In recent years, telecommuting has become a widespread professional activity. And while Maplr has superb premises in the heart of downtown, on Place des Arts, it's just as pleasant to be able to vary the pleasures of telecommuting to the four corners of the city! After all, there are plenty of cafés where you can work in Montreal!
Alone or with others, it's a great way to discover the city. It's also a great way to meet new people.
Océane, Account Manager at Maplr, shares her 5 favorite cafés to work at in Montreal! 👇
1️⃣ Café Sfouf
1250 Ontario Street East (Beaudry metro station)
Located near the Village district, Café Sfouf is by far my favorite place to work in Montreal. The atmosphere is studious, and brings together all generations. It's almost like being at home! If you've got kids, there's even an area reserved for them. It's made up of large tables (reminiscent of the BU atmosphere), and has a large bay window that they open in summer. The café is therefore very bright, ideal in winter when you're looking for sunshine. ☀️
- Pros The wifi works really well, the atmosphere is studious and they offer a wide variety of drinks and snacks. It's even possible to have lunch on site.
- The - : Choose your seat carefully when you arrive, as not all tables have sockets. This can be a real problem if your computer runs out of battery.
2️⃣ Café Orr
5368 Avenue Papineau (Laurier metro station)
Café Orr is, in my opinion, the most creative place to work in Montreal. Popular with young artists from the audiovisual world and telecommuting regulars, the space exudes creativity. Most of the walls are filled with words, quotes and thoughts left by people passing through. Ideal if you need to work in a team and brainstorm on a project.
- Pros: wifi works very well and the decor is really nice. If you're a cinephile, they also organize regular film screenings in the mezzanine area. Finally, like Café Sfouf, this café offers a wide choice of drinks and snacks, so you can eat in.
- The - The music is sometimes a little loud, which can be a nuisance if you have meetings. And don't arrive too late, as the café fills up very quickly!
3️⃣ Café Olimpico
419 Rue Saint-Vincent (Métro Champs-de-mars)
Bonne nouvelle ! Des cafés Olimpico, il y en a plusieurs à Montréal. Mais parmi les meilleurs cafés Olimpico où travailler à Montréal, je te conseille vraiment d’aller faire un tour à celui du quartier du Vieux-Port. L’institution italienne existe depuis 1970 et dispose d’un espace commun avec l’hôtel William Gray. Il est possible de télétravailler en intérieur, comme en extérieur durant l’été. Pour y accéder, il te faudra d’abord passer dans le pop-up Le Cartel, LA marque de vêtements et accessoires incontournable de Montréal. L’occasion de t’équiper avec leurs derniers modèles ! 👀
- The plus points: the selection of excellent, 100% Italian drinks and pastries (I recommend the mocha, by far the best I've had here), the friendliness of the staff and the beauty of the place.
- Pros Many tourists pass through this well-known establishment, so the queue to order can be a little long.
Ready for a stroll around Montreal?
We take you on a tour of Montreal's neighborhoods in 👉 this article 👈
4️⃣ Myriad
All over Montreal!
Like Café Olimpico, Myriade has several locations throughout Montreal (there are 5!). Everything is designed with teleworkers in mind: large tables, accessible electrical outlets and quality wifi. Everything you need to work in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. The café offers hot beverages and pastries, which are also accessible to standard and vegan diets. Last but not least, every Myriades has an outdoor terrace, which is a real bonus in summer!
- The plusses: a really good playlist and a good Wifi connection. What's more, all Myriades have terraces, ideal for soaking up the summer sun.
- The - There's a lot of foot traffic, and Myriades is usually located on busy squares. Many people come to get their coffee, or to meet up for a chat, and the exterior is often roadside, so the noise of cars can be a nuisance if you're having meetings.
5️⃣ The burnt seed
921 Rue Sainte-Catherine (Métro Berri-UQAM)
Montreal's most original café. This atypical funfair-themed space is packed with nooks and crannies, including bunk beds, a games room with old consoles, an old merry-go-round wagon, picnic tables and a large round table in the middle of a carousel. Whether you prefer to work standing up, sitting down, at a table or lying down, you'll find what you're looking for here! 🎠
- The plusses: The originality and grandeur of the place, a menu adapted to vegans and vegetarians.
- The - : A bit like all super-original cafés, there's a lot of foot traffic. It can get a bit noisy at times!
So, which café are we going to work in?
Montreal is full of teleworker-friendly cafés. If, like me, you find it hard to work from home, or if you'd like to adopt the Montreal way of life by varying your work environments, you'll have no trouble finding a place near your home or elsewhere in the city to be alone or with your colleagues, in summer or winter. And if you're a newcomer, it can be a great way to network with other Maplr and meet new people on the spot!
