When in Port Elizabeth ..... Vovo Telo

One morning during our Oubos vacation, I drove to Port Elizabeth to pick up my husband and a friend from the airport. Their flight only landed after lunchtime, so it was the perfect opportunity to spend the morning with my friend Korien, who moved to PE a couple of years ago from Johannesburg. She proudly showed me her favourite spots in the city and it was great to see PE through her eyes.

Korien took me to leafy Richmond Hill and the trendy Stanley Street. I loved it!!! Richmond Hill is one of the most historic parts of Port Elizabeth and just a couple of years ago, a few clever people started to transform some of the dilapidated buildings in the area. Today it is one of the premier restaurant districts in the city, filled with good restaurants, coffee shops and deli’s. Stanley Street is probably the busiest street in this neighbourhood. Korien tells me that the property prices in the area reflect that trendiness very accurately!

We ended up at Vovo Telo (2 cappuccinos each and lots of chatting!), Mastertons (the customers here are so excited about the roastery, lots of coffee-chat in front of the till with other customers who want to share their passion for the coffee), Cupboard love (more talking to the lovely owners) and Posh Pancakes (the two of us chatted so much that we never looked at the time, totally missed the flight and was super chuffed to see it was delayed!). So, as you can see, a perfect morning – lots of browsing in shops, lots of caffeine and lots of quality time with a lovely friend.

Let’s start with Vovo Telo. I’ve shared with you before my excitement when the franchise opened in the Cresta Shopping Centre, where my own shop is located (you can read about it here). The Richmond Hill café is not just another franchise, it is actually the original store. They first opened just as an artisan bakery in an old house in a not-yet-so-trendy neighbourhood. The smell of freshly baked bread started to draw people and later customers started bringing their own fillings for the freshly baked bread that they ate on the stoep. So, a few tables and chairs later with a cup of coffee on offer and as they say, the rest is history.

Vovo Telo
Corner of Raleigh and Irvine Street
Richmond Hill
Port Elizabeth

You can visit their website here or like their Facebook page.

Image credits: All photography by me