Looking for a cafe to work with good wifi?
The best part of being a digital nomad is choosing where to work (city, country), and at the micro level: Which coffee shop today?
To me, the place to get in computer time (or do some writing) has friendly staff, decent wifi, great coffee, plenty of power outlets. Plus, it isn't so busy that I feel I'm getting in the way of their regular lunch business in taking up a table. If you're visiting San Miguel de Allende, here's a run-down of my favorite places to get connected.
Inside Cafe
inside cafe
You can’t do better! Great coffee and best food in town.
Possibly the friendliest coffee shop in San Miguel, owned by a couple who are from Mexico and New Zealand. With excellent coffee, this is one of two places in town where you can get a great flat white (or a beer, depending on how the mood takes you).
The downstairs area (one floor up from street: featured in the header image) has lots of power outlets and decent sized tables. It doesn't have a ton of natural light, but fun decor and ambience make up for it, and the space is generally not mobbed.
When you're ready for lunch, the food on the open air terraza upstairs is amazing. You can't do better than the breakfast and lunches here, which have tons of vegetarian and vegan options. On the weekend they have an unlimited chilaquiles buffet with coffee, fruit and juice. And it's not only me who thinks the chow is amazing. The food here gets rated as #1 in all of San Miguel on TripAdvisor!
Working at Inside Cafe, I rarely feel like I'm in the way, as the lunch crowd pass through to visit the upstairs restaurant. Saying that, it can get busy on weekends with people waiting for a table upstairs, so a better fit for working on weekdays.
Geek & Coffee
Geek & Coffee
Best Wi-Fi, rarely too busy and peaceful setting by a duck pond
A little further from the center (although not much), Geek & Coffee is located next to the amazing art center that is Fábrica La Aurora.
With dual fiber connections, you won't find better connectivity and for that reason this is one of my personal favorites. A great place to settle in for the day and enjoy the expansive garden and view of the duck pond.
They have plenty of outlets both inside and outside, good coffee, and a have a broad choice of drinks and food, with a great value daily special. Or you can always skip out for a break and visit one of several great restaurants in Fábrica La Aurora next door).
As an added bonus, this is the spot to come if you're having computer issues. The 'geeks' here are ten times more qualified than Best Buy, and a hundred times friendlier. I've seen them help with problems ranging from 'I can't get my iTunes to work' to my iPhone won't connect.
Geek & Coffee has been known to get a little busy mid to late morning with local business and mom's meetings, but of all those listed, this is the largest location (due to its expansive garden), so even with a crowd, things normally work out just fine.
Ki'bok
Ki’BOK
Great coffee, usually not crazy busy, and very central
This place is a hidden gem, right in the center of town, with good coffee and super cute presentation on wooden boards. It has three levels: the street where you enter, an upstairs level that I like best because it is usually quiet enough to stay focused and a terraza roof deck with a cute view.
Friendly Mexican staff, and enough space to not feel cramped.
This is a spot where I can easily pass a big chunk of the day, spreading my manuscript out on the table and getting editing done.
Gigi’s Cafe
Gigi’s Cafe
Local favorite with great flat whites and scrumptious food
This lovely cafe and restaurant one is a little out of centro (20 minutes walk), located in the Independencia neighborhood (which is actually near the where I live). Run by a friendly Kiwi couple, it has the best flat whites, and scrumptious food for breakfast and lunch.
It’s got a great neighborhood vibe. I often get chatting to people and make new friends. And although it’s getting popular, not so much so that I can’t bring my manuscript pages here and enjoy one of the best coffees and breakfast in town while I mark up my pages.
Zenteno Cafe
There are several cafes owned by same folks as Cafe Zenteno in San Miguel de Allende and in my opinion, these have the single best coffee.
There’s a tiny one at the bottom of Hernandez Macias. I’m also fan of La Sacristia, for a quiet lunch. It’s set in a beautiful courtyard area just off Canal Street. But neither of these are an ideal work setup.
Cafe Rama
The gorgeous fireplace at Cafe Rama
I love this breakfast and lunch spot close to the Rosewood hotel, which has a cool spin on breakfast, including an interesting asparagus dish and a nice take on a croque madame.
I've been known to work here: their wifi is good, and they have some of the coolest decor and art. However, to me it's always felt like more of a restaurant than a cafe to work for the day.
A great spot to have breakfast and catch up on work before touristing for the rest of the day.
Starbucks
At the moment I write, there is only one Starbucks in San Miguel, right on the Jardin (main square) and that's part of the problem with this as a work location, it's just too busy!
Starbucks is generally mobbed, chatty, has big lines to get a coffee, and perhaps I'm a little biased, but even if Starbucks Mexico is a separate company, why would you spend your time in at any of the amazing local cafes above?
Saying that, Starbucks has the most gorgeous courtyard of any I've seen around the world, which is worth a visit just for the joy of taking a photo!
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Starbucks Courtyard
