Coffee Shop Hotspots in the City
Look at the picture of the Coffee Beans below….mmm…now tell me you can’t smell the them!
Your senses are aroused and the hunt for the best coffee shops begins…Lets meet for coffee at some of Cape Town’s best Coffee Shops…our Coffee Shop Hotspots in the City!
Coffee culture is somewhat new to Cape Town. Think Paris, think Rome, think Greece. All of them depict quaint coffee shop culture on a beautiful terrace surrounded by attractive waiters carrying trays of steaming cups of coffee made to perfection. The words “Lets meet for a coffee” have become a loosely used term for “Lets meet up” and has a connotation of meeting friends, sitting somewhere comfortable, watching the world go by maybe (but not always) sipping a frothy cappucino, a double esspresso, a latte or a machiatto.
So where do we go for a good coffee? It’s an important question as it can be the make or break of the day for us coffee lovers.
You can never go wrong with Vida E Cafe which has 17 outlets around the city and it’s suburbs. There is one very close to the city centre in Shop 1 Mooikloof, 34 Kloof St, Gardens. You will find a magnificent coffee and food menu and a vibe which captures the essence of the diverse cultures of Cape Town.
A favourite of “The Key to Cape Town” authors; Toast & Sam, is Anthony’s Golden Cup on 59 Loop Street who have been in business for almost 50 years. Anthony’s coffee comes from South American and African plantations. He also sells ground coffee for taking home with you of which the Golden cup house blend or Out of Africa are highly recommended by Toast & Sam.
A great place that’s not widely known is called Bread, Milk & Honey. This is a delicious little coffee shop that serves a wonderful combination of coffee and other eats including hot dishes like Shepherds’ Pie. Their espresso coffee is the Origin House blend and their filter coffee, Origin El Salvador.
Another place you must try is Deluxe Coffeeworks which is situated in Church Street near Greenmarket square. This place sells some of the finest coffees available in Cape Town; Check it out…
“Fast Eddie’s Espresso a.k.a The House Blend – Brazil, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Pure Genius
The Dirty Hippie a.k.a The Organic – Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico, El Salvador
The One-Trick Pony a.k.a The Decaff – Brazil, Colombia, Cuba
Look Ma, No Hands! a.k.a The Automatic – Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador
The Drip a.k.a The Filter Blend – Top secret. Ask no questions, we will tell you no lies.”
Rcaffe (on 138 Long Street) is a great coffee shop venue which is filled with atmosphere, coffee and a relaxed ambience. The coffee is Italian and is frequented by mostly Italian tourists who confirm that Rcaffe is the one place where you can get “real espresso”. This is a well-known spot worth visiting.
Carlucci’s (upper Orange Street Oranjezicht) is a wonderful little place which has fabulous pastries and all different types of coffee. I personally took a huge liking to their chocolate croissants, but there are a good couple of things to choose from. This is also the place to find some unique cool drinks or sweets that you can’t find anywhere else.
Further recommendations coming from Toast & Sam of “Key to Cape Town” are:
Origin Coffee Roasting in De Waterkant (28 Hudson Street) where all coffees are double shots!
The Courtyard café often has live music to chill out to which is pleasant for those with more time on their hands.
For families, Deer Park café (2 Deer Park Drive in Vredehoek) with its adjacent playground is a goodie and for those without children try Lazari (cnr Upper Maynard & Vredehoek Avenues).
In Woodstock, Frangipani’s (76 Roodebloem) offers chai teas, baked goods and a gorgeous deli and Olympia Café (134 Main road) in Kalk Bay serves superb cappuccinos.
In Harfield Village (between Kenilworth & Claremont) at 41, 3rd Ave lies a delightful little coffee shop called Caffeen open till 2pm on a Sunday with gorgeous tables in the sun and a very welcoming garden atmosphere.
If you know of a great place that we have not mentioned, why not write in and let us know. We would be delighted to publish your own personal recommendations!
In conclusion, each coffee shop has its own unique advantages which can make or break our day so once you wake up and smell the coffee, it’s time to get out there and find your favourite!
Many of the above were sourced from Key to Cape Towns book by Toast Coetzer and Samantha Reinders and the rest are our own personal favourites
For more coffee shops and coffee cafes, see Cape Town Coffee Shops