Top Coffee Shops for Coworking: Durham Edition

Award for best duo? Coffee and coworking. Today on the blog, we are highlighting the best coffee shops for coworking here in Durham! The gig economy continues to grow rapidly. As of August 2019, About 36% of US workers are now involved in the gig economy. US freelancers contributed $1.28 trillion to the American economy in 2018. If the gig economy keeps growing at its current rate, more than 50% of the US workforce will participate in it by 2027.

More and more companies are allowing employees to work remotely and where are these employees going when they’re working remote? You guessed it. Coffee shops. Even if you are a member of a coworking space, odds are you often frequent a local coffee shop for client meetings or to grab an afternoon pick me up. As the gig economy grows, keeping money in our community grows as locals are now spending time and money in their local coffee shops. Shopping local is so important and today we’re showing you some of the best locally owned shops to work in, let’s jump in!

1. Nolia: Family + Coffee

Photo by: Triangle on the cheap

First on the list is an easy to miss, cozy shop located near the Golden Belt campus. Though easy to miss, once you’ve been to Nolia: Family + Coffee, you’ll never be able to drive by again without stopping in for an iced coffee with a pump of their delicious house made syrup. This shop is the ideal option for a parent who works remotely. This family owned shop is where family meets coffee. Nolia is on a mission to create the quintessential family-centric space – outfitted with healthy menu items and places to play for the little humans, and with life-changing coffee for the big humans. The shop has space for kids to play while you work and the shop is the perfect size to where one glance up from your laptop and you can see exactly what your little one is up to.

Trust me, even if you don’t have a little one, you’ll want to try this shop. It is hands down one of the best iced coffees you can find in Durham! All of the coffee served at Nolia is direct-trade, ethically-sourced, and specialty-grade. There you’ll find great space to get work done and always friendly faces!

2. Cocoa Cinnamon

Photo by Trip Advisor

One word, churros. Cocoa Cinnamon is the only coffee shop in Durham that I know where you can have a great coworking sesh AND have churros on the side. Just to be clear, only the Lakewood location has the churros, but they are indeed amazing. One of my favorite Cocoa Cinnamon locations for coworking is the Old North Durham location. This one is great and walkable for you Downtown dwellers or if you are working in the Downtown Durham area for just the day. This spot is perfect especially in the Spring because of their expansive outdoor *shaded* seating area, great for meetings and knocking out some projects.

3. Beyu Caffe

If you’ve been following along with the blog, you might recognize this next caffe. Highlighted during our Diversity Series, Beyu Caffe is a long time Durham favorite. After much evolution over the years, Beyu has grown to become a hot spot for a great cup of coffee. Beyu Caffe (pronounced be-you) was founded in 2009 by Duke University graduate, Dorian Bolden, to be the ultimate community gathering place where everyone could “be you”. The name and idea stems from Dorian’s lifelong experiences in various social and cultural settings whereby he believes that we all have more in common than we do differences. Bolden wanted a place in Bull City accepting of all, regardless of the color of your skin or the gender you identify with. Post his studies at Duke, Bolden moved to NYC and worked on Wall Street. Though he knew he had a stable job, he started asking himself the same question we all come to, “What do I really want to do with my life?” The answer was simple, to do something he was passionate about. Though most of us usually stay in the comfort zone and don’t chase the crazy sounding dream, Bolden went for it. He learned the ins and outs of coffee and moved back to his old stomping grounds of Durham.

If you have yet to enjoy Beyu Caffe, it is a must try. The space is warm and welcoming and you’re sure to never leave without a smile on your face. From breakfast for someone on the go, or coffee and tables for coworking, there is something for everyone.

4. Cloche Coffee

Though the newest on our list, Cloche Coffee certainly knows how to keep us coming back for more. Pronounced ‘cl-O-shh’ (with a hard ‘O’) and French for bell, a cloche is a bell-shaped glass covering placed over plants to protect them from frostbite and encourage their growth. They’ve embraced the same idea at Cloche Coffee. Step inside their glass space, admire their plants, and recharge with their good energy. Cloche’s mission is to foster the growth of our Durham community and serve some really fantastic coffee and food along the way. 

It is very peaceful and serene compared to some shops full of bustle. I get distracted in a lot of coffee shops, but I find that Cloche is a very relaxing environment to work in! Be sure to check it out and keep your eye on their page for some fun events they’ll be doing on their patio. They partner with some great other locally owned businesses to make some fun events happen!

We would love to see you coworking in your habitat. If you visit a cool new shop or one of our faves, be sure to tag @urbanmj on Facebook!