Celebrate International Coffee Day by ticking off one of these coffee drinks and experiences from our bucket-list.
Earthy, spicy, floral, or nutty, there’s nothing like the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee to draw you inside a cosy coffee shop - even when you've already had your allotted cup or two.
Coffee culture is on the rise in South Africa with cafes serving up more than just delicious beverages, they’re bringing International flair to the table as well. From refreshing cold brew with frothy milk to an espresso and orange juice blend that makes for the most ideal breakfast drink, these days consuming coffee is about more than just the caffeine fix, it encompasses unique flavour combinations, innovative brewing techniques and Instagram-worthy aesthetics.
Here are six coffee experiences to try this International Coffee Day:
Sunrise Espresso from Truth Coffee Roasting
Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
Zesty orange juice with espresso? Sounds like the perfect breakfast drink to us. Comprised of a double shot of the house-roasted espresso and livened up with a shot of freshly squeezed orange juice, it's a popular order with locals and tourists flocking to get a taste.
Cascara Fizz from Espresso Lab
Woodstock, Cape Town
The coffee roastery is based at The Old Biscuit Mill, Woodstock, Cape Town. Every day they aim to discover new and exciting ways of enjoying coffee, from sourcing small lots of freshly harvested coffee, to developing the optimal roasting profiles that will reflect the terroir and origin of the coffee, showcasing complexity in flavour and a balance between sweetness and acidity.
Served in a glass beaker with a wedge of lemon, this refreshing coffee drink is perfect for the summer. Cascara is the dried skin of the coffee cherry, which is then made into a sweet sugar syrup. The baristas then mix soda water and a dash of lime and top it with the Cascara syrup, creating something like a coffee soda pop.
Hot Dutch Rum drink from Truth Coffee Roasting
Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
Visually, Truth Coffee is a quirky cafe with a junction of interconnected pipes, old metal, dark wooden tables and red leather-clad barstools. But, they also serve gourmet, home-roasted coffee.
Meet their Hot Dutch Rum drink - made using Richland Rum, port, Richland pure cane syrup, butter, an espresso shot of Truth Coffee - Single Origin Brazil, sweetened cream float infused with Truth Coffee Resurrection Blend espresso and grated cinnamon, created by local bartending legend Brent Perremore
Coffee in a cone by #CoffeeInACone
Melrose, Johannesburg
The journey began only a few years ago when the founder of #CoffeeInACone, Dayne Levinrad filled his first cones with coffee. As with most journeys, Livinrad and his mother never expected to pop up across social media and news sites around the world and to be dubbed the “World’s Most Instragrammable” coffee.
From matcha green tea lattes to rose-pink lattes, there are a variety of flavours to choose from that come in wafer cones, dipped in milk or dark chocolate, coated in rainbow sprinkles or drizzled with white chocolate. It’s a delicious snack and caffeine fix all in one.
Espresso Soft Serve from Father Coffee
Rosebank, Johannesburg
Who says coffee has to be served hot and sipped? This rich, cooling, espresso soft serve is made from scratch and churning all day long onsite. The perfect treat for hot summer days in the city.
Lavender Iced Coffee from The Barn Owl Coffee
Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal
This deliciously floral iced coffee is infused with lavender harvested from the Cafe’s garden in the Midlands and drizzles of locally sourced honey, made with all-natural ingredients and no added sugars. Using a special trick, the milk is textured to make it foamy and naturally sweet making for a decadent treat for your coffee break.
Spanish Latte from Le Kreamery
Berea, Durban
Served with strands of saffron, the world's most luxurious spice, this Spanish Latte is as delicious as it is stunning. The restaurant, serving up waffles smothered in a range of chocolate sauces and fresh fruit, prepares this drink using a blend of their in house espresso, decadent condensed milk and premium saffron coming together in a milky, frothy latte.
The Dictator from Motherland Coffee Company
Rosebank, Johannesburg
Coffee doesn't always have to be so serious, as this coffee company playfully shows us. The Dictator is made from double espresso shots (you can choose from their range of origins and blends on the bar), condensed milk, a fluffy dollop of whipped cream and generous shards of chocolate shavings. If you're looking for an Instagram-worthy coffee drink to add to your grid, this is it. It comes served with every layer poured one on top of the next, so you can see every liquid ingredient before you blend them all together as you drink it. It’s unconventional, it’s decadent, It breaks the rules of speciality coffee... it’s delicious.
Hot Fudge Affogato from 14 on Chartwell
Umhlanga, Durban
How about saving the taste of coffee for dessert? Coffee is bitter and dessert is usually sweet which actually make them pair well together. Affogato is the perfect way to end off any meal, at 14 on Chartwell it's prepared with a creamy Madagascan vanilla bean ice cream, drizzled with hot homestyle fudge sauce, crushed Maltesers and drowned in a shot of espresso.
All pictures from Instagram