Settlers of Cafes

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...