Best cold brew in Cape Town
Cold brew in Cape Town ranges from the classic 12-hour steep to nitro on tap, espresso tonics, and Japanese-style iced filter (the one poured hot, straight onto ice). Roasters maps the specialty cafés in Cape Town doing the cleanest, most considered cold drinks — no syrupy chain cold brew, just specialty coffee, properly cold. The guide draws on the 56 specialty cafés and roasters the community has mapped in Cape Town.
Beyond classic cold brew, the cafés worth visiting in Cape Town also pour Japanese-style iced filter (brewed hot onto ice, preserving brightness) and espresso tonic (a double shot over tonic water — sharp, clean, summer-ready). Roasters surfaces which cafés are serving each.
The best cold brew in Cape Town starts with the same beans the café pours hot: specialty-grade single origins. The difference is the method — long, slow extraction in cold water (12–24 hours) produces a smooth, low-acid concentrate that can be served straight, over ice, with tonic, or on nitro tap.
How this guide compares
In the national table Cape Town is #1, ahead of every other city; worldwide it ranks #74 of 3,601.
Among the 144 “Cold brew” guides, Cape Town ranks #74, so expect a tighter, easier-to-cover selection.
For now, this is the only “Cold brew” guide in South Africa.
With 56 cafés, Cape Town is 26 above the 30-café line that unlocks themed guides on Roasters.
Cape Town is covered by 11 themed guides in total; the others are WiFi & laptops, Brunch, Open late, Quiet cafés, Cycling, Surf, Running, Espresso, Filter coffee and Matcha.
Find cold brew cafés
in Cape Town.
Open Roasters, filter Cape Town by what is open now or nearest, save your favourites, and log every cup. Free on iOS and Android.
About cold brew in Cape Town
Where else in South Africa can I use this guide?
Nowhere else yet; Cape Town is the only one.
Where can I find the best cold brew in Cape Town?
Roasters maps the specialty cafés in Cape Town serving the best cold brew, iced filter, espresso tonics, and nitro. Open the app and filter Cape Town by cold brew.
Is Cape Town a big city for specialty coffee?
It ranks #1 in South Africa and #74 worldwide on Roasters, with 56 cafés listed.
Which cities rank next to Cape Town for cold brew?
Out of 144 cities with this guide, Boston, MA (56 cafés) ranks just above and Jakarta (56) just below.
