Sometimes I go to a coffeeshop in this city and I ask myself, "Does everyone work from home now?" Also, "Is everyone a graphic designer now?" I myself get too distracted to work productively from anywhere besides my kitchen, but some people can't get anything done at home because there are too many surfaces to wipe and talk shows to watch, so I get that. Below we bring you our favorite spots around town for getting work done whilst eating lunch and/or drinking six cups of coffee, and where they mostly don't mind you sitting there for hours. (R.I.P. Cafe Sophie, though.) And sorry if one of these is your secret favorite and it suddenly becomes less of a secret. Jay Barmann
Andytown
When Andytown co-owner Lauren Crabbe was dreaming of opening a coffee joint, the former journo says she had in mind all the things she wanted in a coffice. That translated to bag hooks and outlet at every one of the narrow tables jutting from the wall of the narrow Outer Sunset shop, and wifi that "reaches outside as well," co-owner Michael McCrory adds, making it possible to work from their sidewalk seating in the blazing westside sun. And, best of all, it pushes workaholics to be less so, with a 5 p.m. closing time that forces you to close your laptop and begin the rest of your life. — Eve Batey
3655 Lawton Street at 43rd Avenue
Borderlands Café
My favorite part of Borderlands is that, when you get bored with whatever you're supposed to be doing, you can grab a magazine or a sci-fi novel from their bookstore and disappear into another world altogether. Sure, they don't have much in the way of food, so you might need to dip out around lunch, but the coffee's fine. It's quiet — sometimes strangely quiet — which is cool for working, if not for having a spirited discussion or phone call. And, be warned, they turn the wi-fi off at 5 p.m., which, let's be real, is a healthy and smart thing to do. —Caleb Pershan
870 Valencia Street between 19th and 20th Streets
Cafe Flore
The Castro's well loved, 43-year-old indoor-outdoor cafe and bar, Cafe Flore, is currently up for sale and may end up changing in the near future. But, hopefully not, and for now it remains a comfortable place to have afternoon meetings, especially on the outdoor patio, or get some work done the wi-fi, though, is only semi reliable, and there are no outlets, so don't ask. Food-wise you should probably stick to salads and egg dishes, and it's always a bonus to be able to order up a gin and tonic at the bar as soon as the workday is done. Jay Barmann
2298 Market Street at Noe, open weekdays 10 a.m. to midnight, 8 a.m. on weekends
Coffee Bar
With one of the best cold-brews in the city, and a killer patio to boot, the Mission's Coffee Bar remains a neighborhood favorite and a comfortable place to work. Whether that means hunkering over a laptop all day (decent wifi and outlets abound), or meeting with a client, there's usually available seating both inside and out for your business needs. Unlike some of the other coffeeshops on this list, Coffee Bar also has a great lunch menu — meaning you don't even need to interrupt your work to chow down come break time. If you don't want to be disturbed, post up at the counter overlooking the entrance and drop on some headphones — you'll fit right in. — Jack Morse
1890 Bryant Street (entrance is on Mariposa at Florida)
Espressamente Illy
When you want an above-average espresso or macchiato, along with some dainty tea sandwiches or delicious pastry (for a price) in the Castro, this is where to get it and also get some work done. It's stylish and modern inside with lots of white, and it will make you feel like a fashion executive in Milan as you dash off an email to Miuccia and sip your double shot. The secluded back patio is especially nice if you can get a seat, but one caveat: This is a cafe first and foremost, and their wi-fi is, probably on purpose, very terrible. So if you've got heavy internet work to do and no Xfinity wi-fi account, you may want to head down the street to Weavers or Cafe Flore for a (slightly) better connection. Jay Barmann
2349 Market Street near 17th
Haus Coffee
When you absolutely need to get that work done, head to Haus. The coffeeshop on 24th Street has plenty of places to sit, both inside and on their back patio, great wi-fi, tons of extension cords guaranteeing you can find an outlet, and, perhaps most importantly, few distractions. Most of the customers are either engrossed in a book of some sort or feverishly typing away. If you're looking to strike up a conversation with an engaging stranger, this isn't the place for you. If your goal is to get down to business, however, Haus has you covered. — Jack Morse
3086 24th Street Between Folsom Street and Treat Avenue
Java Beach Cafe
There are two Java Beach locations in SF — one by the Zoo, the other at the N turnaround at the end of Judah Street. It's the latter one I'm concentrating on here: While the Zoo one is fine, the Judah one is a community hub, second home, and daily workspace for many west siders, folks who greet each other as they sit down every morning like it actually is an office, albeit one punctuated by cries for staffers for patrons to pick up their orders. With large tables big enough for your laptop, study materials, and a full meal, their floor is dotted with enough power strips and extension cords to ensure every redlined battery has a chance to revive itself. Best of all, during the week they open at 5:30 a.m. and remain open until 11 p.m., so if you can't get everything done in that timeframe, well, that's on you. — Eve Batey
1396 La Playa Street At Judah Street
Mercury Cafe
A great place to linger with the newspaper or on your laptop, tune into Mercury's blazing fast wi-fi and chow down on some Eggs McMercury (biscuits with eggs, cheese, and tomato). There's plenty of seating, a bunch of outlets, and they're very friendly, which matters, because you couldn't overstay your welcome if you tried. Don't try though. If there is some, take in the sun in the parklet out front. —Caleb Pershan
201 Octavia Boulevard between Lily and Page Streets
Photo: Yelp
Nook
Tiny little Nob Hill cafe Nook becomes a cozy wine bar at night, and 11 years in they're still going strong at the corner of Hyde and Jackson, with outdoor seating and a view of the cable cars. They keep things simple food-wise with an excellent hummus plate, bagels, salads, and sandwiches, but that really isn't the draw. Free, unsecured wi-fi is available on weekdays only until 6 p.m., so bear that in mind if you're a late riser and plan to work into the evening. On weekends, there's basically no laptops and the crowd gets a lot livelier, with $15 bottomless mimosas and brunch fare. Jay Barmann
1500 Hyde Street at Jackson
La Promenade Cafe
One of the Outer Richmond's best-kept secrets, La Promenade occupies a glorious and vast space on a bustling stretch of Balboa Street. But once you step inside, it's calm, cool, and quiet but for quiet conversation and the click clack of tiny keys. You can stave off the coffee jitters with their highly respectable sandwich roster, or forego caffeine completely with one of their surprisingly solid and affordable smoothies. And if you need a break from work, there's even a little bookstore inside to peruse. Man cannot live on laptop reading alone! — Eve Batey
3643 Balboa Street at 38th Avenue
Stanza
Stanza is chill, and I go there because they play good music and I kind of low-key have Shazam on the whole time. Go there! There's good coffee, a number of operational power outlets, and decent wi-fi (if theirs doesn't work, use next door's Pork Store Cafe network). Also! Enjoy the front patio, or the back patio area gonna. Sometimes it's a little grungey out there! Whatever! They let you eat food from Katz's Bagels. That's cool. —Caleb Pershan
3126 16th Street between Valencia and Guerrero Streets
Vinyl Coffee & Wine Bar
Business all day, and party (and sometimes pizza!) all night. Vinyl on Divisadero does a bunch of things really well — a rarity in these hyper-specialized days. Offering up coffee (they serve Blue Bottle) and plenty of space to work unmolested all day, the place is a great spot to post up for a few hours to work on your latest project. However, a word of caution: Finish by 5:00 p.m., because at that time the music turns up and the lights turn down as employees prepare for whatever pop-up or event will be in the space that night. This, however, can work to your advantage as your afternoon meeting and subsequent happy hour can all take place in the same spot. — Jack Morse
359 Divisadero Street at Oak
