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If you’re lucky enough to be able to work remotely you know that it doesn’t come without its challenges. Sometimes you need that separation between home life and work life. So here’s some local coffee shops in Durham that have an abundance of caffeine, free wireless, work-friendly layouts and sense of community.
The Durham Hotel
The Durham Hotel is a popular, boutique hotel downtown. It’s one of my favorite spots to work from simply because how beautiful it is. I mean, look at that! The floor to ceiling windows give it an airy feeling even on the rainiest of days. The staff is always exceptionally kind and we love how much space there so it never seems too crowded.
Pros: Free Wi-fi, plenty of seating, Counter Culture Coffee, friendly staff, easily accessible bathrooms
See their website for hours and location
Kaffeinate
Kaffeinate is a quaint little Brightleaf-adjacent coffee shop. Their coffee is heavenly and their service is always excellent. Plus the atmosphere is warm and inviting. We love that they have plenty of outlets and reliable wifi. The perfect combination for getting work done. Plus their music is always on point, I tend not to wear my headphones here because of that!
Pros: Free Wi-fi, great coffee, plenty of seating, friendly staff, easily accessible bathrooms
Bonus: Get 10% off your purchase every time with your Shop Durham card.
Namu
You’d be hard pressed to find another outdoor space that is this beautiful, has great coffee, and wi-fi to work from. One of the best patios in Durham. Don’t let the outside fool you because Namu is absolutely beautiful on the inside! They have a gorgeous bamboo garden topped off with a water fountain and koi pond, tons of outdoor seating that is pet and kid friendly. Plus, they have some unique coffee drinks you may not find otherwise.
Pros: Free Wi-fi, unique coffee drinks, plenty of space, free parking
Related: Not Your Average Cup of Local Coffee
Cocoa Cinnamon
If you love coffee, you have to come here. No questions. Cocoa Cinnamon has three Bull City locations and each has their own unique character. I personally prefer the Lakewood location for working because it is the largest and there is usually no issue finding seating.
Their coffee will rock your world plus you get the scent of freshly made churros while you work.
Pros: Free Wi-fi, plenty of seating, 4th Dimension Coffee, friendly staff
Bonus: Get a free churro with any drink purchase with your Shop Durham card.
Bean Traders
We are big fans of this funky cafe. The staff is always wonderful and willing to answer any questions I have about their unique drinks. The prices are affordable. Their house made syrups make all the difference in their self roasted coffee brand. The first time you come you may question it being in a strip mall. Who has good coffee in a strip mall? Yep, Bean Traders does. The space is surprisingly large and there are plenty of outlets to plug in.
Pros: Free Wi-fi, extensive coffee menu, plenty of seating, abundance of outlets, free parking
Bonus: Get a small cup of coffee with 1 bean purchase using your Shop Durham card.
Mad Hatter Cafe + Bakeshop
You’ll find Mad Hatter’s steps away from 9th Street. My number one reason for loving this place? The dessert. Their black and white cake is dreamy. (I love it so much it was our wedding cake!) So I tend to come here in the afternoons to work when I need a good sugar buzz. The space is large and you can usually find seating, although it can get busy during the school year because of the proximity to Duke’s campus. They have their own parking lot as well.
Pros: Free wifi, amazing desserts, free parking
Unscripted
I never thought that I would be frequenting hotel coffee shops to work from, but here we are again. I have a thing for these boutique hotels in Durham. Unscripted has a coffee shop by day and a bar by night. I’m a big fan of comfy couches to work on and they have an abundance of them. Their coffee is great and plus, I use my Shop Durham card to get a free cup whenever I go. If you’re from here you know that parking downtown can be a major headache. Good news is that Unscripted has their own parking garage, just have to pay hourly.
Pros: Free Wi-fi, plenty of seating, easy parking
Bonus: Get a FREE small cup of Toby’s Estate Coffee every visit with your Shop Durham card.
Triangle Coffee House
We love this spot on 9th street because it tends to be quiet and there is plenty of seating. There’s actually two floors- I prefer sitting upstairs because of the natural light. The baristas are friendly, the coffee is good, and the prices are reasonable. There are plenty of outlets which also makes it ideal for working or studying.
Pros: Free Wi-fi, plenty of seating, lots of outlets, full coffee menu
Saint & Co.
Saint & Co. is a bakery café offering all things related to dough. Delicious variety of fresh pastries and great coffee. Everything is baked in house and you can tell. They also serve toasts, salads, paninis, beer, and wine as well as a cocktail on tap every day.
Pros: Large space with plenty of seating, free parking along ninth street
Notes: Their sweet pastries and tarts are works of art for an insanely reasonable price.
Shop Durham Offer: 50% off pastries after 2pm
East Durham Bake Shop
Although they’ve got a full espresso bar, it takes a backseat to their insanely good baked goods. Their space is light-filled and cozy- you want to spend all day here. There’s also a bookshelf filled with children’s books to keep the kiddos entertained.
Pros: Easy parking, awesome food, friendly staff, easily accessible bathrooms
Food: Full bakery with croissants, scones, cakes, pies, and more. Their savory pies and soups make the perfect lunch.
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Author: Katelyn Belch
Founder of Best of the Bull and Shop Durham. It’s my chief goal to keep you in the know about all things Durham.
