Lower East Side cafe puts a Pause on laptops and iPads

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Laptops are off the menu at Pause Cafe. 

Management has implemented a policy banning laptops, iPads, and similar devices in the space at 3 Clinton St., just south of Houston. 

Instead, per the signage: "Reading, day dreaming and chit chatting encouraged."

Owner Amine Sadki shared that after removing his roadway dining structure last month and eliminating some seating, he decided it was time to make his cafe a laptop-free zone.

The rise of remote and hybrid work during the pandemic turned cafes into unofficial offices, with patrons sometimes nursing a single cup of coffee while occupying tables for hours. This trend has limited seating for customers looking to purchase food and drinks, reducing table turnover and ultimately impacting revenue.

Checking in on Pause Cafe

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Pause Cafe, located at 3 Clinton St. near the corner of Houston, recently reopened after being shuttered during the COVID-19-related PAUSE order.



Safety precautions are being observed, and new items have been added to the menu, such as a line of fresh-squeezed juices, in addition to house favorites like acai bowls, smoothies, house-made muffins and pastries as well as an extended line of coffee and tea drinks.

Owner Amine Sadki has created a tropical-inspired outdoor seating setup for his Moroccan-themed coffee shop. The curbside space is as comfortable as you can get on a city street with flowering plants, palms and umbrellas. Carpets, chairs and tables — and finally, people — round out the setting.







I ask Amine and the Pause team to pose for a group shot before I leave. Even with masks on you can see them smiling.



Pause Cafe is open during the week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with an 8 a.m. start on the weekend.