06-03-2025
10 metro Detroit coffee shops that welcome remote workers and their laptops
As some café operators introduce no-laptop policies during designated hours, others gladly welcome remote workers throughout their hours of service.
Here are 10 spots where it's perfectly acceptable to have a little screen time with a side of coffee. If you're looking for an unexpected place to park and work with a bite and a beverage, consider a hotel lobby.
Most Detroit area lodgings have in-house cafes and seating areas reserved for hotel guests and visitors to get comfy. Try The Siren Café, Bar Rotunda at the Book Tower, the lobby bar at The Godfrey Detroit and the lobby at the Hotel David Whitney.
Why some metro Detroit coffee shops are becoming 'no laptop' zones
In addition to free Wi-Fi at each Roast location — Birmingham Roast and Royal Oak Roast — there are meeting lounges and outdoor patios with Wi-Fi available for anyone interested in working on the premises. There are also healthy food options, such as oatmeal, overnight oats and yogurt parfaits, as well as wraps, salads, sandwiches and avocado toast.
Visit for locations.
An unexpected combination, The Commons is part café, part laundromat. No worries if you don't have dirty laundry to bring with you, consider the hum of the washers and dryers in the backdrop a little white noise to keep you focused on your work at hand.
The Commons, 7900 Mack Ave., Detroit. 313-447-5060;
There are four Dessert Oasis locations, from downtown Detroit to Ferndale, Rochester and Royal Oak — and on any given day, you're bound to see a host of remote workers at each location. As its name implies, there are desserts alongside the café's coffee offerings and late night hours mean you get to nosh and work after dark.
Visit for locations.
Sure, there's delicious coffee, an extensive menu of pastries, sandwiches and an array of bagels that nod to the coffee shop's first iteration as the Detroit Institute of Bagels. But a big draw at James Oliver is its parking lot! Free parking and free Wi-Fi make the space a go-to among remote workers. While you're there, check out the small section of crafts made by local makers. There are candles, kitchenware and bags of coffee for the days you work from your actual home. Stop into James Oliver's downtown location in the Guardian Building and soon, its newest spot in Wyandotte.
Visit for locations.
Taking over the former Avalon on Canfield Street, Kitab Café offers a place to eat and drink as you work. In addition to interesting, dessert-y beverages like the Salted Caramel Oatmilk Draft on tap and a Cookie Butter latte, there's a wide menu of sandwiches. As an ode to Kitab's humble beginnings as a café and bookstore in Hamtramck, the Midtown location also offers a small selection of books.
Visit for locations.
In the heart of the Detroit Institute of Arts is Kresge Court, an atrium filled with tufted leather couches ideal for reading and high- and low-top tables and banquettes perfect for getting work done either in groups or solo. The museum offers free Wi-Fi and plenty of outlets for charging your device. Under a clear blue sky, the space is bright and airy and on Fridays, when the café is open until 8:30 p.m., enjoy a moody evening of work.
Located in Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-833-7900;
A stone's throw from Eastern Market, La Ventana is a minimalist coffee shop fit for the creative crowd. Here, house, soul and R&B music blares through the speakers and pieces made by local artists hang on the walls. Your barista may even be your favorite DJ or singer. Pull out your laptop at a table, booth, bench or sit it on your lap from a cushion in the café's stadium seating area. You'll join fellow customers editing videos or taking virtual meetings. To drink, there's a small menu of coffee and tea, as well as daily quiches and burritos.
La Ventana, 1492 Gratiot Ave. Detroit. 313-212-3005;
On Detroit's east side, the Black-owned Morningside Café beams with a bold mural and even more captivating coffee. Here, there's the usual: coffee, tea and baked goods, but there are also a few unexpected menu items, such as smoothies, martinis and pup cups — special treats for your dog. There's also a meeting room available for those working in groups if needed.
Morningside Café, 16369 E. Warren Ave. Ste. C, Detroit. 313-542-9604;
With three locations in Detroit and one in Ferndale, The Red Hook offers a place to work that's convenient whether you live in the suburbs or the city. Each location has a different look and feel, but all welcome laptop use. The café also serves a range of pastries, with vegan offerings and even hard-boiled eggs. There are coffee and tea lattes, pour-overs and non-caffeinated beverages like golden milk and hot chocolate.
Visit for locations.
Brought to you by the owners of Kitab Café is Rosette Market and Café, a unique, multipurpose coffee shop and grocer in Corktown. Bring your laptop and get some work done among shelves stocked with produce and specialty goods and refrigerators stocked with rows of juices, sodas, milk and other beverages. Of course, grab a coffee and a Zingerman's pastry while you're there.
Rosette Market and Café, 1611 Michigan Ave., Detroit.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 11 Detroit-area cafés that welcome remote workers and their laptops
