How Café Directory decides what’s “work-friendly”
Café Directory is here to help you find cafés where working is likely to feel comfortable — not to judge cafés or guarantee a perfect experience ☕💻
Think of it as a smart starting point, not a final answer.
First: how cafés get listed
Cafés are initially listed automatically with the help of AI 🤖 The AI looks for recurring work-related signals in Google reviews, not single opinions or one-off comments.
It’s not asking:
“Did one person like working here?”
It’s asking:
“Do people repeatedly mention things that matter for working?”
This helps surface cafés that generally meet basic work needs.
What “work-friendly” means here
When we say work-friendly, we’re talking about common signals like:
- Mentions of Wi-Fi
- References to power outlets
- Seating that supports laptop use
- Notes about noise or focus
- Indications that laptops are welcome (at least part of the day)
This is a filter, not a ranking. A café being listed doesn’t mean it’s “better” — just that it likely meets basic work criteria.
Why things aren’t always perfect
Cafés change. A lot.
- Quiet mornings can turn loud in the afternoon
- Laptop policies can change
- Wi-Fi quality can improve or disappear
- Owners, layouts, and vibes evolve
Google reviews reflect past experiences, so some information may be outdated by the time you visit — and that’s totally normal.
Then comes the human part
After the AI does the initial work, humans step in. Admins may manually:
- Adjust listings
- Update information
- Reclassify or remove cafés
This happens when:
- Café owners contact us with verified updates
- Users submit reviews or suggest edits
- Clear changes are confirmed through trusted input
AI helps scale. Humans add judgment.
Why some great cafés might be missing
If a café isn’t listed, it doesn’t mean it’s not work-friendly. It might be:
- New
- Under-reviewed
- Not yet discovered by the community
That’s why Café Directory is intentionally community-driven.
How you can help improve it
You can make the directory better by:
- Reporting incorrect information
- Suggesting updates
- Sharing a recent experience
- Adding a missing café
Over time, this helps:
- Remove cafés that don’t belong
- Surface great spots we may have missed
One last thing
Café Directory shows signals, not promises. Your experience can depend on:
- Time of day
- Day of the week
- Crowd size
- Staff policies
- Your personal work style
Use the directory as a guide, then help shape it into something even better for everyone who works from cafés.