Flatmountain Roasters is a newly opened espresso bar located at 101 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock. Now, admittedly I’m more of a tea fairy myself, but something about these guys and their passion for Cape Town and craft culture resonated with me.
Not to mention the fact that they roast their beans on-site intrigued me endlessly. My mind was running rampant with thoughts of a Willy Wonker themed coffee factory, complete with singing oompah loompahs and all!
Having officially opened their doors with a successful launch shin-dig on Saturday, September 27th, I thought I’d get the lowdown straight from the coffee outfit themselves.
 
What makes Flatmountain Roasters different from the horde of other artisan coffee roasters in Cape Town?
“We focus on community at our espresso bar. That ethic filters through to the clients we stock and work alongside with. We just sincerely love talking about coffee and getting people passionate about its history and experience.”
How did your passion for coffee come about and what inspired you to enter the very competitive coffee roasting market?
“Our passion for coffee was first inspired by our love for Africa. We appreciate what we have so close to us. Being from Cape Town, sharing that passion through an incredible coffee experience was something that we wanted to offer through Flatmountain. We don’t mind the competitiveness; in fact it pushes us to search for authenticity and to fall in love with coffee each day again.”
NOTE: Flatmountain only roast and sell beans sourced from Africa!
 
What coffee machine do you use in the coffee shop and why?
“We use an Athena Leva. It’s a legendary, rare machine that allows us complete hands-on control when making coffee. It helps that it’s sexy as well!”
There’s so many home brewing toys available nowadays! What do you reckon is the best way to make a good coffee at home?
“I can imagine it’s like giving a woman a closet full of clothes and asking her to choose an outfit! It comes down to how you like to drink your coffee. We tend to mix it up. If it’s just for you, the Aeropress is great, otherwise a Chemex is good to share, and it looks stunning.”

What’s your ideal cuppa?
“That’s a tricky one! Haha! It all depends on the mood we’re in or the type of origin we have in our hopper on the day. Mostly cortados and espressos.
Flatmountain offer a wide range of coffee products including coffee beans (ground and not), as well as coffee brewing equipment. Their variety of snacks and food is set to expand with the launch of their upstairs social bar within the next few months, so keep your ears pricked for that.
Flatmountain coffee is stocked at a few other spots including Wembley Tap, The Blend, and Reload Espresso Bar in Parklands. But be sure to make a point of visiting the home of Flatmountain in Woodstock. The trendy, industrial décor alone is worth it!
THE DETAILS
Open:
 Mon – Fri, 6:30am – 3:30pm
Saturday, 9am – 1:00pm
 Wifi: Yes
Keep up with Flatmountain’s journey by following them on Twitter and liking them on Facebook!

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