A local coffee shop has recently been awarded the title of Best Cafe Design 2020 for its aesthetic and welcoming design.
Legado Coffee, located on Andringa Street, received the award on 15 September during a live Instagram announcement by Coffee Magazine, a local publication that caters to coffee enthusiasts.
This award was part of the publication’s annual Coffee Magazine Awards, which celebrates the work being done by the people behind one’s daily cup of coffee.
“This is our way of highlighting those businesses and giving them the recognition they deserve,” said Melanie Winter, editor-in-chief of Coffee Magazine.
Winning the award is a testament to the Legado team having accomplished what they initially set out to achieve, said Regardt van Tonder, one of the founders of Legado.
“We tried to create a space that felt like you are walking into a cafe in New York or Paris. We wanted the space to be aesthetically beautiful, but not to the point where clientele feel intimidated to sit down and enjoy the space and the quality of the product,” said Van Tonder.
Legado Coffee is situated in Andringa street, within a historic building. PHOTO: Supplied/Willem Boshoff.
Why Legado?
A panel of around 70 judges, consisting of coffee professionals from around the country, voted for Legado to win this award, said Winter.
“The attention to detail is impeccable, from every different texture and surface used to create the bar…to the beautifully selected greenery and carefully placed lighting, each touch welcomes you in and invites you to stay awhile with your delicious coffee,” she said.
Although there were no official criteria that needed to be met to win this award, aesthetics and functionality of the design are both important factors, said Winter.
“A cafe that is built with service in mind and also looks beautiful will always do well in this category,” she said.
According to one of the founders of the coffee shop, Regardt van Tonder, the public’s response toward the win has been humbling and better than they could have imagined. PHOTO: Supplied/Willem Boshoff.
No simple task
Along with a very tight budget, there was the constraint of the cafe being housed within a historic building, said Esti-Mari Bruwer, interior designer for the project, and the wife of one of the founders. According to Bruwer, this initially affected the scope of the design.
“We had to use the skeleton of the old building as it was,” she said.
Nonetheless, the team aimed to create something that was fresh, young, and hip, said Bruwer.
“As a designer, it has also forced me to think outside of the box and be more creative, which I loved,” she said.
According to Esti-Mari Bruwer, interior designer for the project, the Legado team did not want to replicate what was already out there. Instead, they wanted to create something unique, she said. PHOTO: Supplied/Willem Boshoff.