Tucked away in the corner of the Artem Centre (formerly known as the Adelphi Centre) a cosmopolitan café experience awaits you. Coco Safar was “conceived in New York, designed in Toronto and made in Cape Town”, after 10 years of meticulous dreaming and planning.
The luxury coffee café has now implemented their final phase to become an all-day café. We got to sample their new bistro dinner menu. Decadence galore!
An Accessible World-Class Café
Coco Safar has managed to strike the perfect balance between sophistication and a relaxed vibe. You can choose to dress up a bit for a luxurious evening outing, or simply impulsively pop in for a quick bite without feeling awkward in your jeans and t-shirt.
The brand creators aim to offer patrons “daily affordable luxury”. When you hear “Coco” you immediately envision luxury. Add to this “Safar” meaning journey, and you will agree that the name choice is very apt. Step in to the restaurant, and you will for a moment forget that you find yourself in Sea Point.
Coco Safar’s décor has a retro chic feel to it, with plush comfy leather seats and warm brown colours. It feels like an infusion of New York sass and Parisian flair. Wilhelm Liebenberg and Caroline Sirois have big plans for the brand. They plan to open stores in Johannesburg, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Tokyo, and Mexico City.
Artisan Coffee Meets Fine Dining
Although coffee is one of the biggest passions of the brand, the evening menu is a step above mere bistro nibbles. Their Espresso Bar features special Spirit Idrocompresso machines designed by Kees van der Westen. The innovative design turns pouring an espresso shot into a true art form.
The on-site Roastery & Coffee Lab gives Coco Safar complete control over the quality of coffee served. They aim to produce exceptional Third Wave specialty coffee, producing micro-lots from award-winning coffee beans. To offer patrons the ultimate coffee experience, Coco Safar’s baristas are highly trained.
Where It All Started
Wilhelm and Caroline have been travelling across the world for about two decades, searching for the ultimate culinary experience and the best coffee. They incorporated their findings into various dining endeavours, opening cafés and restaurants in various cities including New York, Toronto, and Montreal. Coco Safar is a culmination of the journey. They dream of making luxury dining accessible to everyone, not only the high-end market.
They brought Carmen Rueda Hernandez on board as chef. Her passion lies with chocolate and desserts. But she still out did herself with the dinner menu. Her attention to detail is exquisite. She creates interesting taste combinations, breaking away from traditions with flair. She’s travelled extensively. From her home country of Spain, to the UK and France, to Singapore and Australia.
The exposure to such a wide array of cultures is evident in her food creations. She has honed her skills as a pastry chef with training from Oriol Balaguer, a big name in the pastry industry. The other renowned pastry chef that helped her refine her skills in France, was Olivier Bajard. And celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal challenged her talent even further as part of the Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen team.
The other exciting addition to the team, is Marshall Siavash. He brings to the table his cocktail-making expertise, a former bartender at The House of Machines as well as the Cause/Effect cocktail bar. He was also involved behind the scenes with the conceptualisation of the Cause/Effect cocktail bar.
It’s Not Just a Restaurant
The Coco Safar brand reaches beyond simply offering you a dining experience. From the Roastery & Coffee Lab they produce a unique coffee capsule range. What makes it even more special, is the innovative compostable, oxygen tight bio-capsules. It’s a world first, offering environmental-conscious coffee fanatics a sustainable capsule experience. Enjoy the ultimate Third Wave coffee experience in the comfort of your home! The capsules are compatible with Nespresso® machines, manufactured from 2010 onwards.
To complement your delicious cup of coffee, stock up on couture pâtisserie and viennoiseries. Inspired by the French patisserie tradition but infused with unique twists, such as maple-infusions originated in Toronto, and artisan touches from Cape Townian talent. Or, if you’re stopping for a cuppa at the restaurant, try their homemade gelato or sorbets (made on-site).
Coco Safar loves pushing the limits of the culinary world, producing various world-first products. Together with the on-site roastery, they now also have the world’s first botanical micro-brewery. The non-alcoholic beverages are created from brewing rooibos. They’ve also have a tonic water that is infused with the rooibos, available on tap at the restaurant. The range includes the Red Rooibos Cold Brew, Green Rooibos Cold Brew, and a Coffee-Citrus Cold Brew.
Marshall is in charge of overseeing the brewing process. With his extensive experience in the industry, he also creates unique botanical cocktails. And the presentation of these are very tongue in cheek! If you are a cocktail enthusiast, you are guaranteed an exceptional experience.
Dining As an Immersive Experience
Coco Safar has paid close attention to every little detail of the dining experience. Step inside and be transported into a luxurious world. The décor almost feels like liquid coffee, with its strong brown emphasis. The background music meanders from upbeat jazz to sultry French tunes. A special film created by the owners complete the escapist experience. Snippets from Pathé films include a fashion show and exploration of European cities. It plays on a screen in the background, a perfect distraction or conversation starter.
To whet your appetite, before we share with you their new dinner menu. From the breakfast selection: French Toast – seasonal fruit, rosemary-poached pear, caramelised banana, yoghurt cream, almond & almond crumble, and lemon-caramel sauce. Or Brioche Florentine – flaky croissant pastry filled with Anura Estate feta, sauteed spinach & a baked egg, served with a fresh citrus salad.
From the lunch selection: Superbowl 2.0 – quinoa, broccoli, green beans, butternut, avocado, courgettes, radish, beetroot, and mixed leaves. Or Safar Bobotie – free range lamb mince, pineapple, apricot, garden peas, mango chutney, and yogurt.
Visit www.cocosafar.com for more information.
196 Victoria was conceived as a hub where creatives and holistic health practitioners (and those who feed and water them) could work in a beautiful, conducive environment. The focus of the centre is on supporting physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. The building houses several artists’ studios (to the right as you walk in), a yoga studio, therapy rooms and workshop rooms as well as an extraordinary old world café room, an exhibition space, and, tucked away at the back, a courtyard café. The eatery has just changed hands, and the new Veg Kitchen and Coffee Shop opens in January. I’ll definitely be paying them a visit.
Still in the CBD, 
