One of the best parts about the Midlands, apart from the majestic views and tight-knit community, is the exceptional coffee. We would love to celebrate three specific cafés that were selected as the regional winners of the Battle of the Beans competition recently: Lineage Coffee in Nottingham Road, Home Slice Café at The Old Mushroom Farm in Karkloof, and Next Coffee in Pietermaritzburg.
Organised by the Coffee Colab (Coffee Collaboration), a collective of coffee experts and enthusiasts, the competition spanned eight regions in KwaZulu-Natal.
Ingrid Shevlin, Coffee Colab founder, shared that the aim of the competition was to “boost the coffee industry, recognise the positive role played by coffee shops during the pandemic, which managed to survive and thrive despite restaurant closures, and to reward the coffee shops consistently producing excellent coffee with heart.”
A HANDS ON APPROACH
Lineage Coffee was founded in 2012 by Craig Charity, who was later joined by business partner Dom Marot in 2018, where they launched the Nottingham Road café. For over a decade, Lineage has been sourcing and roasting speciality coffee beans from Africa and around the globe. Craig made his mark in the coffee industry early, winning the South African Barista Championship in 2013, placing in the top 15 at the World Barista Championship in 2014, and claiming the title at the All-African Barista Championship in 2017.
A hands-on approach has always been key to their success; roasting all their café beans in-house gives them full control over quality and consistency. Dom described their barista team as one of the “most important ingredients” in the whole process. “They’re the final step in the coffee’s journey before it reaches your hands, and that moment can make or break whether you have an incredible coffee experience or not. Their passion and attention to detail are what take a great coffee and turn it into something amazing.”
“Winning this award has given us a fresh excitement to keep our standards high. Knowing that judges could be anywhere, at any time, keeps us motivated to serve exceptional coffee every single day. And, of course, we’d love to win it again!” Dom shared.
FOR THE LOVE OF COMMUNITY
Home Slice Café was founded in 2020, by two friends who shared one vision and wanted to open a dining space with community and inclusivity at heart. It is now solely owned and run by Sandy Chowles after her business partner stepped down to pursue new endeavours. From humble 15-seater beginnings, the café has grown to seat over 50 guests, serving delicious meals, fresh bread, and award-winning coffee from local Bluebird Coffee Roastery.
Their café manager, Zweli Sithole, won second place in the Red Espresso: Vote for Your Favourite Barista competition in KwaZulu-Natal in August 2022, an achievement the team is highly proud of. Additionally, they have also been unofficially dubbed as having the “Best Coffee in Howick” by their consistent and loyal community of cyclists. At Home Slice Café, every sip of coffee feels like being at home, in a relaxing and fun environment that fosters a sense of community.
“We embody consistency, care, and attention to detail. It’s the small, often tedious steps that make all the difference in crafting a consistently great cup of coffee,” shared Sandy.
A TASTE OF DUBAI
Founded in 2024 by Naasir Hoosen and Suhail Bayat, the idea of Next Coffee was born in a Dubai mall when both founders envisioned a café of their own while sipping on a cup of coffee. While still in the learning phase of growing their café, the duo has a lot to offer to the Pietermaritzburg community. They have established a space with returning regulars, creating an atmosphere where everyone can feel at home and indulge in delicious meals and award-winning coffee.
“We’re so grateful to God for everything we’ve achieved thus far. It’s an incredible honour to be nominated among the region’s best. It feels amazing to see our hard work, passion, and commitment to creating a welcoming space and serving great coffee recognised in this way.
We would like to acknowledge our team, without whom Next Coffee would not be the café it is today, and of course, our customers and community for their support. This nomination motivates us to continue improving and striving to make every visit memorable,” shared Naasir.
Contact Details:
Lineage Coffee: @lineagenotties
Home Slice café: @home_slice_café
Next Coffee: @nextcoffee_pmb
Photo Credit:
Lineage Coffee: Christen Eksteen from Olive Media
Home Slice Café: Raw Exposure
Next Coffee: Drshika Mahabeer from Ponder Marketing