Cafes And Coworking In 8 Medellin Neighborhoods
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Medellin Coworking and Coffee Shops
Since 2013, I’ve been returning to Medellin, Colombia, as a location-independent digital nomad, living in various neighborhoods from Bello to Sabaneta, and working from the plethora of local coffee shops. This is my definitive guide to the best cafes and coworking spots in Medellin.
Below is a list of the best coffee shops and coworking spots to work from as a digital nomad or expat visiting or living in Medellin, in order of neighborhood.
A quick note: I’m leaving off Starbucks, though I consider all of them wonderous choices to work from. I’m also leaving off the Starbucks of Colombia, Juan Valdez, as I’m not a fan.
Important note: exactly 0% of this article is dedicated to the actual coffee served at these locals. I don’t have a coffee palate. I’m commenting on the comfort and ambiance of working from these Medellin coffee shops.
PROVENZA
Cafe Quindio – New entrant in the Medellin market with big potential! Arriving in 2025 with two locations (Santa Fe shopping mall and Provenza), the owners clearly have a handle on location, location, location aspect of real estate. What’s more, the seating arrangements and layout are better than Pergamino and Starbucks. Originating in Armenia (a 30min flight from Medellin and next to Pereira). The Provenza location has a large coworking table upstairs, as well as couches, booths, and an outdoor patio in the back.
Matilde – This place has been here for a while. It actually used to be more of a bar where you could purchase your own alcohol (bottle of wine, some beers) from the fridge and enjoy. Nowadays, it’s rather undiscovered as it’s in a less well-known part of Provenza and next to the highly popular Pergamino (see below). I like this place because it’s well designed, has both indoor and outdoor space, great food options, and multiple seating options.
Socialtel (prior: Selina) – This hostel/coworking/shopping center/events center/bar has a neat indoor/outdoor cafe with comfy though rundown seats and plugs everywhere, even hanging from the ceiling in the working space. The coworking space day pass is $9 (40,000 pesos).
Pergamino – There are a few Pergamino Cafes and two really close to each other in the Parque Lleras area. The one I’m referring to, as I prefer more hidden gem cafes, is next door to Matilde in the secret portion of Provenza.
PARQUE LLERAS
Noir Cafe – Probably the overall winner, this is a little bit of Provenza in Parque Lleras. It’s super well designed, comfy seats, comfy ambiance, fast wifi, power plugs everywhere, high attention to detail, a variety of comfy seating options, and don’t forget the garden in the back with a fire pit and hanging chairs. Bonus is the sound of the river in the back garden patio area. The owner, Cameron, offers a coffee-tasting Airbnb experience where you get to try numerous different preparations of coffee resulting in an extreme multi-hour caffeine buzz for $10.
Pergamino – This is the first location, but second best in my opinion. It provides a similar ambiance, has a patio, plenty of seating, and two levels of indoor working space. Dog friendly.
ASTORGA
Urbania Calle 8 – This coffee shop has been there for a long time, but it never made my list due to uncomfy seating. That has changed with a renovation and it’s my favorite in the neighborhood.
Casa Tragaluz – *This has been, unfortunately, closed for a long-time. It has reopened, but I need to visit to see if it’s still a cafe*. I hope it opens back up. The Astorga neighborhood is unique and cool so you should check it out, but this spot is also nice and calming to work from with all the things.
El Cielo – Brand new hotel, coffee shop, and restaurant from a famous Colombian chef. This was the only photo I took while onsite (below). Behind me is a nice patio with one side covered in greenery. You can tell it’s fancy and probably the fanciest, by far, on the list. Surprisingly the service is on the slow side, be ready to call over your waiter to order and for the bill.
POBLADO
You may have noticed other poblado neighborhoods listed – Provenza, Manila, and Parque Lleras – and here are the rest.
BerÄ“ Cafe (San Lucas) – I discovered this Espresso Bar when it had merely 25 reviews. It’s a hidden gem, located on a residential street, but with a pleasant, calming vibe and perfect to come for a low-noise environment.
LAURELES
Cafe Torbellino – I’ve always liked the Conquistadores neighborhood by Unicentro in Laureles. My first day here and discover this fantastic cafe and nursey. There are four locations throughout Medellin.
Al Alma – This is a chain and, honestly, hit or miss. The best location, by far, is in Laureles. I found it by chance as it was just opening when I arrived. A true cafe, great ambiance, fast wifi, nice second-level city views, a variety of seating and table options.
Semilla Cafe Coworking – I first discovered this gem while living in Laureles in 2019. It’s basically perfect. You can buy a day pass (unlimited coffee, working space, upstairs) or go to the downstairs cafe. The atmosphere is jovial. There are weekly events. Expect to make friends while you come here, and say hello to the owner, Daniel. He speaks fluent English.
SPECIAL CAT CAFE’S
El Catfesito CatCafe – Cats and coffee, there needs to be more of these in existence. In fact, around the world, I’ve been to reptile and coffee, dog and coffee, even a shoe store and coffee shop in Kiev. The cats are friendly so don’t expect to get much work done here. This cat cafe in Medellin is located about 1 hour from Poblado. Plan to come here when you’ll be exploring Laureles as it’s only about 10 minute drive from the main area.
La Gatoria Cat Cafe – Finally came here in 2022! Upon entering, I was told there are 11 cats inside. Cool! I only saw two, though. And these cats are less friendly often running away from your pet-ready hands. This cat cafe has a better design, very thoughtfully put together. It’s also more crowded and larger, with almost all available seating used. They told me there’s a 2-hour wifi limit and a 15k minimum (~$5). You will find it near the Belen neighborhood.
MANILA
Mija Artesanal – The newest addition, I discovered this on a dead-end street due to my current Airbnb reservation. It’s closed on Mondays, but otherwise only semi-full. I’ll consider it a secret gem of Medellin coffee shops. It has a nice ambiance, indoor/outdoor seating, fast wifi, and friendly staff. I think it’s technically a bakery, but they didn’t say anything when I worked there for a few hours.
Hija MĂa NĂłmada – Hija MĂa actually has two locations, only 2 blocks apart. A classic cafe and well-known throughout all of Medellin. You’ll find the owner, Shawn, and his wife there in the mornings. They are known for both their coffee and food. In 2021, a brand new location and rival for the best coffee shop in all of Medellin opened on the bottom floor of the Nomada hostel. And something I don’t say often: I recommend their food menu.
BELLO
El Laboratorio de CafĂ© – Founded in 2013 with 11 locations, including two in El Tesoro shopping mall, this is a true cafe, and currently my favorite is in Bello. Go to the back of the Medellin coffee shop for a proper chair/desk combo to work from.
There’s no wifi, however, you can use Homecenter Wi-Fi for 3 hours by signing into your Facebook. Colombian phone numbers follow this format: 304.123.4567
Guayabal (near EOH airport)
“Do you have a menu?”
“No. But tell me what you want, and I’ll prepare it.”
Another Laboratorio de Café location, except this location offers no menu or wifi, but a wide variety of coffee in the roasting location.
It’s on the other side of the Medellin River from Poblado and about a 10-minute Uber from the Santa Fe shopping mall.
When asked how many grams of coffee are in each shot of espresso, her answer was unusually specific: 19.
Good thing coffee isn’t a psychedelic or stronger drug becuase the measurements around the world, from cafe to cafe, differ enormously. Good luck trying to figure out how much caffeine you’re actually getting from that shot of espresso.
Sometimes it’s a double, sometimes a single; sometimes the double is 15g coffee, other times it’s 19g; and often at the same coffee shop, it varies between servings. I was happily impressed, but not surprised that a place with such a name knew the exact measurements to help me figure out how high I’d get that morning.
MILLA DE ORO
La Tienda de Cafe – Located in Oviedo Shopping Mall, a true coffee bar. Limited, but comfy seating. They specialize in a variety of coffee preparation and sell many unquie coffee prep items.
KJ Art Shop & Coffee – I consider this a hidden gem. It’s set below a restaurant, across the street from a Starbucks, and in the back of a large gravel parking lot. Inside you can feel the calming vibe combined with caffeinated energy and an air-conditioned climate. Almost always this place is empty.
De Lolita Anfitrion La Strada – La Strada is a cool space anyways, but this cafe is the winner. Comfy chairs on the third level. You can also find Al Alma in La Strada as an alternative.
Poblado
Con.verso – This coffee shop inside the EAFit campus may be the best coffee shop in all of MedellĂn. Two levels, inside and outside seating, comfy chairs, and a relaxing ambiance. They even have a machiatto (something rare in Medellin). Wifi is open, and you can enter the campus with your ID.
ENVIGADO
Envigado has the fewest cafes, by far. If you’re a digital nomad who loves a good cafe scene, this is not your preferred zone. However, there is one very neat cafe in a nursery.
El CafĂ© del Vivero (*Closed temporarily in 2025)- If you’re doing the Ciclovia on Sundays, where the city shuts down some main thoroughfares for runners, bikers, and the sort, this makes for a quick stop directly on the route. Hike up a very short hill on Calle 17 Sur to the Nursery (vivero in Spanish) and walk towards the back; it’s obvious.
Viva Envigado Shopping Center Coworking Space – Free to use, third floor by the ATMs, sometimes it can get crowded, but it has comfy seats, standing desks, and cafe’s around for a productivity boost. Technically this is in Envigado, but it’s a 25-minute walk from where you’ll likely rent an Airbnb.
El Cafe de Otraparte – The most well-known cafe/restaurant in Envigado. However, it was actually closed during my time in this city. It did look more like a restaurant than a cafe which is not ideal, but as it’s literally the only other option, it’s on the list. If you’ve been there, can you confirm in the comments if this is a nice place to work for an afternoon?
SABANETA
Vetta CafĂ© de Alta Montaña – I found this by chance in the giant Mayorca shopping mall after my gym session. I was surprised to see this here because I think it’s the only cafe on this side of the shopping mall, the other stores are for electronics and clothing. Full disclosure, I haven’t actually been here I only snapped this picture walking by, but I plan to return!
La Betania Coffee Shop – The entrance is not grand, but it opens into a multi-room experience including a quiet room and an open room on the patio with music. This is the cafest of all cafe’s in Sabaneta and my favorite. If you don’t speak Spanish, at least one waiter here is fluent in English.
CafĂ© Zendaya Studio – This one is tiny, but there’s no doubting it has that cafe vibe I’m looking for. Indoor, outdoor seating, but limited. It’s on a less busy street so you can take in the surroundings.
Perpetuo CafĂ© – The first time I came here, I was a little intimidated. It’s because this is the definition of the community cafe where everyone knows everyone and when they don’t know you, you get the stares. The owner was extremely welcoming, ushering me to a seat in the front with a street view and the wifi password.
A lomo ´e mula – Just around the corner from Perpetuo and 25% as busy with more seating and a calmer street with more trees. It’s owner-operated, a favorite of mine.
BELEN
Coming soon! But check into Memorias, La Civeta, and Lolas.
Other Medellin Neighborhoods
NOI Coworking – I found this after going to two coworking spaces that were closed down! But, I’m glad I found it because it’s big with many spaces and other remote workers around. There are no foreigners here. It’s a bit expensive (but maybe I’m just out of date post-covid prices) at 55,000 COP for a day pass.
Closed Permanently (so sad!)
KfeĂna – The newest addition on the scene and a current undiscovered gem with 25Mbps wifi download speed, numerous seating options including bean bags and high-chairs for standing, and a relaxing ambiance. There are two levels, attentive staff, they serve some food options. The only real area of improvement is to open before 8am :/
Cafe Velvet in Parque Lleras – More of a living room vibe so in many of the seats you’ll have to use your lap as a desk. Check Pergamino across the street instead.
Communal Club Co. in barrio Manila – The newest and a very welcome addition to this neighborhood. They are a cafe (outdoors) and coworking (indoors). Just watch out on hot days, there is no ventilation inside. The wifi works great even from the further outside patio table. Sometimes they jam out to the music too loud so if you require silence, might not be your best option.
StArt Cafe – This might be the most hidden gem coffee shop of all of Medellin. It’s on a residential street and you might even pass it by if you’re not looking for it. It’s small, it’s got the community vibe, this is a place to come with a book on a sunny afternoon, get a buzz on caffeine, and read for hours.
Did I miss a coffee shop in Medellin? Tell me about it in the comments, please. Thank you!
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Hi! 🙂 I want to recommend you a great coffee just next to a beautiful park. Top-shelf food with fresh ingredients on a gourmet menu. The coffee is great and the service is second-to-none. They offer excellent internet, laptop-friendly environement and and a nice atmosphere. The coffee is called La Gracia Al Parque. You can visit their Instagram profile here: https://www.instagram.com/lagracia_alparque or its website: www.lagraciaalparque.com
They have:
-Fast wifi
-Plenty of outlets
-Friendly staff towards digital nomads
-Digital nomad community
Thanks a lot, have a great day!!