Around the World with Café Prestige

With summer’s blinding heat come cocktails at Café Prestige. 

Already a sweet al fresco spot for good coffee and great wine, the minimalist monochrome eatery returns from the rollercoaster of lockdown with extended opening hours and a taste of Italy, France, Cuba, Britain and New Orleans.

Though travel is currently beyond the wisdom and means of many, Café Prestige has you covered for destination drinks. Currently serving their take on an Aperol Spritz, French 75, gin fizz, the mojito as well as a customizable gin and tonic, the café is all set for the wanderlust of summer.

“We’ve always kind of taglined our business as bringing the world to Windhoek and I think we have a great opportunity to do this with our food and our beverage menu,” says Café Prestige’s director of communications Johnathan Fong. 

“We launched cocktails as a result of customers’ requests and because not everyone likes wine like we do. I also think there is an opportunity with cocktails to introduce really diverse and unique flavours. 

“We have more classic cocktails like the mojito and the gin and tonic but we also wanted to have drinks that locals may not have had a chance to try before but will fall in love with.”

For those imagining Italy, there is the vibrant Aperol Spritz. Traditionally a blend of  Aperol, Prosecco and club soda, this rejuvenating drink is typically served as an aperitif but is also delicious with a selection of snacks like Café Prestige’s meat and cheese platter.

“The Aperol Spritz is refreshing, easy drinking and something you could have during a lunch meeting,” says Café Prestige managing partner, Hanan Paikin before commenting on their predominantly gin-based cocktails.

“We know that gin is popular in Namibia but perhaps these specific cocktails are drinks you experienced when you travelled but you don’t regularly have access to here at home. A French 75 is something I haven’t seen in town and it’s John’s favourite.”

In terms of whisking you away, the French 75 is said to have originated at The New York Bar in Paris in the 1900s. Made with gin, champagne (sparkling wine), fresh lemon and sugar, this sexy little drink is named for the French 75mm field gun because, like the weapon, it packs one hell of punch. 

Just as delicious is Café Prestige’s grapefruit gin fizz which is their take on New Orleans’ classic blend of fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, club soda and egg white.

Bringing us to Britain (unfortunately, amidst its colonisation of India) is their good old gin tonic. The drink was originally conceived as a way to imbibe bitter anti-malarial quinine which was sweetened in a tonic of water and sugar then topped with a little gin for the love it.

Also medical in its manifestation is Cuba’s mojito which is said to have originated as a rum-like moonshine blended with mint, lime and sugar cane and swigged to stave off illness.

Each well-made, perfectly balanced and with chickpea based aquafaba standing in for traditional raw egg white, cocktails at Café Prestige are luscious, lovely and generously served.

“If you’re really itching to leave the house but don’t want to feel overwhelmed by too stressful an environment, we’ve designed our space, even pre-pandemic, as a safe, open and airy place,” says Fong who shares plans for an incoming late night menu as well as pairings for the cocktails.

“This space is for anyone who wants to be in a really relaxed, really chill, safe and  inclusive environment with or without a friend. From our food to our cocktails, Café Prestige is a very conscious curation, all you need is to give us a try.”