Many great business ideas, brilliant baby shower plans and bestsellers have been hatched in coffee shops – so much so that some people refer to them as ‘coffices’. Thanks to free wifi and inspired menus, you can spend the whole day in a coffee shop without lagging behind on your work schedule. Offering everything from artisan roasts to well-known brands, these coffee shops across the country will give you the perfect pick-me-up.

Johannesburg

Bean There
Brew: they buy their coffees directly from farmers in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi and Ethiopia and hand roast the beans to order.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: brownies, magic bars, cheesecake or cup cakes.

Café Billi Bi
Brew: Mokador from Italy.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: something from the specials board, or the salmon fish cakes.

Fourth Avenue Coffee Roaster
Brew: imported and roasted in-house.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: items from the new menu being released soon.

Gia’s on Montrose
Brew: Illy.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: croissants.

Possum’s Bistro and Deli
Brew: Tarazzo Pure Arabia.
Wifi: soon.
Snack on: dark and sultry carrot cake.

Salvationcafe
Brew: Still Coffee – Africa Black.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: New York-style cheesecake or any of their excellent breakfast options. They’re the winner of the City Press ViP Sunday Breakfast Award (as part of the most recent Eat Out Awards), after all.

Pretoria

BICCCS
Brew: Coffee specialists Sprada produce an exclusive blend called BICCCS The One.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: the chocolate twist.

Isabella’s
Brew: coffee from Tribeca.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: the new jumbo health muffin.

Pure Café
Brew: Tribeca Coffee
Wifi: nope
Snack on: the baked cheesecake or the quiche for something more savoury.

Tribeca Lounge
Brew: their own roasts.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: red velvet cupcakes.

Durban

Barbz Café and Deli
Brew: Bean There Fairtade Coffee.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: chocolate cake, carrot cake, chocolate brownies or scones.

Beaver Creek Coffee Estate
Brew: they grow, harvest and roast their own.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: a piece of cake.

Bellevue Café
Brew: Illy.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: lemon tart, baked cheesecake with a Romany Cream base or granadilla meringue.

The Corner Cafe
Brew: coffee is custom-made by the Columbia Beverage Company. The coffee has an African origin and is low in carbon to suit their green café theme.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: cheesecake or chocolate cake.

Cape Town

Bean There
Brew: they buy their coffees directly from farmers in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi and Ethiopia and hand-roast the beans to order.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: carrot cake, brownies, almond and apricot tartlets or giant oatmeal cookies.

Bird’s Boutique Café
Brew: house blend or Lavazza.
Wifi: soon.
Snack on: the double chocolate Swiss brownie.

Café Nood
Brew: Origin Coffee
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: chocolate nemesis or cinnamon buns.

Carlucci’s
Brew: Lavazza.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: original Bar-One cheesecake.

Chocolat
Brew: Café Z.
Wifi: tick.?
Snack on: chocolate ganache cake.

Crush
Brew: Fair-trade organic coffee from ‘Miko’
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: Carrot Cake Muffins, Health Muffins, Skinny Bran Muffins, Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies and more.

Deluxe Coffeeworks
Brew: sourced from all over the world and roasted in-house.
Wifi: nope. And don’t expect snacks either. ‘Fancy food and interwebs’ are not their vibe.

Escape
Brew: a specialist brew.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: cheesecake.

Haas Coffee Collective
Brew: together with Strictly Coffee, they roast their own. Coming this week is the new Kopi Luwak coffee which they will be serving.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: lemon tart with granadilla pulp.

Lazari Food Gallery
Brew: Porcioli.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: the Lazari pink vanilla cupcakes, the caramel squares or the lightly lemon cheesecake.

Liquorice and Lime
Brew: Euro Café
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: one of the delicious croissants.

Loading Bay
Brew: Espresso Lab.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: freshly baked muffins or the cupcakes from Lady Cupcake.

Lunchworks
Brew: Truth Coffee.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: chocolate brownies.

Origin Coffee Roasting 
Brew: they import beans from all over the world and roast them on site.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: a bagel with cream cheese and bacon or salmon.

O’ways Teacafé
Brew: Origin coffee.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: tofu fridge cheesecake.

Starlings
Brew: Origin.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: chocolate chiffon.

Snobs Coffee
Brew: they brew their own solar coffee originating from Africa, South America, Central America and South East Asia.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: gourmet pies and croissants.

Truth
Brew: their own.
Wifi: tick.
Snack on: one of the available cakes.

Winelands

The Coffee Roasting Company
Brew: they roast coffee beans imported from the world’s premium plantations.
Wifi: nope.
Snack on: rusks.

Is your favourite coffee spot not on our list? Let us know info@eatout.co.za. Also check out our list of excellent places to have brunch across South Africa.

By Kelly Pluke