Coffee shops plug in or switch off?

By Ruby Qaimkhani

Ah, coffee. The world’s most influential hot drink (after tea) connecting modern hearts and bringing us all together. This rings especially true in our Northern city as, according to research by coffee machine maker Gaggia Milano, there are more coffee shops in Manchester than in Milan. Mancunians are crazy about the stuff it seems.

In keeping with this love for espresso, we’ve narrowed down our favourite coffee shops. We’ll show you places to drink your Americanos in peace while you get on with your work and focus on deadlines… And switch it up by spotlighting cafés operating laptopfree zones to ensure you enjoy the conversation and atmosphere as much as the soothing lattes and grub. Because let’s be honest, sometimes we need that extra bit of encouragement to force ourselves to switch off and focus on the finer things.

There’s no coffee house quite as photogenic as La Vie Café. A pink and floral interior with exquisite food displays and gold accents adorn this luxury brunch lounge. When here, you really won’t want to be on your laptop. Put it away and take in the buzzing atmosphere. With a quick turnover of tables, the motto here is order and eat, pose for pics, post them on socials, and then get back to reality. Can we also take a moment to appreciate that La Vie is one of the cafés open the latest, closing at 11pm? Love that!

Toast take pride in being a fast-paced food and drinks café and have declared themselves a laptop-free zone since May 2021. They boldly claim: “The only people we want working in the building are us! We want our customers to eat, drink, have a nice time and relax.” While the original Toast is being renovated, its smaller branch Toast Kitchen next to The Christie Hospital has stepped up to the plate to feed their adoring fans. It’s the perfect spot to

Ditto

61 Oxford St, M1 6EQ @ditto.coffee

Did you know Ditto Coffee is related to the online music distribution company Ditto Music? Us neither! While not strictly a laptop-friendly café as they do operate a ‘no laptop rule’, this only runs between 12pm-2pm during the lunchtime rush. You won’t find a better music-filled atmosphere to study in, or a better place to grab a truly work-free lunch break.

Federal

No2 Circle Square, Oxford Rd, M1 7FS @federalcafebar

Dining at Federal doesn’t leave you much time to work, making it a great spot to recharge. It’s well-known on the Manchester food scene for ALWAYS having a queue. They don’t take reservations so trust us, they’re some busy bees! This is precisely why they opened a new branch at Circle Square on Oxford Road, their third shop in the city alongside sites in Deansgate and the Northern Quarter, with other Feds at Media City and Altrincham. The coffee at Federal may be a tad on the small side, but its rich taste and packed tables are worth every minute of the wait. Leave the laptop in your bag and indulge in some French toast too.

Chapter One

23 Lever St, M1 1BY @chapteronebooks

This has arguably the best interior on our list. Think Arabian-style cosy corners for when you need chill vibes to get your creative juices flowing, and standard tables and chairs for when you want to get your head down and crack on. While we admit that you may get a tad distracted by all the buzz and leave the deadlines for yet another day, you won’t have that guilty feeling as you’ll be sure to strike up a conversation with someone else looking for a quick procrastination break between essay writing.

Ezra & Gil

20 Hilton St, M1 1FR @ezraandgil

Ezra & Gil have dedicated the window seats to workers on their laptops so you can watch the world passing by while you’re wrapping up an assessment. While E&G gives you a time limit on how long you can set up camp with your laptop, this soft deadline might just help you become more motivated to finish your work. It also helps the business too, if you’re nursing just a single latte during your visit.