New York

Wyckoff Starr is a small space with a lot of character. You enter to find a bulletin board to your left, smattered with paper: art listings, rooftop show flyers, man-with-a-van business cards, and everything in between. You then proceed forward to the counter to find top notch coffee, pastries, and a surprisingly extensive list of bagel toppings. Equipped with free Wi-Fi and a work-friendly music selection, this is a good place to plant yourself and churn out articles and emails. I stayed for 4 hours and drank unlimited coffee for $3 (+ a decent tip), then filled up on a hummus and cucumber loaded everything bagel for another 3 bucks. Tasty. Beware: Wyckoff Starr can only seat about 8 people (with laptops) comfortably--so get there early.

Photo:  Caroline Shadood