Cafe Lerotholi

Running a good café in Cape Town involves contending with the season—summer heat means air-con running hard and water restrictions affecting cleaning and refilling, while winter brings the kind of rainfall that tests your electrical systems and outdoor seating plans. The beans need storing properly in humidity that shifts with the Atlantic wind, and keeping espresso machines calibrated and steam wands clean is non-negotiable work that happens before customers arrive. Water quality matters differently here than inland; the local supply's mineral content affects extraction and crema. Cafe Lerotholi operates with the kind of attention to these local realities—understanding that Cape Town's climate and infrastructure mean your coffee setup has to account for seasonal stress, that consistency isn't automatic, and that the work behind the counter is as much about managing environment as it is about technique.