Awards
Recognised for the craft
From our founder's barista titles to being named KZN's top coffee shop, here's what our team has achieved since 2012.
2025
Top Coffee Shop in KZN – Battle of the Beans 2025
Battle of the Beans 2025 · Coffee Colab
Lineage Hillcrest was crowned KZN's top coffee shop, chosen by 27 incognito judges who visited more than 330 coffee shops. Presented on 30 January 2026 at the Grand White, Durban.
2025
Top three, Lower/Upper Highway region
Battle of the Beans 2025
Lineage Coffee Hillcrest named a regional finalist.
2025
Top three and Best Barista, Pietermaritzburg/Midlands region
Battle of the Beans 2025
Our former Nottingham Road café made the regional top three, and long-serving barista Mfana Zibula was named the region's best barista.
2024
First runner-up, Top Coffee Shop in KZN
Battle of the Beans 2024
Lineage Hillcrest placed second in the province, a year before taking the top spot.
[source TBC]
2024
Best Bistro (1st place), Westville
Best of Durban 2024 · Best of South Africa
Lineage Coffee Westville voted first in the Best Bistro category.
2016
Best Coffee – Durban (1st place)
Illovo Café Society Awards · Sunday Tribune
Lineage Coffee Hillcrest awarded first place for Durban.
2016
Barista Personality Award – Overall winner
Illovo Café Society Awards
Lineage barista Kgune Dlamini won the Durban and overall Barista Personality Award.
2014
15th in the world, World Barista Championship
WBC 2014 · Rimini, Italy
Founder Craig Charity represented South Africa and placed 15th of 54 national champions.
2013
South African Barista Champion
South African Barista Championship
Founder Craig Charity won the national title in November 2013.
