These days, a cafe isn’t just a place where you go for a coffee or a sandwich. For many entrepreneurs, remote employees and digital nomads it’s also an alternative work from home option – somewhere to pull out the laptop and get through a bunch of emails. And with the aroma of coffee, a pleasing ambience and the chit-chat of other people around, what’s not to love about remote working from a cafe? For many remote workers, having a few favourite cafes to work from also fills the gap if they’re missing an office environment. With that in mind, here’s a list of good cafes in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor for kicking work goals over a flat white or a chai.
#1 Remote working cafes in Kuala Lumpur
Bean Brothers
Sitting between the intersection of Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Ampang, Bean Brothers has a peaceful vibe, despite being on two of the busiest roads in Kuala Lumpur! The chic industrial architecture combined with strategically placed plants make this easily one of the most conducive cafes to work from. It occupies two floors at the corner of The Linc, facing Jalan Ampang. The first floor is good for brainstorm sessions and general chatter; head upstairs to the upper floor if you need to do some deep-thinking work.
Bean Brothers is one of the cafes in Kuala Lumpur that takes its coffee seriously, roasting its own blends. The food and snack options are also great.
G-1, The Linc, 360 Jalan Tun Razak
Bean Brothers
Feeka Coffee Roasters
Feeka Coffee Roasters sits along a row of two-storey townhouses. The name is taken from a Swedish word, “fika”, which means to take a coffee break. By day, the cafe’s tiny street is a cosy enclave, giving a calm, away-from-the-city feel. In the evening, it’s a different story! The streets and bars around light up and give the area energy and vibrance.
A covered courtyard is available for those who prefer to do their remote working outdoors and in the warmth! For those who prefer to cool off inside, there are colourful couches, sturdy chairs and tables made for two.
The coffee and food here are always raved about by the regulars.
19 Jalan Mesui, Bukit Bintang
Feeka Instagram
Kofi by 77
Combine great location, delicious coffee and a long co-working table and you have a cult favourite with digital nomads! The main area of Kofi by 77 is airy and light with big open windows. There are little picnic tables and chairs, perfect for discussions and catching up. The secondary area has a long table, great for working away on laptops or notepads.
Another thing that makes this a nice cafe to work from is the beautiful paintings and art pieces, which create a cosy, artsy feel.
Lot 7-5, Vista Kiara Shoppe, Jalan Kiara 3, Mont Kiara
Kofi Instagram
#2 Work-from-home cafes in the Johor Bahru area
Brooos & Co
How would you like to be working from a cafe that looks like a set from The Wolf of Wall Street? That’s what Brooos & Co has modelled itself after!
You’ll be clicking away on your laptop amidst 90s-type furniture, a vintage photocopier, and the promise of working, socialising and connecting. Brooos regulars love their coffee and also the selection of food on offer.
18 Jalan Seri Pelangi 4, Taman Pelangi
Brooos Instagram
Off Day Café
If hipster means being outside of the cultural mainstream, Off Day Cafe is the very definition of a hipster cafe. It serves Australian-inspired brunches and Malaysian roasted coffee.
There’s greenery scattered around, and you can look forward to working in a clean, calm and minimalist space, designed using raw and natural elements.
57 Jalan Eko Botani 3/7, Taman Eko Botani
Offday Instagram
The Founders Café
Vast, bright, and eclectic, The Founders is one of those cafes that can really motivate you if you’ve hit a work-from-home rut. There are plenty of art pieces on the walls – self-portraits created by the owner and also murals – and there’s just something electrifying in the air here. It’s hard to pinpoint the vibe, but you’ll know when you go.
The Founders also offers a good selection of drinks and delicious food.
45 Jalan Tiong Emas Kawasan Perindustrian Tiong Nam, Tebrau
The Founders
#3 Penang cafes to work from
Bean Sprout Cafe
This place is a cult favourite with digital nomads in Penang. Despite its popularity, though, you can always find a table to get settled at. There’s great service and some cool vintage-style décor – you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time! Think unpainted walls, rattan chairs, memorabilia from long ago and plants – lots of plants!
Bean Sprout is a peaceful cafe to work from, calm and soothing to the eyes, with amazing coffee, tea and food!
35 Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, George Town
Bean Sprout Cafe Instagram
Black Kettle Café
Dark wood interiors, tables for two along with long table benches, plants thrown in, and a good coffee, tea and food selection. What more can a person who wants a cafe to work at ask for?
Black Kettle sits in the heart of Penang’s UNESCO Heritage Zone and is one of the favourites with travelling entrepreneurs and digital nomads. It’s also just a stone’s throw from Penang’s famous street art precinct.
105 Beach Street, George Town
Black Kettle Instagram
Sunnyside Café
Sunnyside is a new cafe located in the Tanjung Bungah area. Sitting in a two-storey terraced house, it offers indoor and outdoor seating. The cafe is light, bright and airy – perfect for working away on your laptop or brainstorming some business ideas.
Besides coffee, tea and various other drinks, Sunnyside also serves light bites. Oh, and if you’re a pet owner, your furry friend is welcome here too!
30 Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Bandar Tanjung Bungah
Sunnyside Instagram
Digital Nomad: Did you know?
In 1997, Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners coined the term “digital nomad” when they released a book of the same name, predicting a future of remote working – globe-trotting travellers logging in from abroad, and returning societies to a nomadic lifestyle.
Over the years, the development of technology has allowed us to do exactly that. COVID accelerated this possibility, by showing organisations how productive and beneficial it could be for them and their employees to work away from the office. And developments in technology have also made it easier for companies to hire remote workers from all over the world, adding to the rise in digital nomads.
Enjoyed this article about cafes in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang? Now find out about some of the best outdoor activities in JB.
