Best in Lagos: Cafes to Work From (Mainland Edition)
If you read our last post on the best cafes to work from, you may have caught that the list wasn’t exactly Mainland-friendly. Truth is: the Mainland really isn’t the Island’s mate when it comes to cafe culture. Upon still regardless shaaa, there are still a number of spots on this side of the Bridge that can offer you the right kind of ambience to get some work done in peace and have something yum on the side as well.
Here’s our list:
Bourbon House Café
Where: 29 Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA
Open: 7AM - 11PM/Mon – Sat | 10:30AM - 11PM/Sun
I discovered this spot when I was restaurant hopping on Isaac John Street and it has since stolen my heart. It has both of what I love: affordable offerings and a cozy ambiance. Bourbon House Café's menu has a lot of range, so it's not just breakfast and coffee, you can get good food throughout the day (including alcohol and seafood). On the breakfast and coffee front, though, there are a bunch of hot and cold coffee and breakfast options, including an English, American, and traditional Nigerian breakfast. It's a small space, but they made the most of it. I would hate to be there when it's crowded, though.
Oeuvre’s Patisserie & Boulangerie
Where: OGUDU MALL, 3 OGUDU ROAD (3rd floor)
Open: 9AM - 9PM/every day
As the name suggests, this is more a pastry shop/bakery than a coffee shop, but Oeuvre also offers really decent coffee options -- ooh, and tea, if that's more your thing 😘 They serve a variety of bread, delicious baked things and treats that'll make any sweet tooth happy, and the space is really cute and small, but not in a way that feels suffocating. That's a major plus when you want an intimate space to work in, without giving everyone a front row seat into your business.
Ola's Café prides itself on being a co-working space first -- they even have a projector, flowchart, and free WiFi -- but there are also pretty decent things on the menu you can enjoy while you toil away for The Man. One thing that's most noteworthy is their variety of drink options -- from coffees, boba tea, and smoothies to mocktails and cocktails. For a bite on the side, Ola's also offers sandwiches, salads, and even peppersoup, should you fancy something with a little heat.
Ouida Lagos is really, primarily a bookstore, but it’s getting known more and more for its cosy workspace and cafe, where they make the literal softest, fluffiest, buttery, most delicious bread rolls. It’s glorious stuff.
Alongside decent rates and free WiFi, you can enjoy a standard range of teas and coffees and more importantly, something yum from their street food options — including interesting combos like catfish peppersoup and puff puff. Nothing will get you in the mood to work faster than the promise of good food.
Krispy Kreme
Where: Ikeja City Mall | 389 Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo Yaba
Open: 7AM - 10PM / 7AM - 9PM
Note: Not every Krispy Kreme in Lagos is good for working, but I've found that these Mainland branches, particularly the Ikeja City Mall store, tend not to be crowded earlier in the day. It's a good time to get a few hours of 'deep work' done or have a quick meeting over a cup of coffee.
Research also shows that being enveloped in the smell of freshly-made doughnuts may throw your weekly budget out the window, but it does wonders for your productivity levels. Or something like that.
Hot Crust Cafe is another good spot on the Mainland for a remote work situation. They don’t have that many hot drink options, which is the downside, but their food menu is quite broad — they’ve got a nice list of pasta (a fan-favourite), sandwich, salad and even Asian-style rice options.
It’s not “proper restaurant-grade” food, but it’ll do for quick bites in between emails. If you like cosy spaces as well, it’s a good one to try.
Where did we miss? Leave a comment!
