From Pandemic Hobby
to Cape Town’s Favourite Cup
A story of too much lockdown time, a second-hand roaster, three mates who refused to give up — and a whole lot of great coffee along the way.
A Lockdown Obsession That Got Serious
It started, like most good things, with too much time and a real curiosity. During the 2021 lockdown, Davis (Apothecary’s founder) fell hard for specialty coffee. Not just drinking it, but understanding it: the origins, the varietals, the roasting curves, the grind debates at 11pm.
The Popcorn Machine Phase
Before he could justify a proper roaster, Davis started with a popcorn machine. Literally. Batch after batch of 80g at a time, late into the night, watching beans spin, listening for the first crack. Many evenings were spent producing enough coffee just to fill a handful of friend orders. It was crude, it was slow, and some of it was frankly terrible. But it produced something more valuable: the certainty that this was worth pursuing properly.
He eventually bought a second-hand roaster and never looked back. Batches went to friends, then to family, then to people who started asking when they could buy more. What began as a hobby had become something more interesting than he’d expected.
“I wasn’t trying to start a business. I was just obsessed with making the best cup I possibly could — and somewhere along the way, other people got obsessed with it too.”
— Davis, Founder
Small Batch. Big Intention.
We set up a proper micro-roastery in Sunningdale — small enough to obsess over every batch, big enough to supply a growing community of coffee lovers across Cape Town and beyond.
Three Owners.
One Bigger Vision.
In early February 2025, Davis teamed up with two of the most driven people he knew — Sean and Jono — who joined as co-owners. Together, they set their sights on a coffee trailer, a physical presence, and a real brand with a story worth telling.
What happened next would test everything. Just two weeks after they joined forces (before the trailer had even launched), Davis was hospitalised. Severely ill. For two weeks, his life hung in the balance, and what had seemed like the start of something exciting suddenly felt very uncertain.
A Test of Character
Davis has spent the year and a half since in recovery from the chronic illness that struck. He’s much better now — but still on that road. Through it all, Sean and Jono held the fort. The business didn’t stop. The dream didn’t stop. And neither did Davis. What came out of that period wasn’t just a business — it was a team that had been through something real together.
“There were moments where none of it seemed possible. But the three of us never stopped believing it would happen.”
— Davis
First, a Business Park. Then, the World.
While Davis was in the early stages of recovery, Sean and Jono pushed the dream forward. The coffee trailer started its life in a business park — practical, unglamorous, and exactly what was needed. For the first six months, the team built their workflow, refined the offering, and proved to themselves that specialty coffee on wheels could work.
It was a quiet chapter, but an important one. When the lease expired, the real hustle began. The trailer was rebranded as Coffee on the Prom, and the team set their sights firmly on Sea Point, the promenade, and Cape Town’s busiest coastal stretches. That’s when Apothecary Coffee truly started to become a street-level brand.
The Hatch — A Childhood Dream, Finally Lived
Running alongside the trailer, Davis was also living out something he’d wanted since he was young: his own café. The Blaauwberg Road coffee hatch was exactly that. A small window onto the street, a chalkboard in the traffic directing people to pull into the right lane, yellow balloons tied to the signpost, and an espresso machine fired up before sunrise.
He ran it at a loss. And he’d do it all again. Because for the first time, Davis knew what it felt like to be a café owner — the early mornings, the regulars who become familiar faces, the quiet satisfaction of handing someone their first coffee of the day. That feeling was worth far more than the money he didn’t make.
What the Hatch Taught Us
- People return for consistency and quality above all else
- Location is everything — the wrong spot with great coffee still doesn’t pay the bills
- The best thing about running a café isn’t the coffee — it’s the people
- Every “failure” is just expensive education
Coffee on the Prom — We Hit the Road
When the business park lease expired, the white trailer found its true calling. Rebranded as “Coffee on the Prom”, it hit the Sea Point promenade and Cape Town’s most scenic coastal stretches — and the brand found its audience.
Navigating permits, scouting spots, learning what worked and what didn’t — each cup served made the brand stronger and the community around it louder.
By the close of 2025, that chapter came to an end. We packed up the trailer at The Prom and turned our attention to something closer to home in Big Bay — where a new community was already forming around us.
A Café Inside a Classic Car Showroom
When Laude Classic Cars came calling, we said yes without hesitation. In January 2026, we opened our café at their stunning Buitengracht Street showroom — chandeliers overhead, a Porsche 911 to your left, and a perfect espresso in your hand.
One of Cape Town’s most distinctive coffee experiences — specialty espresso in a space that celebrates craftsmanship, heritage, and things built to last. We offer specialty coffee pairings and tastings, alongside incredible bagels and cakes that have become firm favourites with the regulars.
Come for the coffee. Stay for the cars — and maybe a slice of something special.
Opening Hours
120a Buitengracht St
Cape Town City Centre
Community Meets Coffee
Also in January 2026, we launched two regular outdoor spots that have become some of our favourite parts of the week. Every second Saturday, find us at Echium Park Markets — 60 stalls, great food, local makers, and a warm Cape Town crowd in Table View.
Every Sunday, we set up outside the Big Bay Lifesaving Club. Sea breeze, ocean views, and regulars who’ve become familiar faces. There’s something special about serving coffee to people who’ve just come out of the water.
This is also when we brought on our first two full-time staff — Wisdom and Kay — both essential to everything we do at the markets and at Laude. Building a proper team is one of the things we’re most proud of.
Echium Park Markets
An outdoor celebration of local food, makers, and community in Table View. Follow on Facebook for exact monthly dates.
Outside the Big Bay Lifesaving Club
The Sunday morning ritual. Ocean views, a post-swim crowd, and coffee that makes the whole morning better. We’re there every week, rain or shine.
Laude Classic Cars
Our permanent café home at 120a Buitengracht St. Coffee, tastings, bagels & cakes. Come for the coffee, stay for the Porsche.
Bring Us to Your Event
The Apothecary Coffee trailer is completely self-sufficient. We bring the barista, the equipment, and our own power (inverter and gas) — meaning we can set up practically anywhere, no venue infrastructure required.
Professional barista included — we handle everything from setup to the last cup
Fully self-powered — inverter and gas means no venue power needed. We can run from anywhere
Full specialty coffee menu — espresso drinks, filter, and everything in between, tailored to your event
All-inclusive — equipment, consumables, cups, and setup. You just tell us where to be
In Good Company
We’re proud to supply some of Cape Town’s finest businesses — from neighbourhood cafés and church communities to professional services firms who take their coffee just as seriously as their work.
Interested in wholesale or supplying your business? Get in touch — we’d love to work with you.
Ready to Taste the Journey?
Every bag we roast carries a little bit of this story. Order online for delivery across South Africa — or come find us in person.
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