The Best Cafes To Work From In Bondi Beach, Sydney

I spent a few weeks in beautiful Bondi Beach Sydney which was part of my greater Australia travels. Bondi Beach is definitely the hotspot in Sydney and has one of the highest concentration of beautiful cafes in the city.

As a full time digital nomad, Bondi is a great place to stay for a few weeks (if you can afford it). The cafes in the area are absolutely beautiful and delicious. However, they are not very well equipped to get remote work done. Nevertheless, if you live in the area or are passing through, here is a list of all the cafes I found that have some ability to get work done.

Sydney Cafe Culture

To sum it up, there is no stronger cafe culture anywhere I’ve seen than in Australia. Somehow the land down under has taken the mantle for the most coffee obsessed and cafe loving people I’ve seen. The coffee in Sydney is on point and there are more cafes that serve amazing coffee than kangaroos it seems. It’s no wonder the cafes in Bali are so amazing (so many of them are owned by Aussies).

Aussies are also serious about their coffee so expect the cafes to be busy. In Bondi Beach in particular, there is a stark difference between the weekday and weekends. Weekends are far busier as people from all over the Sydney area flock to relax on its beautiful white sandy beaches. If you’re looking to get work done on the weekends, most of the cafes on this list will be packed full of people and you’ll find it hard to get things done.

The weekdays are far more conducive to getting work done as the crowds are not there and many of the cafes will be mostly empty.

What are the prices of coffee and brunch in Bondi Beach?

Bondi Beach, like the rest of Sydney, is on the pricier side of the digital nomad experience. Bondi Beach in particular is quite pricey as it is one of the most sought after and touristy neighborhoods in Sydney. For the price however, you do get amazing views of the beach and the laid back vibes that everyone is after. Expect to pay for that privilege however as prices are something like the below (all prices in $AUD):

• Espresso: $3-4
• Cappuccino: $5-6
• Flat White with oat milk: $5-6
• Smoothie Bowl: $15-20
• Omelet: $15-20
• Pancakes or waffles: $15-20
• Avocado Toast: $15-20
• Steak and Eggs: $30-$40

My criteria for a good cafe to work from

Like I’ve mentioned already, there are many cafes and restaurants in Bondi Beach that are amazing and where I could definitely see myself working from. Bondi Beach, while not as abundantly populated with amazing work cafes as say Canggu in Bali, has more than enough options to keep you busy. Nevertheless, criteria have to be created and these are the things I’m looking for when it comes to the best working cafes in Bondi.

I don’t take cost into consideration because most of the cafes in Bondi Beach charge the same prices. Expect to pay about $4-5 AUD for an Americano and $5-6 AUD for a cappuccino. Brunch/breakfast items will cost between $20-35 depending on the restaurant and item. Bondi is one of the most expensive places in Sydney so expect to pay up for it.

Size and openness

Like I said above, every restaurant and cafe in looks like a place you can spend extended time in to work from. For the purpose of this post, I will focus on cafes that are larger. The larger it is, the more likely it is that you can find a space to work from without feeling like you are taking business away from other customers. However, this is not always feasible!

Cafes in Bondi Beach are generally small and cozy given the astronomical real estate prices in Bondi. While I like cafes that are larger and more spacious, this is simply not possible in Bondi. Therefore, most of the cafes you will find in Bondi are every much a cafe to drink coffee as well as one to have a meal in.

I just work better in large open spaces; think high ceilings and bright light.

Like the rest of Australia, the overall vibe in Bondi is laid back and chilled. The cafes in Bondi are also very chilled and people are friendly. Simply order your flat white and work away. Of course, don’t be that douchebag working in a cafe without buying something. Support the local businesses after all!

Wifi Speeds

For digital nomads, this is an obvious must. Wifi in Bondi Beach cafes is a bit hit or miss. I found many cafes didn’t have WiFi at all so you will need to have a good sim card and hotspot yourself if required. WIFI speeds are generally quite good and unless you are doing serious media content where you are moving gigabytes of data around, the WIFI here will more than suffice.

If the WIFI speeds are not to snuff for you, you could always just hotspot from your phone. With how cheap data plans are in Australia, you won’t be hurting the bank with sharing data.

Crowdedness

The perfect place to work means there are people that visit the cafe because you don’t want a ghost town but also a place that isn’t too hot. If it is too busy, you can’t really concentrate on your work and it will be a nightmare if you actually need to take Zoom calls. This picks up on my previous point about size and openness of the cafe because it is nice to just have your own little space.

Most of the cafes don’t get too crowded so this isn’t an issue but it also depends on the time of year you’re visiting Bondi (on the week days at least). In peak summer months, you can expect many of the cafes to fill up more than during the rainy season let’s say.

Another issue is noise. Most of the cafes play some sort of background music for ambiance purposes and you can’t fault them for that. If you need to take calls in a quiet area, this could be an issue. It’s impossible to rate noisiness and background music because this is so variable depending on the time of day and what that specific cafe is deciding on that day.

Availability of power plugs

While there are countless beautiful cafes all over Bondi beach, you need to have an abundance of power plugs to make it a good workspace. Most cafes look like they would be perfect work spaces until you sit down, have a coffee, and realize you have no power plugs to keep you going.

Most of the cafes in Bondi are not well equipped with power plugs all over the cafe. The city knows what they’re doing trying to attract the digital nomads and the cafe owners have made sure to equip their cafes accordingly.

Availability of Water

This is not a hard requirement for me but a nice to have, especially if you’re in a country where the tap water is not safe to drink. Having water available for a long day of work is imperative for me and while I’m okay just buying bottled water, it’s hard to beat up free water.

In Bondi beach and Sydney as a whole, every cafe I went to provided free unlimited water that you could refill at any time. I really liked having this as it allowed me to stay hydrated in the super hot summer weather (40C+).

Makuto Cafe

Makuto Cafe is a delicious Caribbean themed restaurant offering amazing food and coffee. In the mornings, it’s home to plenty of people getting stuff done on laptops with space indoor and outdoor. The coffee is on point and the vibes are excellent. The noise level in this cafe was also good enough to even take calls at certain times.

The Nine

The Nine is a cute little restaurant and cafe on Glenayr road that is perfect for the Bondi digital nomad. With outdoor tables under the shade, it’s a perfect place to get stuff done.

I found that this cafe was pretty relaxed in the mornings before picking up later on during the day. It was not too noisy so you could even take Zoom calls.

Chapter One

Chapter One is an institution in Bondi and perhaps one of the most famous spots in Bondi Beach. Located on the hill, it offers beautiful views of the ocean and is one of the few cafes on this list that has a view.

Chapter One attracts locals and foreigners alike and you can expect plenty of people in the early mornings as people get ready for their day. I found Chapter One to be a perfect place to work from after the morning rush (9am) as it was mostly quiet and offered amazing views of Bondi Beach.

Lox stock and Bagel

Lox Stock and Bagel is another institution on Bondi Beach that makes for a great place to get work done. Located one street away from the beach, this restaurant offers amazing coffee and food with ample space to get work done. There is plenty of space inside and out where you can get be on your laptop.

Gertrude and Alice

Gertrude and Alice is a beautiful bookstore cafe that has been a Bondi institution for over 20 years. It’s an oasis for readers, writers, and nowadays digital nomads on their laptops that want a different type of vibe. While indoor, you are surrounded by a sea of bookshelves that offer a quiet and laid back atmosphere.

Shuk Cafe

Located 10 minutes off the main Bondi strip, Shuk cafe is perhaps the best cafe to get work done in all of Bondi (if you can sacrifice the location to the beach). Equipped with plenty of space (indoor and out), free wifi, and plugs, this place has the holy trinity of work friendly cafes.

In addition to the great amenities, the food at Shuk is perhaps the best food in this entire list. Shuk serves Middle Eastern themed fare with incredible shakshuka, hummus, and schwarma. The coffee is also on point as well.

The Depot

The Depot is another Bondi institution not far removed from the main beach. This local favorite has a large and spacious interior as well as outside tables that offer a great work friendly atmosphere with a view. The coffee and food here is also on point as you would expect from all the cafes in Sydney. I found that this spot during the week days was packed with people on laptops.

There are also large communal tables that are perfect for a single person trying to get work done as you don’t feel like you’re taking up space for regular customers.

When you need a break, simply walk the 5 minutes to the beach where you can watch all the surfers catching their waves or the famous outdoor Bondi gym.

Bondie Corner Bondi

Bondie Corner is one of my favorite cafes during the week days to work from. The neighborhood vibes of this cafe, coupled with its spacious interior is the perfect place for me to hunker down and get things done. The interior of the cafe is beautiful decorated with plenty of tables for you to get things done.

As you can expect with any Sydney cafe, the coffee is on point at Bondi Corner so you’ll always have your caffeine fuel to power through the day. I didn’t try the food during my visit but it looked delicious from looking at other tables.

Porch and Parlour

Porch and Parlour is one of my favorite spots in Bondi to have coffee and get work done. It’s located right on the main road and has a nice view of the ocean. The countertop seating overlooking the ocean is perfect for a quick work session without feeling like you’re taking too much space.

The coffee is also on point at this neighborhood favorite. What else could you ask for?

Next door at Pocket Bar is also another cafe with equally as beautiful views that offer a great place to get work done in Bondi.

Will and Co. Coffee

Will and Co. Coffee shop is one of the premier coffee roasters in Bondi. They actually supply the coffee to many of the cafes in Bondi so you know it’s good. Their flagship location in Bondi is a perfect cafe to relax, enjoy coffee, and get work done.

On the few occasions I went there, everyone was on their laptops. You would almost mistake it for a co-working space given the amount of laptops there. They do not serve food and the space is meant to be the show room for their coffee.