In New York, square footage is not unlike an endangered species. Working remotely manifests as less glamorous than in other metropolitan cities. It should be called ‘working from bed’ or ‘my one-foot desk in front of a window facing concrete.’ We’re not going to get started on how demoralizing Zoom becomes when you’re unable to hide your income.
Since the inception of the iced latte (for a gay? Groundbreaking, we know.), the coffee shop has served as an escape from working at home for many – whether to read, study, or create. As office culture becomes a relic of the past for companies seeking to embrace the future, this welcomed a metamorphosis of these spaces to create an ambiance worth staying in. Of course, the more fabulous a coffee shop becomes, the higher likelihood it attracts cute gay men.
After journeying through Manhattan’s underground world of digital boys and coffee beans, these were our favorite locations to work remotely with some eye candy. But, of course, this is better than cruising at the office; Human Resources can’t cockblock.
Devoción Coffee Williamsburg
Devoción Coffee is like a rave for remote workers. You can walk into their locations and have a room full of temporary colleagues sipping and typing away. We especially found their Williamsburg location filled with queerness – or hippies? Sometimes it’s hard to tell – regardless, this place will definitely set you in the mood to meet that deadline and answer all those purposefully unread emails! We consider the leather couches in the middle the most sought-after and social seating – though it might feel like the Coffee Games snatching a spot. Devoción doesn’t need to worry about competition in a borough full of coffee lovers. As you enter, you will be able to observe their coffee roaster at work through the gallery window and breathe in the aroma of fresh Colombian coffee straight from the campo. The owners know if you want to serve the best coffee in town, you better make it Latin!
Café-Flor
When we thought coffee shops selling wine were the trend, Café-Flor raised the stakes with their dirty chai martini. What immediately made this multi-room venue one of our favorites was how stylish it is, offering a straight line of tables for singles or duos working and a more spacious adjoined room for those coming in groups. We’ve also noticed the cream of the top when it comes to the local Chelsea gays working here – all waiting for an outsider from another borough to make their guest appearance. Though similar to gym cruising, you need to be the one to say hi first and end this lustful standoff! If you have an outfit that goes from day to night, the crowd gets lively starting happy hour, especially Thursdays through the weekend. The owner Raul Avila has served as a producer and designer of the Met Gala for the past fifteen years. Following this spirit, Avila made his passion project Café-Flor a home of the arts, hosting a variety of creative affairs, including art classes, fashion shows, and runway classes.
Bluestockings Cooperative
Picture it: you’re browsing for your favorite author’s latest novel at Bluestockings on the Lower East Side. Like hands finding each other inside the popcorn in the movie theater, another stranger grabs the same book. You look up – they’re hot. You both decide to get a coffee at the bookstore’s cafe and stimulate each other intellectually before physically. The rest is history. Ok, so we can’t guarantee this will happen, but we love the idea of meeting the love of your life in one of the gayest bookstores in New York and queer-owned! (If your prospective partner can finish a book, you know they can commit to something.) Make the best of the city’s warm days with their free wifi and outdoor seating.
Rosecrans
If you’re planning on working here, have a plan B because the outside tables get taken up quickly. Rosecrans in the West Village looks like a florist shop from the outside because it is one and a coffee shop. Ice lattes and flowers? What a time to be alive and gay! As any realtor will tell you: Location! Location! Location! Aside from the cuteness of it all, this coffee shop is situated ideally on Greenwich Ave for foot traffic and people watching, especially all the muscle boys on their way to TMPL or Equinox. So after a hard day’s work and staring down hot pedestrians, you can turn your Grindr on and bring your next hookup roses.
Rome and Juliet Colombian Coffee
If you’re a Colombian native and are homesick, stop by Romeo and Juliet nestled on 42nd and 11th Avenue in Hells Kitchen. Any Latin person knows the significance of coffee in Hispanic culture. This place is as close as it gets to creating a Colombian ambiance and food options regarding authenticity. Try their empanadas and arepas; if you’re vegan, this would be the best to cheat. Just once won’t hurt! Ok, fine, they will take the mozzarella off the arepa if you request it (not without asking if you’re sure – it tastes good!), and they sell green juices and acai bowls. These details are the fusion aspect. In Colombia, sometimes restaurants don’t even put dairy in menu item descriptions – it’s assumed cheese goes with everything. Green juice, quien? Not only do plenty of cute Hells Kitchen gays work remotely here, but cute Latin men (and girls) are behind the register. Speaking from experience, knowing Spanish will score you extra points.
