Car wash waiting room

With the drought and accompanying water restrictions I have refrained from washing my car in my support for saving water.  Unfortunately it got to the point where my car started becoming an embarrassment so I popped by Soapy Joe car wash in Circular Drive.  While they returned my car to respectability I had look around and was very impressed with the facility they have at Soapy Joe's.  In addition to the standard outside benches, they also have a little coffee shop with inside seating and a basic menu offering things like roosterkoek for you to enjoy while reading the paper. Plus they were cheaper than the petrol station I normally have my car washed at. 

Breakfast views on the beachfront

This morning I joined a couple of colleagues for breakfast at Angelo's on the beachfront to celebrate one of their birthdays.  Sitting there watching a couple of dolphins pass by we all just realised again how privileged we are living in this beautiful coastal city where we can sit and have a meal with a view like this. 

The story of Mastertons

This past week the iconic Port Elizabeth coffee roastery, Mastertons, launched their new proudly Port Elizabeth BLEND OF THE BAY coffee mix.  Mastertons have been around the city since 1924 and for today's Video Friday post I am posting a video by Lunaticscentral featuring owner James Masterton relating the history of Mastertons and some of his memories and plans.

Surfs up and coffee is served

I'm not a surfer nor have I ever tried to surf.  Not that I wouldn't want to try, I just never had the opportunity.  I don't get to stop down at Pipe that often so last week I pulled in to grab a photo or two.  Parked in the parking lot is a coffee trailer which I bet does a roaring trade when the guys come out the water all wet and cold.  

I wanted to get a photo and chat to the guy a little bit to get some info to post here, but wow! What a grumpy oke!  He's coffee must be good cause he's definitely not pulling the clientele with his sparkling personality.  He grunted a yes when I asked if it's ok to snap a picture and then got up from behind his counter and turned his back on me.  Oh well, picture without any additional info on him it is then.   

A new coffee shop at the Athenaeum

There seems to be a coffee shop around every second corner these days, so you tend to look for the special ones.  Last week I got to visit the newest one in town and it may just become one of those special ones.  It is located inside the historic Athenaeum building in Central and is called Bakery Treats.  I was there on the first day and they are still getting their ducks in a row, but they will be open 7 days a week, open late and serve meals so you could have dinner before attending a performance at the Little Theater next door.  The 67 Beaded Quotes, part of Route 67, is also located inside the coffee shop as can be seen in the background of the picture.  

Coffee with Geocachers

I joined a couple of my fellow Geocachers for a lunch time coffee "event" at the new Urban Express Coffee Shop at the Donkin Village development.  I can see this spot becoming very popular, specially for meetings over coffee, seeing its location and how central it is.  And yes, that's our bunch on the right.

Friendly Stranger fare

Third post about the Friendly Stranger this week so by now it's not really a stranger anymore.  I met my friends Poekie and Shefetswe for coffee and to discuss a bit of work (seeing that we're all in the same industry).  Shefetswe had the breaky while Poekie and I decided to try out their cakes. Ok, so I had a taste before I took the photo.  

A Friendly Stranger and the Fig Tree

Down at the bottom of the Baakens Valley in front of the Bridge Street complex, stands a little historic building next to a Wild Fig tree.  I joined a couple of friends for coffee there the other day and was just reminded once again what a love little coffee shop this is.  But it's not just about coffees and cakes.  There menu has some truly delectable dishes on it so next time you're looking for a place to sit and chill out over a coffee without a lot of hustle and bustle about, this is your spot.

Even Rasputin's ghost stops for coffee at the Friendly Stranger

Is it just me or does this graffiti figure outside the Friendly Stranger 

in the Baakens Valley look like Rasputin's ghost?

South Boulevard Cafe

I met a friend and colleague for coffee at South Boulevard Café at the South End Museum the other day.  The museum is situated at the intersection of Beach Road, Walmer Boulevard and the Settlers Freeway.  The coffee shop has seating both inside and out on their first floor verandah which gives one a view of the intersection and harbor beyond.  To some people this wouldn't be the best view around yet I actually enjoyed watching life go by while enjoying a cup of coffee.  Its like people watching in a shopping centre.  Oh and did I mention that their food is very delicious and the prices not bad at all? No? Well now I have.

Trying new menu items at Fratelli Foods

A couple of weeks ago I had to meet a friend of mine for a business breakfast and she suggested we go to the newly opened Fratelli Foods in the Lower Baakens Valley.  Fratelli is an Italian Deli and Coffee Bar and at that stage they hadn't even had their signage up yet but I had a feeling that it would turn into a very popular spot very soon.  I immediately joined their Facebook group to keep an eye on them.  Yesterday morning there was a post on the group showing the newest addition on their menu.  A piadina is an italian flat bread eaten on the streets of Italy and this one is filled with prosciutto and fontina cheese along with tomato and rocket.  I was busy setting up a meeting for the Travel Massive PE chapter leaders to discuss the first Travel Massive networking event in the city and suggested that we meet at Fratelli.  Ulterior motives you see.

Owner Michelle Puggia greeted me like she greets all the patrons coming through the door.  Friendly, welcoming and with a big smile.  My companions got there a bit early and was tucking into their breakfasts already and on asking what I wanted I immediately referred Michelle to yesterday's FB post.  They were still making the flat breads but she immediately agreed to prepare me one.  When it came I was ready to tuck in but not sure what to expect.  Would the ham and cheese me a little bland and not being one who eats rocket that often I wondered what the rocket would do to the taste. Boom! What a winner.  The rocket and tomato is the perfect compliment to the meat and cheese and I made sure I ate as slow as possible to savour every second.  Michelle came by to check how her first customer to try it was doing and asked why I wasn't eating it the way the Italians do, by hand.  I just felt it would last longer cutting off smaller pieces.  Nom nom nom.

 

Just to mention, my friend Geoff had a croissant with scrambled egg and crispy bacon on it which looked absolutely divine and was my second choice of the piadina wasn't available.

 

So next time you're looking for a nice intimate coffee shop with great food and lekker coffee for a quick mid morning meeting or brunch, this is the place to go.  

Coffee with a back to front view

 On Friday I attended a tourism marketing workshop at the Beach Hotel and afterwards a couple of us went for coffee at The Verandah.  I was sitting with my back to the beach but still had a nice reflective view of Shark Rock Pier.

Saturday coffee at Brioche

We don't often get to go out to coffee shops on a Saturday morning but today was different.  The Damselfly suggested that we stop for coffee at Brioche in Main Road, Walmer and we weren't sorry that we did.  Arriving at the door we found the place "packed to the bleachers" but the staff was friendly and welcoming and we took a seat out on the stoep until a table became available inside.  While we waited I decided to take a walk around to take a picture or two and it wasn't hard to see why they were so full.  The cakes, tarts and breads on the counters looked out of this world.  Once we were seated inside we had a better look at all the breakfasts passing us to other tables and every plate looked mouth watering.  By the time we left Brioche had dethroned our previous favorite coffee shop and I'm sure it won't be long before we return.  Next time our diet will be over and it won't just be the KidZ tucking into breakfast.   

Bayworld Coffee Bar

The Bayworld complex is currently undergoing some exciting renovations in the Snake Park and old Oceanarium which will open to the public in September.  Another addition to the complex will be a brand new craft shop and coffee bar opening in August.  The Lizard Coffee Bar will be just that, a coffee bar serving coffee and other hot drinks.  I was at the launch of the Mandela Bay Museums Forum in the craft shop on Friday and especially liked the sitting area for the coffee bar.  Going to be a great spot to chill with a coffee.

Dessie's at the Tin House

Port Elizabeth has some wonderful art galleries and some outstanding coffee shops, so what would be better than to find a combination between the two.  Dessie's at the Tin House on Cuyler Street in Central is one such a place.  Its a delightful little coffee shop which allows local artists to exhibit (and hopefully sell) their work there.  The shop is situated in an old corrugated iron house which came to South Africa from England in kit form during the 1800's.