WORKING FROM ANYWHERE,
ONE CAFE AT A TIME

On each visit to these cafes, I’ve made it my unofficial goal to work for as long as I can and eat as much as possible before I go home. Also, each one of these cafes have a solid WIFI connection, tasty food with reasonable price, open for dine-in till late in the evening and have decent chairs and table. On that note, just because you’re excited to work in one of these cafes, I urge you to, even within your respective district, to make sure to always wear your masks, keep your hands sanitized and adhere to social distancing.

Cafe’s can be expensive, but sometimes, it’s nice to take a break from my humble abode and change the work enviro. Don’t get me wrong. Somedays, the bustling cafe is really what I need to feel active and stay on task, while other days I honestly prefer the silence that my tiny studio apartment offers.

Every now and then I find myself in one of these cafes, to either meet up with clients or simply catch up on work.

First stop…

1. QUARTET TTDI

Yes, this place is thriving and definitely open despite the CMCO! It’s business as usual for them. In the past month, Quartet TTDI has been my choice of workplace. In fact, it has been since long before the godforsaken pandemic hit us. Thank goodness they still operate (AND according to proper CMCO guidelines). Parking here is convenient, provided you come anytime before 12 pm.

Also, I like that it’s nestled in the quiet neighbourhood of Taman Tun Dr Ismail. My favourite lunch dish is none other than their Aglio Olio pasta served with beef strips and runny poached eggs. Truly a plate of happiness! They also serve brunch, sandwiches and light-bites that are all made in-house using high-quality ingredients.

At the moment operation hours are from 10am – 6pm. WIFI connection is solid and most days this place is filled with people working on their laptops and group of friends meeting up for casual and business meetings.

Location: TTDI.

2. Podgy

Another one of my favourites. Podgy is a tad bit intimate, but that’s exactly how I like it and it also means this place has great crowd control and cosy enough to get a few hours of work in. Did I mention I’m a huge fan of a good Aglio Olio pasta? For one, it is because it carbo loads me, super helpful when I’m cranking my brain all day planning out content for my clients and fixing bugs on my website. Second, it’s drizzled with sambal Che’ Nor and Ikan Bilis.

However, Aglio Olio is not the only thing that keeps me coming back to Podgy. Their cappuccino and their Lemon Meringue Tart browned on top is in love with my taste buds. To the uninitiated, it may seem like any Lemon Meringue Tart, but to me, it represents a browned sunshine of custardy and crusty of awesomeness.

Location: Jalan Kurau, Bangsar.

3. Meet Joe

Meet Joe…O Meet Joe. Their menu is one of my favourites. There is an array of breakfast menu from the hearty Joe’s Breakfast to a light Farmer’s Skillet with Sauteed Beef Bacon served with baby potatoes, tomato and poached eggs with toast.

Again their WIFI connection is strong and for a place that’s right smack in Bangsar, it doesn’t get too crowded often. Although, with Meet Joe I prefer working here on Mondays (when my wallet permits) because I have come to notice that people are not as enthusiastic about work on this day. So the crowd is even lesser.

For those who drive, you’ll most likely only find parking under Sports Direct and not by the roadside. So for that reason, it might be inconvenient if you decide to work at Meet Joe. Should you decide otherwise, however, I suggest planning how long you want to work here because parking at BV2, BV1 and Sports Direct can get expensive if you stay all-day.

Location: Near BV2, Bangsar.

4. Tujoh Cafe

Vintage Old School vibe and monochrome art decor comes to mind when you dine or work in Tujoh Cafe.

The kind of feeling where, as you enter, all you want to do is find a seat and enjoy your meal, catch up with friends or work on a project you’re excited to finish. Tujoh Cafe has been one of my go-to places not only for lunch but also to meet up with clients and to get lots of work done. There are four different settings in Tujoh Cafe. The first being a dining setup which you will immediately notice when you enter. The second is a high table with bar stools where you can work. Beyond that is a sofa area for a chill session of catching up with friends, and finally some tables and chairs with a shelf full of vintage television collection as the backdrop.

Lets not forget the Tujoh Cafe menu. They have a decent lunch set and an all day dinner such as their ‘Nuts About Steak’ dish and Tujoh Cafe Fried Chicken. If you’s into something quick, they serve burgers and sandwiches too.

Located in section 17, PJ, Tujoh is also nestled within a residential neighbourhood. It can get tricky with parking here as well, so I recommend dropping by here before the peak hour sets in.

Location: Section 17, PJ.

5. Sunbather

Orecchiette pasta tossed with edamame pesto, big breakfast platters packed with Tamagoyaki, Teriyaki chicken meatballs, and Japanese potatoes. This cafe, tag its inspiration from the Land of The Rising Sun. Did I mention their amazing latte? So good.

Now located in The Sphere, Sunbather Coffee has reinvented itself as an obvious destination for Yoshoku Japanese Interpretations of Western and European Fare. Working at this cafe was a pleasant experience because yes, the WIFI connection was excellent. The chairs and tables are also decent, but I would recommend AGAIN to be at this cafe early to get the good seats and one with a power point. There’s not many in this cafe.

Location: The Sphere, Bangsar South.

6. Concubine KL

My friend Debbie and I stopped at Concubine KL out of sheer hunger. We did not expect this place to be work-friendly at all because it’s actually a restaurant and bar, not the usual type of place we go to get work done.

The entrance and the interior had a flirtatious and funky feel to it and for a good reason. It’s because this restaurant and bar is keeping true to its Chinatown heritage. What’s even cooler is their drool-worthy menu. Even at 3pm, they were serving a Burger Lunch Menu and one, in particular, got my tummy growling – the Nashville Hot Chicken Burger with its Crispy Fried Chicken Thigh dressed in their Spicy Nashville Hot Sauce’. Let’s not forget their organic brioche buns.

AND yes, since most of us aren’t working in the office, they welcome guests to work from CONCUBINE KL too. WIFI is excellent and their burgers…don’t forget to order them BURGERS. They’re so heavenly!

Check their burger lunch menu here:

Location: Kwai Chai Hong (Ghost Lane), Kuala Lumpur.