Cape Town certainly has no shortage of coffee shops, and bean boffins consider it to be the java capital of SA. We went on a hunt for our favourite cuppa and rounded up 10 stand-out roasteries.

1 Bootlegger Coffee Company

Bootlegger seems determined to rule the coffee roost along the trendy Atlantic Seaboard. It boasts branches in De Waterkant, Green Point, Sea Point, Bakoven, and the newest one in Three Anchor Bay. On the other side of the peninsula, there’s also a prime spot at Surfers Corner in Muizenberg. Sit back and enjoy a cup of their superb house blend, which ‘displays hints of toasted hazelnut, caramel and a subtle touch of dark chocolate’, along with
a slice of the killer banana bread.

2 Kahvé Road

It may be in the middle of a mall, but this is a seriously stylish spot. If the gleaming marble floors don’t blind you, the sight of all those pastries will. One side of the space is taken up by glass-fronted cases of patisserie, and the other is devoted to the serious business of coffee. Besides refuelling weary shoppers, they sell their house blends in bean form or in Nespresso-compatible capsules. Each variant is exotically named – Troy, Babylon, Machu Picchu, Petra – to remind us of the journey the coffee bean has travelled to reach us.

2 3 Jason Bakery

Jason Bakery is best known as purveyor of the ‘doughssant’ – Cape Town’s version of the ‘cronut’. You’ll only get to sample one of these creations (available in a once-off flavour each week) if you arrive at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning. On any day, however, the original Bree Street branch and the new, larger Green Point space brew a darn good flat white. Needless to say, it’s best enjoyed with a croissant or a sandwich made of delicious home-baked sourdough.

4 Origin Coffee Roasters

Origin have been brewing coffee from a remodelled warehouse in the trendy De Waterkant neighbourhood since 2006, making them one of the first artisanal coffee roasters to set up shop in the city. The narrow, exposed-brick space is filled with the lively whirr and hiss of brewing and grinding. At any given time, they offer at least eight single-origin coffees, a seasonal blend and a decaf, so choosing might be tricky. If there are any steadfast non-coffee-drinkers in your party, they’ll be equally spoilt for choice with the extensive tea menu. There’s also a cart at the Waterfront for good coffee on the go.

Find more coffee places in your October issue of Escapes.