Hand on heart, we all thought 2022 would be the year many of us would get to return to some sense of normality. Alas, with omicron still thriving in the community, it looks like another year where much of our days will be spent working from home offices and kitchen tables. But when the four walls of your own home start to get too much, where do you go?
Our laptops aren’t the only things that have taken a hit in the last couple of years; the local hospitality industry has too. That’s why we’re always an advocate for taking your work to these nearby cafés, where you can revel in the small luxuries of barista-made coffee and the dining experience you’ve missed so much, all while clocked in for the day. As long as you can hotspot, in 2022, you really can work from anywhere.
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Ozone, Grey Lynn
A one-stop-shop for great coffee and delicious breakfast, this industrial venue makes for the perfect workspace if you need hustle and bustle to find your motivation. The ‘lockdown feta’ makes for a perfect mid-morning snack, and with cold brew on tap, you’ll never go short on stamina. (1/18 Westmoreland Street West, Grey Lynn)
Daily Bread, Ponsonby
Of all the outposts across the city, Daily Bread’s Ponsonby café makes the perfect spot to set up for remote work. With a long communal table where anyone’s welcome, and a cabinet of fresh croissants, there’s no need to go anywhere else. (108 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby)
Amano, Britomart
Britomart’s Amano is one of those transcending spaces that can be whatever you need, when you need it most — including your new office. From a quick bite and a couple of emails to meeting a client for a long lunch, there’s really nothing the team at Amano can’t do well. We would probably move in there if we could. (66-68, Tyler Street, Britomart)
Esther, QT Auckland, Viaduct
Esther may seem an intimidatingly beautiful space to work for the day, but the nature of this hotel restaurant makes it the perfect space to get some peace and quiet, while still feeling among the thick of it. Nestled into the incredible QT Auckland, Esther plays host to a blend of locals and travellers just passing through, and the juxtaposition of open space and cosy nooks caters to every need. (4 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland CBD)
Bestie Cafe, K’Road
If you find yourself in need of an office around the K’Road area of town, your first and last stop should be Bestie Cafe. The tables at the end of St Kevin’s Arcade offer an almost iconic view of the city you can draw on for inspiration, and the Towpath cheese toastie rounds off the best work lunch. (179/183 Karangahape Road, Auckland)
Allpress Caffetteria, Freeman’s Bay
For open spaces, an inner-city location and an everlasting scent of roasting coffee, the Allpress Roastery & Studio in Freeman’s Bay couldn’t be a better place to work for the day. With lots of space to accommodate your set-up, and a seemingly endless supply of coffee (and great sandwiches too), the Caffetteria is the perfect blend of inspiration and action. (8 Drake Street, Freeman’s Bay)
Williams Eatery, Wynyard Quarter
Wynyard Quarter is an often-forgotten area of the inner city, especially as the offices that surround it are offering their employees the opportunity to work from home. But it does make this hugely popular Eatery all the easier to find a spot at. And when knock-off time comes around, you can order a glass of rosé, because why not celebrate a successful day. (G03/85 Daldy St, Wynyard Quarter)
Knead on Benson, Remuera
Remuera’s newest dining experience brings so much more than just great pastries to the table. The outdoor dining area is the perfect place to set up your laptop and watch the world go by — if you need a momentary distraction. (76 Benson Road, Remuera)
Kind Stranger, Eden Terrace
You’ll be forgiven for driving straight past Kind Stranger, given its spot on New North Road, but next time you need a new backdrop call into this city-fringe café. Here, the coffee is always delightful and the strangers are always kind. Dogs are an added bonus. (66 New North Road, Eden Terrace)
Honey Bones, Grey Lynn
Brainchild of a rising hospo hero, Hugo Baird, the Grey Lynn café is the ideal home-away-from-home-office. With the signature dishes that the city knows and loves, it’s nearly impossible to fault a WFH day at Honey Bones. (480 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn)
