Second Cup

Making proper coffee in Johannesburg comes with real constraints. Water quality varies across suburbs, electricity load shedding disrupts espresso machines mid-service, and sourcing consistent beans requires careful supplier relationships in a volatile supply chain. Second Cup navigates these practicalities—managing grind consistency despite temperature fluctuations, timing extractions when power is uncertain, and working with the climate rather than against it. The altitude of the Johannesburg plateau affects how coffee extracts differently than at sea level, something a cafe that's been through a few seasons learns to compensate for. It's the unglamorous work of maintaining standards when the basics aren't always stable.