The 9 Best Cafés and Coffee Shops in Pretoria

Part bakery, part coworking spot, part rooftop cafe, and part coffee shop, Geek House has made a name for itself amongst the students and young professionals of the area.

While the in-house roastery serves up great coffee, they’re famous for their baked goods and sweet treats. You couldn’t be blamed if a malva pudding cookie, a biscoff cake, or a combolini doughnuts stuffed with melted chocolate were to simply… find its way onto your plate.

If you’re on a health kick, there’s nothing to do except avoid looking at their signature dishes and walk straight to the juice bar for something fruity and freshly squeezed.

Floor 2, Brooklyn House - Luxury Student Accommodation Pretoria, 77 Lynnwood Rd, Brooklyn, Pretoria,

If Barbie had a coffee shop, this would be it. With pink walls, floral decor and over-the-top milkshakes, Goddess Café is unapologetically feminine and fun. It’s an out of the ordinary place for a long, indulgent brunch with your best friend, where you order something colourful, and spend way too long taking photos of your food.

The coffee is solid (though let’s be real, this is more of a ‘cute café’ than a coffee purist’s dream), and the signature rose latte is a gorgeous pink hue. The food is equally aesthetic, with gorgeous smoothie bowls and decadent cakes that taste almost as good as they look.

Waterkloof Corner Shopping Centre, Corner Main and, Crown St, Waterkloof, Pretoria, 0181

Grounded at Echo has been around for more than a decade. The café doubles as a coworking space and deli, offering a warm, homey atmosphere. But it’s also a social enterprise. They’re a registered non-profit and are dedicated to uplifting and empowering both their staff and the overall community - so you can rest assured that your cappuccino purchase is supporting vulnerable youth and providing all kinds of benefits from fair wages to pro-bono legal work for disadvantaged South Africans.

The decor is rustic and warm, with repurposed wood, mismatched furniture, and a garden-like outdoor area that’s perfect for slow mornings. The menu leans on the healthier side of things, with plenty of breakfast and brunch options, salad bowls, sandwiches and wraps.

Coffee-wise, they do a solid flat white and cortado – but do yourself a favour and try the Vietnamese Iced Coffee on a hot summer’s day.

24th Avenue, Pierneef St, Villieria, Pretoria, 0186

If you’re the kind of person who cares about the origin of your beans, loves the idea of small-batch roasting and can taste the difference between a washed Ethiopian and a full-bodied Brazilian blend, this is your place. Aroma roasts their own coffee in-house, and their flat whites are ridiculously smooth, while the pour-overs have that clean, almost tea-like quality that coffee snobs appreciate.

There are a few branches, but the ones in Hazeldean and Hazelwood are the best of all. If you get hungry, Aroma has an extensive brunch and lunch menu. Plus, in addition to coffee, Aroma is famous for their Italian gelato. There is no possible way anything could go wrong with an avocado and egg brunch, good coffee and then a stracciatella gelato to finish off.

4 Graham Road, In Shere, Silver Lakes, Pretoria

If you love good coffee, good food and good music, you’ve found your tribe in the folks running West Cafe. It takes the idea of a live music venue (which is normally a bar, let’s be honest!) and merges it with a traditional cafe, et voila = West Cafe is born.

It’s a remote worker’s dream; there’s free WiFi, no loadshedding and even a boardroom to book for those occasional in-person meetings or important presentations. And in case you need more convincing… just know that the menu has milktart French toast. ‘Nuff said.

Forest Walk, 27 Maroelana St, Hazelwood, Pretoria, 0161

Blos has been making waves in the Pretoria scene for years and years now. Up in Wapadrand, you’ll eat or drink absolutely surrounded by greenery and nature. You’d think a place like this would be tiny, yet the indoor-outdoor space seats over 400 people. Yet it somehow still retains the small, intimate, quirky charm that made it so popular when they launched in 2010.

All the classic coffees are there, including your cappuccinos with a choice of cream or foam. There are a few custom options too like their signature hazelnut latte. The menu spans breakfast through dinner and offers hearty South African bistro fare. On a sunny morning, there’s little better than their eggs benedict and an americano enjoyed outside on the deck. And while a good, slow cup of coffee is one of life’s greatest pleasures, it’s also true that you sometimes need your caffeine fix in a rush. For those moments, there’s Die Padstal, a trailer right at the entrance which serves up all your caffeinated favourites in half the time.

Plot 66, C/O Olympus Rd and, Leander Rd, Faerie Glen, Pretoria

Would a list of Pretoria’s best cafes and coffee shops be complete without mentioning one or two places in Hazelwood? BakeHouse is small, cosy and completely centered around one thing - good baking. If the smell that emanates from this café doesn’t get you inside, nothing will.

Renowned for artisanal breads and pastries, they pride themselves on using traditional baking methods and high-quality ingredients. You’ll be hard-pressed to find better pasteis de nata in the Jacaranda City.

It’s a popular spot for remote working thanks to decent WiFi and a professional-looking setting, well-brewed coffee and plenty of breakfast options spanning everything from sweet treats to eggs to muesli.

18 Firwood Ave, Hazelwood, Pretoria

Any aficionado will pretend to turn their nose up at a chain or franchise, but Tashas has become a staple of the South African brunch and coffee market. It’s little wonder, when you leaf through their menus or wander past one of their branches.

The Lynnwood location in particular is one of the best. Inspired by the Yves Saint Laurent-designed Le Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech’s most famous gardens, the menu features plenty of cafe classics mixed in with twists like breakfast flatbreads. If you came for the coffee, you won’t be disappointed. Try the traditionally-brewed Greek coffee if you’re running on empty and need something really strong. Otherwise, their cappuccinos and flat whites are made from their signature blend of speciality grade coffee sourced directly from Timor-Leste, an independent island nation off the Indonesian Archipelago.

Lynnwood Bridge Retail, Daventry St, Lynnwood Manor, Pretoria

If you were wondering where Spout Coffee went, this is the place you’re looking for. Now known as Ground Coffee, this tiny little container-building right in the heart of The Village in Hazelwood is punching way above its weight in the coffee stakes. You know how you can tell? By the hordes of cyclists who stop by for their mid-ride pick me up. If it’s good enough for the early morning, caffeine-obsessed cycling crowd, you know you’re on to a good thing. 

Either order your coffee to go, or head upstairs to the small deck for a bit of respite from the business that is Hazelwood. The coffee is seriously good here. Their signature blend is smooth and balanced. They’re also one of the few places in the city who do a proper matcha latte. And it’s dog-friendly, so you can share your breakfast with man’s best friend.

Corner 16th Street &, Firwood Ave, Hazelwood, Pretoria, 0083