South Africa

Two South African coffee shops included in global top 100 rankings

Kirsten Minnaar • 7 May 2025

Two South African coffee shops, Espressolab De Waterkant in Cape Town and The Whippet in Johannesburg, ranked among the best in the world.

According to the rankings, Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters in Australia was named the best coffee shop in the world. Onyx Coffee LAB in the United States and Gota Coffee Experts in Austria ranked second and third, respectively.

Two of South Africa’s local coffee shops also made the list of the 100 best globally. Espressolab in Cape Town ranked eleventh, making it the best coffee shop in Africa. The Whippet in Johannesburg was also on the list, at number 89.

Over the past few decades, South Africa’s coffee culture has grown exponentially. Local coffee producers, roasters, and cafes are becoming increasingly popular. South African coffee shops are now gaining global recognition.

To determine the ranking, coffee shops around the world were measured using the following criteria:

Quality of coffee
Barista expertise
Customer service
Innovation
Ambience and atmosphere
Sustainability practices
Food and pastry quality
Consistency

The voting system incorporates both public opinion and expert evaluations. First, the public voting phase opens, allowing consumers worldwide to vote for their favourite coffee shop.

A panel of esteemed speciality coffee experts and industry professionals, consisting of renowned baristas, coffee roasters, and connoisseurs, also evaluate the coffee shops.

This expert panel assesses the nominees based on predefined criteria, such as coffee quality, barista expertise, and sustainability practices.

The final scores are calculated using a weighted system. Public votes account for 30% of the final score, while the expert panel’s evaluations will contribute the remaining 70%.

Espressolab

Espressolab was founded in 2009 in Woodstock, Cape Town. In 2014, its partners in Türkiye started to expand the brand within Türkiye and worldwide.

Today, Espressolab has over 300+ retail stores worldwide. These include a roastery and cafe in Cape Town, South Africa, which can be found in Woodstock, and a bakery and cafe in De Waterkant, which was ranked as one of the top 100 coffee shops globally.

“Rising to 11th place on The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops list marks a major milestone for Espressolab,” the business commented.

“Espressolab De Waterkant has once again proven its passion for coffee and commitment to quality. The brand will continue to inspire coffee enthusiasts globally and push the boundaries of the coffee experience.”

Here, patrons can enjoy an array of classic coffee orders like lattes, cappuccinos, espressos and cortados.

However, Espressolab also offers several speciality drinks. For example, their “lekker brew” is made with cold brew, honeybush, blood orange, and rosemary aperitif.

The “pink tonic” consists of espresso, iced rose cucumber tonic water, and a natural sweetener. The “sim sim” latte features espresso, aerated oat milk, sesame seed oil and maple syrup.

Those who don’t drink coffee can also indulge in anything from a classic hot chocolate to a “Cape fog,” Espressolab’s rendition of a London fog made with rooibos, cascara syrup, and milk foam.

The Whippet

The Whippet in Linden, Johannesburg, opened its doors in 2012 with the “vision of creating a neighbourhood-inspired coffee shop.” Since its founding, the Whippet has paid homage to the suburb’s peach farming history.

“We always strive to create spaces that inspire your next great idea,” The Whippet explained.

“Our shop designs are inspired by Linden, its history, and the stories of those who call it home. Our space evolves with the suburb, and as it creates new stories, we create new ones with it.”

The shop serves coffee made by “competition-ready” baristas and nostalgic, “feel-good food”.

Their menu features everything from coffees and teas to smoothies and cocktails. While their coffee menu mostly sticks to the classics, adventurous customers can try a lavender or red cherry iced latte.

Dog owners can also bring their pets along to enjoy a “puppuccino” consisting of freshly whipped cream and half a slice of bacon.