Joburg itinerary for readers and coffee lovers

more than a year ago

Exclusive Book's beautiful store at Hyde Park.

Is there anything better than browsing a beautiful book store with coffee in hand? Or opening a new book while sipping from a steaming mug as the world around you disappears. We've put together our favourite coffee and book store pairings in Joburg to make those pages fly.

Stocking a wide-range of hard to find books you'll be sure to find a hidden gem at Love Books.

Love Books Melville and Service Station

One of the best pairings is Melville's Love Books and its adjacent restaurant and deli Service Station. The cookbook selection at Love Books is amazing and paging through them with a coffee (the brownies are delightful from Service Station) is just the best possible solo time one can hope for. Love Books is also one of the few stockists of the landmark Wake Up, This is Joburg collection – an ode to this dynamic city byTanya Zack and Mark Lewis.

Bridge Books and Cramers Coffee

Cramers Coffee is an Inner City institution. Grab your mocha and take a leisurely walk through historic Marshalltown to Bridge Books to find a wonderful selection of African books, or support one of the informal book sellers in Griffin Shea’s network in the Inner City Literary District.

You'll need to stop past Bean There after trawling through L' Elephant Terrible's shelves.

L’ Elephant Terrible and Bean There

Browse the eclectic L’ Elephant Terrible at 44 Stanley and then take your unique find next door to Bean There for a taste of Africa’s finest Fairtrade coffee. We are partial to the Ethiopian dark roast, but any of the day's coffee options will delight you.If the weather is fine, step into the pretty courtyard – a perfect hideaway.

Exclusive Books and Olives & Plates

Despite being in a mall (our first preference is usually for neighbourhood streets) the excellent Exclusive Books in Hyde Park with its adjoining Olives & Plates, makes you feel as if you've stepped into a new world. Buy the latest South African fiction and non-fiction titles, or anything else that strikes your fancy, find a table at the window and order a piece of cheesecake, and you may just end up staying for dinner.

4th Ave Coffee Roasters grinds their coffee on-site for the most aromatic cup.

Hard Copy and 4th Ave Coffee Roasters

Wade through the cyclists to grab a strong and really good Americano at 4th Ave Coffee Roasters then waltz up the Parkhurst high street of Fourth Avenue to Hard Copy for some recent fiction.

In need of some book recommendations? Check out our favourite reads on and in Joannesburg.