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There are times when you just need to get out of the house and away from the office to get anything accomplished.

If you live in the St. Louis suburb of University City, or you travel through University City periodically, then this list is for you.

Free WiFi is Just a Start:

I have a list of requirements for my WiFi spots before I’ll grab my laptop and head out for a work session. My favorite places have all 5 of the features below.

  • Free Wi-Fi (free)
  • Good coffee with free unlimited refills (coffee)
  • Good access to outlets (plugs)
  • Real food…not just muffins & dessert (food)
  • Easy parking (cars)

To help you decide where you want to take your computer, I am noting these features on my list below for the places that I’ve visited. I haven’t visited all of the locations personally, so they won’t all have the features rated.

If you see any free WiFi spots I’ve missed, or can give us any information about the WiFi experience on any of the places I’ve listed below, leave a comment at the end of the post. And definitely let me know if the information is wrong…a place is closed or doesn’t actually offer free WiFi.

I’ve also put together a map with the locations throughout the entire St. Louis area other than the libraries, Starbucks and the fast food chains. You can even pull up the map on your iPhone or Android phone. Simply add the map to your Google account using the ‘Add to My Maps’ link. Then pull up the map on your phone using the layers option in the Google maps app.

See complete St. Louis region free WiFi list…

Free WiFi Locations in University City, MO:

Market Pub House
free, food
Located in the heart of the UCity Loop, Market Pub House has a great pub atmosphere with an expansive menu perfect for budget priced diners. I’ve never taken my computer here, so not sure how easy it is to connect to an outlet or if you will feel out of place with a computer. Like the rest of the Loop, parking is available at meters or in one of the public lots, and walking a bit may be required.

McDonald’s

Meshuggah Cafe
free, plugs, food
Another of my favorite coffee shops, Meshuggah has a post college hand-me-down furniture feel to it. There is pretty much seating with a small upstairs area which includes a couple of couches. The menu is somewhat limited, but the food is good and freshly made. My favorite is their pesto and fresh mozzarella covered bagel. They also serve beer and wine and are open late. My only gripe is that the espresso style coffee is too strong for me and doesn’t include free refills. Extension cords snake the floor and every table is typically filled late into the night with students, professors and an assortment of other laptop bearing customers. Located in the Loop, you’ll have to look for a parking spot on the street. I find I can usually get a spot that is pretty convenient, but it really depends on the time of day you stop by.

Pasta House
free, food, cars
I’ve only seen a sign for free WiFi at the University City location and the Kirkwood Pronto! location, but I’m assuming that if one location has it, they all do. With 15 local restaurants (plus restaurants in Union and Farmington) and Pronto! sites in Kirkwood & Brentwood, there is likely a Pasta House near you. The Kirkwood Pronto! site is a small place with a limited number of tables and parking spots, but neither has ever been completely full on any of my visits. I’ve only tried to work with my laptop there once, so I’m not sure if the unbelievably slow wifi network was a fluke or typical. I’m not sure that I would plan to hang out for a few hours at one of the regular Pasta House locations, but since they advertise the free WiFi, I’m guessing that there are people that do fire them up. It probably depends on the location as to how many people really do use the WiFi.

St. Louis Bread Company (aka Panera Bread)
free, coffee, plugs, food, cars
With multiple locations all over town, Bread Co is the easiest choice for free WiFi. Every cafe has quite a few outlets plus enough seating that you can usually get a table near them. The only drawback – there is a 30 minute time limit on free WiFi from 11:30-2:00 pm. Given how busy they get at lunchtime, I can understand why they made this choice. Still, it has encouraged me to branch out and discover options where I can work for as long as I want. My favorite locations are UCity Loop, Creve Coeur and Brentwood.

Starbucks
free, food
According to their website, Starbucks is now offering free unlimited WiFi at all of their company owned stores in the United States. I’m guessing the outlet access and parking varies greatly, so you’ll have to check out each location individually. I have taken a computer into a Starbucks once or twice now, and if you don’t mind limited food and paying for coffee refills, it is probably a good place to spend a few hours online.

See non-restaurant/bar free WiFi options in University City…

More About University City, MO:

If you live in University City and want to keep track of the University City housing market, or you are thinking about moving to University City, then visit our University City Community page.

The page includes:

  • Homes and condos for sale
  • Foreclosures for sale
  • Housing market trend charts
  • School district information
  • Crime and demographic information links

See more St. Louis communities