Looking for the perfect café at which to enjoy a quick breakfast or lingering lunch? Whether you prefer a leafy table tucked away in the suburbs or a spot on the beachfront, we’ve saved you the search by compiling a list of great cafés in your area. For this list, we consulted the 2015 Eat Out 500 (the top restaurant in South Africa featured in Eat Out magazine.

Antique Café (Morningside)

This eccentric café offers both traditional breakfasts and decadent lunches. Try the corn fritters topped with salmon, avo and crème fraîche or settle for a lighter meal with a homemade quiche or cous cous salad with roasted vegetables, feta, pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes and onion marmalade. The average main meal is R50 and corkage is R40.

Chuck & Bob’s Charcuterie (Morningside)

Simon Hemingway and Roché Dry won a 2011 Eat In Produce Award for their charcuterie and this eatery and deli is where they serve their home-cured meats. Meals draw on traditional Italian, French and Spanish methods. Try a breakfast of green eggs and ham, a fritta with chorizo, served with a pea, basil and tomato salad, or order the bacon butty made with honey-cured bacon, mustard and mayo. The eatery also hosts Tapas Thursdays that run from 3pm to 7pm. The average main meal is R75 and corkage is R45.

Freedom Café (Greyville)

Enjoy light, flavourful dishes with a noticeable Asian influence at Freedom Café. The all-day breakfasts include a buttermilk pancake stack and zucchini fritters served on rocket with mushrooms, parmesan sauce and a poached egg. For lunch, order the prawn rolls with nuoc cham dipping sauce or succulent pulled pork served on a brioche bun with hand cut fries. The average main meal is R65 and corkage is R35.

Glenwood Bakery (Glenwood)

Glenwood Bakery. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Home of Adam Robinson’s artisan breads, this rustic bakery offers an uncomplicated menu that changes frequently according to produce availability. Monday is pizza night, but during the week you could stumble across ciabatta with goat’s cheese, roasted tomato, olives and rocket or a hot dog with a twist. The bakery also makes its own ice cream with flavours ranging from chocolate mint to ruby grapefruit. The average main meal is R45.

Market (Morningside)

The menu features all-day breakfasts and casual lunch items with a focus on locally sourced organic ingredients. Order a sandwich topped with avo, brie, streaky bacon and red onion marmalade or a combination of grilled halloumi, avo, red pesto and rocket. The average main meal is R95 and corkage is R45.

Parc Café (Glenwood)

A dish at Parc Cafe. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Fun, fresh and down-to-earth, Parc Café offers an eclectic lunch menu featuring creative dishes like the Vietnamese chicken and ribbon vegetable salad or red wine-poached pear salad with blue cheese, flaked almonds, pickled ginger and rocket salad. You can also choose from a variety of gourmet sandwiches and a soup and quiche of the day. The average main meal is R65 and corkage is R35.

Sprigs (Kloof)

Headed up by sisters Clare and Fiona Ras, this deceptively simple café was the life force behind the vegetarian revolution in Durban. The vegetarian-friendly lunch buffet changes daily and the new deli offers a more meat-focused gourmet sandwich menu featuring combos such as roasted pork belly with fennel and apple chutney; and parma ham with roasted brinjal, pesto and taleggio cheese. The average main meal is R75.

Vigour and Verve (Snell Parade)

Durban flavours appear alongside wholesome meals at this gourmet café on the scenic Snell Parade. Lamb shank and steaks are hearty favourites while the fish ‘n chips pizza with flaked salmon, caper berries, new potatoes and crème fraîche puts a creative spin on a classic. The average main meal is R83 and corkage is R45.

For this list, we consulted the 2015 Eat Out 500, the top restaurant in South Africa featured in Eat Out magazine.