A guide to the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown; laptop friendly coffee shops for students, freelancers and digital nomads in the heart of Manhattan!
There are quite a few good laptop friendly cafes in NYC Midtown, from famous Think Coffee and Devocion.
In this guide, we’ll really go over the very best so you can find cafes with WiFi where you can stay for a few hours with your laptop and work without being interrupted.
14 Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown (Laptop Friendly)
For this guide, I’ll focus on the very best cafes to work in NYC Midtown according to a few of the criteria I follow when I’m looking for new coffee shops to work from.
I want free WiFi (and fast as much as possible), good coffee (you don’t live in Rome Italy, and get out of there without craving strong, delicious coffee), and a coffee shop as spacious as possible so I don’t feel out of place when rush hour is around the corner.
Later on, I’ll write about other areas and boroughs in New York City, with cafes to work in Chelsea, the Upper East Side, the Lower East Side, and many more.
For now, if you find yourself around the Empire State Building, Central Park, or Times Square, and you’re looking for cool cafes to work in Midtown Manhattan, you’ll surely find your favorites here today!
Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown: Ground Central
I already talked about Ground Central on The Working Line; it’s ultimately one of the most famous and best cafes to work in NYC.
Ground Central has a few locations all around New York City, and you’ll find their coffee shops are spacious and the WiFi is free and really good.
If you’re looking for the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown, you’re going to love the Midtown West cafe, which provides an inspiring atmosphere and decor, as well as a library from which you can get a book to relax in between projects.
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Best Coffee Shops to Work in Midtown Manhattan: Culture Company
Then, you’ve got one of the best-hidden gems in New York City; Culture Company Coffee.
Located on Madison Avenue, Culture Company is one of the most spacious cafes to work in NYC Midtown.
If you’re looking for a rather quiet coffee shop to study, you’re going to have to mark this one down as your new HQ.
No Starbucks here, we’re talking about the perfect coworking space if you want to be super productive.
Plenty of power outlets and free WiFi, as well as several bathrooms, make Culture Coffee a great space to work all day long if you need to.
There’s even an upstairs area if you really want to be in your own world for a while.
There are quite a few laptop friendly cafes in Midtown Manhattan, that’s true, but Culture Coffee is first place all around.
Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Boston
Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown: Devocion Flatiron
We talked about Devocion before as it’s one of the best cafes to work in Brooklyn, but if you’re around Flatiron Square, you need to visit their Midtown branch.
It’s a bit smaller than the Brooklyn spot, but since there are lots of freelancers and students camping there during the day, it’s only the first sign that Devocion is also one of the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown.
Super laptop friendly with free WiFi, delicious coffee imported overnight to New York City from Colombia, and a place packed so early you’re going to want to come as soon as Devocion opens.
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Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown Manhattan: Kona Coffee
Kona Coffee opens from 8 am to 7 pm, which, in a city where working coffee shops close super early, makes it an amazing cafe to work remotely in Midtown NYC.
From the pastries to the coffee, Kona Koffee knows its product through and through, and the new location in Chelsea is a spacious cafe to do work Midtown and study without being interrupted.
Superb atmosphere, a really big coffee shop, perfect if you’re studying your midterms or have to finish that article – or that novel.
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Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown East: Felix Roasting
Felix Roasting in Midtown East is not the cheapest option in this guide if you’re looking for the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown, but it’s tremendously inspiring.
The decor is uppity chic, and really instagrammable, and you’ve got free WiFi which will allow you to work for a few hours.
However, this coffee shop does not have power outlets, so I’d definitely recommend coming with your phone and your laptop charged if you really want to be productive with work.
Also, since Felix Roasting closes at 5 pm, I’d also recommend coming from the opening at 8 am – gives you plenty of time to make it all happen during the day in one of the most instagrammable cafes in NYC!
Read: Fall in NYC: 14 Best Things to Do in the Big Apple
Best Coffee Shops to Work in Midtown Manhattan: Think Coffee
Next up, one of my ultimate favorites: Think Coffee!
Any New Yorker knows about Think Coffee, and it’s here, along with Devocion and Culture Coffee, one of the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown.
Think Coffee has quite a few locations around Manhattan, whether Midtown or Downtown and they’re expanded into numerous coffee shops these last few years.
All the better for us freelancers and students, since Think Coffee is notorious for being one of the best laptop friendly cafes in NYC.
It offers fast and free WiFi, super comfortable seating space, and great opening times.
From 6.30 am to 7 pm most days, you can sit down at Think Coffee near Gramercy Square, and just grind, grind, grind till you make it.
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Best Cafes in Midtown Manhattan to Study: Coffee Project Chelsea
Coffee Project is one of the best cafes to work in Chelsea NYC – that’s a fact.
There, you’ll find a lot of seating space, which means even during rush times, you won’t feel out of place for working on your laptop with a couple of coffees.
If you’re looking for the best cafes to study in NYC Midtown, you’ve got a winner here.
Especially since Coffee Project also has a restroom and closes at 7 pm – later than a lot of working cafes in New York, and amazing if you’re finishing a work shift in the afternoon.
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Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown: Paper Coffee
There are not a lot of cool cafes to work near the Empire State Building, and that’s a fact.
It’s true that Midtown NYC is a bit more of a tourist area, but when you need to find a good coffee shop to study in Midtown… you have Paper Coffee.
Paper Coffee is one of the best cafes to work in Midtown Manhattan if you’re looking for a place to camp all day.
I know that’s what I do when I’m looking for a good study cafe – a spacious coffee shop with free WiFi, power outlets, and inspiring decor.
If you’re the same, Paper Coffee inside Made Hotel should be the perfect spot for you.
A quiet coffee shop, super close to the Empire State Building, with comfortable seating and a motivating vibe? The perfect study spot.
Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown Manhattan: Blank Slate
Blank Slate Coffee & Kitchen is something of a coffee shop mixed with a restaurant, and it’s one of the biggest cafes to work in NYC Midtown.
You’ve got single tables as well as large communal tables at which you’ll find freelancers and students working every hour of the day.
Whether you’re looking for solid coffee, a cool atmosphere to study, or even just lunch on your off days, Blank Slate Coffee is one of the best laptop friendly cafes in NYC if you find yourself around Midtown Manhattan.
It closes a bit early though, at 5 pm, but if you come when Blank Slate Coffee opens at 7.30 am, you’ll have plenty of time to get some good studying done.
Best Cafes to Study in NYC Midtown: Stumptown Coffee Roasters
We talked about Stumptown Coffee Roasters in the guide to the best cafes to work in Manhattan, and here it is again – a solid option if you’re looking for a good laptop friendly cafe in Midtown NYC.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters is located inside the trendy Ace Hotel, and you’ve got plenty of space in the lounge area to work while sipping your coffee.
The WiFi is free and fast, and you’ll find lots of people working on their laptops at Stumptown Coffee Roasters.
Amazing coffee, amazing coworking vibe, and a perfect work day in perspective when you decide to settle there for the day.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters closes super early (4 pm on weekdays, 3 pm on weekends), so you’re going to want to visit as early as you can.
But given how comfortable those seats are, and the atmosphere you have around, it’s all around one of the best cafes to work in Midtown Manhattan.
Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Lower Manhattan
Best Cafes in Midtown Manhattan to Study: The Bean
The Bean initially had a great location on 1st Ave and East 3rd St, and when it shut down, it was honestly sad for freelancers and laptop people.
But then, The Bean opened a few other locations, including a few in Manhattan and Williamsburg – all really cool cafes to study in NYC.
If The Bean is one of the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown, it’s clearly because of the fact it’s open late – it’s indeed open from 7 am to 9 pm every day of the week.
With free WiFi, a super spacious coffee shop, and plenty of students and freelancers working around you, you can only feel ready to tackle the day at The Bean.
Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Astoria & Queens
Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown: Gregorys Coffee
Gregorys Coffee opens from 6.30 am to 6 pm during the week.
While it’s closed at weekends, I’d still recommend checking out this spot if you’re looking for a friendly cafe to study in Midtown Manhattan.
The staff clearly loves what they do, and you’ve got great coffee here in addition to sandwiches and fresh pastries to keep you going during the day.
One of the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown because Gregorys Coffee offers free WiFi, and really good seating space, and you’ll find lots of freelancers and students in the cafe working alongside you – perfect for inspiration and motivation.
Read: The Best Cafes Open Late in London to Study
Best Coffee Shops to Work in Midtown Manhattan: Seven Grams Caffe
Another one of the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown? Seven Grams Caffe, by far.
Seven Grams Caffe is open from 7 am to 6 pm most days, so if you come early – and you’re going to want to if you want to avoid the crowds, you have an amazing laptop friendly cafe here.
The 7th Ave coffee shop offers absolutely delicious coffee and fresh pastries, along with free WiFi.
The minimalist decor should be enough if you’re looking for cafes in Midtown Manhattan to study and should get you focused and going in no time.
Read: The Best Cafes to Work on the Upper West Side
Best Cafes in Midtown Manhattan to Study: Variety Coffee Roasters
Variety Coffee Roasters is one of my favorite cafes to work in NYC Midtown, because they just have everything a student, a freelancer, or a recently-moved-to-NYC digital nomad might wish for.
You’ve got plenty of light, inspiring decor, fast and free WiFi, and super comfortable seats.
You can choose to visit during the week or at weekends, and since Variety Coffee Roasters also has a bathroom, you can literally stay there to study as much as you need.
One of the overall best cafes to work in Midtown Manhattan, and if you’re ever in need of a cafe open late, Variety Coffee Roasters opens from 7 am to 9 pm most days – a top pick.
Read: The Best Cafes to Work on the Upper East Side
14 Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown (Laptop Friendly)
There you have them, all the best cafes to work in NYC Midtown!
If you’re looking for other areas to work in Manhattan, I’ll write about these really soon, so stick around.
In the meantime, you’ll hopefully have found here all the study cafes in Midtown Manhattan you were looking for to grind until you make it – I believe in you, you can do this!