West Coast Farm Stall, near Yzerfontein

Yes indeed, that does look like a different kind of coffee shop! This has to be one of the zaniest, most surreal places I have visited on my quest for that ten out of ten cup of Americano! And to think we almost didn't visit it! My friend Viv and I were on a short trip to view the spring wild-flower extravaganza in the area and needed a caffeine shot.

Check out the sign at the entrance to the farmstall - Visit our lions! And there's a similar sign introducing a tiger or two. We couldn't believe our eyes and decided we really needed some coffee to clear our heads. Just take a look at the froth on that cappuccino! Impressive, hey. 

But before we got to the coffee, we made even more discoveries. Walking through this seriously quirky place, past all the preserves and crafts (now minus one lime green bag that one of us could not resist...) and out through the back door, we were hit with a kaleidoscope of vivid and noisy parrots of every description, all looking very chirpy and full of the joys of spring in their spacious cages.

 I'm vehemently anti birds, or for that matter anything, in cages, but this place is different, somehow, created and fitted with care for the birds' welfare. Trying to take photos of the birds and fight off some cheeky attempts to pinch the strap on my camera, and avoiding some vicious looking talons and beaks, I heard the muted roar of a lion. Ha, I said to Viv, that's a sound track, can't be the real thing. But it was, as I found out later.

The owner, something of an eco warrior, runs a game farm in the area and breeds white lions, one or two of which can be viewed in the enclosure behind the parrots, every hour on the hour. But, pressed for time, we drank our coffee, bought some home-made biscuits and hit the high road to the nature reserve, where we saw plenty of game, albeit not lions, running wild and free.

If you happen to be cruising along the west coast, make a point of dropping in here to see a coffee shop with a difference.