Café
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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.
Craft Bistro at the Namibia Craft Centre
Café inside the Namibia Craft Centre at the Old Breweries, serving coffee, cakes and fresh light meals between rounds of craft shopping.
At a glance
- Type
- Café and bistro
- Area
- Old Breweries, City Centre, Windhoek, Namibia
- Price
- $ · Budget
Good to know
- Cakes
- Coffee
- Light meals
- Balcony seating
Why we recommend it
The café inside the Namibia Craft Centre is one of the most pleasant places in central Windhoek to take a break. Long known as the Craft Café, it was refurbished and has more recently been described by Travel News Namibia as the Craft Bistro. It sits within the centre's three-level space in the Old Breweries building on Tal Street, so it is easy to combine with an hour or two of shopping for baskets, jewellery and textiles from the shops downstairs.
The menu is straightforward and well liked. Travel News Namibia has praised the cakes, coffees and cappuccinos, and describes a menu of fresh, varied dishes for breakfast and lunch. Earlier coverage noted a shaded outdoor balcony as well as indoor seating close to the craft stalls, and the comfortable couches inside make it a good spot to sit and rest after the heat of the streets.
The building itself adds interest. The Old Breweries complex was put up for brewer Karl Bauer, whose brewery was dedicated in 1902 and expanded between 1912 and 1914 to keep up with demand. The industrial-style interior of the craft centre, with its mezzanine gallery, retains some of that character, and its redesign by Kelly MacNamara Architects won an award. Since 1990 the space has been home to Namibian crafters, and today it is run by the Omba Arts Trust. The Namibian has reported that the centre receives between 25,000 and 35,000 visitors a year.
Opening hours are not published online, so check locally, especially on Sundays and public holidays. Late morning and lunchtime can be busy when tour groups visit the centre; mid-afternoon is usually calmer. Prices are reasonable for the city centre, and it is a relaxed place for solo travellers, families and anyone waiting for a lift or a tour pickup.
The café is within walking distance of Independence Avenue, or a short taxi ride from most hotels. Pair a visit with shopping in the craft centre, whose roughly 40 shops sell mostly Namibian-made work and largely support women's projects and cooperatives, then continue to the Christuskirche and the Independence Memorial Museum on Robert Mugabe Avenue for an easy half day in the centre.
Craft Bistro at the Namibia Craft Centre FAQs
Where is the café?
Inside the Namibia Craft Centre in the Old Breweries building on Tal Street.
Is it the same as the Craft Café?
Yes. The long-running Craft Café has been refurbished and is now referred to as the Craft Bistro.
What does it serve?
Coffee, cappuccinos, cakes and a menu of fresh light meals.
Is there outdoor seating?
Earlier coverage describes a shaded balcony as well as indoor seating.
When is it quietest?
Mid-afternoon is usually calmer than late morning, when tour groups visit.
Can I combine it with shopping?
Yes. It sits within the craft centre, which has around 40 craft shops.
What are the opening hours?
They are not published online, so check locally.