Having once worked under Jamie Oliver at Recipease in London, you can be assured that Giulio Loreggian’s new venture is not your average corner café.

Giulio’s Café (situated on the corner of Loop and Riebeek Streets, formerly occupied by My Basaar) offers busy office workers and urban tourists a space for a quick morning pastry or coffee, or a bistro-style midweek lunch. Well-known Cape Town designer Michael Chandler, of Chandler House, is the creative brain behind the interiors. The space is stylish and fresh, with regal Roman pillars, tons of natural light and bright pops of greenery.

Giulio always dreamed of opening a bustling city eatery that would serve food from his proud Italian heritage, and the menu at Giulio’s boasts a range of authentic and vibrant Italian dishes. For breakfast, diners can order from options such as the Mediterranean-inspired shakshouka with gently poached eggs in a spicy pomodoro sauce, or a light Piatto di Frutta with seasonal fruits, basil dust and a citrus ricotta.

The pastries at Giulio’s Café. Photo courtesy of Nikita Buxton.

The lunch menu includes the Giulio’s Burger – served with a 100% pure beef patty, grilled zucchini ribbons and Mamma Franca’s Melanzane – and bowls of hearty Italian-style pastas. The marble-topped ‘mangia’ harvest table offers a display of fresh, wholesome salads and sandwiches that change daily. Choose from three salads for R50 or five salads for R65, which are also available for a quick takeaway lunch.

They are still waiting on their liquor licence, but soon city dwellers can pop in for a boozy weekday lunch and choose from refreshing mimosas, local and Italian wines, beers and spirits. In the meantime, you’ll have to make do with coffee by Deluxe.

The mangia table at Giulio’s Café. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.