Looking for a good work cafe Hamburg has to offer? Well, you’re in the right place.
I’m on a quest to list down the best cafes to work at in major German cities—and by that, I mean cafes with WiFi and/or electric sockets. I’ve done Berlin just recently and now it’s time for Hamburg.
As someone always on the go, I work in cafes a lot. And in my recent stay in Hamburg, I worked at a cafe for most days of the week. So I’ve personally been to each of these places, some of which I’ve even visited several times.
Now, of course, I haven’t been to every cafe, so I might miss out on a few places. But I have been to a good amount of them! And there were several solid options.
Read on to see my top picks for the best cafes Hamburg has for working and studying.
Nord Coast Coffee Roastery
Deichstraße 9, 20459 Hamburg
Area: Hamburg-Mitte - Altstadt
Sockets: Yes
If I had to pick a go-to, it’d probably be Nord Coast Coffee Roastery. Firstly, it has the main things I’m looking for—speedy Wi-Fi and sockets.
But everything else about the place is also just great. The interior aesthetic is nice and cozy with the Nordic furniture. I really like it - it helps me relax and focus.
But aside from being laptop-friendly, I can confidently say it’s one of the best coffee shops Hamburg has too. The coffee truly is top-notch, and so is the food. It’s one of the few cafes where I order food - I usually only get coffee.
I swear this isn’t an ad for the place, haha!
The one downside though is that it is a fair bit pricier compared to the others, but I think it’s worth it.
Capo’s Coffee
Ottenser Hauptstraße 19, 22765 Hamburg
Area: Altona - Ottensen
Sockets: Yes
My second favorite place was Capo’s Coffee. It’s the perfect Hamburg work cafe: good Wi-Fi, sockets, and really soft and comfy couches. There’s also a long table in the middle that can be suitable for groups.
The menu is fairly diverse and extensive too. Though the coffee and food are more expensive than what they’re worth, but I guess you pay for the nice ambiance (and the sockets, ha!)
There’s a nice outside area too if you want a breath of fresh air.
Cafe Bar Knuth
Große Rainstraße 21, 22765 Hamburg
Area: Altona - Ottensen
Sockets: Yes
Cafe Bar Knuth— called just Knuth, for short—is another nice Hamburg cafe to work at. There’s working Wi-Fi and sockets, and I like the warm tones of the interior.
Despite the cozy vibes though, it does get busy at peak hours. So you may run out of sockets (I definitely did once - made me have to go to another place).
Coffee is also good, though I haven’t tried the food yet. But the kitchen always seemed busy with people’s orders, so take that as you will.
Service is hit or miss, in my experience. But what personally annoys me is that you have to scan a QR code for the menu. (Call me old-fashioned, but what’s wrong with just having physical menus?)
Also, note that they only accept cash for payment.
CODOS Coffee
Mühlenkamp 7, 22303 Hamburg
Area: Hamburg-Nord - Winterhude
Sockets: A few
Wi-Fi: 105 Mbps
CODOS is a chain that has 3 spots in Hamburg—there are 2 in Altona, though I’ve only been to the one in Winterhude. They used to have one in Ottensen but I think it’s closed now.
The Wi-Fi speed was decent, but there were only a few seats that had sockets. I even saw a group of students bring an extension cord so they could all charge.
The place does look fairly basic and soulless with the concrete and all, but the coffee is surprisingly a notch above other coffee chains, I must say. Food is… well, it can be better.
But hey, if you get a seat with a socket, you’re all set!
Copenhagen Coffee Lab
Poßmoorweg 6, 22301 Hamburg
Area: Hamburg-Nord - Winterhude
Sockets: Some
Wi-Fi: 200 Mbps
Another Winterhude option is Copenhagen Coffee Lab, another chain. They have many branches in Hamburg, but the one I visited the most was their Winterhude branch. It’s located on the first floor of the Hood House Hotel.
For a chain, this is honestly considerably better than CODOS. The inside looks far better with the golden brown tones. The coffee and food are solid too - though they do look a bit better than they taste.
And yes, they have Wi-Fi (surprisingly pretty fast!) and a few sockets. A lot of people go here to work on their laptops though, so expect to maybe not have access to one.
Espresso House
Scheel-Plessen-Straße 17, 22765 Hamburg
Area: Altona - Ottensen
Sockets: Yes
Yes, another chain - but it does have everything you need!
There’s Wi-Fi and seats with sockets are at the back. You definitely won’t be the only one working on a laptop (and shamelessly staying for hours). Drinks and food are forgettable, but that’s forgivable in my view given its work-friendliness.
(Although, to be transparent, when I was writing this article and went to its Google Maps page, I was surprised to see a noticeable amount of negative reviews because of the coffee and the staff. I personally didn’t have that experience, so take that as you will).
I do agree with the review that said the toilet didn’t work though!
Speicherstadt Coffee Roastery
Kehrwieder 5, 20457 Hamburg
Area: Hamburg-Mitte - Altstadt
Sockets: A few
The last one for our Laptop-friendly cafe Hamburg list is Speicherstadt Coffee Roastery.
Fun fact: Speicherstadt is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being the world’s largest warehouse complex (which I guess explains the highly industrialized look).
However, I personally wouldn’t recommend it if you want to work.
As you can see in the picture, the tables are crammed together, making it a not-so-conducive place for work focus. Plus the very industrial stylings just don’t put me at ease, as aesthetically pleasing as they may be. And as a popular tourist site, expect to be surrounded by people’s chatter (and because food and coffee are great too).
So Rónán, why did you put it on the list?
Well, it technically fits the criteria: a cafe with sockets! (They’re located on the pillars). So consider it a last resort if you’re in the area and really need sockets.
I didn’t feel super comfortable being the only one working there with a laptop, so I left after just sending a handful of emails.
So if you plan to go here, perhaps just leave it for a day when you don’t need the laptop so you can take in the views and the history!
You can also sip on your coffee at home and join our lively German speaking classes from the comfort of your couch. We have classes on every day and you can attend as many as you want per month!