Café
Olivia’s Kitchen
Bakery, deli and restaurant on the Am Weinberg Estate, known for breakfasts, fresh bread and cakes, and since 2024 Italian-inspired dinners with Namibian flavours.
Slowtown Coffee Roasters
Namibia's best-known specialty coffee brand, roasting in Swakopmund since 2011, with shops in central Windhoek and the Maerua and Grove malls.
At a glance
- Type
- Specialty coffee shop
- Area
- City Centre, Windhoek, Namibia
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- slowtowncoffee.com
Good to know
- Specialty coffee
- Plant milk
- Takeaway
Why we recommend it
Slowtown Coffee Roasters is the name most Namibians mention first when the conversation turns to good coffee. The company was founded in 2011 by Dennis de Wet in his home town of Swakopmund, where the first shop opened in October that year and where the roastery is still based. Windhoek followed in 2013 with a tiny unit in The Grove mall, and the brand now has several shops in the capital, including outlets in the city centre on Independence Avenue and in Maerua Mall.
The appeal is consistency. Slowtown buys its beans through a Johannesburg broker that works directly with specialty farmers and cooperatives, roasts them in Swakopmund on equipment imported from the United States, and supplies its own shops as well as hotels, restaurants, lodges and offices across the country. The company says it focuses on sourcing, equipment and systems because cutting corners at any step leads to a worse cup. The result is a consistent cup across its shops, and the same beans are supplied to hotels, restaurants and lodges around the country.
The menu covers a wide range of coffees and related hot drinks, plus snacks, and plant milks such as almond are available. Each shop has its own character, but they share a relaxed feel that makes them good places to sit for half an hour, write postcards or plan the next leg of a trip. The central branch on Independence Avenue is the most convenient for visitors exploring on foot, while the mall branches are useful if you are stocking up before a road trip.
Hours vary by branch and are not listed on the company website, so check the branch's social media or ask locally. The company also runs an office coffee service, Coffee @ Work, and supplies equipment as well as beans to hospitality businesses, so you may well come across its coffee again at lodges further along your route. Production has grown from about four tonnes of beans a month to a capacity of around 25 tonnes after a second roaster was added.
Slowtown suits solo travellers, remote workers and anyone who needs a dependable coffee before a long day. If you are heading to the coast, the Swakopmund roastery shop is worth a stop too.
Slowtown Coffee Roasters FAQs
Where are the Windhoek branches?
There are shops in the city centre on Independence Avenue, in Maerua Mall and in The Grove mall.
Where is the coffee roasted?
At the company's roastery in Swakopmund, where Slowtown was founded in 2011.
Who founded Slowtown?
Dennis de Wet, who opened the first shop in Swakopmund in October 2011.
Are plant milks available?
Yes. Almond milk has been offered as an alternative.
What are the opening hours?
They vary by branch and are not listed on the website, so check locally.
Does Slowtown supply other businesses?
Yes. It supplies coffee and equipment to hotels, restaurants and lodges, and runs an office coffee service.
Is it good for working?
Yes. The shops have a relaxed atmosphere suited to a laptop or planning session.