Best Cafés in Querétaro: Remote Work-Friendly Spots
Are you a coffee lover looking for the best cafés in Querétaro? This list is for you. Here are my top coffee shops that I frequently go to every time I am in this beautiful city.
Monono Café
Although I’m Gen Z, I am a millennial at heart, so it’s no surprise that the first word that comes to mind for Monono Café is hipster. Yes, this spot gives major hipster vibes.
There are coffee sacks hanging on the walls and plants in the complimentary water. Yes, you read that right. Alan and I were so surprised to see a plant in the water pitcher that we asked the waiter if it was actually meant for decor. He said the pitcher with the lid was meant to drink. Silly us. The plant gave the water a nice minty flavour.
I have been to both of their locations multiple times, but the one in Cimatario is really small. The older location, C. Ignacio Pérez 13-Norte, has two floors with way more tables, so this is the place I recommend. We love coming here when visiting with friends, but it is also great for those wanting to get some work done on their laptops.
Address: C. Ignacio Pérez 13-Norte, Centro, 76000 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Casa Apothecarius
Casa Apothecarius, you were my first love. I found you before any other café in Queretaro, and I kept coming back thanks to the way you made me feel comfortable to sit alone and work on my laptop.
Jokes aside, this is a really good café that I’ve continuously gone back to. Some restaurants and cafés don’t necessarily have the most welcoming vibe, usually because of the lack of seating. However, I’ve always found there to be at least a few empty spots at Casa Apothecarius despite its popularity.
It is centrically located, making it an excellent café to stop at when a caffeine craving hits. Their black coffee is quite good, but I am still on the fence when it comes to their artsier drinks like their coffee tonic. I also have never tried their food, so I can’t comment on that.
What I can say, however, is that this café will surely make for some good pics thanks to its moody black walls and stylish furniture. It is also a great place to check out if you’re going on a date, visiting with friends, or going by yourself.
I also love how late this café is open until: 11pm! Not a lot of other places stay open so late, making it great for evening outings. The only catch is that during the week they don’t open until the late afternoon.
Address: C. Rio de la Loza Sur 10A, Centro, 76000 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Maco Café
No ‘best café list’ would be complete without Maco Café. I’ve been here twice, but many more future visits are on the way because I loved it so much.
If I had to pick only one café on this list, Maco would be my top choice. Here’s why. The interior reminded me of a children’s storybook. There are trees inside with tons of plants and funky art on the walls, making the space feel friendly and unique.
Additionally, their menu is extensive, full of options ranging from sweet to savoury. As delicious as food like tortas and tacos are, sometimes it is nice to take a break from the grease and eat healthier like the options that Maco Café has.
Keep in mind that while they have a ramp for wheelchairs, I recall their bathroom being very, very small, so I am not sure if they are accessible. I will double-check the next time I go back and update this section.
Overall, Maco Café is large with different rooms for you to choose from. There are outlets near many tables, and their food was tasty.
Más Café
Probably the best location of all, Más Café is across the street from Plaza de Armas, the iconic outdoor area with a dog fountain around which many people love to gather.
Whenever I am unsure of where to go, I usually just opt for this cute café because of its ideal location and spacious interior. Even though it often gets busy, I have always found there to be lots of places to sit because of the way it is designed. There are tables inside this historical building as well as in the hallway and in the outdoor area where a large Lele doll is pictured on the wall.
I have ordered brunch here more than a handful of times, and it’s always been tasty and very filling. Their breakfast menu comes with a dish like chilaquiles, a plate of fruit, and a cup of coffee. Honestly, the cup is really small, so you don’t actually get too much coffee, but the rest of the food makes up for it. Their speciality drinks like the frappé de mazapán is really good, perfect for when you’re craving a sweet treat.
If I am planning on pulling out my laptop or reading, it is one of my favourite spots to visit.
Address: Av. Luis Pasteur Sur 9, Centro, 76000 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Alva Coffee and Health Bar
If Instagram-worthy pictures are literally your cup of tea, then you have to visit Alva Coffee and Health Bar. Amongst the green plants in aesthetic terracotta pots, there are tall beige walls and lots of natural light, creating a comfortable and aesthetic vibe.
This particular cafe is located in a relatively fancy area in Queretaro called El Refugio. Despite it being mostly a residential area, there are lots of strip malls with everything from hair salons, restaurants, and cafés, of course. The houses in El Refugio are also pretty stunning. I always manifest living in one sometime in the future. A girl can dream, right?
So, if you happen to be in this very nice and safe area, I highly recommend Alva. There are tons of tables and outlets, making it a great place to spend the afternoon working on your laptop or reading a book. Their desserts and chai lattes are also pretty good, but I tend to favour their Americanos, which come in HUGE cups if you order the size large.
Address: Peña de Bernal 5111-Local 18/19, El Refugio, 76146 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Alda Café
Not to be mistaken for Alva, an aforementioned place on this list, Alda Café is very different.
Located inside a dimly lit historical building in the Centro, this place seems a bit uninviting from the outside. Inside, however, it is actually very spacious with tons of tables that make laptop-friendly work spaces.
This café has a calm vibe, even during peak hours, making it a great spot for focused work or study. I found that the staff were also quite chill, as they never approached my table but instead waited for me to go to the cashier counter.
Albeit pricey, their mango smoothies are delicious. I have yet to try their coffee, but I will the next time I go back, which I surely will.
Address: C. Rio de la Loza Sur 4, Centro, 76000 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Tim Hortons
I debated not putting Tim Hortons on this list. Supporting local businesses is my utmost goal, especially when creating lists about different places to visit in a country like Mexico where they are facing issues related to gentrification and housing displacement. I, of course, do not want to put my money into massive corporations, thereby helping this ongoing issue.
However, I decided to still put TIm Hortons on this list. Their coffee isn’t amazing by any means, but they have several cool locations around the city that are great for those working remotely, which is the main goal of this list.
I have gone to the location in the mall La Victoria two times, and it was neat because they have tables outside on the mall balcony with a view that overlooks Querétaro city. An even better location that I have yet to visit is the one right next to Los Arcos. Overlooking the aqueduct while working sounds incredible!
So, while I recommend supporting local, Tim Hortons is worth mentioning because of its ideal locations. It is also much cheaper than another huge franchise that ends in “bucks”.
Address in mall: Av. Constituyentes 2452, zona dos extendida, Mercurio, 76046 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Address next to Los Arcos: Calz. de los Arcos 46, Carretas, 76050 Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
How were these cafés selected for this list?
Here in Querétaro city, it seems like there is a cute café on every street corner, especially in the Centro. If I could support each and every one, I surely would. However, these specific cafés made it on this list because they met my two specific qualifications.
Firstly, they all must serve good coffee. That’s an obvious requirement but still very necessary. I am not a coffee connoisseur by any means, but I do drink my coffee black. So, if it tastes good without cream or sugar, then it meets my qualifications.
Secondly, and most importantly, each café needs to be laptop-friendly—a place where you can comfortably get online work done.
To be honest, the only kind of ‘work’ I do at these cafes is homework (the life of a university student is boring). Or, I edit videos for my Youtube channel or write content for this blog, which makes absolutely no money (so far). I do work remotely, but teaching online is not the kind of work that can be done in public.
The point is, while I am not doing my actual job while out and about, I still like to do laptop-related stuff, so being work-friendly ranks high on my priority list when seeking cafés. I have spent several hours in most of these places, either on my laptop or reading, and found them to be comfortable.
There are tons of great, probably even better cafés that I have visited here, but they didn’t seem to make good remote work spaces, so I opted to leave them out.
It also helps if a café is aesthetic, spacious, and in a good location, which most of these are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Querétaro is filled with charming cafés on every corner, these spots made it to my list because they have a laptop-friendly atmosphere. Good coffee also helps!
As I continue to explore Querétaro city, I’ll keep updating this list to share even more great places worth visiting!
