4 Laptop Friendly Cafes & Places For Digital Nomads in Bratislava

I’ve said this to everyone I’ve talked to about my current six-month stint in Europe – Bratislava, Slovakia is the most underrated destination of anywhere I have been. Initially, I viewed Bratislava as a one or two night stopping point on my way from Vienna to Budapest. But after my first day there, I decided to extend my Airbnb. And then, I decided to extend some more. Next thing you know, one month had passed and I could actually picture myself living there. 

A large part of me posting up in Bratislava and starting to live a normal life here was due to the high quality of living and countless cafes and pivovars. Bratislava’s cafes have everything a digital nomad or freelancer needs – strong WiFi, affordable and quality food, plenty of outlets, a plethora of coffee options, and more. 

Below, I’m going to take you through five laptop friendly cafes and places for digital nomads and freelancers in Bratislava, Slovakia! 

Urban House

Courtesy of Urban House’s Facebook page.

Next to Workshop Coffee in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Urban House is right up there as one of the best laptop friendly cafes I have ever worked out of. I probably spent about 60% of all of my work sessions in Bratislava posted up at Urban House, gulping down way too many of their cold brews (and rhubarb lemonade), scarfing down one too many avocado toasts, and relaxing post-work with countless Slovakian lagers (also recommend trying their IPA). 

This is also one of the hippest cafes and restaurants I have ever worked out of. Not only is there outdoor seating, to take in the Old Town sights and visitors, Urban House is kind of broken into several tiers. There is a long counter with an open view of Laurinska street, a large communal table with numerous outlets, several “loungey” hangout spots with couches and comfortable chairs, and then more traditional restaurant seating. 

Urban House’s WiFi was strong and I never had any problems with connecting, loading, or browsing the Internet. You will 100% encounter other freelancers, developers, and digital nomads working on their laptop here.   

At night, Urban House becomes a go-to spot for live music, meet-ups, and drinks, and is frankly quite “bumping.” It is a place of multitudes and can be literally any type of place you want it to be. Not only did I work out of here, but I met several buddies here who were in town to start our nights off with several beers. There is a palpable energy at Urban House that offers something for everyone. 

Coffee-wise, I’m an espresso and cold brew man. As I had arrived in Bratislava in early October, the weather was still ripe for slamming down cold coffees, so you can I imagine I went through more than my fair share of cold brews while pumping out work. I would recommend trying Urban House’s coconut cold brew coffee as well. Personally, I prefer bitterness through and through with my coffee, but the coconut was a refreshing take on a classic coffee and I was pleasantly surprised. 

If you’ve checked out my post on what I consider to be the best avocado toast in all of Budapest, you know I’m an avo toast fiend. Urban House’s avocado toast isn’t just the best avocado toast I’ve had in Europe, it is the best avocado toast I have had anywhere. This thing is absolutely spilling over with a thick spread of avocado over rye bread, lime juice, and watercress. I can’t remember many avocado toasts I’ve ever eaten in North America or Asia coming with a complementary lime, but this is a game-changer. The acidity of the lime is a great contrast to an otherwise creamy avocado. This is my new standard that I will hold all other avocado toasts to. 

Finally, I also recommend working your way through Urban House’s menu, which doesn’t really have much rhyme or reason to it (in cuisine). You can find everything from a delicious hummus plate with falafel, to an assortment of pizzas, to a hearty beef and udon stir fry, all the way to a poke bowl. 

Website, Address, & Details: http://www.urbanhouse.sk/ 

• When: M-TH 9AM-12AM | Friday, Saturday, Sunday 9AM-2AM
• Location: Laurinská 213/14, ground floor, 811 01 Bratislava, Slovakia

Paralelná Polis

Courtesy of the Paralelna Polis Facebook page.

Maybe you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, so you have an idea that blockchain is an extremely big part of my life. I’ve been involved in crypto since 2014 and my current job (last several years) is heavily focused on blockchain. Paralelna Polis is a godsend for crypto enthusiasts, novices, or veterans passing through Bratislava. Paralelna Polis is somewhat of the de facto headquarters of blockchain tech in Bratislava. 

Hands down, Bratislava is the most crypto-friendly city I’ve been to in Europe. I actually asked a PP staff member as to why he thinks blockchain has caught on like a wildfire in Slovakia, and he attributed it to Slovakia’s high Human Development Index, the younger generation’s distrust for government, and liberal internet freedoms.

Paralelná Polis is a cafe and non-profit workspace pushing crypto adoption. You WILL learn at least one thing about cryptocurrency during your time here, as they actually only accept cryptocurrency payments for their coffees and drinks! But don’t worry, there is a Bitcoin ATM (BTM) to your direct right when entering, that enables anyone to purchase Bitcoin or other crypos with cash or debit. Staff is friendly and there to help. However, if you want to have a head start on what you need to do to convert your cash to Bitcoin or Litecoin, check out this tutorial created by Paralelna Polis.

As you’d expect, the WiFi is strong at Paralena Polis, seats are a plenty (including communal tables), and there are several biohacking beverages (ex. Club-Mate) for the true hardcore developers and hackers. Paralelna Polis is an extremely popular spot for blockchain and biohacking related events, which is an essential in my book, as the travelling and digital nomad lifestyle can get lonely at points. 

This was one of my favorite places to work from in Bratislava, as it didn’t feel awkward approaching others to strike up a casual conversation while I was up snagging a coffee. After all, we at least had crypto in common. Paralelna Polis doesn’t just feel like a cafe or a mere place to work. It feels like an actual community. 

For crypto enthusiasts in Prague, you can find Paralelna Polis’s sister (or brother) location – Paralelni Polis. 

Website, Address, & Details: https://paralelnapolis.sk/homepage/ 

• When: M-F 10AM-6PM, Saturday & Sunday Closed
• Location: Kominárska 1552/3c, 831 04 Bratislava, Slovakia

Pro Tip: If you are looking for a dog-friendly hostel (or hostel in general) to stay in while traveling to Bratislava, I recommend checking out my buddy RJ’s blog post and review of Hostel Bratislava.

Foxford Cafe

Courtesy of Foxford Cafe’s Facebook page.

Located in the Martinus Bookstore on Obchodná Street (Shopping Street), Foxford Cafe is the perfect spot for digital nomads and freelancers that very much enjoy a laid back vibe. Do note that because Foxford Cafe is located within the Martinus Bookstore, it might not immediately jump out at you when walking by. I completely breezed by it without even realizing it was staring me right in the face. Simply enter the Martinus Bookstore, and look to your left. You’ll see the coffee bar along with plenty of chairs and tables.  

I recommend sitting upstairs, as it is a night and day difference from their downstairs. The downstairs very much resembles a traditional, bustling coffee shop, while the upstairs is for those seeking out some good ole’ uninterrupted relaxation. At Foxford, you can work out of one of their bean bag or swing chairs, post up by the window and people watch, or peruse their impressive display of books (you can even borrow one out if you so desire). There are plenty of outlets, strong WiFi, and no shortage of seats.  

On the coffee-front, I can’t recall ever having the option to choose a ristretto at a coffee shop (maybe I’m still a coffee novice after all these years), so it was refreshing at Foxford to be able to order my espresso on steroids (loved it). 

Foxford is a safe-haven for those with a sweet tooth, sporting everything from croissants, to ice cream, to specialty puddings, to more cakes than you can shake a stick at. I’m pretty simple with my cake tastes, and opted for the carrot cake on several occasions. One of the biggest issues I have with carrot cake is that oftentimes there is an extremely cake to frosting ratio. While you might think I’m implying there is usually a lack of frosting, no – it’s the other way around. Foxford’s moist carrot cake strikes a perfect balance between frosting and cake, so that you never feel like you’ve been served a giant dollop of frosting with a side of cake. 

You know what. I’m going to fill you in on a secret. Big Body loves quiches. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Foxford serves up four types. I’m still somewhat of a pig, so I would usually stick with the bacon, onion and sheep cheese quiche. This quiche embodies everything hearty that I love about Slovakian food.   

There are plenty of healthy food options as well that are a great counterbalance to Slovakia’s hearty “I need to take a nap immediately” dishes (looking at you halusky), such as their zucchini salad with black forest ham and yoghurt parsley dressing, assorted soups (I had a baked yellow pepper soup with feta cheese while there), and rice bowl with berries.    

Website, Address, & Details: http://www.foxford.sk/ 

• When: M-F 8:30AM-9PM, Saturday & Sunday 10AM-8PM
• Location: Obchodná 516/26, 811 06 Bratislava, Slovakia

Progressbar Cowork & Hackerspace

Courtesy of Progressbar’s Facebook page.

One of my goals for 2020 is to start utilizing coworking spaces more. Not only are they a great way to meet like-minded professionals, but they give much needed structure to what sometimes can be an extremely unstructured day (for digital nomads and freelancers). A general rule of thumb I have is that I need to at least put on pants and leave my apartment if I have any chance of having a productive way. 

However, the coworking spaces that I have found and worked out of did not feel like the best bang for my buck solution. Usually, they had crappy food, an overpriced monthly fee (or daily), or were not centrally located. Progressbar is most certainly the premier coworking space (and hackerspace) in Bratislava, as it is located quite centrally in Old Town (albeit on the Eastern outskirts), and boasts:

• Plenty of working options (sitting and standing desks, tables, meeting rooms, private call rooms, and more), 
• Ultra-fast Internet,
• On-site support,
• Shared monitors, 
• Numerous food options in the area, and
• Hangout areas. 

Progressbar is buzzing with young professionals. 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that it also places a heavy emphasis on blockchain – don’t worry, there are professionals from all industries here. Progressbar’s website notes that they have everyone from blockchain startups, to backend and frontend developers, all the way to teachers and educators working out of their coworking and hackerspace.

What is worth noting is that it is completely free to work out of Progressbar if you stick to the communal and hangout areas. If you are really looking to buckle down and want your own workspace, a week long pass and desk will run you EUR $50, while a flexible or fixed desk will cost you EUR $150 (flex)- EUR $200 (fixed) per month. If you do choose to work for free, I recommend donating whatever you feel fit to help them cover operational costs. 

For someone who hasn’t found many places to test out using Bitcoin in everyday transactions, it was a pretty cool feeling to pop over to the fridge, snag a beer, scan their Bitcoin (BTC) address QR code, and be on my way!

I mostly worked out of several comfy chairs and couches next to a fridge stocked with beer, wine, water, and even Club-Mate. There’s also specialty coffee and a french press for those like me, that need their caffeine fix at all hours. 

If you are looking to get a feel of Progressbar before going and have any questions, they do maintain an active Telegram channel. I definitely recommend checking that out if you are thinking of working out of there or joining!   

Website, Address, & Details: https://cowork.progressbar.sk/

• When: M-F 9AM-6PM, Saturday & Sunday Closed
• Location: Dunajská 7495/14, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia

Final Thoughts 

Bratislava solidified itself in my book of places that I will always be returning to. Next to Budapest, Bratislava is the most I have felt at home and at peace while in Europe (not like things have been hectic at all), so I am excited to hopefully enjoy an even longer stay in the Little Big City this decade. 

If you have been to Bratislava and have any cafes, restaurants, pivovars, or bars you absolutely loved, I would love to hear from you in the comments! 

Best,

-Big body