Kampala has it’s fair share of "coffee shops” and cafes but let’s be honest if you’re a digital nomad like us who needs a quiet space to quickly work while sipping some coffee or tea without having to deal with a loud crowd or huge birthday party going on two tables away from you, finding the perfect quiet, cozy spot with high speed Wifi can be a rather daunting task. No offense to some cafe chains out there but most “cafes” in Kla are too loud, have heavy “human traffic”, extremely slow/zero internet and operate more like a restaurant than a coffee shop.
Blogkla decided to check out a few coffee shops that we think have the criteria we're looking for and reviewed them based on the Vibe (coziness, quietness, ambience), The Wifi (Internet availability/speed) and The Menu (Food, Drinks, cleanliness and service).
So in no particular order, check out these that we found. Ps. If you think we have missed out on one, feel free to drop us an email at blogkla256@gmail.com so that we can check it out and add it to the list.
Coffee At Last
Set on Makindye hill, Coffee At last is located in a quiet residential type dwelling right off Mobutu road opposite Makindye Country Club. The cafe has a comfy main area that doubles as a coffee shop and restaurant. It also has a guest house on the premises called “Mahali”, a bed and breakfast.
Vibe
Cozy, clean, relatively quiet and great ambience.
Wifi
High Speed Internet available
Food, Drink, Service
They have a wide range of coffees, teas, local beers and wines. There is a full food menu as well with an extensive selection to choose from. The service is swift and you have at least 2 servers checking on you with a smile.
Come here if you’re looking for a quiet location to work, have a coffee, meeting or meal (especially on week days, it does get busy on weekends)
1000 Cups Coffee House
1000 Cups is a quaint little coffee shop located at the Prism building located between Buganda and Kampala roads. Unlike their previous location, this one is inside the mall with the balcony overlooking Kampala road. The shop is a coffee snob’s haven and is littered with little coffee curios that you can purchase off their shelves as a souvenir. They also sell their roast coffee on site in little bags that you can take along with you.
Vibe
Cozy with vintage furniture littered all over. Unfortunately it is really loud especially on the balcony that is located right above the oh so busy Kampala road.
Wifi
No Wifi, concentrate on the good convo and coffee!
Food, Drink, Service
A lot of classic coffee drinks and cocktails. There are two servers available which is all that is needed as the place doesn’t get too busy.
Come here if you’re looking for a spot that is conveniently located in the downtown area for a quick meeting in a non crowded space. Their roast coffee and and curios are great souvenirs especially for those visiting from out of town.
Endiro
It's no secret that Endiro makes amaaaaazing coffee. Voted the best coffee shop in Kla by many, they have two locations that offer great coffee. Unlike the one at Tank hill, the location at Kisementi is cozy and quiet indoors. Their covered terrace hidden within plants is a great hideout if you're looking for somewhere secluded to do some work, grab a quick coffee, meal, read a book or have a business meeting.
Vibe
Cozy, quiet, great ambience
Wifi
High Speed Internet Available
Food, Drink, Service
Amazing coffee (Their signature coffees are amazing), great food menu and swift service.
Come here if you're looking for a quiet space to work or a quick coffee date.
Kardamom And Koffee
Apologies for exposing this cute little gem as lot of you wanted to keep this a “secret” but it’s already been outed by a lot of food bloggers in the city so hey, don’t shoot the messenger! Oops! Anyways, located on a quiet street in Kololo, Kardamom has been around for a while and is owned by an Asian-Ugandan couple that have traveled allover the world and brought back their knowledge and items they picked up on their travels. They have a lot of home decor items available for sale and books on the shelves that you can pick and read as you chill.
Vibe
Cozy, Quiet and great ambience
Wifi
High speed internet available
Food, Drink, Service
They have great coffee, teas and the food menu is mostly Mediterranean cuisine. The service is superb and swift
Come here if you’re looking for a very quiet, cozy place where you can grab a coffee and read a book.
Wild Coffee Bar
Located on 110th, 7th street industrial area on the rooftop, Wild is a modern, chill and quiet coffee shop during the day that turns into a bar in the evening. The coffee shop’s location makes it the perfect place to have a day time meeting with colleagues or a chill spot to hang out with friends in the evening.
Vibe
Quiet and chill ambience during the day but can get rather loud in the evening.
Wifi
“On and Off” internet aka no internet at all.
Food, Drink and Service
Their barista makes great coffee and amazing cocktails. The food menu isn’t too extensive but offers a great selection to choose from. The space is clean and well maintained.
Cafe Buna
Gaba road’s favourite place to grab a quiet coffee, Cafe Buna has been on the scene for a while and is the best place to grab a quick coffee and meal in a chill and quiet setting.
Vibe
Quiet during the day but gets noisy in the evenings and weekends
Wifi
Free wifi available
Food, Drink, Service
They make great coffees and have a food menu.
Come here if you’re a local resident that’s looking for a quiet space with wifi to work during the day.
Kaffe Kaffe
Kaffe Kaffe is a standalone coffee shop located on Bukoto street behind Acacia Mall at the intersection between Bukoto and Kanjokya streets. They make great coffees that you can take away with you, enjoy in their small space inside or make use of the benches in their outside garden.
Vibe
Because it’s at the intersection of two streets, it’s rather noisy however it was meant for mostly take away coffee, teas or juices/smoothies
Wifi
No internet available
Food, Drink, Service
Besides the great coffees that they make, Kaffe Kaffe also serves teas, fresh juices and smoothies, light pastries, fruit bowls and sandwiches
Come here if you’re looking to grab a quick coffee, tea, juice or pastry on the go
Ref Cafe
Dubbing itself “Uganda’s first cold press juicery, Ref cafe started by selling bottled cold press juices and sports wear but have now expanded and opened a flagship cafe at The UMA grounds.
Vibe
It’s in a busy area so it’s not a quiet, sit-down kinda place but instead designed for drinks to go. There’s a small patio outside where you can sit down for a quick coffee or chat.
Wifi
High speed internet available
Food, Drink, Service
They have cold press juices, coffees and teas and healthy snacks that you can take away
Come here if you’re In the vicinity in the mood for some fresh cold press juices or a quick coffee and tea for takeaway
Notable Mentions
These two aren’t really coffee shops but they make great coffee in a serene environment where you can quietly get some work done.
Cafe Latte
Cafe Latte in Kololo is located in a quiet residential street and is a nice spot to go to if you're looking for an escape from the busy Acacia area.
Vibe
Laid back, green garden atmosphere.
Wifi
No Wifi
Food, Drink, Service
They make great lattes (duh?..lol). The food menu is a fusion of Asian (Cantonese) and continental.
L'Auteur
L’auteur in Ntinda is a quiet restaurant and cafe that serves great coffees, teas and pastries during the day and amazing wines in the evening. Because it’s a rather small space, it’s perfect as an intimate gathering or event space.
Vibe
Quiet and intimate space where you can grab a drink with friends
Wifi
Wifi cards are available at a small fee.
Food, Drink, Service
Great Coffee, wines and healthy fish food menu
Come here if you’re looking for an intimate space for a small gathering or a quiet breakfast, lunch or dinner