Townies don’t often venture into the Mother City’s southern suburbs, but that may change once they get wind of Four & Twenty, which opened in the latter half of 2013. For those who need a break from the cool and edgy coffee shops of the city bowl, this new hotspot for breakfast and lunch in Wynberg offers a whimsical French-style café experience backed up by seriously good food.

The food
The menu is designed to charm and impress you, with beautifully crafted descriptions and lists of ingredients, sauces, sprinkles and garnishes to heighten your anticipation. The good news is that the food matches expectations, showing the level of thoughtfulness and care behind the scenes. Elaborate breakfasts include items like French toast with roasted strawberry and rhubarb compote, rhubarb crème patisserie, rosewater-creamed honey and toasted flaked almonds (R68); and the breakfast salad of asparagus, pan-fried oyster mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, crumbled goat’s cheese and a poached egg (R68). For brunch you could order the local crotin (goat’s cheese) wrapped in pancetta and topped with raspberries and thyme, which is baked until gooey and sprinkled with toasted pistachios before arriving with a few slices of warm crusty bread (R65). If you want a bigger meal, you could try the generously portioned fishcakes, with a moist flaky inside and a perfectly crispy panko crust, which are served with spicy coriander relish, basil hollandaise, homemade saffron aioli and a salad of Asian greens topped with chopped tomato salsa (R85). Don’t hesitate to order a salad: rest assured it will be dotted with delicious additions and gorgeous cheese. If this all sounds too overwhelming, just opt for the easier-to-digest sandwich of the day with humble toppings like chicken breast, feta, avo, honeyed aioli (okay, let this one slide) and baby rocket.

Photograph by Leigh-Ann O’Crafford

Drinks
Order the sweet homemade lemonade served in frosted glass bottles with sparkling or still water added. The coffee is also seriously good – good enough to impress hipster coffee connoisseurs – and the freshly blended fruit juices, like watermelon and mint, provide a refreshing start to the day.

Ambience
The entrance of the café takes its cue from sunlit Parisian patisseries, with a glass display case of wonders and hot pink furniture with feet. Walk up a few steps past the shelves of honey and wine and into the open-plan kitchen and main dining room, off of which leads a little courtyard with umbrellas. On a Saturday morning it’s packed, so expect quite a bustling crowd and not much space to manoeuvre. Clientele are mostly southern suburbs moms (and their moms), groups of female friends and the occasional out-of-place dad. Some families have their well-behaved children with them, but it’s not the place for grubby toddlers, and just as well. High-pitched voices can get a little much inside the main dining room, with its hard surfaces and brick walls. A (thankfully) silent movie is projected on one wall, adding a quirky touch.

And…
Don’t leave without buying some of the gorgeous baked goods and confections on your way out. Choose between a mini granadilla meringue tartlet, baked cheesecake topped with hazelnuts, or red velvet cupcake – or get all three. Your selection will be gently laid into a box, sprinkled with rose petals and tied up with string.