Where Coffee meets Productivity

6 Work-Friendly cafés that will add superb coffee, art, and style to your workday.

Written by Chesca Santiago
August 4, 2023

It’s 2023, and cafés are no longer just your Sunday afternoon people-watching spot. They’re also – much to the WFH employee’s delight – the new sanctuaries, temples, and headquarters of remote working life. Order your usual latte, pop your laptop open, and hear your name shouted over the barista counter—your workday is off to a good start.

But while coffee, wifi, and power outlets are all we often ask for (yep, that’s the bare minimum), some cafés go the extra mile to serve us more than the usual fare. Because your productivity deserves a boost, here’s a curated list of cafés all around Metro Manila that will elevate your remote work experience. Be it with fine pastries, a breathtaking view, or a quick art fix—these cafés have their arsenal ready to give your hard work a reward, wherever you may be in the metro.

Note: All cafés below have wifi and power outlets.

Cozy interiors of Magdamag Market Café. Image courtesy of Magdamag Market Café.

Magdamag Market Café (Quezon City)

The newly launched Magdamag Market Café just opened its doors this January, but it has already won many hearts among the remote working community. Located in Sgt. Esguerra, Quezon City, Magdamag has gorgeously homey interiors for that relaxing work experience, with wood, red bricks, and arched windows included. The warmth also extends to their menu—they offer specialty drinks and coffee made with farm fresh milk, plus comfort snacks such as Kesong Puti Grilled Cheese.

Kesong Puti Grilled Cheese from Magdamag Market Café. Image courtesy of Magdamag Market Café.

Magdamag Market Café also doubles as a retail space. They have a little corner selling trinkets, stickers, prints, and other goodies from local artists. But while their name might make you think they’re open 24/7, they actually close at 7:00 pm daily.

Magdamag Market Café is located at 14 Sgt. Esguerra St., open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on weekdays and from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on weekends.

Zone Out Coffee inside the Common Ground Work blends productivity and scenery. Image courtesy of Zone Out Coffee.

Zone Out Coffee (Makati)

Zone Out Coffee is the in-house coffee shop of the Common Ground Work co-working space. They have two branches, but we especially like their Makati branch at Rockwell for its breathtaking views. Situated on the 21st Floor of the 8 Rockwell Tower, Zone Out Coffee’s main draw is the stunning Makati cityscape that’s spreads out in front of you. Way to inspire you to focus on your tasks.

Because Zone Out Coffee is located inside Common Ground Work, you would need to avail of a day pass to use the co-working space’s facilities. But with a 325-person capacity of office space, affordable yet quality drinks, snacks, and meals, super-fast internet, and extra work amenities such as printers, they definitely have your productivity covered.

Visit Zone Out Coffee at 21F 8 Rockwell, Makati City from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays.

Freshly-baked pastries from Bake House Manila. Image courtesy of Bake House Manila.

Bake House Manila (BGC)

Based in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Bake House Manila serves delectable pastries that we almost want to gatekeep. It’s located on the 2nd floor of Shangri-la at the Fort, and as you can expect from a café inside a five-star hotel, the menu is top-tier. Their cakes, cookies, and pastries are freshly baked three times a day—so you know you’re combining work with yummy treats.

The only downside with Bake House Manila is the limited seating space so come early to get a table.

Find Bake House Manila on the 2nd floor of Shangri-la at the Fort, open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.

Bad Café in Legazpi Village, Makati. Image courtesy of Bad Café.

Bad Cafe (Makati)

The Makati-based Bad Cafe has been getting so much love from the remote work community lately. Contrary to its name, there’s nothing bad here. First, they have us spoiled with seating space, and almost every table has its own access to charging ports.

And in case you want to work here all day – and this is our favorite part – it has one of the widest menu selections with all kinds of treats for your work-induced cravings. Finger foods? Full meals? Sweets? They’ve got you covered with their not-so-usual menu offerings any time of the day.

Bad Cafe’s Quorn™️ Chicken Teriyaki Lunch Plate and Chicken Salad. Image courtesy of Bad Café.

Drop by Bad Café at 163 Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm on Sundays to Thursdays and 8:00 am to 10:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sun Café at Binondo, Manila. Image courtesy of Sun Café.

Sun Café (Manila)

Long-recognized for its gastronomic offerings, Binondo adds another cafe to its list—this time, with students and remote workers in mind. The new Sun Café is located in the heart of the district, just beside Binondo Church. Aside from providing basic WFH essentials, Sun Café is also loved by guests for its posh interiors and fun menu selection.

Matcha lovers will especially enjoy their unique matcha series. Iced Spanish Matcha? Iced Strawberry Matcha? We’re definitely ready to include Sun Café in our Binondo food crawl.

Sun Café’s food offerings. Image courtesy of Sun Café.

Visit Sun Café at Quintin Paredes St. Cor. Ongpin St. Binondo, Manila from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily.

The Millas Café. Image courtesy of The Millas Café.

The Millas Cafe (Quezon City)

If you ever find yourself stuck in the busy streets of Cubao, there’s a work-friendly respite just five minutes away from Gateway Mall. Located on Imperial Street, The Millas Café offers a relaxing escape from the chaos of Cubao. They offer the basics: charging ports, a relaxing atmosphere, and satisfying beverages, snacks, and meals.

We’re especially fans of its super-fast wifi—which goes well over 100 mbps on speed tests. The café is also thoughtfully decorated for a calming ambiance as greens (albeit not all of them are real plants!) are dotted around the space. With its understated design, there’s no excuse to get distracted once you step inside The Millas Café.

Find The Millas Café at 48 Imperial St., Cubao, Quezon City, open from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm, Tuesdays to Sundays. The café is closed on Mondays.