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12 Best Cafes to Work in South London (Laptop Friendly)

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Today’s meeting is about the best cafes to work in South London, from Brixton to Battersea, and Clapham, super cool laptop friendly cafes to study with your books, notebooks, and most importantly, free WiFi and power outlets where possible.

If you’ve been here before, you know exactly how crazy I am about working in coffee shops.

I’ve been a full-time blogger for ages now, and sometimes, I just really need to leave home and work surrounded by people and coffee machine noises.

I’ve told you about the best cafes to work in London more times than I can recall, and lately, told you about coffee shops to study in Oxford Street, West London, and cafes open late in London.

Today, and after letting you know about all sorts of cafes to work in East London, North London, and West London around Chelsea, Kensington, and Notting Hill, you’ll have another bunch of study cafes to set up camp at.

And if you’d like to learn about more amazing places to study in London, check out these guides:

12 Best Cafes to Work in South London (Laptop Friendly)

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Photo: Sevengrams

As per usual, I’ll tell you about some of the most laptop friendly cafes in London to study with power plugs where possible.

A lot of the best study spots in London are actually located in East London and Central London in my opinion.

They’re usually bigger, and while they do attract lots of people, chain coffee shops like Caffè Nero, Costa Coffee, Starbucks, and Pret a Manger usually are big enough to accommodate everyone.

Yet, when you really need to find a coffee shop to work with free WiFi, you’ll definitely find the best ones here.

I’ve focused on areas like Brixton, Battersea, Streatham, and Clapham in this guide, so wherever you are in South London, you’ll hopefully find the perfect study spot!

Best Cafes to Work in South London: Caya Brixton

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Photo: Desana

First up, you’ve got Caya in Brixton, which is definitely one of the best cafes to work in South London.

You can hardly find any more laptop friendly if you’re looking for a coffee shop to set up camp with your PC, your books, and your notebooks for a few hours.

The only downside of Caya Brixton is the fact that it closes so early, really.

The opening times are roughly from 8 am to 3 or 4 pm, and you’re really going to want to get there as early as possible if you want to do a full workday there.

The main thing to remember about Caya is that while it is a coffee shop, it’s also a coworking space where you can really have that motivating vibe around you.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Manhattan NYC

Best Cafes to Study in South London: Federation Coffee Brixton

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Photo: HappyCow

Again, if you’re looking for late night study spots in South London, Federation Coffee is not the place.

The small coffee shop, located inside Brixton Village, is usually only visited by people coming to get a drink and a bite of their stunning banana bread and other homemade cakes.

Very few power outlets inside, so if you want to stay for some time (it’s open from 9 am to 3 pm), come with your laptop and your phone charged.

In my opinion, Federation Coffee is still one of the best South London cafes to work for a bit.

Good for relaxing, good for reading a book or your notes, and the coffee served is great. Just a cool cafe to work in Brixton surrounded by the colorful stalls of Brixton Village.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Bethnal Green

Best Cafes to Work in South London: Stir Coffee Brixton

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Photo: Brixton Buzz

One of the most famous cafes to work in South London is Stir Coffee, also located in Brixton. It opens from 8 am to 3 pm most days of the week, and while Stir Coffee is also open at weekends, I would advise against visiting on Saturdays and Sundays.

Why?

Because Stir Coffee offers superb breakfast and brunch bites, so you can kiss your focus and motivation goodbye if you’re looking to be productive with work.

Stir Coffee is otherwise one of the best cafes to study in Brixton, and on weekdays, you’ll see there are plenty of students and freelancers coming to enjoy their coffee and the free WiFi.

Read: The Best Bookshop Cafes to Work in London

Best Laptop Friendly Cafes in South London: Pret Brixton

If you’ve read a few coworking posts here before, you know I’m always talking about at least one Pret coffee shop in my study cafes guides.

It’s simple; Pret are some of the best cafes to study in Central London as they’re usually huge, with power outlets and fast WiFi.

As such, if you’re looking for the best cafes to work in South London, it just seems normal I’d mention a Pret here too.

The Pret a Manger on Brixton Road is located a few steps away from Brixton Tube station, and if you’re looking for cafes open late to study and do some work, that’s one of the best in the area.

It’s indeed open from 6 am to 8 pm every day, except on Sundays when it opens from 7 am to 7 pm. Still a huge time slot to bring in your laptop and your notes, really.

The basement is quite large, and you’ve got lots of power outlets as well as free WiFi, so it’s really, again, one of the best cafes to work in South London.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in NYC Midtown

Best Cafes to Study in South London: Hej Roastery & Coffee House

Going a little bit more toward Central London, you’ve got Hej Roastery & Coffee House in Elephant & Castle.

While I don’t really mind the Elephant & Castle area, there is the Mercato Metropolitano there, a super cool market which hosts a lot of great food stands and is an amazing place to visit at the end of a workday.

Hej Coffee & Roastery is a quite huge coffee shop, and one of the best study spots in South London if you don’t mind traveling to Elephant & Castle.

It opens from 8 am to 5 pm every day, except at weekends when it opens at 9 am.

You’ve got everything you might be wishing for if you’re looking for study cafes in Elephant & Castle; free WiFi, power outlets, homemade pastries, and great coffee.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in East Village NYC

Best Cafes to Work in South London: Nata’s Coffee Bar Balham

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Photo: Quandoo

Then, if you’re ever looking for cafes to study in Balham, you’ve got Nata’s Coffee Bar, which offers a really beautiful, rustic background.

It reminds me a bit of cafes to work in Brooklyn, where the background is often either made of bricks or wood, and that’s always been something I love when I choose not to work from home.

That’s one of the reasons I love working in Caffè Nero coffee shops, for instance.

Nata’s Coffee Bar is open from 7 am to 5 pm every day, except at weekends when it opens until 6 pm.

There, you have fresh pastries and clearly some of the best coffee and food in Balham, as well as free WiFi. Very few power outlets, so come with your devices charged, but the atmosphere will make it up to you.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Paris

Best Cafes to Study in South London: Doppio Coffee Warehouse Battersea

When I told you about the best cafes to work in Camden, I already mentioned Doppio Coffee Warehouse, which is quite huge and a perfect study spot in North London.

Well, if you’re around South London, you’ve also got the option to pay a visit to Doppio Coffee Warehouse in Battersea.

Clearly, Battersea and its new shopping center are some of the most beautiful places to hang out in London, but there are not a lot of cafes for studying around the Battersea shopping center.

The opening hours of Doppio Coffee Warehouse are pretty good; from 7.30 am to 5 pm on weekdays, and from 9 to 5 on weekends.

You’ll surely see other freelancers and students working there, as it’s really famous for being one of the best cafes to work in South London near Battersea.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Soho London

Best Cafes to Work in South London: Sevengrams Clapham

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Photo: Sevengrams

Sevengrams is one of the coolest Italian cafes in Italy, and you’ve got a huge branch available if you’re ever looking for cafes to work in Clapham.

This one is definitely one of the most laptop friendly cafes in South London, as you’ve got free WiFi, power outlets, and a super cool atmosphere to work for a few hours.

Sevengrams is located in The Printworks, and it opens from 8 am to 4.30 pm on weekdays, and from 9 am to 4.30 pm on weekends.

The coffee shops boasts a comfortable setting, amazing coffee and drinks, and it’s just a cool place to work in Clapham.

It used to have another name too, Coffee Studio, and if you’ve ever been around East London, chances are you’ve already looked for study cafes in Shoreditch, where Sevengrams used to have another super cool branch.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in London Bridge

Best Laptop Friendly Cafes in South London: Caffè Nero Clapham

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Photo: Yelp

Of course, I would also mention at least one Caffè Nero in this guide to the best cafes to work in South London! Especially since it’s located on Clapham High Street, where you might find yourself looking for good study cafes at one point or another.

Caffè Nero in Clapham is open from 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays, and from 8 am to 7 pm on Sundays.

Again, it’s really the chain coffee shops in London which offer the longest opening hours, and Caffè Nero is famous for that (for instance, the branch on Southbank opens pretty late as well).

This one might seem small, but you’ve actually got a basement with plenty of seating space to set up camp with your laptop.

Power plugs, free WiFi, and great service – a perfect study spot in South London.

Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Covent Garden

Best Cafes to Work in South London: Social Pantry Cafe

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Photo: OpenTable

The Social Pantry Cafe is actually not a proper study cafe per se, but since you’ve got lots of seats and a super nice atmosphere, why not try to work there someday?

It opens from 8 am to 4 pm every day of the week, and if you’re looking for laptop friendly cafes in South London, Social Pantry Cafe has power outlets and free WiFi – the dream.

The closest Tube station is Clapham Junction, so if you’re ever in that area, you’ve really got a nice setting to work for a few hours.

Just maybe avoid visiting at weekends, as Social Pantry Cafe offers some really delicious food and you won’t be able to focus as much.

Read: The Best Free Quiet Study Spaces in London

Best Cafes to Study in South London: Volcano Coffee Works Norwood

Volcano Coffee Works in Norwood is another amazing cafe to work in South London. Granted, it’s much further from Central London than places in Battersea and Clapham, but it’s huge.

Like, huge.

You’ll see myriad freelancers and students coming there on a daily basis because it’s just a great productivity-triggering coffee shop. It opens from 8 am to 3.30 on weekdays, with shorter opening times at weekends.

If you want to avoid the crowds and snatch a good table, come early. Also, Volcano Coffee Works is a dog-friendly cafe, so if you ever want to bring your pup, why not.

Free WiFi and power outlets, a huge background, and noises of coffee machines blending in with laptop sounds – yeah, definitely one of the best cafes for studying in South London.

Read: The Best Free Coworking Spaces in London

Best Cafes to Work in South London: Hive Cafe Streatham

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Photo: Hive Cafe

The Hive Cafe in Streatham is spacious and offers free WiFi along with good coffee – we’re off to a good start. Very few power outlets, but the WiFi is fast, and when the sun hits, you’ll be under the impression you’re working on a terrace, so that’s terrific.

They also have an outdoor space if you’d like to work under the sun, or just even read a good book and relax.

Hive Cafe opens from 8 am to 4 pm most days of the week, but it’s closed on Sundays, so if you’re looking for cafes to work in South London open on Sundays, that’s not the one.

However, the atmosphere is also super laptop friendly, and Hive Cafe is just a bright study spot that will certainly get you motivated to study in no time.

Read: The Best Free Libraries in London to Work

12 Best Cafes to Work in South London (Laptop Friendly)

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Photo: HejCoffee

There you have them, all the best cafes to work in South London around Clapham, Battersea, Brixton, and Streatham!

Hopefully, you’ll have found here some new amazing study coffee shops. I’ve tried to gather the most laptop friendly cafes, so you don’t have to carry your charger around and don’t have to hotspot.

Yet, even the coffee shops without power outlets are some places that deserve a visit if you’re looking for some beautiful settings!

Until next time!

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Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.