🧉Colada Shop: This homegrown chainlet of Cuban cafés across the DMV are colorful spots to work and fuel up on specialty Cuban coffee drinks, tasty sandwiches and empanadas, fresh juices, and happy hour mojitos. Open: 7:30am.
➿ Doubles: Weather-proofed indoor and outdoor patios are draws for Park View's café and bar where you can get an easy Americano or crafty Ethiopian pour-over, plus breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Open: 8am.
🥑 Emissary: Sister coffee cafés in Dupont Circle are pretty perches with local Counter Culture coffee, Teaism brews, and all-day menus with avo-toast and its ilk (P Street's is considerably bigger). Happy hour kicks off at 4pm. Open: 7am.
🍜 Maketto: Teleworking foodies and caffeine nerds love chef Erik Bruner-Yang's Cambodian/Taiwanese destination on H Street NE where you can always snag a five-spice latte and num pang sandwich. Open: 9am.
🍹 The Royal: This Michelin-approved café in LeDroit Park is laid-back but seriously good. Go for arepas, guava pastries, and fun coffee drinks like salted vanilla cold brew. There are even funner cocktails at happy hour (3pm-6pm weekdays) but laptops are asked away after 5pm. Open: 10am.
🎨 Tryst: Adams Morgan's longtime "community living room" feels like a funky campus coffeehouse with local art, mixed table and lounge seating, and all-day breakfast and pastries along with a full bar come quitting time. Open: 7am.