Istanbul is one of the great cities of history, once the seat of empires straddling Europe and Asia. It is hard to forget about its illustrious past while walking around, but Istanbul is now a modern city, with all of the comforts and amenities you would expect from a megapolis of its size. If you are a digital nomad, a traveler, or just want to get some work done in Istanbul, there are countless cafes that are suitable. All of the choices can make it hard to choose, so we narrowed it down and present you with the best, work-friendly cafes in Istanbul.
Coffeetopia Eminönü
Coffeetopia Eminönü is located on the European side of the city, close to the Galata Bridge. It is a trendy, modern cafe that offers a lot of great caffeinated drinks, as well plenty of food options. There is plenty of seating on two floors, so getting a comfortable place shouldn’t be a problem. The area is very popular with the visitors of the city, with the Gülhane park and Topkapı Sarayı being nearby, so you could combine your work with sightseeing. It should go without saying that there is good wifi here. The working hours are from 8:00 to 22:30, so there is plenty of time for a coffee and some emails.
Federal Galata
Federal Galata is, as the name suggests, located in the Galata area of Istanbul. This is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city and every visitor should spend a few days here, walking around and admiring the architecture and history. Federal Galata has a very central location close to many museums, shops, and restaurants. The cafe itself has a rustic feeling and offers great coffee, as well as food. The seating is pretty comfortable, but the place can get busy so the best spots aren’t always available. Federal Galata works from 8 am to 11 pm, so you could get some work done here early in the morning, or even after dinner.
Espressolab Bomonti
Espressolab Bomonti is further away from the touristy city center, but it is still in a nice location, a wealthy residential district. If you want someplace that is more local and better suited for digital nomads that want to get away from the crowds, Espressolab Bomonti is for you. It is a very clean, modern, and large cafe that offers a lot of comfortable sitting and is reminiscent of a university library. There are often people working from here, so you will not feel out of place if you whip out your laptop and the wifi and coffee are also very good. The working hours are also very accommodating, from 6 am to 1 am, meaning everyone can squeeze some work in during the day.
Minoa Akaretler
Located close to the Bosphorus, a few blocks from the Dolmabahçe palace, Minoa Akaretler is a bookstore and a cafe in one. The place is very relaxing, with dim light and the perfect atmosphere for reading a book or concentrating on important work. The WiFi and the coffee are good and you also have the added benefit of having lots of books around, looking through which can be a fun way to break up the monotony of work. The working hours are long, as you might expect from Istanbul, accommodating both the early risers and those that prefer to get stuff done in the evenings. Minoa Akaretler opens between 8 and 10 am, depending on the day, and closes at 1 or midnight.
