Coffee. Work. Sleep. A common routine among many Americans these days, especially given the increase in remote workers who operate their lives during odd hours or embrace a more transient lifestyle. And critical to their success are coffee shops. Ones with lots of electricity, tables, and of course coffee. San Diego is no exception to this new demand, so below we present you with the best coffee shops to study or work in San Diego. Note we did not say “coffee shops with the most delicious coffee” because, quite frankly, the best coffee shop to work or study won’t always offer a $9 single-origin pour over with a shot of tonic water. But they will keep you fully caffeinated and plugged in to the matrix.
3. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters – Waterfront, Little Italy
Named after Bird Rock in La Jolla, where it was first discovered that sea-birds drink espresso, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters have established themselves as an essential part of San Diego’s cafe culture. With multiple airy, open locations and consistently great coffee, it is a fine place to sit down and get some work done. If you want food, we recommend their Lil Dippers, which are mini burritos with a dipping sauce – a great work snack.
Our preferred spot for working is their Waterfront location on 1420 Kettner Blvd (there are two locations in Little Italy, so be aware!). This location has cathedral ceilings and a decent amount of seats, tables, and benches to post up and read a book, work on a blog, or do some studying. Being in downtown Little Italy this location can get quite busy, so don’t be shocked if you see fellow bloggers already occupying the seats at this trendy cafe. But while the seating is not as abundant, they create a nice atmosphere to get comfy and handle your business.
2. Moe Coffee – North Park
Like Bird Rock, Moe Coffee also has multiple locations, but the best is their spot in North Park.
Spacious and airy, especially when they open their enormous windows to the patio, Moe Coffee accommodates the remote worker well with a fair amount of private tables and shared tables available. This cafe also caters to people not addicted to screens, like running club members and regular folk just grabbing a coffee, so do not be surprised if table space is limited during busy times. They have a full menu with sandwiches, toasts, pastries, yogurt/granola bowls, and smoothies. Our go-to is the cortado, paired with a bacon breakfast sandwich on the English muffin.
Overall, Moe Coffee has a great vibe with lots of plants, open air, generous workspaces, and solid Wi Fi to keep you connected to the internet. Forever.
1. Lestat’s – University Heights
The best coffee shop to work at in San Diego is Lestat’s on Park on Park Blvd in University Heights. With three locations, late hours, (Lestat’s on Park is open 24 hours), tons of seating, and an abundance of outlets and power-strips, Lestat’s is the perfect bohemian coffee shop to be a recluse and knock out some work. They also have a large menu that includes sandwiches, salads, pizzas, many different pastries (our favorite is their diabetes inducing whoopie pie), and almost every cafe drink you can imagine.
Each location has a consistently quirky atmosphere with large velvety thrones placed about, and Renaissance or ancient Egyptian themed art throughout their large rooms. Being such a key workplace in San Diego, it can get crowded with a variety of people including bloggers, freelance digital writers, online essayists… so mostly bloggers with a few students and “Magic The Gathering” nerds in the mix. But even during busy times, Lestat’s is such a large space that there is a good chance you’ll find a spot.
Whether you need to study for a test, work on your website, or catch up on reading, Lestat’s is the ultimate cafe to get your work done in San Diego.
Honorable Mentions
Cafe Calabria
Located in North Park, Cafe Calabria has a more elevated style, but plenty of seating for work. Much of it is shared tables and booths, so be prepared to get friendly with other workers.
Black Market Bakery
Funky, boutique, and cozy, the Black Market Bakery is another great option to get work done. While it doesn’t quite make the cut for “best cafes to work,” the Black Market Bakery makes our overall Top List for cafes in San Diego.
