Settlers of Cafes

1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 8 / 10 There is large table with chairs on both sides that is perfect for work. There are some couches near the door and some high tables at the end by the leather couches. 3) power outlets 8 / 10 There are power outlets for the tall tables but the leather seats and small table tops aren't made for a laptop. The big table is perfect for work though. 4) vibe: 8 / 10 It's a rather quite Starbucks (in Starbucks scale) given its neighborhood. Overall: 8 / 10 Not much to say about a Starbucks. The panorama says all you need to know.

Newly opened, this Philz coffee shop is a decent spot in town to work from! Take a look for yourself: 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 7 / 10 There are some small round tables with chairs along one of the walls. There are some less round shaped tables around the coffee shop as well. One unique, nice thing about this coffeeshop is the leather cushioned areas of each window that you can seat on! 3) power outlets 8 / 10 There are plenty of power outlets in this coffeeshop. Unfortunately you don't get any on the front wall, where all the nice leather seating areas by the window are (check the panorama above). 4) vibe: 9 / 10 The vibe is work friendly. Most people were working on their laptop on the day I visited. Overall: 8 / 10 Overall a pretty decent spot to work for a few hours. They don't have a espresso machine and serve only pour over coffee.

Bean Bag Cafe is another good spot for work. What sets it apart is its cafe feel and its diverse menu of smoothies, food, crepes and coffee drinks. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 8 / 10 There are plenty of tables to sit at. Check out the panorama picture above to get a good idea of the interior design. 3) power outlets 7 / 10 There are some power outlets in the cafe. Most high tables that look outside have access to a power outlet. A few of the tables and the tall table in the middle have power outlets beside them as well. But many of the chairs don't have access to any outlets. 4) vibe: 8 / 10 The cafe's vibe is pretty work friendly. You'll find many people working on their laptops in this cafe. Half the people will come for a quick bite and drinks though. Overall: 8 / 10 Nice cafe to relax, have some food and work the day away.

This Starbucks is huge. Plenty of seating spots plus large windows that capture a lot of sun light. They have a designated focus area for people who want a quieter space. Perfect for work / study. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 8 / 10 There are plenty of seating spots in this Starbucks. But there are proportionately more people here. 3) power outlets 7 / 10 There is a table at the back with power outlets. Plus the outside facing table. So you may have to wait a while before a power outlet becomes available. 4) vibe: 7 / 10 It's a Starbucks. You will be fine with you laptop there specially if you find a spot on the smaller focus area to stay away from the loud crowd. Overall: 8 / 10 It's one of the better Starbucks in my opinion.

Klatch coffee on Franklin street is a modern coffee shop. Nicely decorated with large windows that capture as much sun light as possible in SF. The coffeeshop is quite and many people were working in their corner. The coffee and pastry were good. 1) wifi: 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating: 8 / 10 The chairs are sparsely spread in this coffee shop which is a good contrast to the crowded coffee shops of SF. Maybe it is because they are a bit from the nearby crowded neighborhoods. In any case the coffee shop wasn't too crowded and there were a good number of chairs available at any time. 3) power outlets: 4 / 10 There are power outlets only under the tables that look outside the coffee shop. That is only 4 seating spots out of the total 35 ish. 4) vibe: 9 / 10 Its a quiet modern coffee shop with a lot of sun light. Working on your laptop for extended hours? You will blend right in! Overall: 8 / 10 Minus the power outlets, everything is perfect for working extended ...

Today I tried another Peet's Coffee. There were no surprises there. Reliable wifi, adequate seating, some power outlets. The vibe was neutral as is typical with Peet's and Starbucks. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 7 / 10 There are some chairs and a bench to the right of the entrance. The tables are round which makes it a little harder to work on your laptop specially if you have a mouse. 3) power outlets 5 / 10 I saw them only near the bench. 4) vibe: 7 / 10 A neutral vibe. Subtle background music. A few people talking loudly here and there. Most people stay half an hour or so to drink a coffee or have a light snack. Overall: 7 / 10 Another Peet's. Has adequate seating. Not too many but this neighborhood doesn't get too crowded or crazy. A few power outlets. Overall could work, but not a top choice.

I've been to Martha & Brothers coffee shop in Noe Valley before and it was a decent cafe. So I decided to try out their branch in Inner Sunset. The coffeeshop was nice, had wifi, power outlets, good sandwiches. But it had a sign that said 2 hour seating max. So it is not somewhere you want to spend all day. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 7 / 10 There are some seats  but they are crammed together a bit. If you have extra stuff, you will have to organize them well on the small table you get. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 There are power outlets in the coffeeshop. 4) vibe: 5 / 10 Most people came there for coffee and lunch. I spent two hours there (as the sign had that time limit for sitting there). Overall an ok place. Overall: 7 / 10 It is not the best cafe to work from. But it has everything you need to spend 2 hours on your laptop.

Check out the map of all coffee shops that I've been to in SF since I started this blog (around 20 at the moment). You can filter them by score and read the blog entry for them. It is the fastest way to find a suitable coffee shop to work f ro m! Open map of San Francisco's coffee shops.

Initially looked like a fairly small coffee shop. Then I followed the corridor at the back of the front room and found a really nice and cozy room with cushions and also an outdoor seating area. Front Section: Back Section: 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 10 / 10 You can choose the bench and chairs in either room or even sit outdoors if you don't care about power outlets. The front section is more busy and noisy where as the back section is more cozy and quiet. Cushions were the cherry on the top. 3) power outlets 10 / 10 There are plenty of power outlets in the coffee shop. Unlike many other cafes that only decide between blocking or not blocking the available outlets, they have run power strips around the cafe just in case. 4) vibe: 10 / 10 Its a nice coffee shop with plenty of seating. You can choose the noisier front section or the quieter back section to work. Overall: 10 / 10 Everything at this cafe was perfect. Will definitely go back! They...

Trying to cover all of SF, today I rode down to Bernal Heights and tried two cafes. First, cafe 78 which is a typical local cafe. Nothing really stands out and nothing really disappoints. Reasonably priced quick bites and coffee drinks are available. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 9 / 10 I have been here a lot and most of the time you can find a seat. 3) power outlets 7 / 10 There are power outlets in the coffee shop. The middle section of the large wooden bench doesn't have outlets though. 4) vibe: 6 / 10 Its a quiet local coffee shop. Overall: 7 / 10 It's a good coffee shop overall. You wouldn't regret working there, though you may not remember it either.

Another Starbucks review. It is kind of hard to avoid them! They are everywhere. Being on Pier 1 makes this a good spot for working. You can take short walks on the sea front. 1) wifi 8 / 10 It works. Sometimes laggy for streaming. 2) seating 8 / 10 There are enough seats for around 20 people inside and given the busy area, they are taken in the peak hours (evenings and mornings). However you will find a spot to sit after a few minutes. There is a lot of outdoor seating too which I tend to avoid as sun light doesn't work well with a monitor and there are no power outlets outside. 3) power outlets 7 / 10 There are power outlets on the large bench and some on the other corner. 4) vibe: 8 / 10 Its your typical Starbucks vibe. Perfectly fine to work here. Overall: 8 / 10 There is not much to say about a Starbucks. The picture says it all. If you are a Starbucks fan, this location is perfect as it is close to the water.

This Starbucks is in heart of the action, FiDi. So I was skeptical about its seating area and space. It is very common for coffee shops in this area to be packed and not have power outlets. Contrary to my expectations, this Starbucks had relatively more benches and chairs and had power outlets. So I ended up having a great workday! 1) wifi 10 / 10 It is a Starbucks. 2) seating 6 / 10 There is enough seating for around 16 people. The coffee shop was pretty much full during the day. Given the location, I can see it get full. Checkout the pictures. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 There are power outlets in the coffee shop where ever you sit. The real question is whether you can find a seat. 4) vibe: 6 / 10 It is a typical Starbucks with a mix of people working on their laptops and people taking a coffee break. I sat there for around 4 hours during which multiple groups were looking for chairs to sit but couldn't find any. So that made me feel a bit bad about myself ...

It was a hot sunny day today in SF. So we decided to take the ferry to Sausalito to enjoy the nice weather in a calmer atmosphere by the water. While there, why not squeeze in an hour or two of work at a coffeeshop? Firehouse is the perfect cafe in Sausalito for that! 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 9 / 10 There are some standard tables and chairs, some couches and a bigger table for work. I have been here only a few times and it has never been too crowded. You will find a good spot to sit with your laptop regardless of what you prefer. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 There are power outlets in the coffeeshop. 4) vibe: 8 / 10 Its a quiet coffeeshop that melds well with Sausalito's vibe. You are in for treat here. Nice decoration, good coffee and mellow background music. Overall: 9 / 10 If you end up in Sausalito looking for a place to sit and work on your laptop for a while, firehouse is the perfect coffeeshop.

Today I checked out Chestnut Street Coffee Roastery. It has a cool decor at the end where they roast the coffee beans. They have coffee and pastries but no proper food or even deli sandwiches. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 9 / 10 There are plenty of seats here. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 The walls have power outlets. If you sit along the walls you will be fine, but if you sit in the middle, you probably don't want to plug your charger in as people may tip over the cable. 4) vibe 8 / 10 It is another rather quiet coffeeshop. Customers are a good mix of coffee drinkers and settlers staying longer to work on their laptops. Overall 9 / 10 This is another great coffeeshop to work at.

I decided to go west toward the quieter parts of SF. I rode my bike for a few miles before I stumbled upon this nice cafe in Central Richmond. I think this area is also knows as Little Russia so might be worth checking out if you are into Russian culture. There are more coffeeshops around this one that I'm going to explore in near future. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 9 / 10 There is a big table in the middle, smaller tables around it, some booths and a large table looking out the window. A lot of options to choose from. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 The booths, small tables and the one looking out the window all have power outlets. So you won't run out of outlets. 4) vibe: 9 / 10 The cafe has a rather quiet vibe with some mellow music playing in the background. Many people are there to do homework or work on their laptop. Some groups come for a quick lunch or coffee. Overall: 9 / 10 This is the type of coffeeshop I enjoy working at. Not too quiet ...

This starbucks has a good seating area. There are smaller tables as you walk in and a large 10 person table for work. I have been able to find a seat here on most days. And it is a Starbucks, so no more needs to be said. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 8 / 10 The large table is perfect for working if you don't mind other people sharing it with you. There are power outlets underneath the table. Most of the time there are empty seats at the large table. It gets crowded in the evening. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 There are power outlets around the coffeeshop. The large table has a large power bar below it. 4) vibe: 8 / 10 You will see the typical balanced crowd in this Starbucks. Some people drop by for a quick bite and some coffee. Some for a short chat and others are lost in their laptops / homework. Overall: 9 / 10 Its a good spot to work from!

My girlfriend insisted on going to fi-di again. It's fun! We will see people, she said. I followed. I regret. We stumbled on this Starbucks just south of Chinatown which had power outlets. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 4 / 10 There are seats for around 10 people. Combine that with the fact the area is very touristic. The coffeeshop was very loud and full of people who were energetically talking about their day adventure. 3) power outlets 6 / 10 There were power outlets underneath the bar tables looking outside. 4) vibe: 4 / 10 We were the only people working on our laptops. Almost everyone else was taking a break from their day. Also there were a lot of tourists popping in for a bit of rest and a coffee. Overall: 5 / 10 We stayed there for around 3 hours. I don't recommend such a small and busy coffeeshop for work specially if you need to focus.

Located farther west in Outer Richmond, La Promenade is an excellent cafe to work at. The spacious cafe is divided into two rooms, the front section is more lively and the back section looks more like a quiet library. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works, and it is great. I can even play dota at this cafe. 2) seating 10 / 10 There are plenty of seats in this cafe. There are larger tables in case you have a lot of stuff to spread around you. There are ofcourse smaller tables for smaller groups or individuals. There are even two couches at the back if you want something more comfy. 3) power outlets 9 / 10 There are some power outlets in the coffeeshop but there could be more. 4) vibe: 10 / 10 The music is just loud enough to be heard but not to distract. Most people are busy working. People in some tables are discussing work. Overall: 10 / 10 So far this has been my favorite coffeeshop. It is the perfect coffeeshop to spend a full day at. Their selection of food and dri...

Cup-A-Joe is just a few blocks away from all the fi-di craze. You can walk there in 20 minutes from Union Square. This small corner cafe makes a fine spot for spending a few hours with your laptop. 1) wifi 7 / 10 Wifi has been a bit dodgy here. 2) seating 9 / 10 There are two large tall tables for work and smaller tables inside and outside the cafe. The cafe is small but not so crowded most of the time.I have always found a seat at one of the large tables. On the downside half of the seats face away from the large windows and cause light reflection from the monitor screen. 3) power outlets 10 / 10 There are power outlets near both tables. You will be fine. 4) vibe: 8 / 10 This cafe attracts a balanced mix of people who want to work and people who want to hang out and have a coffee. Overall: 8 / 10 Cup-A-Joe Coffee House doesn't stand out in any particular category. It is not one of those cafes you will remember to go next time. But it has everything wor...

I was on the fence about including this particular Starbucks in my website. A Starbucks inside a mall is clearly intended for the shoppers. As is with many cafes in fi-di, when a lot of people go to a cafe for work, they either add more seats to accommodate, or remove wifi and/or power plugs to get rid of the new crowd. So far almost every time I have been to this Starbucks, I have been the only one there to work. And it should stay that way otherwise they are going to take away my precious power outlets. 1) wifi 10 / 10 It works. 2) seating 7 / 10 There are some small tables and some bar tables looking outside at the Union Square. It can get pretty crowded in the evening when people go shopping. Generally you will be able to find a seat withing 10 minutes or so. 3) power outlets 4 / 10 There are power outlets near two of the small tables. There are two more at the sides of the big window looking over the Union Square. It is  hard to get those if you are there ...