Coffee Crawl Day #5: Friendly Stranger, Port Elizabeth

Bridge St, South End, Port Elizabeth, 6001

Friendly Stranger was an absolutely unforgettable experience, and that is based purely on the adventure of being there. If ever there was a coffee shop that would be described as “charismatic”, this would certainly be the one. The space lives up to its name, and the warm embrace of this eclectic coffee shop can be felt as soon as you walk through the door, look up and spot the rowing boat hanging from the ceiling as a centrepiece. The chandelier sets the tone for the rest of the experience - bizarre and mismatching, all of the diverse elements of the cafe came together in a mosaic of artistry, and I could not have loved it more.

Big wooden tables are placed quite close to each other, without being stifling, and a steampunk-reminiscent brass and teak coffee bar taking centre stage. After doing some adventuring earlier, we discovered a local Port Elizabeth graffiti artist who goes by the name of “GN”, whose work I then saw again adorning the walls of the coffee shop.

The house blend that is used to make their coffee is a single origin blend is Sumatra, which in itself is a very bold move. Coffees from Sumatra are roasted darker to enhance the herbaceous flavour that is synonymous with the coffee of that region. This Indonesian coffee has a very distinct flavour profile, which has a lot to do with how the coffee is harvested. The method used is called “Giling Basah”, a phrase which means “wet hulling”. This type of harvesting results in a coffee that retains a lot more moisture, a flavour palate that is much less acidic: a smooth blend with a full body.

Sumatran coffees have a reputation for being underrated and aren’t used as often as other types of coffee, simply because the herbaceous, woody flavours that this coffee evokes is so different to the coffee that most of us are used to. The breakaway from the status quo was, for me, a refreshing change, and the latté that I drank was served at the right temperature, and was quite mellow in its overtones.

It is clear that this local haven sets out to stray from the beaten track, from the way that they look, to the type of coffee that they serve. Because of this, I applaud them, and in the pursuit of doing so, they have created a distinctly unique experience for their customers. As I mentioned in an earlier article, coffee drinking is not only about the cup itself, but about the atmosphere surrounding it. In this, I can say that my Friendly Stranger experience was truly memorable.