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Quick spot for gourmet coffee
Submitted by Morgan Trimble
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Quick spot for gourmet coffee
Submitted by Morgan Trimble
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Quick spot for gourmet coffee
Submitted by Morgan Trimble
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Probably won't be back
Submitted by Grant Richardson
Mandela Rhodes building, Cnr Wale street & St Georges mall, Cape Town Central 8001, South Africa
Cuisine:
Cafe, Coffee Shop
Good for:
Breakfast/Brunch
Rating Summary
Food2.5 rating based on 2 ratings Value3.0 rating based on 2 ratings Service3.0 rating based on 2 ratings Atmosphere3.0 rating based on 2 ratings
Expert Review
I had to meet somebody in the CBD at mid-morning, so we figured to meet somewhere for coffee and maybe...
I had to meet somebody in the CBD at mid-morning, so we figured to meet somewhere for coffee and maybe a light meal – brunch I guess. It was suggested we meet at Motherland Coffee.
On arrival Motherland offered a world of promise, so I went in and chose a table. Nobody appeared to take my order so I went to the counter to order a fruit juice while I waited for my companion to arrive. As I got to the counter and was about to ask for a fruit juice, my phone rang, it was my companion calling to say they were running a few minutes late. The server behind the counter appeared visibly irritated that I should dare take a call (a very very quick one) while he waited. Order placed, I waited at the counter for it, then returned to my table.
When my companion arrived we waited for a while for service, there was none, so back to the counter we went to place our order. I chose the bacon, egg and cheese, with relish sandwich on brown farm bread.
The meal arrived. Well I’m no cook, but I could have easily done equal or better at home. The bread was great, but the bacon was tough, the egg (boiled) had those green/black bits that an overdone and tired boiled egg tends to display, the cheese was regular grated supermarket cheddar, and the “relish” almost nonexistent. Halfway through, I abandoned the sandwich which was more of a chore to eat than anything else. I also ordered a slice of cheese cake. The cheese cake seemed like any other one would get at a supermarket bakery.
On the upside, the decor is great, but oddly no ambiance. Most patrons were busy on their laptops or tablets, some with coffee, but not much eating. With the abundance of good coffee places in the city, I’ll be giving Motherland a miss in future.
Expert Review
Motherland Coffee Company is a small chain coffee shop that offers all the usual espresso and filter coffee drinks with...
Motherland Coffee Company is a small chain coffee shop that offers all the usual espresso and filter coffee drinks with a few extra surprises. It also features a small menu of light meals and a few snacks. The Cape Town location is in the ground floor of the Mandela Rhodes building on the corner of Georges Mall and Wale Street near the very busy Greenmarket Square. After some intense shopping for souvenirs, crafts, and curios in the square’s daily flea market, Motherland Coffee is a nice place to take a break.
Although the feel of the place seems to be a bit of a Starbucks copy, Motherland focuses solely on Africa’s finest coffee beans. Their signature coffee is a blend of Ethiopian Sidamo and Rwandan Kivu beans. I stopped in after a long afternoon stroll through town and tried out their iced latte and a slice of cheesecake. The layout is similar to Starbucks, where you order and pay at the counter and then wait for the barista to make your coffee. Then, you can find a seat among the horde of laptop users, or take your coffee to go. The facilities are nice and clean and they also sell some nice African and coffee related souvenirs. My iced latte was great, but the cheesecake was pretty average. If you’re not in need of a caffeine fix, one interesting South African inspired option to try would be the red cappuccino—a cappuccino made from naturally caffeine free rooibos tea espresso.
The highlight of Motherland Coffee Company is definitely the staff. They are helpful, welcoming, and warm. There is a food menu of traditional coffee shop breakfast and lunch options. This includes toasted sandwiches and paninis and a few salads and wraps. There is quite a bit of seating and also free wifi, so it would be a good place to settle in for some work.