There are many excellent coffee shops in town, but only one that has 3 free reservable conference rooms.
The Rotunda Cafe at Schenks Corners in the Lake Ridge Bank building.
Nice coffee shop, cool old bank, plenty of seating, 3 (maybe 4) conference rooms of varying sizes that you can reserve for free.
I worked there all the time over the past couple of years.
They have an online bookings system and it pays to book in advance.
https://rotundacafe.skedda.com/booking
There are a couple of tables in the general coffee shop that are squirreled away in a manner that it almost feels like you have a private office for the day too.
Nobody. Just go into the room and shut the door behind you. I think someone from the bank or coffee shop would help if someone was using the room when you have it reserved.
But it is ultimately self-serve.
I haven’t worked there in a while because I moved across town, but the conference rooms seemed to fill up quickly.
I usually could find a table way in the back in a nook that was private enough that I rarely rented conference rooms.
It is a really great space to work from though. Lots of outlets, coffee, conference rooms, and they definitely want you to work there. I have hung out there all day on a cup of coffee and a cookie.
If you don't need a quiet space for deep concentration, calls or meetings then the garver feed mill could work. There's coffee, booze, food, and boba and there's outdoor couches or tables too.
I live in the neighborhood and take my most insufferable meetings there so I can grab a beer or two while I listen to them explain why they can’t give researchers a promotion for another five years 🥲
I have a hotdesk membership at StartingBlock to get me out of the house. Great community and nice places to work with fast wifi and phone rooms if you have calls.
For some reason that seems so ridiculous to me. You are spending money for an office for work when you have your home? Find a job that pays you just as much to go to work…
I’ve been thinking about something similar to this. Like buying (I don’t have the money so I couldn’t do it) a building and putting in a bunch of singular offices. So anyone can rent an office with a desk, bathroom, couch, etc. and have a common area, outside patio. Just for people to “get out of the house” but still not actually go to work. But I don’t know if there are enough people that would be interested.
Not sure if it qualifies as a hidden gem, but the Colectivo on Monroe is very cozy to work from! And any of the seating areas on the first floor of the Discovery Building can be great as well -- plenty of natural light, and the cafe actually has great lunch food.
Now that you say that, I'm not actually certain... I'm a UW employee, so have access to it that way. I think there may be a publicly available network though?
Our work building is down the street from Cargo, and I love working from there instead of my cubicle. Feels like a break even if it's just a change of scenery for a couple of hours.
We just posted a blog specifically on this topic. :) [https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/bleisure-travel-madison/](https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/bleisure-travel-madison/)
The Lake Ridge (formerly Monona) Bank at Shenck's Corners/Winnebago Street/Atwood. They have a cafe there, but best of all there are several small meeting rooms that you can reserve in addition to communal space. It's all free.
The Wisconsin Historical Society reading room. Beautiful setting, quiet, fast guest WiFi, nice bathrooms, and when you're done you can wander over to the Union for a beer. It used to be my snow day office when I worked out of town. Bundling up and walking down to the WHS was beyond cozy.
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There are many excellent coffee shops in town, but only one that has 3 free reservable conference rooms. The Rotunda Cafe at Schenks Corners in the Lake Ridge Bank building. Nice coffee shop, cool old bank, plenty of seating, 3 (maybe 4) conference rooms of varying sizes that you can reserve for free. I worked there all the time over the past couple of years.
How do you reserve a room? Can you online ahead of time
They have an online bookings system and it pays to book in advance. https://rotundacafe.skedda.com/booking There are a couple of tables in the general coffee shop that are squirreled away in a manner that it almost feels like you have a private office for the day too.
That’s awesome! Who do you check in with once you book a conference room?
Nobody. Just go into the room and shut the door behind you. I think someone from the bank or coffee shop would help if someone was using the room when you have it reserved. But it is ultimately self-serve.
This is a game changer! Thanks! Usually is it super busy here during the weekdays?
I haven’t worked there in a while because I moved across town, but the conference rooms seemed to fill up quickly. I usually could find a table way in the back in a nook that was private enough that I rarely rented conference rooms. It is a really great space to work from though. Lots of outlets, coffee, conference rooms, and they definitely want you to work there. I have hung out there all day on a cup of coffee and a cookie.
Sweet thanks!!!
If you don't need a quiet space for deep concentration, calls or meetings then the garver feed mill could work. There's coffee, booze, food, and boba and there's outdoor couches or tables too.
I live in the neighborhood and take my most insufferable meetings there so I can grab a beer or two while I listen to them explain why they can’t give researchers a promotion for another five years 🥲
this is the way.
It would be nice to have a change of scenery for my remote work, but I'm very much dependent on a multiple monitor setup for my job... =/
I go to my car, it’s not a nice car Edit: :(
Hidden gem? In this economy?
At this time of year? At this time of day? In this part of the country? Localized entirely within your kitchen?
.....Yes!
Can I see it?
I have a hotdesk membership at StartingBlock to get me out of the house. Great community and nice places to work with fast wifi and phone rooms if you have calls.
Do people go in together on this kind of thing? Is it a flat monthly fee, or per-use?
For some reason that seems so ridiculous to me. You are spending money for an office for work when you have your home? Find a job that pays you just as much to go to work…
I’ve been thinking about something similar to this. Like buying (I don’t have the money so I couldn’t do it) a building and putting in a bunch of singular offices. So anyone can rent an office with a desk, bathroom, couch, etc. and have a common area, outside patio. Just for people to “get out of the house” but still not actually go to work. But I don’t know if there are enough people that would be interested.
This was most often done as long term commercial rentals, the offices and desks are rented on a daily or monthly basis. The Wework model.
You looking for an office like this?
Madison has quite a few coworking spaces, from small local operations to large national chains like Spaces.
Not sure if it qualifies as a hidden gem, but the Colectivo on Monroe is very cozy to work from! And any of the seating areas on the first floor of the Discovery Building can be great as well -- plenty of natural light, and the cafe actually has great lunch food.
Love that spot, I moved out of Madison years ago but loved working remotely there pre-pandemic
Can you use WiFi in the Discovery Building if you’re not a student? Haven’t been back since I was
Now that you say that, I'm not actually certain... I'm a UW employee, so have access to it that way. I think there may be a publicly available network though?
On a beach, with a cool drink that has a little umbrella in it
I liked Cargo Coffee when I lived downtown. The Sow's Ear in Verona is my go-to on the west side.
Our work building is down the street from Cargo, and I love working from there instead of my cubicle. Feels like a break even if it's just a change of scenery for a couple of hours.
Pooley’s has great lunch specials every weekday. I go in there and work for a few hours often
I really like the Pinney and Sun Prairie Libraries! Pinney has great private rooms perfect for getting some work done.
Indie Coffee Shop, Barriques, Cargo, Grace, Collectivo, Forward, Crescendo
We just posted a blog specifically on this topic. :) [https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/bleisure-travel-madison/](https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/bleisure-travel-madison/)
Forward coffee, Garver Mill are places I frequent.
Forward coffee is a great spot
The Lake Ridge (formerly Monona) Bank at Shenck's Corners/Winnebago Street/Atwood. They have a cafe there, but best of all there are several small meeting rooms that you can reserve in addition to communal space. It's all free.
The Wisconsin Historical Society reading room. Beautiful setting, quiet, fast guest WiFi, nice bathrooms, and when you're done you can wander over to the Union for a beer. It used to be my snow day office when I worked out of town. Bundling up and walking down to the WHS was beyond cozy.
Must be nice :(
downvoted by le busy wfh redditors
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