Café
Bean There Coffee Company
Bean There, founded in 2005 as South Africa's first roaster of Fairtrade certified coffee, serves single-origin African coffees at its café in the 44 Stanley precinct.
Popo Tea House Coffee and Bakery
Popo Tea House in Rosebank is a calm patisserie and tea room known for its layered crêpe cakes in flavours such as pistachio, rose litchi and strawberry.
At a glance
- Type
- Tea house and crêpe cake patisserie
- Area
- Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
Good to know
- Crêpe cakes
- Halaal cakes
- Vegan options
- Teas and coffees
- Second branch in Rivonia
Why we recommend it
Popo Tea House Coffee and Bakery, formerly known as Iris Garden Patisserie, is a patisserie and tea room on Oxford Road in Rosebank, close to the Rosebank Art and Craft Market. It became something of a social media sensation in late 2022, when bloggers and influencers began sharing photographs of its décor and cakes, and it has stayed popular since.
The speciality is the crêpe cake: dozens of paper-thin crêpes stacked with layers of cream or filling and sliced like a gateau. Flavours have included pistachio, coconut pineapple, rose litchi and strawberry, and they change from time to time, so check the counter to see what is available. All the cakes are halaal, and there are vegan options. A range of teas and coffees is served alongside, making it a good stop for an afternoon treat.
The interior is calm and pretty, with plenty of green plants and comfortable seating, including cloud-shaped tables upstairs that feature in many of the photographs shared online. It suits friends meeting for cake, couples, families with older children and anyone with a sweet tooth. It is a good contrast to Rosebank's busier malls and coffee chains.
The Rosebank branch opens from 07:30 to 19:00 from Monday to Thursday, until 20:00 on Fridays and from 08:30 to 20:00 at weekends, according to the latest published listing; call ahead to confirm, especially on public holidays. Prices are moderate for a speciality patisserie. Whole crêpe cakes can make an unusual birthday cake, so ask about ordering in advance if you need one.
Crêpe cakes are rich, so one slice shared between two with a pot of tea is often enough. If you plan to photograph the décor, weekday mornings are usually quieter than weekend afternoons, when the upstairs tables fill.
Popo Tea House is easy to reach from Rosebank's hotels and is a short walk or ride from the Rosebank Gautrain station and Rosebank Mall. Combine it with the Rosebank Sunday Market on the mall's rooftop, or with the galleries of the Keyes Art Mile on Jan Smuts Avenue. A second branch operates at Oriental City in Rivonia.
Popo Tea House Coffee and Bakery FAQs
What is Popo Tea House known for?
Its layered crêpe cakes.
What flavours are there?
Flavours have included pistachio, coconut pineapple, rose litchi and strawberry.
Are the cakes halaal?
Yes, all cakes are halaal, and there are vegan options.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Thursday 07:30 to 19:00, Friday 07:30 to 20:00, weekends 08:30 to 20:00, according to the latest listing.
Where is it?
At 177 Oxford Road, Rosebank, near the Rosebank Art and Craft Market.
Was it called something else?
Yes, it was formerly Iris Garden Patisserie.
Is there another branch?
Yes, at Oriental City in Rivonia.
What is nearby?
Rosebank Mall, the Gautrain station and the Keyes Art Mile.