My Favorite Jozi Coffeeshops: Bertrand in Maboneng

This post, featuring Bertrand in Maboneng, is the fifth in an occasional series about my favorite new coffeeshops in Joburg.

Yesterday morning I was hurrying down Fox Street in Maboneng. I was in a rush but needed coffee and food. In the corner of my eye, I glimpsed wooden tables on the pavement that I hadn’t seen before. I looked up and there was Bertrand.

I’d seen a few pictures of Bertrand on social media but hadn’t yet discovered its whereabouts. Here it was.

The waitress tried to show me around but I only had ten minutes and sustenance was paramount. Hardly glancing at the menu, I ordered a croissant and a flat white in a take-away cup.

I sat down at a sunny table near the coffee bar, drummed my fingers for a moment, then grabbed my camera. Ten-minute time limit aside, I couldn’t leave this little wonderland without documenting it.

As I shot my pictures, a charming man in sneakers and sunglasses walked past.

“Good morning,” the man said in a charming French accent. “Have you tried our croissants?”

I told him I was about to. The charming man was Mel, co-owner of Bertrand. The other co-owner is Bertrand himself.

Mel, Bertrand’s charming co-owner.

The croissants, Mel told me, are shipped in straight from Paris. I bought two.

It killed me to walk away from this straight-out-of-Paris café with my coffee in a cardboard cup and my croissants in a styrofoam box. Bertrand is the kind of place that deserves to be savored, relaxing outside in the sun with a plate of eggs benedict or inside on one of those lovely couches with coffee and pain au chocolat.

Fortunately, the cardboard and styrofoam did not affect the taste of my breakfast in the least.

Ten minutes was enough time to know with certainty: Bertrand is one of my Favorite Jozi Coffeeshops.

Bertrand only opened a month ago and doesn’t seem to have a website or Facebook page yet. Follow them on Instagram. I didn’t have time to look at the menu, but Bertrand is a restaurant and bar as well as a coffeeshop. I’m guessing it’s all fantastic.