If the weather is nice, you can work in Bryant Park during the day. Especially before lunch hour rush. There are tables, shade, and (some) wifi -- though 4G cell hotspot is probably better.
Also, the New York Public Library is right nearby, so if you get annoyed by crowds or weather, you can relocate to one of the most beautiful quiet workplaces in the entire city.
Not a cafe, but the Rose Reading Room at the 42nd St. library is the prettiest, most productive place to get work done. Also easy to move outside to Bryant Park when it's nice out.
How loud is it there? The stone walls and tile floors make me think it's very live, acoustically speaking. Are people quiet enough that it's not a problem?
A good choice however you are not allowed to consume your own food/water/coffee there. So if you have something you need to do in two hours or less with no breaks, then this is a great place.
The lesser known but very nice alternative is SIBL: Which has nice workspace in its lower level reading room. This is more quiet like a university, and not like a hip/trendy etc. But they also have photocopy, print, and research materials if you should need some.
NYPL: Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL)
As someone else suggested check out Loosecubes.com .
In Manhattan it can be a little challenging to find a coffee shop to set up in for very long. Seats and outlets are at a premium and many are policing wifi moochers these days. There are a few large starbuckses with a good amount of room though. I've also worked at the library before (not many outlets, and you can't take phone calls inside).
In Williamsburg there are a ton of work-friendly coffee shops. If you take the L train to the bedford, lorimer or graham stops, pop open Yelp and you'll spot at least 3-4 coffee shops in a 5 block radius of each, with wifi and (usually) seats...
I'm assuming you're talking about the Think on Mercer. Just to clarify, the Think on the Bowery is much smaller and has no wifi (and last time I was there had a passive aggressive sign about people using laptops in coffee shops).
There's a lot of love here for the 42nd St. library, but I'm personally a fan of the performing arts library at Lincoln Center. Aeron chairs, tons of open space with plenty of outlets, and if it's warm out you can work in the Lincoln Center plaza for a change of pace.
If it's warm out and you don't need internet access, I'm also a big fan of working from the High Line. There are lots of shaded tables, and you can't beat the ambiance. If you need to duck away for power or WiFi, Chelsea Market has both nearby (although getting a place to sit at Chelsea Market can be tough if it's after 11am or so).
The Rose Reading Room is beautiful, but the wooden chairs are a bit uncomfortable if you plan on being there for a few hours.
I suggest the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL) on 34th and Madison (http://www.nypl.org/locations/sibl). They have a big room full of about 150 workspaces to work from your notebook with power, Wifi and Aeron chairs. I've been there several times and did not run into any issues with finding an open seat.
I just moved to Brooklyn a month ago and spent about a week looking for great coffee places to get some work done. I came across this one place called The Tea Lounge on 7th Ave and Union St. I've kept it secret from those around me because I don't want the place anymore crowded than it is, so just keep this between me and you.
Just a heads up, most of the Starbucks in Manhattan have removed all their power outlets (last month, or the month before) to prevent people from spending time there working.
I guess having people say "my company started from humble beginning in the local Starbucks" is no longer valuable to them.
I don't blame Starbucks for that at all. I saw far too many people sat there with an empty coffee cup they probably purchased three hours beforehand- they're a coffee shop, not a co-working space.
Have you looked into any coworking spaces? They might be able to accommodate you for a few weeks. NYU Poly has incubators on Varick St. in Manhattan, and an office in DUMBO (which I've been working out of for several months). Good luck!
P.S. I know NYU Poly DUMBO has open space, it's in an awesome area, and the management there is friendly.
I work out of General Assembly (a co-working space between Union and Madison Squares). You're welcome to work from there for a day as my guest if you like.
Different strokes for different folks. I thrive in the noise of the Tea Lounge. I also second the Ace Hotel, which includes a Stumptown for you coffee fiends.
There's tons of places in NYC, but here's a few places I've been known to frequent
- Cafe Amrita, near 110th St and Central Park West. Generally has a pleasant buzz. I've noticed other techie types there, but not tons. They kick out the laptop crowd out on weekends, and at night they become more of a bar.
- Tea Spot, near MacDougal and West 3rd in the Village. A smallish place that has always been pretty quiet when I've worked there. NYU students are most of their customers, I reckon.
- Cosi near 23rd st and 6th Ave, in Chelsea. This is a chain, but this particular Cosi is well-lit, has good internet service, is large, and never seems to be very busy.
- As others have noted, New York Public Libraries are often great places to work. I sometimes sneak off from my office to use the Hudson Park Library, which is near Leroy and 7th ave in the Village. Its a tiny little branch library, but its quiet and the internet service is fast. There's a lot of little branches like that, look on the web site for locations.
The Cosi on 8th between Greene and Mercer by NYU is the same way. Even when I can't get a seat at any of the surrounding coffee shops this place is mostly empty with plenty of outlets and free wifi.
As GMFlash said, Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL) on 34th and Madison (http://www.nypl.org/locations/sibl). It's very consistent with comfortable chairs for working.
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[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 125 ms ] threadAlso, the New York Public Library is right nearby, so if you get annoyed by crowds or weather, you can relocate to one of the most beautiful quiet workplaces in the entire city.
(edit): Looks like it's nearly unanimous. Here's a picture for folks who haven't been there: http://nycpano.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/rose-reading-room...
NYPL: Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL)
188 Madison Avenue @ 34th Street
(917) 275-6975
In Manhattan it can be a little challenging to find a coffee shop to set up in for very long. Seats and outlets are at a premium and many are policing wifi moochers these days. There are a few large starbuckses with a good amount of room though. I've also worked at the library before (not many outlets, and you can't take phone calls inside).
In Williamsburg there are a ton of work-friendly coffee shops. If you take the L train to the bedford, lorimer or graham stops, pop open Yelp and you'll spot at least 3-4 coffee shops in a 5 block radius of each, with wifi and (usually) seats...
Convenient outlets at most seats, free wifi, and a Stumptown adjoined!
Lot's of creative types working there, illustrators, writers and such. Can get pretty busy after 5pm.
http://www.fastcompany.com/1768472/ace-hotels-communal-works...
20 West 29th Street New York, NY 10001
* The wifi might be free, but you need a passcode. Do you get this by ordering something?
* The prices are pretty exorbitant. Coffee, tea, and sodas are $4, and $20 for a glass of wine.
* Pretty dark inside. OK for working on a laptop, not so good for writing anything by hand.
Also, I wouldn't say that $4 for coffee that good is exorbitant. To each their own I suppose.
If it's warm out and you don't need internet access, I'm also a big fan of working from the High Line. There are lots of shaded tables, and you can't beat the ambiance. If you need to duck away for power or WiFi, Chelsea Market has both nearby (although getting a place to sit at Chelsea Market can be tough if it's after 11am or so).
I suggest the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL) on 34th and Madison (http://www.nypl.org/locations/sibl). They have a big room full of about 150 workspaces to work from your notebook with power, Wifi and Aeron chairs. I've been there several times and did not run into any issues with finding an open seat.
I guess having people say "my company started from humble beginning in the local Starbucks" is no longer valuable to them.
P.S. I know NYU Poly DUMBO has open space, it's in an awesome area, and the management there is friendly.
- Kaffe 1668 in Tribeca - great atmosphere, great coffee & tea
- Cafe Mercato on Broadway at Bleecker St. - open 24h, it's a sizeable deli, has tap beer, and work space in the back
- Ace Hotel lobby on W. 29 st - classy but gets very crowded
Brooklyn:
- Vineapple in Brooklyn Heights - coffee & grilled cheese
- Tea Lounge in Park Slope - coffee & beer & many couches
- Cafe Amrita, near 110th St and Central Park West. Generally has a pleasant buzz. I've noticed other techie types there, but not tons. They kick out the laptop crowd out on weekends, and at night they become more of a bar.
- Tea Spot, near MacDougal and West 3rd in the Village. A smallish place that has always been pretty quiet when I've worked there. NYU students are most of their customers, I reckon.
- Cosi near 23rd st and 6th Ave, in Chelsea. This is a chain, but this particular Cosi is well-lit, has good internet service, is large, and never seems to be very busy.
- As others have noted, New York Public Libraries are often great places to work. I sometimes sneak off from my office to use the Hudson Park Library, which is near Leroy and 7th ave in the Village. Its a tiny little branch library, but its quiet and the internet service is fast. There's a lot of little branches like that, look on the web site for locations.
Also, if you're anywhere near Fort Greene, Smooch is a pretty awesome coffee shop.
1. A quiet place where you can bang out work (e.g. libraries)
2. Somewhere with more of a scene where you can work and also mix with others in the startup / tech ecosystem (e.g. GA, Ace)
3. Somewhere like #2 but with a little more NYC flavor and less tech (e.g. Kaffe 1668)
Cocoa Bar on Clinton btw Stanton and Houston is great
http://www.panix.com/~melling/nyc/
The Google spreadsheet for the "Public Works Spaces" is here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AphQpsbOUWiedDV...
Everyone should feel free to add to the spreadsheet.