Wake up, smell the coffee, and have a little (or big) treat with your cuppa joe! We highlight a few of the best local coffee shops and cafés serving the most delicious treats, sure to make any coffee date a memorable one.
Johannesburg:
Father Coffee
Our chosen treat: Burnt Basque cheesecake
Father Coffee is most famed around the Johannesburg area for its speciality coffee. The vibrant coffee shop serves coffee made from unique and aromatic bean blends that every coffee connoisseur (read ‘snob’) will appreciate. But more importantly, their sweet and savoury treats are just as big of an attraction. Enjoy your cup of flat white with a decadent slice of burnt Basque cheesecake or one of the delectable croissant muffins, also known as “cruffins”.
Good to know: Father Coffee is located in the buzzing Kramerville design district – perfect for exploring the showrooms after your coffee and your slice of cake.
Location: 19 Dartfield Rd, Kramerville
Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 5 pm
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PAUL, Melrose Arch
Our chosen treat: The chocolate eclairs
Simple, delicious, and consistent. With five branches spread out across Johannesburg, PAUL in Melrose Arch is a popular hangout spot – for good reason, of course. The vibe is electric, the coffee is fragrant, and the aroma fills the air, almost beckoning to you from the outside. Naturally, with all this at your disposal, you can easily spend your entire weekend there!
Their breakfasts are simply scrumptious and can be enjoyed while being served a third (or fourth) cappuccino as you catch up with friends or leisurely sit and people-watch in this buzzing eatery. The chocolate eclairs are a real highlight – the choux pastry is perfectly light and delicate while the strawberry tartlets are a close second.
Good to know: Be prepared to take some cakes and breads home as it will be difficult to choose just one treat to enjoy!
Location: Melrose Arch Corner High Street and Crescent Drive Melrose Arc
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 7 am to 10 pm
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Cape Town
Jason’s Bakery
Our chosen treat: Saturday-morning doughssants
Locals will be familiar with this favourite hangout spot. Jason’s Bakery is known for its delicious sweet treats, amazing breads and our favourite, their Saturday morning ‘doughssant’ – a delightful pastry mix between a doughnut and a croissant. Each Saturday, the filling of the pastry is different, making each trip to Jason’s a special one. Stop at Jason’s after your morning run on the Sea Point promenade for the coffee, decadent treats and buzzing atmosphere – you deserve a reward after your run, don’t you?
Good to know: Check out @jasonsbakery every Saturday morning to see what the doughssant of the day will be.
Location: 83 Main Road, Green Point, Cape Town
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 7 am to 3 pm, Saturday 7 am to 2 pm, Sunday 8 am to 2 pm
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Swan Café
Our favourite treat: The sweet crêpes
Cape Town’s first authentic Parisian crêperie, Swan Café is a terrific addition to the city’s coffee scene. Be expected to be transported to a charming café in Paris as you are greeted with a ‘bonjour!’ as you enter this beautiful establishment. The interior decorating, like the swan wallpapers and the classic French colours, is artfully incorporated throughout and is especially striking. But the real highlight here? The coffee and the exquisite sweet crêpes are decadent and “moreish” to say the least! The Lili La Gourmande – salted caramel, caramelised apple, and flaked almonds are, as they say, magnifique! And if you are looking for something with chocolate (I mean who doesnt?), order the Luscious Luc with Ferrero Rocher, homemade salted caramel, and Nutella. A treat you will surely not forget! With that, there’s nothing more to say other than… bon appétit!
Good to know: Make a booking to avoid waiting for a table. It can be tricky to find an open seat at this popular spot.
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Durban
Humble Coffee
Our favourite treat: The raspberry croissant
The female-led coffee shop Humble Coffee is definitely worth a visit. This café is a local favourite and award winner, as they’ve won Café of the Year at the Coffee Magazine awards in 2021. The vibrant space is airy, with a minimalist aesthetic, and the aroma of coffee and delicious baked goods welcomes you to the establishment as you enter. The Café’s pescatarian menu offers breakfasts, lunches and loads of super delicious pastries and cakes. Yummy treats such as the raspberry croissant and the gluten-free chocolate and almond cake will satisfy any sweet tooth, even if you’re more of a savoury person. A must visit if you’re in town!
Good to know: Your furry friend can tag along, as Humble coffee is ‘doggo’ friendly.
Location: 21 Churchill Road, Durban
Hours: Monday to Friday 7 am to 3 pm, Saturday 7 am to 4 pm, Sunday 8 am to 2 pm
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