The first visit was a calm ebb…a lethargic moment in an enclave wreaking of freshly ground coffee beans and simple cafe finery. Their linguistic dexterity rests in the language of coffee; and any gastrolinguist worth their taste-buds, will speak in tongues when they have a cuppa here.

The second visit was a loud affair as family’s came in for breakfast and board-games – the excited chatter pounding on my poor hungover head.

Luckily for this cafe, my resolve to recover and work, far outweighed any momentary annoyance.

Today’s foodie escapades takes us to Cape Town’s bustling family friendly neighborhood: Sea Point – to the cousin of celebrated Lebansese cafe RAFAEL. Welcome to Mischu Coffee.

The origins of Mischu stem back to 2012, when award-winning Barista Mikhael Bou Rjeily decided to co-found the quaint cafe as a way of disseminating the hoarded coffee knowledge he had acquired with dedication & determination – while offering up blessed Capetonians another space to bring family, have  a quick meal, or settle in for the day as a digital nomad.

“…what it is that makes our coffee café so unique and exclusive and different… Maybe it’s our location, offering great views of the city’s hustle and bustle while our customers get to sit back and relax with their favorite cup of freshly brewed coffee. Perhaps it’s our ambiance, thanks to loads of natural light and the sound of Latin music in the background, sweeping your mind off to a place far from everyday life’s stress and pressures. Or maybe, just maybe, the secret lies in our very own Isabella’s blend, a medium roast, unique and exclusive coffee blend that has won us the titles of Best Espresso & Cappuccino in Cape Town and Best Cappuccino in South Africa!” – Mikhael, Mischu Coffee

My Meal

In the same way that RAFAEL Cafe had no extensive bells & whistles on their menu, cousin Mischu Coffee, also favors conciseness. This does not mean the menu lacks in quality though! 

You’ve got to love a place with All Day Breakfast, and meat options galore on all the other fronts.

The idea that I can have oats – or any breakfast food – without sugar, is absolutely staggering. Mischu may not have a Full English Breakfast (a bone of contention with me, because I love LOVE it!), but they do have an Oats Fruit Bowl that will have you shook.

I’ve always overlooked oats on restaurant menus...Like, I have it at home. I’m not about to pay for it at your restaurant. Turns out: “In your face!“ is due, because I’ve been served – served a bowl of sweet awesomeness.

It was a team effort from the fruit (banana and strawberries) and well-made oats (which ofttimes is made over or under, but never right), and the breakfast turned out sublime. So good was the breakfast dish, that I came back the next day to figure out if it was a fluke or not. It was not.

Flatbreads seem to be making a comeback to carb-lovers plates, and Mischu’s menu comes fully loaded with options like Egg & Herbed Labneh, Avocado & Hummus, as well as Smoked Salmon Trout flatbread wraps. Keep that in mind, should you ever get peckish.

Upon the competent and helpful chefs suggestion, I ordered the Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpeas Salad. It comes as a lunch laden with sweetcorn, kale, leafy greens, radish, cherry tomato, and avocado. The salad is rounded off with a Lemon Tahini Dressing.

I gotta say, I didn’t dig the Lemon Tahini Dressing. It upset me greatly considering I love lemon so.

The chicken was a tad dry, and the chickpeas a smidgen less spicy than anticipated.

The warm and knowledgeable staff at Mischu were not disheartened to hear of my woes with the dressing, and quickly made a Middle Eastern Spiced Chicken Flatbread Toastie for me.

The combination of Zaatar, Mozzarella, mayo and garlic aioli was...yummy. I approve. It’s a good Sunday lunch for a broke, lazy, carb-loving single woman in the city.

Dessert

You’re shit out of luck if you’re in the market for an elaborate restaurant-type dessert.

A cookie, donuts, chocolate croissant, hot chocolate, or the pockets of Zang Dark Chocolate available at the counter, are all you have in the way of dessert.

Verdict?

Dear Digital Nomads,

You can work here.

The Latin music strumming through the cafe’s mounted speakers, is less music and sounds more like echoes from a Moroccan market or South American central business district…and that actually makes for good background music.

We hype so many places that their goodness becomes, inevitably, unappealing as masses flock. I’ve heard wisps of whispers about Mischu, but no ruckus. You can choose to work quietly in this Sea Point enclave, or continue bemoaning the gentrification and hipsterization(yeah, that’s a word!) of favored neighborhood joints.

One of the reasons I like this place though, is for the magazines (Vogue specifically!So few places in the city stock it – Exclusive Books being the other I know of).

The cafe has many charms(like family friendly games), some of which include the catalog of goods – like Dark Roast Coffee Beans(named after the owners daughter), croissants, coffee filters, earrings etc. – you can buy straight at the counter.

Processed with VSCO with m3 preset

For its soft and simple comfort, taste & convenience, Mischu Coffee get’s an 7/10.

What about the health nuts & vegetarians?

You’d be able to eat, that much is for sure. The cafe isn’t too creative with the options though, so expect a handful of archetypal dining choices. Let your server know if you need any additional substitutions, or have any allergies.

Mischu is healthy in its ingredient choices (soy milk and almond milk even feature on the menu), and the cafe food here, is made in a way that doesn’t afford excessive oil usage, so Yay!

Please do consult their menu for a true idea of how accommodating they are for vegetarians.

What of the drinks & booze?

There is a world of drink options at this coffee cafe. Choose from a hot and cold drinks menu; try some extra additions to a drink you know, or to stick to simple water, and soft drinks.

Owner Mikhael recommends the Americano, and it sure is a hit of concentrated flavor even those who aren’t fans of coffee, will appreciate.

You could find everybody from a street vendor to a gourmet restaurant serving you cappuccino, in Cape Town. They’ll all be good, because you’ll be sleep-addled, food-drunk, or rushing about when you sip on the strong brew…but they wont be great.

Mischu’s grande Cappuccino will wake you gently, smooth the ruffled edges of a stressful day, and even ease you through the tail-end of a hangover. I know this from experience. Drink a cuppa.

Why drink booze when you can receive life with lemonade, though?!

Mischu makes amazing Frozen Lemonade with mint, just like their cousin RAFAEL Cafe; so its just a matter of you choosing the establishment most convenient for you to enjoy a drink at.

With a little flu riddling my body, I also requested a large freshly Squeezed juice blend, that entailed ginger, cucumber, mint and pineapple.

Mischu Coffee get’s an all-round 9/10.

Mischu Coffee

Email: info@mischu.co.za