Coffee Crawl Day #2: Karoo Brew, Cradock

20 Durban Street, Cradock, 5880

We began our second day of the road trip in Cradock, a charming little town in the heart of the Eastern Cape. On our hunt to find the best coffee in the Karoo, we asked the local community where the place to go would be. Throughout the town, there was one resounding reply: Karoo Brew Coffee Shop.

Nestled into a corner house on Durban Street, Karoo Brew exudes vibrancy from the minute you step into the room. The modern interior is such a contrast to the surrounding areas, as Cradock is a place steeped in South African history. I loved the juxtaposition of the long wooden chairs and tables with the grey walls, and somehow the industrial set-up of the interior still feels inviting, like only a small-town coffee shop can. Karoo Brew provided a welcome change to the large retailers of the city; a nook in which to enjoy a good cuppa before carrying on through the motions of the day.

I had a good chuckle at the menu, which included options for coffees such as “the Naked Mexican”, which I later found out was a black Americano with a shot of cayenne pepper (unfortunately I am not able to tell you how this was, as I was too afraid to try it). Instead, I decided on having a “Flat Whitey”, which is made with their Brazilian Barbosa coffee blend. The coffee was lovely and mild, a light roast with mellow notes coming through, which was such a great way to kick start the day’s long drive.

Whilst I was drinking my coffee, I had a chat with Annemie and Danielle, two of the baristas that work there. I wanted to know how the coffee shop came about, and so they took turns providing the information that brought me up to speed. Karoo Brew was owned by the Smit family, who started out in the industry by brewing coffee from their house. That was all the way back in 2013, and it was only earlier this year that they decided to begin their own coffee shop; a conception that would become the Karoo Brew in which I was now sitting.

In addition to their coffee, they also serve a variety of yummy food, like pizzas, nachos and focaccias – perfect for a mid-road trip snack. I would definitely recommend taking a detour here if you are ever in the area and in the mood for drinking something delicious whilst the world around you seems to slow.