I’ve recently become a freelancer and with that comes the joy of being able to work from wherever, while simultaneously only ever working from home.
The vision of working diligently in the corner of a hip café is an attractive one, but seeing as I’m so new to the #freelancerlyf, I thought I’d better do some hard-hitting gonzo journalism and sample a handful of cafés throughout Auckland.
If a Google review mentioned working from there or a friend recommended it, I added it to my list of 10 cafés to sample over the course of a month.
Before you dive into the rankings: forget that a café is nice and has tasty snacks – I want to know if it is good to work from. These days, work usually means being online, so if a café didn’t have WiFi, I couldn’t score it higher than a five.
Things like lighting, seating, noise and feeling welcome are all also contributing factors to making a good workspace.
Without further ado, in ranking order, my list of 10 Auckland cafés.
Fabric
Address: 8/3 Boundary Road, Hobsonville Point
Visit: A Friday, 10:30am
Rating: 9/10
Noise level
Music and chit chat, nothing overpowering.
Lighting
Good levels of natural light poured through the ocean-view windows; warm light emanated from elegant light shades.
How busy was it?
Mid-morning rush – all but a few tables taken with other workers, retirees, grandchildren and parents. A popular spot by the water.
Wifi accessibility
Free WiFi rather warmly called ‘Welcome to Fabric’.
Food and beverage options
A handful of cabinet food but done well. A pizza melt, savoury scone, a sandwich and cinnamon scroll caught my eye.
Staff judgey-ness
I did feel a bit watched, but that might be because my back was to the kitchen and the waitress stood behind me a lot.
Comfort level etc
Wooden chairs which I thought would become uncomfortable after an hour, but were surprisingly fine!
Would I work there again?
Yes! The combination of comfort and vibes was spot on. The sandwich I had was also top tier.
Ozone
Address: 18 Westmoreland Street West, Grey Lynn
Visit: A Friday, 1:00pm
Rating: 9/10
Noise level
Close to perfect.
Lighting
Lots of divine natural light.
How busy was it?
Quiet in the afternoon as it approached closing time.
Wifi accessibility
Free WiFi without a password :) (Editor’s note: you do have to input your email)
Food and beverage options
I came later in the day so cabinet options were low. The menu looked delish. I got a peppermint hot choc.
Staff judgey-ness
Felt a little bit watched as the kitchen is in the middle of the café. But that might say more about me feeling like a main character than the chefs who were just trying to work.
Comfort level etc
Bench with wooden seat and padded back. I liked it initially, but didn’t feel like I could sit there for too long.
Would I work there again?
Yes 100%.
Mug 'n' Bowl Cafe & Eatery
Address: 8a Carr Road, Three Kings
Visit: A Tuesday, 2:00pm
Rating: 9/10
Noise level
Low-Fi music and minimal street noise.
Lighting
Well-lit with pendant lights boasting a variety of different lightshades.
How busy was it?
Very quiet before closing.
Wifi accessibility
Free WiFi, but password-protected so you have to ask staff to write it down for you.
Food and beverage options
Delicious pastries and sandwich options to fuel you as you work.
Staff judgey-ness
Staff seemed used to people coming in to work.
Comfort level etc
Wooden slate-style bench with different cushions for comfort. I liked it.
Would I work there again?
Yeah! They’ve got the balance of function and comfort right. Could write for most of the day here.
Daily Bread Britomart
Address: Hayman Kronfeld Building, 13 Galway Street, Britomart
Visit: A Wednesday, 2:30pm
Rating: 8.5/10
Noise level
Lively jazz music and general chitchat.
Lighting
Warm LED lighting, well-lit and elegant.
How busy was it?
Mid-afternoon after-lunch rush. Half of the tables were being used for meetings and the other half by workers like me.
Wifi accessibility
Free WiFi, if you ask for the password they will give it to you, or it’s written on the bottom of the little menu at the counter.
Food and beverage options
The best selection but after-lunch options are definitely more limited.
Staff judgey-ness
Staff don’t take notice of what you’re doing. Though this may be by design as there is a divide between the counter and the seated area.
Comfort level etc
Leather bench seat – comfortable to work from, though not great if you have a bad back.
Would I work there again?
Yes! I felt sleek. Like I had my finger on the pulse of Auckland CBD.
Kinfolk
Address: B3-R9/88 Te Oneroa Way, Long Bay
Visit: A Wednesday, 10:30am
Rating: 7.5/10
Noise level
Some louder music playing inside but none being piped outside which was nice.
Lighting
In the shade of the building next door there wasn’t a lot of sunshine, but still there was plenty of natural light (they also had a lovely gas heater set up behind me).
How busy was it
Not super busy. About 4-5 tables in use at a time. Some other workers.
Wifi accessibility
I asked the waitress for the password and she wrote it down for me.
Food and beverage options
Lovely chai latte and familiar cabinet food with a twist. I had a bacon and tomato brioche – yum!
Staff judgey-ness
All young women who were incredibly attentive and didn’t seem to care what I was up to, just that I was fed and watered.
Comfort level etc
The outdoor area has metal chairs which may get a bit cold as winter settles in. The heater helped, and blankets were available.
Would I work there again?
Probably not. I think the music inside is too loud to work in and I missed the sun.
Generosity Coffee
Address: 255 Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead
Visit: A Wednesday, 10:00am
Rating: 7.5/10
Noise level
Music plays at speaking volume. It’s next to a busy street but you barely notice the cars.
Lighting
Warm LED bar lights overhead, zero eye strain.
How busy was it?
It’s a small spot with a few tables and a bar to perch at. When I arrived, two workers had beaten me to the punch and were already typing away.
Wifi accessibility
Free WiFi, the password is written on the wall on a cute piece of cardboard – the theme of the café’s décor.
Food and beverage options
A narrow food selection – if I drank coffee I might’ve thought it would be a good spot. I had a piping hot choc and a small spinach and feta muffin.
Staff judgey-ness
None. The lady behind the counter manned the café on her own.
Comfort level etc
Pillowed bench seat with lush cushions to lean back on when you feel all hope is lost.
Would I work there again?
Yes! Quiet, simple and affordable.
MIBO
Address: G05/155 Beaumont Street, CBD
Visit: A Thursday, 1:30pm
Rating: 5/10
Noise level
Relatively quiet – depends on the crowd.
Lighting
Lots of natural sunlight poured in from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
How busy was it?
Not too busy as I came an hour before closing.
Wifi accessibility
No WiFi available – personal hotspot it is!
Food and beverage options
Had a DELICIOUS pistachio croissant and a perfect hot choc. At the end of the day the cabinet is, quite rightly, empty.
Staff judgey-ness
No judgey-ness detected.
Comfort level etc
Another lovely, cushioned bench, though the table was on the smaller side. Could’ve stayed for ages
Would I work there again?
Yes, so long as I had unlimited data. Being so close to so many corporate offices, and where they charge $9 for a croissant, some WiFi wouldn’t go amiss.
Probably better as a morning spot as they close quite early in the day.
Sorella
Address: 30 Vestey Drive, Mount Wellington
Visit: A Tuesday, 1:00pm
Rating: 5/10
Noise level
Quiet music but I came during lunch rush so there was a lot of chatter.
Lighting
Plenty of natural light.
How busy was it?
Super busy during lunch rush.
Wifi accessibility
No WiFi :(
Food and beverage options
Stunning array of cabinet food. The sweets seemed like there were a bunch without refined sugar.
Staff judgey-ness
None. Very friendly, welcoming vibe!
Comfort level etc
Hard plastic chairs. You’ll last as long as your bum avoids getting numb.
Would I work there again?
I’d rather come and eat here again, the food and staff really made it for me.
Knead on Benson
Address: 76 Benson Road, Remuera
Visit: A Wednesday, 1:00pm
Rating: 5/10
Noise level
I want to say chill marimba (?) music and minimal street noise.
Lighting
Mostly outdoor seating so plenty of natural light.
How busy was it?
What you’d expect for a Wednesday afternoon. A casual crowd.
Wifi accessibility
No WiFi :(
Food and beverage options
Some cabinet food and a delicious menu. On the pricer side.
Staff judgey-ness
It’s less that they judged and more that they didn’t seem used to people coming to work there.
Comfort level etc
Metal chairs, radiant heaters and blankets ensured warmth and comfort.
Would I work there again?
No – this is a place of leisure and conversation. Working there felt a bit like shouting in a library, it’s not what it’s for.
St Heliers Bay Bistro
Address: 387 Tamaki Drive, St Heliers
Visit: A Friday, 11:00am
Rating: 5/10
Noise level
Bit of atmospheric music and chitchat.
Lighting
A mix of natural light from expansive windows and warm light from the globe pendant lights.
How busy was it?
Pretty busy – lunch rush.
Wifi accessibility
No WiFi available here :(
Food and beverage options
YUM, the best. Easy and everything you want.
Staff judgey-ness
They’re more of a feed and leave type of café. If you’re not here to eat you’re losing them money.
Comfort level etc
Wooden chairs, medium comfort.
Would I work there again?
No, I felt too in-the-way of their bustling business.
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I tried to visit a fair spread of cafés surrounding the more central Auckland region. I know there are easily another 20 spots I could’ve worked from, not counting libraries and university spaces.
I feel lucky that a spot that scored well happens to be in my neighbourhood (shout out Fabric!). But my overall favourite would have to go to Ozone in Grey Lynn. I got heaps done in this café and the total package was worth more than the sum of its parts.
All it takes is finding one good spot, and a working day can quickly become more productive, with better food.
