[bart_spoon]

That's because grabbing coffee from a cafe isn't an activity focused on actually socializing. Work forces you to do so because You can't seriously expect to get coffee, sit down and work on a laptop and expect to meet people. Socializing requires some amount of effort, and means going to a place or activity where you can actually meet someone.

* Volunteer as part of a local organization

* Find a meetup based on a personal interest (foreign language, programming, art, gaming)

* Join an athletic group (biking, running, hiking, martial arts)

* Go to an activity sponsored by your library (my library has everything from workshops on things like gardening and meditation, to a maker-space, to a Hamilton-sing along choir. Lots of libraries have activities like this).

* Find an open source project to contribute to

* Religious (or even slightly spiritual)? Find a local church you enjoy

You are definitely right about the cafe/bar/club being a terrible place for meeting people. But there's lots of places in most communities where you can still socialize that aren't work.