I’m a total creature of habit. When I find something that works for what I need, I stick with it. Which is why it’s so funny when people say it seems I try out so many coffee shops! In all honesty, I love trying new cafes, but I tend to bop between the same 3 based on what I’m doing.
Some cafes are great for meetings, others are great for doing hours of solo work and others are just perfect for reading and people watching. Today, I’m going to focus on the work front.
I’m putting this post together thanks to the number of texts I get from my friends IRL about where they can go to get work done in Philly. The messages usually look something like this:
- Hey, do you know a coffee shop with wifi AND outdoor seating?!
- Hey, best coffee shop to have a work meeting?
- Hiiiii!! Know a lowkey coffee shop where I could work nonstop for a few hours?!
Instead of racking my brand and playing cafe match maker every time I get these messages, I’ve decided to finally put pen to paper and create a few posts on my favorite coffee shops.
Let’s jump in!
The Requirements
For a good work session, there are a few things I absolutely need in my cafes:
- Comfortable enough seating, to make it easy to get things done but hard to just binge YouTube videos.
- Good coffee (duh, a given) and snacks to keep you going.
- Natural light, so you don’t feel like you’re working in a cell.
- Strong wifi, in case I’m uploading to YouTube or importing a bunch of photos to the blog.
- Welcoming vibes and as few annoying people as possible (a tough one).
Joe Coffee – 1814 Walnut Street
Wifi: Yes
Outlets: Limited
Seating: Comfy enough, but crowded. Outdoor seating available!
This is the coffee shop I frequent the most, mainly because it’s close to my neighborhood. It’s small and get’s crowded fast so it’s best to arrive early. The coffee is strong, the matcha is good and all of the barista’s are super friendly. The cafe is full of natural light, so I’ve spent hours writing, editing and plowing through my to-do lists. It’s good for shorter, one-on-one meetings but a would feel cramped if more than 3 people need to get together. They also have outdoor seating, which goes fast in the summer.
Bower Cafe – 263 S 10th Street
Wifi: Yes
Outlets: Decent!
Seating: Tables and seats at the “bar”. Outdoor seating available!
This cafe is a newer addition to Philly’s coffee scene but has quickly become one of my favorites. It’s bright, full of light and the owner Thane is so nice. It’s a small, local, Black owned coffee shop with great food (featured in this posts photos) and awesome coffee. It has a very literary vibe with books scattered all around the cafe and has plenty of seats in and outside on the patio. Perfect for getting some work done.
Peddler Coffee – 2100 Spring Street
Wifi: Yes
Outlets: Good
Seating: Small cafe area with limited tables, not usually crowded. No outdoor seating.
This is the cafe that first introduced me to the lavender latte, which I highly recommend having (iced)! This coffee shop looks small and regular on the outside, but it’s truly a gem. The staff is always nice and it’s never super crowded, so you can have a bit of space. There’s wifi and great coffee and pastries available. I’ve finished many a copywriting project and media kit in this cafe!
Menagerie Coffee – 18 S. 3rd Street
Wifi: Yes
Outlets: Plenty
Seating: Good amount of tables, fills up early. No outside seating.
Menagerie has been one of my favorite Philly coffee shops for years! I’ve launched blogs there, written some of my best posts and done some of my favorite people watching there. There are lots of longer tables (that you’ll likely end up sharing with a kind stranger) which I love because you can spread out a bit. The breakfast sandwich is incredible and so are the drinks. It’s filled with life and the decor is super cozy and warm.
As I keep exploring and working from new cafes, I’ll definitely update and reshare this post! Look out for other posts in the series: best coffee shops to read at, meet up at, etc. Let me know what other coffee shop guides you’d like to see!