Visiting De Baba Eatery was like stepping into a vibrant, living canvas. Something about walking into De Baba Eatery, felt like the adult equivalent, of a child rushing to get onto their favourite jungle gym. This full-of-personality cafe is on the corner of the 7th street, in Melville Johannesburg is known for its beautiful riot of primary colours, red, yellow, blues and greens, each hue found in a rainbow. How can you not want to step into this space ? Like a child anticipating the fun they will have on a jungle gym, I eagerly couldn’t wait to get inside, excited to explore De Baba’s technicolor world.
To me this space personifies that one person in your life who stands out effortlessly, who is super colourful, free-spirited, and exudes an incredibly welcoming energy. I also found that the customers reflect this vibe perfectly, often dressed in eclectic styles that add to the cafe’s dynamic atmosphere. Every corner has so much charisma, you can't help but explore. From vibrant murals, to unique decor pieces, each part of the cafe tells its own story. Be it the art on the walls or the charmingly mismatched chairs and tables, every detail invites you to explore and discover the creative spirit that defines this space.
The menu at De Baba Eatery is beautifully decadent. It was so difficult for me to decide on the perfect pastry I wanted to pair with my Americano - all of them looked too good. They had savoury and sweet pastries, all freshly baked in-house (if you’re lucky, you’ll catch the chef rolling dough, in preparation for a new batch). Finally, I decided on a Pain au chocolat, to pair alongside my black Americano.
De Baba uses coffee from TriBeCa, a dark roast blend, made up of Ethiopian, Brazilian, and Honduran coffee beans. My coffee was made by baristas who had an in-depth understanding of the beans they use. They carefully crafted the perfect espresso for me to experience all that their blend is capable of. The coffee was rich, and featured chocolatey hazelnut flavours, which paired so well with the pastry. A combination so good, I considered ordering a second round. A satisfying experience, perfect for coffee connoisseur and casual drinkers alike.
This eatery is a true celebration of colour, creativity, and craftsmanship, it's a space where you can unwind and get inspired. Naturally, colourful things have a unique ability to uplift and inspire and this is so felt in De Baba Eatery, it’s magnetic to all good things and in a city filled with numerous coffee spots, De Baba is on its own unique frequency.
