NEW COFFEE SPOTS IN CAPE TOWN

It has been a few months since I was last in Cape Town and I can’t explain how nice it is to be back. Every time I return to Cape Town, new shops, cafés and restaurants have opened up all over the city. There’s now so many great, independent spots in and around Cape Town; You are really spoilt for choice. At the end of 2015 I wrote a blog on my favourite coffee spots in Cape Town (which you can find here). Most of which are still great and continue to be firm favourites that I visit frequently (Shift Espresso Bar for example). However since then, a few new cafés have hit the scene and I thought I’d introduce you to them:

Ground Art Café

Best for: Chilled, relaxed environment with super friendly and accommodating staff
Wifi: Browse don’t stream

Price: R25 for a flat white
Location: Ground Art Caffe, 160 Strand St, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 7am-5pm

Ground Art Café is located just off Strand Street and is run by two best friends, creating such a warm and welcoming atmosphere from the minute you walk in. I’ve come to realise that, as in most walks of life, first impressions make the world of difference in a coffee shop. The café doesn’t claim to have the best coffee in Cape Town but if you are looking for a great spot outside of the city centre where you can sit, work or read, this is a perfect option.

It’s a pretty small café with a few tables, armchairs and outdoor bar seating. There is also an open window ledge which is the perfect spot to pitch up with your laptop. Ground Art Café have a decent food menu of light snacks and sandwiches, super juices, smoothies and of course, good coffee.

I’m excited to see how this place unfolds since it opened just a couple of months ago!

Jarryds, Sea Point

Best for: Expansive breakfast and lunch menus combined with great coffee
Wifi: Yes

Price: R25/32 for a flat white
Location: 90 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 7979, South Africa
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 7am-4:30pm (*also open evenings for dinner)

Jarryds has been open for a little while now but I’m really impressed with what they’ve achieved. It’s on the expensive side for breakfast in Cape Town but it’s a firm favourite and this place is always ridiculously busy and buzzing with locals. 

For me, the most impressive thing about Jarryds is the quality of food and coffee. It’s pretty rare to find somewhere with great coffee that seems to specialise in food. The barista’s are seriously knowledgable, serving beans from Espresso Lab, a superb café and roasters based in Woodstock.

The menu at Jarryds is vast, with breakfasts ranging from poached eggs and avocado to smoothie bowls. I’m yet to try their dinner options but I can’t imagine it is anything short of great.

Jasons Bakery

Best for: Pastries
Wifi: None
Location:
185 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Opening Hours: 
Monday – Friday: 7am-3:30pm; Saturdays: 8am – 2pm; Sunday: Closed

I love Jason’s. Like Jarryds, it’s got a busy, ‘hustle of the city’ vibe and their focus is not in fact on coffee but on the bakery. Located in town, it’s a popular spot post sunrise hike for one thing in particular: croissants. Their pastries are freshly baked every morning and have been known to sell out within hours of opening. It’s no wonder since they are without a doubt, the best pastries I’ve ever had. If you happen to visit on a Saturday, you’ll find anything from peanut butter and bacon croissants to Nutella ‘doughssants’. Do yourself a favour: try both.

The Blue Café

Best for: Local spot, out of town
Wifi: Fastest Café WiFi that I have experienced
Price: R20/22 for a flat white
Location: 13 Brownlow Rd, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Opening Hours: 
Monday – Sunday: 7:30am – 10pm

Blue Café has actually been around a long time but I’ve only just discovered it. With long opening hours, even at weekends, it’s a great option when rushing through for a take away coffee, particularly if you don’t want to venture into town. Being situated up in Tamboerskloof, Blue Café has the feel of an old neighbourhood café which I really love. There’s nothing pretentious about it, just simple but well done food and drink.

Loading Bay

Best for: Quality food in a bright, open space
Wifi: Yes
Price: R28 for a flat white
Location: Shop 30, Hudson Building, 30 Hudson St, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Opening Hours: 
Monday – Friday: 8am – 5pm; Saturday: 8am – 4pm; Sunday: 9am – 2pm

I recently discovered Loading Bay because it happens to be located right next to Origin. There are two things I’d go to Loading bay for: one is incredible hot chocolates, the other is high quality lunches. It’s quite pricey for a café  but the food is super nice, with good portion sizes. It’s all very open and bright, with options to sit on the outside decking in the heart of De Waterkant.

Also Worth Mentioning:

Uncle Bear Coffee Company

Best for: Takeaways
Price: R22 for a flat white

Location:
112 Long street. AAA house building, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Opening Hours: 
Monday – Friday: 7am – 3:30pm; Saturday – Sunday: Closed

I managed to stop by Uncle Bear Coffee Company literally on my way to the airport. I’d heard so much about this place and I am so happy I managed to check it out before I left. It’s without a doubt the smallest café I’ve ever seen and I was absolutely blown away by the standard of coffee they serve. This shop is about one thing: quality coffee. If you get a chance, it’s well worth a visit to Uncle Bear. I’m super excited to get to know this place better when I am back in town.

My Favourite Café in Cape Town:

Origin Coffee Roasters

Best for: Quality coffee, ethical coffee sourcing, great people
Wifi: Yes
Price: R27 for a flat white
Location: 28 Hudson St, De Waterkant, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Opening Hours: 
Monday – Friday: 7am – 5pm; Saturday: 8am – 3pm; Sunday: 9am – 2pm

I wrote a blog about Origin Coffee Roasters (here) last year and with every time I return the café seems to get better and better. From cold brew to pour overs to a classic flat white, coffee is always second to none (however busy they might be). Origin has a nice breakfast menu, with great food and bakery items (oven baked at the back of the café) but there’s no denying this place is about one thing and that is really, really good coffee. 

Why is it so special? Origin is what it is because it’s filled with really great people. The baristas are not only knowledgable about coffee but are excited to share what they know with you. At the end of the day, they love coffee… and that for me is what makes a good café, great.

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