Martin Ferreira and Yusuf Omar first got our attention back in 2015 with their designer éclairs and custom celebration cakes (V8 cake or geode wedding cake, anyone?) made out of their factory in Wynberg. Last year, the team opened up a retail store in Emmarentia. Now the dream team is set to open a second branch in Greenside, at 137 Greenway – with even more treats on the menu, and options for vegans and the gluten-intolerant, too.

Martin has become known for acing the highly technical eclair. Photo by TGC Photography.

The new spot will boast a pastry counter – think colourful croissants filled with milk chocolate mousse, cronuts, mini desserts and those gourmet éclairs – as well as offering custom high teas, quick bites with coffee, and sit-down meals. All of this has been dreamt up by Swiss-trained pastry chef Martin Ferreira and his talented sous chef and wife, Michelle.

In addition to full-size celebration cakes, the new cafe will also offer miniature versions – great for indecisive dessert fans. Photo by TCG Photography.

The second floor will be dedicated to sit-down meals – think dishes like Shanghai prawn coated in prawn candy (designed to resemble pop rocks on a stick), and a super faux-cheesy vegan burger with sweet potato fries. In fact, vegans are very well taken care of in general – think Buddha bowls, a deconstructed falafel and vegan sweets and sours, packaged to go.

The new café will open with a unicorn-themed bang on 1 June, with special unicorn cakes, doughnuts, cronuts, cake pops and mini cakes – all available for the month of June.

One of Cafe Patisse’s crazy cakes. Photo by TCG Photography.

If that’s not enough to get you excited, the team also has another new offering to unveil: ice cream. Theirs will be made using a classic French recipe that the team has modernised. Think fluffy, tasty, nougatine-style scoops filled with nuts and other goodies in flavours like honey, rose, pistachio and chocolate – all made with organic cream.

The team has also recently added bread to their repertoire. Be on the lookout for the artisanal range, offering everything from soft rolls to sourdough. For the gluten-fearing, there are gluten-free breads, rolls, cakes, cupcakes, cake pops and even pizza. Like its sister store, the Greenside branch is fully halaal certified.

Martin Ferreira trained in Switzerland and worked in France before returning to South Africa and opening Cafe Patisse in 2015. Photo by TCG Photography.

Café Patisse’s first retail outlet in Emmarentia has also had a makeover and continues to pull in pastry fans with its glorious treats and beautiful breads.