Specialty coffee in Cape Town.
Specialty coffee in Cape Town has moved well past a handful of pioneers. Roasters lists 56 cafés and roasters here, each one added and reviewed by people who drink there.
Cape Town in context
Zoom out to Africa and Cape Town is still in the top ten: #1 out of 45 cities.
Out of 22 cities in South Africa on Roasters, Cape Town comes first with 56 cafés, roughly 44% of the country total.
Globally, Cape Town has more specialty cafés on Roasters than 98% of the 3,601 cities in the app.
Because Cape Town passes the 30-café mark, Roasters also publishes 11 themed guides for it, linked below.
What makes a great café in Cape Town
Good specialty coffee in Cape Town tends to come from small, owner-run places: a short menu, beans roasted within the last few weeks, and someone behind the bar who can tell you where they were grown. The community has found 56 such spots so far.
Reviews, photos and check-ins from the community decide how cafés in Cape Town surface in the app. No paid placements, no sponsored pins.
- Origin and process on the bag
- Baristas who can talk through the menu
- Roast dates within the last few weeks
- Community reviewed, no paid placements
Find every specialty café
in Cape Town.
See all 56 cafés in Cape Town on one map, check opening hours, and keep your own list of favourites. Free on iOS and Android.
Questions about coffee in Cape Town
How many specialty coffee shops are there in Cape Town?
Roasters currently lists 56 cafés and roasters in Cape Town, added and reviewed by the community. That is 44% of all specialty listings in South Africa.
Which city in South Africa has the most specialty coffee?
Cape Town does, with 56 cafés on Roasters, ahead of Johannesburg with 21 cafés.
Which cities in Africa have a similar-sized coffee scene?
By café count on Roasters, the closest matches outside South Africa are Cairo, Egypt (25), Nairobi, Kenya (17) and Marrakech, Morocco (10).
Are there themed coffee guides for Cape Town?
Yes, 11. Roasters publishes themed guides for cities with at least 30 specialty cafés (plus curated surf, cycling and running cities), and Cape Town qualifies.
Can I claim my café in Cape Town on Roasters?
Yes. Owners, managers and staff in Cape Town can claim their listing to manage hours, photos, menu and equipment, reply to reviews and post events or jobs.
Does the Roasters app cost anything?
The app and the full café map are free. Roasters Pro is an optional upgrade with advanced filters, unlimited lists and other power features.
Are reviews of cafés in Cape Town written by real people?
Every review on Roasters is written by a community member who visited the café. No algorithmic ranking and no paid placements.
