Getting a cup of joe on the go has never been easier in the Cape Town CBD which is bustling with convenient coffee hatches and passionate baristas.
There are three things you are guaranteed to see on almost every corner in the Cape Town CBD. A CCID Public Safety Officer, a sturdy cigarette-butt bin and a coffee shop.
Cape Town and the CBD’s coffee culture is alive and well. Data from the CCID’s The State of Cape Town Central City Report: 2022 – A year in review, indicates that there are 86 Coffee shops and cafes in the Cape Town CBD. The thriving coffee culture has also given birth to hole-in-the-wall coffee shops throughout the CCID’s 1.6 km² footprint, and each of these has a unique vibe and look and feel.
One thing is certain. All these hatches have enhanced the CBD’s offering and have given coffee aficionados, and those looking to get into coffee culture, plenty of options. Here is a selection of the best coffee hatches in the Cape Town CBD:
AYA’S COFFEE
Barista Ayaxolisa “Aya” Magquzu’s tagline is “coffee made with love”. This is evident when you watch him lovingly making coffees for his customers and interacting with them. After a few years of working for various coffee shops in Cape Town, Magquzu took a leap of faith in 2020 and established his shop. He offers medium roast coffee made with beans sourced from Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda as well as chocolate chip cookies and brownies. He dreams of, one day, being as big as the likes of Seattle Coffee Company and Mugg & Bean.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 06h00 to 15h00 and Saturday from 07h00 to 12h00
Location: Cnr Riebeek and Lower Burg Sts
Contact details: @ayascoffeewithlove (Instagram) | 078 233 5726
MUGG & BEAN
This is where customers become regulars and regulars become friends. The hole-in-the-wall has a varied budget-friendly menu with hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, wraps, bagels and pies. Baked goods such as chocolate brownies, citrus and ginger giant muffins and the gingerbread loaf cake are also on the menu for those looking for a sweet pick-me-up.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 06h30 to 17h00 and Saturday from 07h00 to 14h00
Location: 68 Bree St
Contact details: www.muggandbean.co.za or 021 418 1903
DAPPER COFFEE CO.
Dapper Coffee Co. has been around the CBD since 2015. It offers an inviting environment and a signature Dapper Special Blend roast that is described as “sweet and complex with long lingering flavours”. The menu also has mouthwatering toasted sandwiches, bagels, wraps, cold coffees, tea and Babylonstoren juice. The smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, caperberries and horseradish bagel is a winner.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 07h00 to 15h00 and Saturday from 08h00 to 12h00
Location: 61 Bree St
Contact details: www.dappercoffeeco.co.za or 021 001 2560
GEORGE’S COFFEE BAR
George’s Coffee Bar is so good they had to have it in two locations in town. You won’t miss it with its bright and inviting yellow exterior at 14 Long Street. The exterior of the second shop in Buitenkant Street is just as striking. While the brand sells a range of pastries and beverages such as smoothies, milkshakes and even protein shakes, coffee is the specialty. Both locations are a sanctuary where the spirit of Aries, the Greek God of energy and passion, comes alive in every cup.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 06h30 to 18h30 and Saturday to Sunday from 07h00 to 14h00 (14 Long St), Monday to Friday from 06h30 to 18h30 and Saturday from 07h00 to 13h00 (29 Buitenkant St)
Location: 14 Long St and 29 Buitenkant St
Contact details: www.georgescoffeebar.co.za or 072 352 5282
THE EXPERIENCE BAR (BLACKBRICK CAPE TOWN)
BlackBrick Cape Town, the R107 million development residential block on the corner of St George’s Mall and Riebeek Street, developed by Ryan Joffe Properties, has a coffee station for guests and members of the public. It serves Truth Coffee as well as fresh bagels, muffins and croissants. There is also a table with chairs outside for those who would like to savor their cup while sitting down.
Opening times: Monday to Sunday from 07h00 to 15h00
Location: 6 St Georges Mall
Contact details: www.blackbrickclub.com or 021 137 1712
LEMKUS DELUXE COFFEEWORKS CAFÉ
Cape Town institution Jack Lemkus, which sells premium streetwear, has expanded its offering in the iconic Exchange Building to include additional services such as Jack’s Burgers on the second floor, which serves fresh burgers on Thursdays and Fridays from 12h30 to 16h30 and Saturdays from 10h00 to 13h30. On the ground floor, there is Lemkus Deluxe Coffeeworks Café which sells cappuccinos, americano and hot chocolate daily.
Opening times: Monday to Sunday from 08h45 to 10h00
Location: 26 St Georges Mall
Contact details: www.lemkus.com or 021 425 2166 \ 084 581 1878
MICAFFÈ CAPE TOWN
Located on the ground floor of The Barracks, a R150-million inner-city mixed-use development, MiCaffè operates as a café, bar and restaurant. Patrons are taken on a journey to Milan with coffee, chocolate and ice cream made with the finest Italian ingredients. The venue also serves baked goods and a wide variety of hot and cold breakfast meals
Opening times: Monday to Sunday from 07h00 to 10h00
Location: 50 Bree St
Contact details: www.micaffe.co.za or 082 344 5524
VILLA 47
Villa 47 in vibrant Bree Street is known for the finest Italian cuisine in its three spaces, Locanda and Martini Terrazza, under one roof. So, it is no surprise that the eatery’s coffee hatch offers refreshing coffee made with imported Italian coffee beans. Patrons can also purchase water, teas as well as sweet treats such as muffins and croissants.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 07h00 to 11h00
Location: 47 Bree St
Contact details: www.villa47.co.za or 021 418 2740
NEW YORK BAGELS
Aside from having the best bagels in town, New York Bagels in the CBD’s East City serves great coffee from Deluxe Coffeeworks, hot chocolate and iced coffee. The wide range of cold and hot drinks can be paired with delicious treats such as all-day breakfasts, bagel dogs, fresh pastries, breads and cakes and all-day breakfasts.
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 07h00 to 16h00 and Saturday to Sunday from 07h00 to 14h00
Location: 47 Bree St
Contact details: @newyorkbagelsct (Instagram) or 082 697 6061
IMAGES: CCID, BlackBrick, George's Coffee Bar, Dapper Coffee