Looking for the perfect treat on a chilly autumn day in Cape Town? Head to one of our favourite local pâtisseries for a steaming cup of coffee and fresh Cape Town croissants.
These delicious pastries are a type of French pastry that originated in France, known for their distinctive crescent shape and flaky texture. The dough is rolled and folded with butter before it’s shaped into triangles, proofed, and baked until golden brown. While they’re often enjoyed on their own, they can also be filled with a variety of sweet or savory fillings like chocolate, ham and cheese, or almond paste. Despite their popularity worldwide, they’re still regarded as a quintessential French pastry.
Satisfy Your Cravings with Cape Town Croissants: Our Top Picks
Café Paris
The trendy suburb of Green Point is home to a number of restaurants, cafes, and eateries. One of our favourites is the unassuming Café Paris located at 53 Main Road. The small cafe serves a large selection of French-inspired pâtisseries, including freshly baked croissants, freshly baked in-store, in addition to its a la carte menu. We highly recommend these croissants here, the almond ones in particular. Flavoursome, buttery pastry, filled with almond praline and sprinkled with toasted almonds, it’s clear why locals queue up for these treats on weekend mornings.
Travel Tip
Grab a takeaway cappuccino and croissant and stroll down to the Green Point Promenade where you can enjoy views of the ocean and Green Point Lighthouse.
The nearby Green Point Urban Park is also worth a visit. This large park features rolling lawns, beautifully landscaped gardens, and views of Signal Hill. We highly recommend exploring the wetlands area and the Biodiversity Trail to learn more about Western Cape flora.
Distance from POD Camps Bay
10 – 15-minute drive
Olympia Bakery and Café
The ever-popular Olympia Café and Bakery is situated across from the harbour in the quaint seaside village of Kalk Bay. This is a well-established eatery that has spent 20 years perfecting its seasonal menu and delicious pastries. Olympia Café is always cosy and chaotic, with an excellent menu supplemented with fresh bread and baked goods from their own bakery.
If you find the cafe too frenetic, the Olympia Bakery is located directly behind the cafe with a separate entrance next to the parking lot on Boyes Drive Road. Here you can see production in action and view the enormous selection of baked goods as the trolleys are wheeled out of the ovens. The bakery does coffees and takeaways and has a few rustic benches set up outside the entrance overlooking the harbour.
When visiting Olympia Bakery we recommend the ham and cheese croissant, one of our favourite croissants. These golden-brown beauties are crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, and filled with a generous portion of ham and Emmental cheese. For vegetarians, the spinach and feta croissants are a real treat and, for those with a sweet tooth, the chocolate, almond, and custard croissants are equally as delicious. Patrons also recommend their lemon tarts, cinnamon sticks, and towering custard slices.
Travel Tip
There is a lovely coastal walk that stretches from Kalk Bay Harbour all the way to Muizenberg. This offers fantastic views of False Bay and is a flat and easy 5km walk. If you enjoy more of a challenge, take your croissant up the outdoor flight of stairs near Olympia Café, cross Boyes Drive, and walk up into Echo Valley. This trail winds through milkwood forests, caves and small waterfalls. The views from the top of the mountain looking over Kalk Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are spectacular.
Distance from POD Camps Bay
45-minute drive
Coco Safar Cotour Espresso and Pâtisserie
Coco Safar Cotour Espresso and Pâtisserie started out in Sea Point where it quickly gained a reputation as Cape Town’s go-to spot for the perfect croissant. Their bakery boasts an impressive array of decadent croissants including:
Cape Town’s famous croissants
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The Caramel Peppermint Crisp Croissant.
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The Croissant de Nata – a combination of a Pastel de Nata and croissant.
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Tiramisu croissant – stuffed with coffee and mascarpone flavoured custard.
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Activated Charcoal Croissant – a great detox option.
For a change of scenery try out the new Coco Safar bakeries that have opened around Cape Town.
There is now a pâtisserie conveniently located at the V&A Waterfront. This is a 15-minute drive from POD Camps Bay.
Another store has opened at Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate. Enjoy an early morning ride at the Constantia Uitsig Bike Park before refueling with a Coco Safar croissant. Constantia Uitsig is roughly a 30-minute drive through the Cape Town Winelands from POD Camps Bay.
If you’re staying at POD hotel in Camps Bay and have a hankering for some delectable pastries, where should you go? We highly recommend checking out Café Paris, Olympia Bakery and Café, and Coco Safar Cotour Espresso and Pâtisserie. These local haunts offer some of the best French-inspired pastries in Cape Town, from buttery croissants to towering custard slices. Don’t miss out on the chance to grab a takeaway cappuccino and croissant and stroll down to the Green Point Promenade or take a scenic walk along the coastal path from Kalk Bay to Muizenberg.
