Shift Espresso bar | Waterway House — Restaurant in V&A Waterfront

This is a fabulous spot located on the canals in the City of Cape Town. Warm, inviting and pet friendly.. the buzzing atmosphere tempts you to stay longer. Fresh bakes on display and the most enticing aroma of freshly ground coffee beans … blissful.

As this spot is on the canal and on the main thoroughfare to the big City it makes for the perfect stop for breakfast or coffee stop when venturing the area.

We were promptly seated and ordered breakfast for four … two of the same items … toasted ham & cheese and the man size breakfast … (waiter had to confirm a few times… 3 to be exact) .. no worries looking forward to coffee … One Caffe Latte arrived then the Chai Latte and I was desperately seeking my masterful Cappuccino which was forgotten but brought round later.

It has been Covid and in this time of uncertainty a lot can be excused absolutely.. we will carry on looking forward to breakfast..

Beautifully presented on black plates .. absolutely enticing and visually appealing. Toasted sandwich came with cream cheese .. not appreciated by the 8 year old … but nevertheless.. it was good.

Breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, mushrooms and tomato were fantastic. Sadly the bacon could not be cut with my serrated steak knife which I proved to the waiter while laughing hysterically… he said he would speak to the Chef .. sadly he never returned. Only to bring the bill.

Would have been great to get some feedback regarding the bacon on both plates. But we will blame the current situation .. rest was awesome.

Cappuccino was beautiful.

Only other annoyance which is not a critique but more of a request is to have salt and pepper we had two salt one which came out so fast we got over salted. The request for tomato sauce, honey and chili was brought after two requests and then during the meal our tomato sauce was removed never to be seen again … little things but silly annoyances they remain.

Will return again as the concept and vibe is good. Perhaps a bad morning … but forgivable...

My recent experience at this otherwise stunning tourist location was nothing short of an absolute disgrace, a profound betrayal of what any patron expects from an establishment in the hospitality industry. It is frankly appalling that such a magnificent setting is marred by a level of service so egregiously unprofessional that it borders on contemptible. To arrive with two young children and be served a burnt toastie so inedible it was relegated to pet food is a fundamental failure. Yet, this pales in comparison to the truly shocking ineptitude of the staff. My coffee order, ignored and requiring a direct reminder, finally arrived only to be spilled within seconds by my two-year-old—a common occurrence with young children. The utter lack of initiative displayed by the waitress, who cleaned up the spill (only after being prompted across an empty cafe) without offering a replacement, demonstrates a breathtaking indifference to customer experience. To then be charged for a spilled coffee that was not touched, while staff brazenly help themselves to free beverages behind the coffee machines while on their phones, exposes a hypocritical and insulting policy.

The incidents continued to spiral: a still water served in a soap-laden glass (the water bubbled with soap as I poured it), with no offer of a replacement, speaks to a shocking disregard for basic hygiene and customer well-being. And the claim that oranges are out of season in June is not merely incorrect; it is a testament to a profound ignorance of fundamental food industry knowledge.

In its entirety, my visit was an unpleasant, inhospitable ordeal. It is abundantly clear that guests are not treated as such, but rather as an inconvenience. Until this establishment rectifies its abysmal service standards and genuinely embraces the principles of hospitality, it remains an experience to be vehemently avoided. From a quick online search, I don’t seem to stand alone in my...

I used to love coming here, as the food and coffee have always been excellent. Unfortunately, the service has significantly declined since they started handling breakfast for the City Lodge Hotel next door.

I came in for breakfast today, hopeful for the same great experience, but it was a disappointment. After sitting down, I waited for over 15 minutes without receiving a menu or any attention from the staff. Despite asking someone for help, no one seemed interested or bothered to assist me. Eventually, I gave up and left.

It wasn’t just me—other customers were clearly frustrated as well, some having to call out to the staff multiple times before they were acknowledged or served. It’s clear the restaurant is overwhelmed and unable to provide the same level of care to regular customers while managing hotel breakfasts.

To sum up: the food and coffee are still good, but the service has become slow, inattentive, and frustrating. If you decide to visit, prepare for a long wait and a...