If you’re not an early bird who believes breakfast is the most important meal of the day, rest assured Gauteng has some great cafés and restaurants serving up all-day breakfasts, as well as that winning combination of belated breakfasts and leisurely lunches – or, simply put, brunch. So here are some of the best bets for that blissful brunch in your city.

Crawdaddy’s (Brooklyn, Menlyn and Centurion)

Started by Ryan Blon and Rion Zan Der Heerden in 1995, Crawdaddy’s is well-known for its high-quality seafood and steaks, as well as its eclectic spread of popular brunch items like ribs, prawns, steaks and curries. The restaurant has seven branches, but currently only the Brooklyn, Menlyn and Centurion outlets are open for dine-in, delivery and take-away. The menu has been modified for lockdown.

Open: 11am to 8pm, seven days a week.

Delivery: Orders can be placed on the Crawdaddy’s app or on Uber Eats. Delivery radius is 10 km and a delivery fee of R50 is charged for orders under R250.

The Fat Zebra (Linden)

Dean Snyman, current proprietor of this five-year-old restaurant, attributes its popularity to the fact that it’s “proudly Linden”, sourcing all its ingredients from the local Linden community. Popular for its breakfast and brunch classics like the eggs Benedict and crumpet stack, the restaurant is open for dine-in, delivery and take-away, with weekly special offers.

Open: Tuesdays to Saturdays (8am to 12noon) and Sundays (8am to 2pm). Closed on Mondays.

Delivery: Orders can be placed on the restaurant’s website, through its Facebook or Instagram page, or on Uber Eats. Delivery radius is 3 km, with a R10 delivery fee per kilometre outside Linden.

Address: 71 7th Street, Linden, Randburg. Call 067 403 1896 for more details.

Fat Zebra’s crumpet stack, photo supplied

Fresh Earth Food Store (Emmarentia)

Vegan and vegetarian-friendly, this 15-year-old eatery boasts an extensive meat-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and allergen-friendly menu. The eatery is known for all-day brunch classics – like the halloumi breakfast, scrambled tofu on toast, breakfast rack, wraps and burgers – that can be enjoyed in the little green patch outside the store, collected for take-away or delivered to your doorstep. Watch out for weekly special offers every Friday. Proprietor Matthew Ballenven intends to open a new branch in Blairgowrie this October, extending the delicious fare and well-stocked health-food store’s area of operation.

Open: Mondays to Saturdays (8am to 5pm) and Sundays (8am to 3pm).

Delivery: Orders can be placed on the website and Facebook page or through Uber Eats or Mr. D Food. Delivery fee is R20 for within 5 km and R60 up to 8 km.

Address: 103 Komatie Road Emmarentia, Johannesburg. Call 011 646 4404 for more details.

Fresh Earth’s halloumi breakfast, photo supplied

Pablo’s (Sandton)

Melville’s go-to breakfast spot, Pablo-Eggs-Go-Bar shut down last month after four years in business, then reopened on 12 August at Sandton’s Mint Hotel. Rechristened Pablo’s, the restaurant now has a smaller breakfast and brunch menu. However, as per proprietor Louis Roux, perennial favourites like the shakshuka, eggs and soldiers, and their signature sweet breakfast are still all very much available on the new menu. They’re open for dine-in, take-away, room service (for hotel guests) and delivery, plus they’re offering a 15% discount until 1 October if you call the restaurant directly for order collection.

Open: Wednesdays to Mondays (7am to 3.30pm) for breakfast, brunch and lunch (closed on Tuesdays).

Delivery: 5 km delivery radius with Uber Eats.

Address: Pablo’s, The Mint Hotel, 84 Katherine Street, Sandown, Sandton, Johannesburg. Call 078 206 4463 for more details.

Pablo’s, photo supplied

Patisserie de Paris (Blairgowrie)

Fancy French flavours for brunch? Patisserie de Paris menu has just the fare to set you right, be it the simple breakfast, French toast with berries and mascarpone, or the eggs Benedict variations. Paul Zwick, proprietor of the seven-year-old café also recommends the freshly baked in-house pastries, breads and filled Parisian baguettes. The eatery is open for dine-in, delivery and take-aways.

Open: Mondays to Fridays (8am to 4pm); Saturdays and Sundays (7am to 2pm).

Delivery: Orders can be placed on the café’s website, Facebook or Instagram page, or through Uber Eats.

Address: 9 Mackay Avenue Blairgowrie, Randburg. Call 011 326 0913 for more details.

Patisserie de Paris banting breakfast, photo supplied

Salvation Café (Milpark)

This bright little café and deli has been delighting Joburgers for 14 years with its brilliant breakfast and all-day brunch fare. While the seasonal menu has become a tad smaller due to lockdown, bestsellers like the bagels, eggs Benedict, flapjacks and calamari are available as part of the dine-in, delivery and take-away menu. Proprietors Claudia and Riemko Giannoccaro are hands-on and all orders are prepared fresh with quality ingredients, catering daily to the café’s long list of regulars.

Open: Tuesdays to Fridays (8.30am to 2.30pm); Saturdays and Sundays (8.30am to 12noon).

Delivery: 5 km radius through Uber Eats.

Address: 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark, Johannesburg. Call 011 482 7795 for more details.

Salvation Cafe, photo supplied

Tashas (Hyde Park)

This 13-year-old eatery with 15 outlets in South Africa (13 of which are in Gauteng) is known for its all-day breakfast and delectable brunch menu, especially the pasta and prego rolls – which are two of the most popular items, according to proprietor Peri Valisa, who believes quality and freshness are the key to everything at Tashas. The menu has been modified due to lockdown.

Open: Mondays to Saturdays (8am to 5.30pm) and Sundays (8am to 3pm).

Delivery: 10 km delivery radius. Orders can be placed on Uber Eats or Mr. D Food.

 

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