Viva la république café

 15 August 2025

 

REPUBLIQUE CAFÉ

19 Andringa Street, Stellenbosch

 

My Uber from Cape Town dropped me next to Republique Café as if it were decreed by fate.  Admittedly, it’s been a while but I don’t recollect this coffee spot café from my previous foray to Stellenbosch.

 

The establishment is housed in what used to be retail space when I lived in Stellenbosch, in one of those old buildings in the CBD that’s been given a new lease of life due to the growth of the town, both in permanent residents and the tourist cavalcade. 

 

Reflecting the shop space of bygone years, the room is deep with a relatively narrow front with windows onto the street. The design style and get up isn’t exactly French, but it is ye olde worlde kind of opulently luxurious and cosy. A staircase with a (probably) yellow wood balustrade is a showpiece just beyond the barista and service counter.

 

There are a few tables outside, a few at the front separated from the larger, more welcoming, space at the rear by the barista and service counter. The area in front is a tad basic and the real deal is at the rear with mostly small round tables, an eclectic variety of chairs at the tables and also easy chairs and couches for loitering with a coffee and perhaps a pastry. The decorations create an ambience of a semi-formal 19^th century lounge with a contemporary twist. 

 

I was reminded of our favourite bakery café in San Sebastian but without the cornucopia of bread and pastries and with more comfortable seating.

 

The customer base, while I was there, was a mixture of 20-somethings on MacBooks (I promptly took out mine to represent an older hip generation), middle aged guys having informal, chatty business conversations and one group of French tourists, possibly fooled by the café’s name.

 

The all day breakfast menu is minimalist to a fault with only four items:  smashed avo on sourdough toast (somehow a seasonal item), granola bowl, chia seed and yoghurt bowl and overnight oats. If your peckishness is more substantial,  there is choice of toastie or (perhaps) breakfast soup.

 

The generous double espresso is R33 and comes with a cookie and a glass of water.

 

I tried the smashed avo thingy (R85), served on paper on a board with an extraneous slice of lemon and a wee nasturtium flower.  It was good; the  well- seasoned avo was creamy and the toast was crisp. It’s hardly a belly filler, though.

On these occasions one ponders a reality where a slice of toast with avocado costs R85,00 and one wonders who really thrives on this kind of breakfast?

 

The sweet things on display at the barista counter comprised a huge carrot cake, a sumptuous-looking cheese cake and various other pastries.

 

Ordinarily my choice would’ve been the cheesecake. but for my current preference for Basque cheesecake as well as the daunting portion sizes of this cheesecake. My humbler choice was a delectable slice of apricot crumble (R25); warm, unctuous and with a perfect crumble, washed down with an excellent large (blend of Brazilian and Colombian) cappuccino (R45).

 

The bill came to R188,00 before tip.

 

The avo on toast was nice and all but I’d say that Republique Café is basically a coffee shop for hanging out in or for digital nomad-ing in a safe space (I’m guessing there’s free wi-fi) with a little something to tide you over (and to keep management happy that you’re actually spending money and not just there for the wi-fi);  I don’t see it as a breakfast venue.

 

The coffee is excellent and the service is cheerful and efficient. I totally liked the rizzy vibe and would recommend Republique Café for a casual coffee experience amidst comfort.