My 5 Favourite Coworking Locations in London
There are a lot of cafés in London where you can work. But far fewer where you actually want to.
Over the past couple of years, working remotely and moving around the city, I’ve ended up trying more spots than I can count. Some looked great online but didn’t hold up. Others were fine for a quick coffee but not somewhere you’d stay. And then there are a handful that I keep coming back to without really thinking about it.
For me, the top spots reign supreme because of a few key factors:
Consistent WiFi (for peace of mind during calls)
Great barista-made drinks (I like to order drinks I wouldn't normally make at home, such as matcha lattes and decaf oat flat whites)
Setting + timing (you don’t feel rushed or out of place)
While I love an independent coffee shop, and these usually nail the 2nd factor way more often, you'll see that some of the options on this list include hotels and are part of a larger brand, and that's because these nail 1 and 3 consistently.
These are the five I'm currently visiting the most. Not necessarily the most famous or the highest rated, but the ones I’d choose if I actually need to get something done. You'll likely find me at one of these during an average workday in London, so come by! I constantly update this list depending on the season, closures, etc., so be sure to keep yourself updated :)
5) Hoxton Shoreditch
81 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3HU
This was my first ever public workspace when I moved to London! I saw someone post on a Reddit thread about it and I was not disappointed.
Opened in 2006 and sits right in the middle of Shoreditch’s creative scene
Lobby is intentionally designed as a social + working space hybrid, not just for guests.
There is a bar by the window which acts as a standing desk
It's extremely coworking forward… but what this means is that it has become busier over time. It's now quite hard to find a seat from 10am onwards, but obviously this depends on the day, weather, etc.
The coffee is REALLY good (if made well, it usually is); they use Origin beans and have one of the few hotel decafs which I can actually stand. I also often opt for an Iced Oat Matcha.
The drinks are expensive. Like, quite expensive for what they are. But, I've never been kicked out for staying too long so treat it like paying for a workspace.
A quick note on The Hoxton: they run something called the Dis-loyalty scheme, which is essentially the opposite of a traditional hotel loyalty program.
Instead of rewarding you for sticking to one brand, it gives you perks across a group of independent, design-led hotels and spaces (a few hotels in London, and on this list, fall under this).
In practice, this means that for £15/mo ($18), you can have a free barista-made drink every single day. So, if you're coming here even a few times a month, it might be worth getting this. You simply show them your code at checkout and the coffee is free. Well, free with the membership.
4) EllaMia
45 St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4HX
I'm not often in West London, but when I have meetings or plans over near Soho or farther west, I'll post up in EllaMia, which is connected to St Martins Lane Hotel. Conveniently, this is also part of the Dis-loyalty scheme… you'll start to notice a pattern.
I'll be honest, the coffee has been hit or miss. But between the laptop-friendly nature, number of outlets available, natural light, and proximity to West London attractions, it's a great spot for a few hours. It's usually a bit quieter than the other DisLoyalty locations, which is a huge plus.
Feels more designed / polished / aesthetic-led
Central London but surprisingly calm during off-peak hours
A rare central London spot that actually works for sitting down
Slightly more “treat” energy vs everyday grind
Bright, clean, almost LA-style café feel. Looks nice as a call background!
3) Project 44
44 Rivington St, London EC2A 3QP
Project 44 is a relatively new, independent café just off Rivington Street that captures the pace of Shoreditch without trying to overdefine itself. It’s built around a simple idea: good coffee, a tight food offering, and a space that works without forcing it. During the day, it’s a steady flow of people dropping in between meetings or for a quick reset, and by the evening it naturally shifts into more of a wine bar. It's also surrounded by some other amazing Shoreditch cafes like FWD and Origin.
It’s not a dedicated workspace, and that’s part of the appeal. You can sit with a laptop, get through emails, or spend an hour here comfortably, but it’s not somewhere you’d base yourself all day. Instead, it fits into your day, rather than becoming the whole setting. For a proper independent spot in Shoreditch that gets the coffee right and doesn’t try to be everything else, it does exactly what you need.
Why it works:
Strong, coffee-first focus without the usual brunch noise
Independent, local feel in the middle of Shoreditch
Works well for short, focused sessions or quick resets
Transitions naturally into a more social space later in the day
2) Knees Up
455 Hackney Rd, London E2 9DY
If you're in the Bethnal Green / Hackney area, you might be tempted to go to Ozone London Fields (not a bad choice by any means), but for a spot to have a fine espresso, a pastry, and a work sesh, Knees Up cannot be beat. The beans are genuinely incredible and they consistently have guest beans for consumption. They do a phenomenal decaf as well.
Knees up also has a nice vibe because its running/recovery focused. You'll often see run clubs ending their workouts there and receiving freebees. They have a plethora of outdoor benches, and when the sun is hot enough to give you a tan but not too hot to fry the laptop, wow is this a PERFECT spot. The WiFi works great outside, which is unusual and very handy. It's just a bit loud as it faces Hackney Road.
Hybrid café + running shop gives it a distinct, purpose-led feel
Strong independent identity with a clear community around movement
Works well for short work sessions, especially mornings
Natural light and open layout make it easy to drop in and settle briefly
1) Hoxton Southwark
40 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8NY
The Hoxton Southwark feels like a more refined version of what the brand does best. Set just behind the South Bank, it takes the Hoxton formula (open lobby, café, bar, workspace) and executes it with a bit more intention. The space is still social, but it’s calmer, more considered, and easier to settle into for longer stretches. By day, it’s full of people working, taking meetings, or just sitting with a coffee, before shifting into a more social, bar-led atmosphere later on.
If you find it's too busy downstairs, head up the stairs just next to the reception for the mezzanine. That space is almost entirely dedicated to coworking!
Large, open-plan lobby designed to be used, not just passed through
More structured and calmer than Shoreditch, better for longer sessions
Consistent flow of people working during the day, shifts to social later
Strong middle ground between café and co-working space
This takes the cake over Shoreditch purely because it's less busy. The coffee also comes much quicker, but if you're upstairs you won't get table service (sometimes nice for locking in and taking meetings).
