Compared to major cities in Europe, coffee culture is something that Cape
Town seriously lacks. But perhaps only on the surface of things. For what do
you call the hoards of good looking people who gather on trendy Kloof Street on
a daily basis, religiously succumbing to that dark brown, aromatic caffeine
injection?
Although there is no standard way of ordering or drinking coffee in Cape
Town – it could be tall black or flat white; skinny with wings, or grande
Americano con panna - there is no lack of coffee, coffee shops or coffee
drinkers. It's just a matter of knowing what you like and where to find it.
Cape Town has recently experienced a steady rise in the popular
American-style coffee shops similar to the Starbucks phenomenon that hit the
United Kingdom not too long ago. These establishments have streamlined the
coffee drinking experience into a kind of Macdonald-esque
drive-through-on-foot, where reasonably good coffee is prepared super fast and
sold at above average prices. Simply decide on the origin of the coffee bean,
intensity of the roast, the fat percentage of the milk, whether you want a cup
or a mug, 'eat-in' or 'take-away'. Then place your order on the one side of the
counter, pass the glass display with a choice of numerous pre-prepared and
packaged sandwiches, biscuits and muffins, and pick up a scalding hot drink on
the other end. Easy as pie.
The problem is, even though these establishments offer you a 'tailor-made'
drink, in probably less than a minute, the supposed “speciality” coffee that
arrives at the end of the counter is nearly always an utter disappointment –
even the cocoa or cinnamon they make you sprinkle over yourself, somehow
contribute to the overall blandness. Gone are the days of grand establishments
with white tablecloths and eloquent waitrons, serving aromatic coffee in
elaborate china. Or are they?
At the stately Mount Nelson hotel in Orange Street, Gardens, the splendour
of this bygone era is still very much alive. Here, high tea (or coffee for that
matter) is still served in the colonial lounge every afternoon, accompanied by
a feast of sweet and savoury treats prepared with beautiful attention to
detail.
But if a humble street cafe is more what you had in mind, a stroll through
the city centre will certainly satisfy your need. Walking up St. Georges Mall
and surrounds will provide you with ample quaint coffee shops serving anything
from stale filter coffee to decent espresso – so make sure to choose well. Try
the really strong and aromatic coffee from Crush – a favourite with business
people wanting to kick start their day. For the health conscious, they serve superb
gourmet sandwiches as well as fragrantly spicy Chai Latte.
Round the corner from Crush, in Church Street, close to Greenmarket Square,
is the charming Cafe African Image where exotic coffees from all over the
African continent can be enjoyed in the colourful surroundings of Pan-African
art and crafts.
In Bree Street there's the quirky Birds Boutique Cafe, where proper South African-style“moerkoffie”
(Afrikaans for ground coffee) is complemented by freshly baked biscuits,
muffins and scones with such decadent combinations as dried figs and chocolate.
Long Street also has it's fair share of Coffee shops. There's the tiny,
although bustling, Tribe Cafe with delicious coffee and delectable sandwiches.
Two blocks further up Rcaffe serves decent espresso and freshly baked sweet and
savoury pastries, while DeliZioso on the next corner whips up anything from cappuccino’s
to espresso macchiato, accompanied by a mouth watering Italian-style lunch
buffet.
In the nearby and trendier Kloof street, franchises like Seattle Coffee
Company and Mugg&Bean compete with one of Cape Town's most popular coffee
shops – the impossibly cool Vida e Caffe. In a way, the arrival of a designer
coffee shop like Vida e Caffe, is a small miracle. Because somehow, it captures
the efficiciency of a drive-through-style shop without compromising the quality
of the coffee or the drinking experience. The shop's sleek interior is as
aesthetically pleasing as it is practical and comfortable. But the biggest draw
card, is without a doubt the exceptionally flavourful and consistently good 100
% Arabica coffee that they serve with such friendly passion.
Until recently, I thought the best coffee I've ever tasted was in Melbourne,
Australia. I had been told what a refined coffee culture Melbourne possesses
and subsequently headed for a coffee shop on arrival. Without hesitation, I
ordered 'filter coffee' - hoping to sound as universal as possible. The look on
the waitron's face was a mixed expression of complete confusion and utter
disgust. My Australian companions quickly saved the situation by ordering a
round of “latte's” for the table (short for 'caffe latte'), explaining that
'filter coffee' is not a concept anyone in Australia is familiar with, as
Melbourne's coffee culture draws on the strong Italian presence in the city.
Soon after my tiny faux pas, the most beautiful drink arrived, served in a
short glass on a saucer. No funny-eared cup or grotesque glass mug - simply
deliciously strong, creamy espresso, topped with slightly frothy milk, served
in a glass.
On my return, I frantically searched the streets of Cape Town for a coffee
shop where latte's are served the way they are in Melbourne (or Italy for that
matter). I searched numerous trendy coffee houses, obscure Italian restaurants
and dodgy canteens without any success. Thousands of cups of coffee and endless
nights of insomnia later, my salvation arrived in the pure white bliss that is
Manna Epicure. And they even get it right down to the short latte glass and
saucer. Coffee as good as this, in such a beautiful, modern setting (perhaps
with a little toasted brioche, poached pear and milk jam, on the side) turns
coffee drinking into one of the most refined earthly experiences. No wonder my
coffee drinking journeys always seem to end there.
But no matter what your preference or pretention might be – from stale
filter to strong 'moerkoffie' or authentic Melbourn-style lattés – if it's
coffee you're after, Cape Town will surely satisfy the need.
Kobus van der Merwe is the editor of CityGuideSA - a
comprehensive online travel resource with up-to-date information on where to
Eat, Stay and Play in Cape Town, Johannesburg,
Durban and the Garden Route.
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