Our 8 Favorite Places to Get Remote Work Done

Although pandemic restrictions have lifted, many jobs and classes have remained online. As more educational and professional spaces are now choosing to take the remote route, public places to study are rising in popularity. Here are some of O‘ahu’s best Wi-Fi-provided sites to get some remote work done—and they’re not all coffee shops.

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

Plantoem

Plant lovers rejoice—this small shop in Kaimukī is filled with potted plant specimens that are available to purchase, and it also has a café in the back. In tandem with a cup of coffee or tea and a fresh pastry, this spot fosters the perfect conditions for hours of focused work. Nothing makes for a better break from staring at a computer screen than looking at little pieces of nature.

On the third Thursday of every month, you can catch free jazz and poetry starting at 7 p.m. to finish out your hard day’s work. —Vanessa Hathaway

Open Sunday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 3457 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 807-7826, plantoem.com, @plantoem

Whole Foods at Ward

While this may come as a surprise, grocery stores are now catering to the remote-work lifestyle by installing more seating and free internet. The Ward Whole Foods’ double-decker layout has an abundance of indoor and outdoor seating options. The largest hot bar in the region provides a convenient way to sustain yourself through a full day of working away from home. —VH

Open daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 388 Kamake‘e St., (808) 379-1800, wholefoodsmarket.com

SEE ALSO: 5 Wellness Classes to Try in 2024

Kāhala Mall

Working remotely at the mall gives you access to almost anything you could need throughout the day. Kāhala Mall has tables scattered around the building, giving you the option to sit next to the hub of fast-food chains or retail stores. Doing some quick window shopping in between work-filled time slots is an easy way to clear your head before diving into the next task. —VH

Open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 4211 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 732-7736, kahalamallcenter.com, @kahalamall

Photo: Lauren Gombas

Tradition Coffee Roasters

Surround yourself with an aromatic environment at this coffee shop and roastery in Kailua. With owners hailing from New York, Tradition Coffee Roasters set up in Hawai‘i to produce new blends sourced from local coffee farms. You can take a tour of the roastery or just enjoy a cup of joe while you work in the open-concept café. —VH

Open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 905 Kalanaiana‘ole Highway, #3201, Kailua, (808) 207-7022, traditioncoffeeroasters.com, @traditioncoffeeroasters

SEE ALSO: Near Kapa‘a Quarry, a Hidden Gem Café at Tradition Coffee Roasters

Photo: Vanessa Hathaway

Taste Tea

If you’re less of a coffee person and more of a boba lover, Taste Tea in Kaimukī is the perfect place to set up studying camp. Although this joint is small, most of its business comes from takeout orders, so it has plenty of seating. If you need a little brain break, take your chances with a claw machine or get a richly flavored shave ice. —VH

Open daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 3221 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 732-9888, @tasteteainc

Photo: Olivier Koning

Bizia Surf

This coffee shop in Wahiawā doubles as a sustainable surf shop. The crew sells sustainable surf products and makes their own boards out of the invasive albizia tree, naming their brand after it. The café carries an array of classics such as coffees, teas, matcha and even hot cocoa and offers small pastries for the particularly peckish. —VH

Open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to noon, 401 N. Cane St., Wahiawā, (808) 388-3153, biziasurf.com, @biziasurf

SEE ALSO: Wandering Wahiawā: A Local’s Guide to Neighborhood Eats

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

Common Ground at the AC Hotel

A hotel might not be the obvious choice for cofficing, but the new AC Hotel by Marriott in Downtown Honolulu recently opened its coffee shop. Common Ground, with a small covered outdoor area, offers a house blend of Kona coffee in various forms, specialty lattes, toasts and other small bites to fuel your morning. —Katrina Valcourt

Open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m to 11 a.m., 1111 Bishop St., marriott.com, @commongroundhnl

SEE ALSO: Two Swanky Places to Stay: AC Hotel and Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa

Public Libraries

Public libraries are some of the only places where you truly don’t have to spend money to use the space and Wi-Fi. With 51 libraries in the only statewide system in the U.S., every neighborhood offers something different. I like to head to the Hawai‘i Kai Public Library when it’s too hot at home, taking advantage of the air conditioning as well as browsing the bookstore downstairs. Plus, unlike coffee shops that often close by early afternoon, most branches stay open until 4 p.m. and some as late as 7 p.m. —KV

Multiple locations, librarieshawaii.org, @hsplshigov