A guide to the best cafes for working in Bristol

Looking for the best cafes for remote working in Bristol? You’ll want some reliable Wi-Fi, your own space, plug sockets, and a decent cup of coffee. There are a number of great cafes for working in Bristol – I’ve tried and tested many! As a freelancer myself, it’s nice to have a bit of background buzz sometimes, rather than always working alone at home. Add to that seeing others concentrating on their laptops, and being brought food and drink while I toil, makes me even more productive!

So if you’re looking for laptop friendly cafes to make your office for a few hours, here are some of the best coffee shops to work in, in Bristol.

Best cafes to work in Bristol

The Central Library’s Reading Room

Boasting enough space so that you can grab your own little nook, and home to a cafe, the Central Library’s Reading Room is a peaceful place to remote work in Bristol. The cafe offers hot drinks and snacks, and the staff are happy for you to make yourself comfortable and crack on with your work for a day. Disabled access is also available, along with a lift.

Address:

College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TL

Opening hours:

9:30am-5pm Tues/Thurs

9:30 – 7pm Mon/Wed/Fri

10am-5pm Sat

1pm-5pm Sun

The Canteen Bar

Well-known for being a bustling bar at night, The Canteen gives off a much more chilled out vibe by day, proving the perfect environment for those looking to work remotely, but still keep the social aspect of working from an office.

Delicious local food and drinks are available throughout the day and the Wi-Fi is reliable and free. No payment is required to use their space, just buy your food and drink there while you toil online. If you’re looking for a more formal, office-like environment, there is a membership-based co-working space with great reviews a couple of floors above.

Address:

Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, St Paul’s, Bristol BS1 3QY

Opening hours:

12-11pm Tues/Wed/Thurs

12am-12pm Sat/Sun

12-7pm Mon

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvz2L-cH9TU/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=216c523d-3cbc-4584-b8cb-4b9602280470

The Crafty Egg

Now a well-established eatery among food and plant lovers (they host the best indoor plant selection in Bristol, and have affectionately re-named themselves The Crafty Jungle!) The Crafty Egg is a great place to set up camp and work for the day. Much better suited to laptop workers who don’t mind a little bit of background noise, the cafe provides free Wi-Fi, good-sized tables to work from, some of the best coffee in Bristol and great food, which is unsurprisingly, egg-focused.

Check out their Instagram here for the ultimate indoor plant inspiration!

Address:

113 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RW

Opening hours:

8:30am-5pm Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri

9am-5pm Sat/Sun

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDD3EUpjZnT/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b57ac083-14d4-46e7-b6e1-a36d4e2f3e7a

Boston Tea Party

Dotted around several locations in Bristol, Boston Tea Party is one of my favourite cafes that allow you to work. The Gloucester Road branch was my nearest, and it felt like a real treat to order breakfast (usually some sort of granola number), fresh OJ and a coffee to fuel my brain. Working on a first-come-first-serve basis, it’s wise to get there early to grab a spot. The cafes offer free Wi-Fi, there are plugs in the booths, great food, and lots of space to work.

Address: 75 Park St, Bristol, BS1 5PF

Opening hours: 8am – 5pm Daily

Arnolfini Reading Room and Cafe

Overlooking Bristol’s historic harbour, the central location of Arnolfini makes it a hot spot. A contemporary art gallery and popular food and drink location, the cafe offers scrummy food as well as some great inspiration while you work.

The reading room based on the second floor of the building next to the exhibition room is well equipped with desks, sofas and shelves full of gorgeous books and magazines. The cafe downstairs is a great place to sip a cup of coffee while working, though this isn’t the best place to sit if you’re sensitive to a bit of noise. Free and reliable Wi-Fi is also available throughout the building.

Address: 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA

Opening hours:

12-9pm Daily

Watershed

Watershed is a multi-arts venue overlooking the Harbourside, that has a large cafe/bar with free WiFi. Open seven days a week, you can get your chops round sharing plates, light bites and main meals during the working day.

If your mind works better later on in the day, the venue is open late into the night – wait until the cinema screenings have filled up for a more peaceful space.

Address: 1 Canons Road, BS1 5TX

Cafe & Bar opening times:

Mon 17:00
Tue – Fri: 9:30
Sat & Sun: 10:00

The Faraway Tree

A cosy little cafe, perfect for small families and remote workers alike, the Faraway Tree serves delicious vegan and vegetarian options in a serene environment – making it a great space for remote workers.

Best avoided by those looking to work in peace on a weekend due to the popularity of the cafe with young children, but perfectly tranquil enough mid-week to get your head down and be productive. The Wi-Fi is good, the staff are friendly and their brunch options are quite something!

Address: 136 Church Rd, Bristol, BS5 9HF

Opening hours:

9:30am – 3pm Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri, 10am – 3pm Sat/Sun, 9:30 – 3pm Mon

At The Well, Cafe and Launderette

Kill two birds with one stone – bring your washing and your laptop to hustle at this bright, buzzing launderette and cafe with WiFi, computer stations, printing services and live music.

At The Well put a real emphasis on community here, the atmosphere is charming, coffees are stellar (Bristol Extract) and the food is delicious – what better place to feel motivated to earn those dollarbucks AND come home with fresh-smelling laundry.

Address: Stokes Croft, 145 Cheltenham Rd, BS6 5RR

Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9am-5pm, Kitchen: Mon-Friday 9.30am-3.30pm, Sat & Sun 9am- 3.30pm.

https://www.facebook.com/atthewell/photos/pb.100063607749500.-2207520000./4701857969920501/?type=3

Cafe Kino

Cafe Kino is an ethical, community-focused, vegan and vegetarian not-for-profit cooperative café in Stokes Croft offering wholesome, ethically-sourced food. Local art hangs on the walls and there’s a continuously changing event programme in the basement including life drawing and music.

You can usually see a few folk tapping away on their laptops at work-friendly tables and booths. Opt for a window seat to watch the world go by (in between hard work of course).

Address: 108 Stokes Croft, BS1 3RU

Opening hours: Mon-Sun, 9am-9pm

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=515315957050764&set=pb.100057170934377.-2207520000.&type=3

The Lido

If you’re lucky enough to be a member of The Lido, you will already know the joys of going for an early morning refreshing dip and revitalising sauna, before popping across to the poolside cafe for a well-deserved breakfast. Throw in a few hours work on your laptop and you my friend, will leave feeling positively saintly!

I defy you to find a better way to start the working day. If you’re not a member, look into a day pass, just so you can experience the wholesome goodness.

Address: Oakfield Place, Clifton, BS8 2BJ

Opening hours: Mon-Sun, 7am-10pm