Where to Work Outside in the South End Neighborhood of Boston

Take advantage of the warm weather and possibly your last months of working remote and tackle a workday outside at these 6 South End spots. Guests at The Upton are nearby many restaurants, cafes, and public spaces with outdoor seating and free internet. Keep reading for a lineup of indoor and outdoor places in Boston that you can work and study in.

The Buttery

4 minute walk from The Upton

The Buttery offers the largest outdoor seating option at a cafe in the South End. This cafe is located on the corner of a quaint, scenic South End street and serves coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner and prepared food. Their outdoor seating is divided into two areas: tables for two on Shawmut Ave and tables that accommodate up to 4 people on Washington Street. The Buttery created a custom patio that surrounds their outdoor seating that elevates the seating experience. This cafe is in a central location but it is on a side street and does not directly neighbor any restaurants, so during week days there are very few crowds and less distractions here. The restaurant across the street from it doesn’t open until 4:00pm. The Buttery is an ideal cafe for working outside and if you ever need to schedule a coffee chat for work, we recommend having it here.

Seating options: Indoor & outdoor

Reservations required?: Indoor seating is first come first serve in the cafe area. Both outdoor sections are first come first serve all day Monday through Wednesday. Beginning on Thursday at 4:00pm through Sunday, reservations are required to sit on the patio on Washington Street. There is no time limit during the first come first serve hours and for the seating on Shawmut Ave.

Free Wifi offered?: Yes

Are any of the outdoor tables in the shade?: Shaded tables for 2 under the awning. Umbrellas are not provided.

Hours:

Sunday through Thursday 6:30am–8:00pm

Friday through Saturday 6:30am–10:00pm

Greystone Cafe, Bakery & Provisions

4 minute walk from The Upton

This mother & daughter owned coffee shop is one of our favorites in the neighborhood. The ambiance at Greystone is light, airy, and uplifting. Their indoor seating has been closed since the pandemic but we recommend giving them a call to see if it is reopened. There outdoor seating is limited and Greystone asks that guests give other guests the chance to sit there. Greystone’s indoor seating, once open, will be more accessible for working remotely than their outdoor seating. We anticipate Greystone will be the go-to for our neighbors working remotely once the indoor seating reopens.

Seating options: Indoor (currently not available as of 5/24, call to find out) & 2 tables outside

Reservations required?: No

Free Wifi offered?: Yes

Are any of the outdoor tables in the shade?: No but there is a little coverage from trees

Hours:

Monday through Sunday 7:00am - 4:00pm

Caffè Nero

2 minute walk from The Upton

Caffè Nero is a casual coffee shop with several locations throughout Boston. The indoor seating has a homey feel with couches, accent chairs, and two booths. The outdoor seating is located directly on Tremont Street, so you will see more street life and people walking by than at The Buttery. Seating fills up quickly so go early to secure your table. Go to this coffee shop for studying, writing, reading, or coffee meetings, since they do not offer Wifi. Alternatively, you can use a hotspot.

Seating options: Indoor (call to confirm if available) & approximately 4 tables outside

Reservations required?: No

Free Wifi offered?: Wifi is not able at this location of Caffè Nero. They do offer free Wifi at their Copley location.

Hours:

Monday through Sunday 7:00am - 5:00pm

Render

11 minute walk from The Upton

Monday through Friday 7:00am-2:00pm

Saturday through Sunday 8:00am-3:00pm

Render is a locally owned and operated coffee shop only a few blocks away on Columbus Ave. This local shop has more limited outdoor seating at 4 tables, but they do have indoor seating options as well. Their outdoor seating is located on a patio. Thrillest rated Render the best coffee shop in Boston for a pour over. We also read on Yelp that their oat milk lattes and bagels are great. Come early to ensure outdoor seating. Render closes early afternoon so we recommend choosing this spot for lighter workloads.

Seating options: Tables indoors and 4 tables outdoors

Reservations required?: No

Free Wifi offered?: Yes

Courtyard at The Prudential (Back Bay)

The Prudential Mall has a courtyard that you don’t have to be a mall-goer to take advantage of (we do recommend buying coffee from Blue Bottle though.) There is an outdoor seating area in the courtyard with over 8 tables that seat tables of two. The tables are relatively small so don’t plan on spreading out binders here or scheduling a meeting in this spot. For lunch you can grab a bite to eat at Sweet Green. Umbrellas are not provided but there are shady areas where the sun is blocked by trees.

Seating options: Several tables of 2 outside

Reservations required?: No

Free Wifi offered?: The prudential center offers complimentary WiFi that you can connect to with email

Are any of the outdoor tables in the shade?: Sunny and shady options  

Additional: No purchase required 

Boylston Street Restaurants at The Prudential (Back Bay)

Several of the restaurants at The Prudential Mall offer outdoor seating on Boylston Street. Purchases are required to sit at the restaurants’ designated seating areas. Wifi is available by connecting to The Prudential’s complimentary Wifi through email. Eataly has a patio that they open up in the summer named Il Patio di Eataly that has an expansive outdoor seating section with tables in the sun and shade. They will start making pizzas outside in the summer. Reservations are recommended but not required.

Jaho Coffee Roaster and Wine Bar

10 minute walk from The Upton

Monday through Sunday 7:00am-10:00pm

Jaho offers outdoor and indoor seating, but their indoor options are more expansive and feature a bar. Jaho Coffee Roaster and Wine Bar takes the edge off of working remotely by offering a selection of wines, cocktails, and a variety of seating options. Jaho has larger shared tables, laptop tables, and bar seating. Jaho has several locations throughout Boston and this location is their biggest yet. They have an extensive beverage menu that features coffee, espresso, tea, boba tea, blended frozen drinks, and cocktails. They also serve bagel, sandwiches, and pastries. Their location is close proximity to Northeastern University, so anticipate that certain times of year when midterms and tests are will be busy with students.

Seating options: Indoor

Reservations required?: No

Free Wifi offered?: Yes

Hours:

Monday through Sunday 7:00am-10:00pm