Airport Road has become the epicenter of coffee shops in Juba with new ones popping up every day it seems. Some also double up as restaurants but they definitely have the coffee shop vibe. In this article we will be looking at each coffee shop to see which beans they use and what separates them from the rest.
Wow Café
Wow Café near the new Zain headquarters on Airport Road was for many the first coffee shop on the strip. The establishment opened two years ago and has been popular with the Ethiopian / Eritrean community and South Sudanese alike. They have had several revamps over the last year and they are always adding something new. The inside seated area is modern and air conditioned where the outside section has more of a traditional Ethiopian coffee house feel.
The coffee is dark roast Ethiopian made by a barista Paul and the staff are friendly. Definitely worth a visit.
In House Coffee & Bakery
In House is situated at Star Apartments opposite Fly Dubai offices. The cute little shop has a variety of coffee that they serve at request from dark roast Ethiopian to mild roast Kenyan beans. The shop also has a bakery and is well known for birthday cakes, pastries and they serve a very appetizing full English breakfast. This shop is perfect for a quiet meeting or a Saturday morning meet up with friends.
Coffee Lounge
Coffee Lounge is quite new on the scene, an air-conditioned cafe serving Ethopian coffee situated directly across from Wow Cafe. The lady barista Sylvia is doing a great job of keeping us caffeine addicts happy. The quick service and a no frills set up is just what you need for a quick meeting or a takeaway americano.
Notos Coffee Shop
The well known brand Notos who have a flagship restaurant in Juba town serving Indian and continental cuisine have recently branched out and have several coffee shops around town. The branch on Airport Road was originally in Goshen House but recently moved just around the corner to an interesting, groovy set up that doubles as a cash and carry. The warehouse that has been half converted into a coffee shop is actually a cool place to have a coffee and get some work done. The shop has an air-conditioned area where the coffee is made and also a more spacious area that is cooled by fans. Worth checking out if you are in the area
Connect Coffee
Kenyan franchise Coffee Connect is the new kid on the block and opened in June 2021. The coffee shop is situated in Goshen House and in fact it’s the exact same shop that Notos moved out from. The shop expanded and is fitted out with all the style and décor you would expect from a Nairobi Coffee House (very modern). The company roast their own beans on site and are priding themselves as the first coffee roasters in South Sudan although I think some of my aunties might be challenging this claim lol.
They have a light menu with salads and paninis and drummed up a lot of business in the first few weeks with a 50% discount on everything on the menu. We encourage more coffee shops to also incorporate these types of offers as we the customers love it.
So as each coffee shop has its own atmosphere and vibe, we will leave it to you to go and judge the coffee for yourself but would love to hear which ones you like best for our next issue. All the coffee shops are fairly priced and we think they are worth a visit whether you are a coffee lover, enjoy tea or just want a space to have a bite to eat.
by Deng Kon
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