The Vida e caffè on Kloof Street is symbolic of the birth of Cape Town’s coffee culture. In 2001, the first-ever Vida e caffè opened its doors in the heart of the Mother City. 18 years later, this institution relaunched to bring new and exciting products to the Cape Town coffee scene.
Born part out of passion and part out of frustration, Vida e caffè founders Brad Armitage and Rui Esteves brought the European coffee culture to life in Cape Town. Quickly, Vida became the place for your caffeine fix.
While Cape Town is a melting pot of creativity and culture, one thing its residents all have in common is a taste for delicious coffee. Almost two decades on since the inception of Vida e caffè, the vibrant Kloof Street store is bringing a whole new product offering to its customers.
Vida e caffè will be launching a limited-edition single origin Tanzania heritage roast, named ‘Kloof Street’. Shade grown at altitudes above 1400m in rich volcanic soils on the slopes of Mount Meru in Northern Tanzania, the coffee has a creamy body, wafer biscuit sweetness and a caramel finish. The blend is a nod to the company’s rich heritage and commitment to an ongoing coffee excellence journey that celebrates the provenance of the African continent. On offer at the Kloof Street store only, for now.
The new Summer Menu is laden with delicious and nutritious eats, as well as a creative array of coffees. The Espresso Lemonade, Cold Brew Caffè and Raspberry Frio are bound to keep you cool in the sweltering summer heat. The Passion Fruit & Coconut Granola Yoghurt Pot or the vegan Banana & Almond Overnight Oats will curb those hunger pans while keeping you happy and healthy too.
To match the new menu, the Kloof Street vida e caffè store has received a whole new look that merges modern neutrality with bold pops of iconic red and Afro-Portuguese influence. Visitors to the store can soak up the history of the brand by viewing the heritage wall, a tribute to Vida’s colourful journey.
From iconic coffee cup sleeves to images of the “Original Five”, you are invited on a journey, all while sipping a Kloof Street caffè, enjoying a freshly baked Pasteis de Nata and listening to a curated playlist of Afro-Portuguese inspired jazz tracks.
Bespoke hand-crafted furniture designed in collaboration with Woodbender adds to the space’s refined aesthetic. An industry leading San Remo F18 coffee machine takes centre stage behind the counter, a nod to the brand’s continuous pursuit of coffee excellence. “The new store design incorporates traditional and iconic vida store elements together with the most forward-thinking direction in terms of the look, feel and functionality of a coffee shop,” explains current vida CEO Darren Levy.
An ode to the past and a celebration of the future, the Kloof Street store is both icon and an institution.
Images: Supplied
