Located inside a 181-year old building, Cape Town lunch spot Dear Me blends old and new to create a cosy, old-world deli full of whimsical details.

The mood: Alice in Wonderland meets New York deli. Upside-down plants hang from the ceiling, a perspex honeycomb wine rack grows under the staircase, and exposed brickwork, screeded concrete floors and wooden shelving add a downtown-Brooklyn feel.Upstairs, beneath the original mansard roof, you’ll find an elegant, Japanese-inspired bar named Tjing Tjing.

The designer: Architect Mario Bonadei took care of the building’s structure, parts of which had caved in when the owners began work. Designer François Du Plessis focused on the interior, with ample help and collaboration from owner Ilze Koekemoer and the rest of the Dear Me team.

The details: The New York deli-style shelving and wooden ladder were designed by bespoke furniture designers, Moorgas & Sons, and the honeycomb wine rack was designed by the Dear Me team, and built by Starck Joinery. The inverted ‘sky planters’ were supplied by Bosske, and maintained by in-house gardener Ilze. Vinyl wall decals as well as the logo were supplied by Daniel Ting Chong, in collaboration with The President.

The food: Wholesome, seasonal, free-range and catering to all manner of special dietary requirements, this is food for the soul.

Does Dear Me have what it takes to win the Boschendal Style Award at the DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards?