This corner coffee shop is a neighbourhood institution

Story of community, connection and the people behind the counter

Last updated: Friday 26 June 2026

Six weeks after his first daughter, Isabella, was born, Mikhael Bou Rjeily opened a coffee shop. Nearly 14 years later, the blend named after her is still behind mischu's award-winning coffee, and the babies who once arrived in strollers have grown up alongside the café. What started as a Sea Point coffee shop is now a neighbourhood institution and the quiet force behind cafés, restaurants and hospitality spaces across the province.

The kind of place where the baristas know your name – and your dog’s. Image: mischu

THE COFFEE SHOP PEOPLE RETURN TO

Over the years, mischu has become woven into the routines of Sea Point locals.

Customers stop in before work, couples settle into their usual corner table, and families return year after year. 

Mikhael describes mischu as part of the Sea Point extended family: Regulars share holiday plans before they leave town and stop in with updates when they return. When a child is sick, staff often hear about it, and when a new baby arrives, chances are the team will meet them soon enough.

That extended family keeps growing. Customers bring friends, then partners. The toddlers who once came in for baby chinos now meet friends over cappuccinos and flat whites.

You’ll also see dog walkers stop by on their way to the Promenade (yes, furry friends are welcome). Image: mischu

THE AWARD-WINNING COFFEE BEHIND IT ALL

The coffee and that signature Isabella blend came long before the coffee shop. 

By the time mischu opened in 2012, Mikhael had already been training baristas across the Western Cape while working in the coffee industry. “The aim was to bring people together over a good cup of coffee that they will remember,” he says.

Over the years, the coffee has earned titles including Best Cappuccino in South Africa, Best Cappuccino in Cape Town, Best Espresso in Cape Town and Best Coffee in Cape Town. 

Customers can also buy beans, ground coffee and pods to enjoy at home via mischu online.

If you’re not a coffee fan, you can try their hot chocolate and iced matcha drinks. Image: mischu

R119 BREAKFAST, BAKERY & PASTRIES

While coffee brings people in, the menu gives them plenty of reasons to stay.

Breakfast remains one of the biggest draws, especially the eggs benedict and flat white special for R119.

The bakery has also quickly developed its own following. For Mikhael, it ties back to childhood memories of growing up in Lebanon. “The two smells I remember most are coffee and pastries,” he says.

The team prepares the croissants, pain au chocolat and flatbreads in-house. Regulars know to arrive early for sourdough bread, which often sells out by around 11am, while popular pastries like crookies can disappear from the display before lunchtime on busy weekends.

The meals are just as much of a draw as the coffee. Image: mischu

QUIET FORCE BEHIND SMALL BUSINESSES

Although most know mischu as their local coffee shop, its influence stretches far beyond Regent Road.  

Over the past two decades, Mikhael and his baristas have trained over 5 000 baristas and worked with hospitality businesses across South Africa, helping them refine their coffee offering, upskill staff and build sustainable operations.

Today, mischu coffee is served everywhere from neighbourhood cafés in the Western Cape and pit stops along the N1. Closer to home, you'll find mischu coffee at Strolla, Sotano, Camps Bay Social Club, The Deli, Cookie Co., Oude Werf and Dip & Share, among many others.

As Mikhael puts it, you can order a cup at mischu in Sea Point, at Whistling Bridge near Three Sisters or at Roots Clay in Kaw-Zulu Natal and expect the same quality in the cup.

There are many coffee shops in the province, and serving some of the best coffee helps you be found by more people. Image: mischu

VISIT MISCHU IN SEA POINT 

mischu is open: Monday to Saturday, 6:45am to 5:30pm (4:30pm in winter); Sunday & public holidays, 7:30am to 5:00pm (4:30pm in winter)
Find it: 85 Regent Road, Sea Point
Contact on: 076 379 1693, mischu website, @mischucoffee

By Khadeeja Adams 

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