I had seen the cutest looking small coffee shop next door to 6 Spin Street restaurant on a number of occasions, but had never got to visit it. A recent opportunity presented itself to do a day-time visit to Bread Milk and Honey, which serves lots of bread in the form of sandwiches, and little milk and honey.
The historic building exterior is cuter than its interior, which is a deep narrow space with tables closest to the street and right at the end of the restaurant. It has a red-and-white striped back wall, one large food poster, a massive blackboard with the menu written on it, an old undated photograph of Church Square with horse wagons, a functional pinewood serving counter, and a very patchy looking cement floor that has lost a lot of its paint covering. The coffee shop has been open for 4 years, and belongs to Michael Knipe.
It clearly is a popular place, for businesspersons working in the area, Parliamentarians and their staff, and anyone involved with the magistrate’s court close by. It is also an extremely noisy space, the coffee machine working overtime, and because of the buzz coming from it being full. Parking is a severe restriction for the Spin Street businesses.
The ordinary laminated menu lists Breakfast options such as bacon toasties (R24), eggs (I had a very ordinary scrambled egg) served with two thinly-sliced delicious seed bread slices of toast (R22); oats (R16); oats with fruit, almonds and honey (R25), banana muesli; healthy muesli, with fresh fruit, honey and yogurt (R30); a ‘deluxe brekkie nibble”, being toast topped with rocket, Gypsy ham, poached egg, brie and wholegrain mustard; and uitsmeijter croissant”, containing gypsy ham, scrambled egg and grilled cheddar. One can also order sandwiches (R26 for mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto – R42 for a Deluxe Club smoked chicken. Toasties cost R 24 – R28. A beautiful display of unusual muffins is sold at R12, as is scones, slices of cakes, and a most interesting-looking bacon and egg pastry puff. A large selection of ready-made rye-bread sandwiches to take away clearly is popular. A cappuccino costs R15, and a “Big Daddy” one is available at R23, being a ‘quadruple shot” 500 ml one.
For lunch one can help oneself to a Melissa-style self-service buffet, weighed and charged at R12 for 100 gram. When I was there two days ago, they were serving Thai chicken curry, spinach lasagne and feta, roasted vegetables, sprout salad, raw vegetables and noodles, and Oriental raw vegetable and rice salad. Cutlery is cheap and cheerful. Service is extremely slow and reactive, and most customers seem to go to the counter to find some!
Bread, Milk and Honey, 10 Spin Street, Cape Town. Tel (021) 461-8425. No website. Twitter: @BreadMilkHoney Open Monday – Friday 6h30 – 16h00.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
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