Tucked away in a corner of Halt, Anna Nagar, a group is hard at work. Laptops are open, notebooks are being scribbled into, and phones are occasionally glanced at. A co-working session by Flow State is in progress, and Lakshaya Priyaa Ravishankeran, a young medical student is in charge. An initiative for communal co-working to beat procrastination, Lakshmi says her vision is to ensure that people have access to a space where they can focus and feel supported, whether they are freelancers, working professionals, or chasing a dream.
Chennai’s cafes, and even a restaurant or two, are now places where one can join such communal initiatives to focus and work better. You can also take up monthly subscriptions now, so that you can plough through work emails with a side of steaming vadas. As remote and hybrid work models continue post the COVID-19 pandemic, people continue to have reasons to want to step out of their home offices. “For quick meetings in particular or easing out over a coffee or a meal, I love stepping out of my office for a change of scene,” Suganthshree Sudanthiram, an entrepreneur.
An added benefit for people missing their colleagues at work? You can now make friends at the cafe.
A Flow State session in progress
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Special Arrangement
Do you work better in a group?
““I had been working on a book for many years and realised I needed people around me to push me forward, and a space close to home where I could actually sit down and work. Flow State was born out of this — and the fact that I could also put my phone down and do the deep work I wanted to. This isn’t just about productivity, but also about creating a supportive work environment,” Lakshaya says.
Having taken place at cafes like Soroco, Chamiers, and Halt, Flow State’s three-hour sessions are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays, which people can sign up for in advance with a registration fee of ₹600. “We pitch this to cafes and target their slow hours when there’s more space available and it’s quieter. Students and freelancers seem to appreciate the idea, and say they feel motivated and focussed to get some work done,” she adds.
Try a Work Pod after lunch
In the three months since they opened, Kalpana Rao, co-founder of Sortd Cafe, says that seeing repeat customers use their space to work gave them the idea to introduce a subscription model for their work pods and meeting rooms. “We noticed that people were ready to work out of these spaces for up to six hours. People appreciate the semi-private style of working they can get here — where they can plug in and work out of our pods, yet still hear and be aware of the action happening outside,” she says.
Sortd Cafe has the Sandha subscription model for their meeting rooms and work pods
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Special Arrangement
Their subscription model, called Sandha, enables customers to book a space for 24 hours, which can be used throughout the month. Packages for singular work pods start from ₹4,000 (as a launch offer, pay for 16 hours and get to use the spaces there for 24 hours), and meeting rooms that can seat up to 10 people can be booked for 24 hours for ₹20,000. Apart from these designated workspaces, Kalpana points out that several functional details went into their design, something every cafe could be mindful of — from rounded table edges to ample plug points.
While access to freshly brewed coffee is a plus, the food on offer often takes working customers into account as well.
At Kaylir’s newly opened Marathadi, a cosy space to work out of, the menu feels like a comforting extension of what is available at their bustling canteen below. There are ghee podi idlis, pongal, vadas, and poori for breakfast; quick lunch options that include variety rice, with vegetables; evening snacks; as well as all-day bites like pudina cheese sandwiches, paneer bhurji pav, and more. It is all food that can be eaten quickly while working; mess-free and spoon-friendly.
At Marathadi, Kaylir Canteen
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S Poorvaja
“While this was initially an event space, we thought of how nice it would be for people to sit and do things together. We wanted a simple, well-lit space that wasn’t intimidating. I’ve seen people come in for business meetings, hold script narrations, or even have company offsites here,” says Bhargav Ramakrishnan, co-founder, Kaylir. Marathadi has hourly packages where one can pay ₹320 for the first two hours which includes a complimentary beverage. Every additional hour will be ₹100 or a full day package with a complimentary beverage is priced at ₹720. Bhargav says that they also have weekly packages and monthly packages which people can pay for in advance. An advantage for them, he explains, is the space they have, which includes a breezy terrace to take phone calls while walking, and areas around the restaurant to take a break.
Workshopping culture
A work-from-cafe haunt since it opened, Beachville Coffee Roasters sees people working there throughout the day. “I was inspired by many American cafes where people work out of, and this played a huge part when we designed the space,” says Divya Jayashankar, founder. While comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, and coffee, of course, rank high on the workplace essentials list, Divya also says that a cafe culture where people are not asked to leave after a point, as well as the relationships their service staff build with regulars, go a long way. “Ninety-nine percent of our customers are well-mannered and mindful of others in the cafe. For the 1% who take loud Zoom calls or overstay during peak hours, the rapport our staff builds with them helps; so they can have a polite conversation,” she adds.
“I expect the vibe to be comfortable and warm, and it helps if the space has adequate plug points and great Wi-Fi,” says Prashanth Chander, an entrepreneur who regularly works out of cafes. He speaks to us from Madras Kissaten, a coffee shop on TTK Road.
At the newly opened Cafe Ave in Besant Nagar, owner Nayantara Venkatesh says that despite being a small space, the design was conceived with the intent of catering to both casual meet-ups and remote workers. “We do ask people, if possible, to restrict working out of the cafe on weekends, and they’re very understanding,” she says. A communal table tucked away in a small room at the cafe sees many visitors, including writers, content creators editing videos, and remote workers going through their daily grind, share the space in silence. “Nine out of 10 times, people are willing to share table space,” Nayantara adds.
As Chennai’s cafes continue to reimagine their spaces to support focussed work, the best workspaces might not necessarily be in the confines of your house or a sterile office desk. Productivity is probably best found at a cafe, alongside an impromptu community of coffee-co-workers, fuelled by ghee idlis and strong Wi-Fi.
Published – October 22, 2025 06:27 pm IST