Seaside Mouille Point restaurant Sotano has opened another branch in the foodie hub of Bree Street, bringing city bowl dwellers the same buzzing brunches, live music and juicy lamb burgers. Cape Town restaurant editor Zola Nene reviews.

Fast facts

Cost: R115 average main meal
Parking: Street parking is available on Bree Street
Best for: Casual breakfast, lunch or dinner with friends. Also great for after-work drinks.
Star ratings: Food and drinks: 3; Service: 3; Ambience: 3

Food

The breakfast menu consists of classics like muesli and yoghurt, French toast, and bagels with your choice of toppings. The signature breakfast is the eggs Benedict served on a croissant along with a choice of bacon, salmon or ham. The croissant is very lightly toasted and deliciously buttery. The eggs come perfectly poached, with a gloriously oozy yolk – just the way I like it. The hollandaise is perfectly balanced in acidity and saltiness; I only wish there were more of it. Be careful when ordering extras. The extra avo costs R20 but only amounts to a quarter of an avo. Also on the breakfast menu is shakshuka, made with sautéed red peppers and tomatoes.

A post shared by Sotano (@sotanoct) on Jun 26, 2018 at 12:48am PDT

The lunch-and-dinner menu is vast, with a selection of tapas to choose from, as well as salads and soups. Seafood dishes feature prominently on the menu with mussels, octopus, prawns, and classic fish and chips. The signature Sotano lamb burger, served with hummus and avo, is the restaurant’s most popular dish. It’s especially popular on Wednesdays, when you can get two for the price of one.

A post shared by Sotano (@sotanoct) on Oct 30, 2017 at 2:19am PDT

The dessert section is small but has some interesting options, like pistachio mille-feuille and white chocolate crêpe brûlée with honeycomb.

Drinks

A selection of soft drinks and juices are available on the breakfast and lunch menus. There is a selection of local wines available, some of which are offered by the glass. The best part about the drinks menu is the bubbles section, which features a plethora of sparkling wines at different price points to suit every pocket, ranging from MCC to champagne. Even better: quite a few of the MCCs are available to order by the glass.

A post shared by Sotano (@sotanoct) on Jun 20, 2018 at 4:05am PDT

Service

Service is slow, with only a few waiting staff on the floor. Flagging down a waiter to place your order can prove somewhat harrowing but once you do manage it, the staff is friendly and informative. Food is quick to come out of the kitchen.

Ambience

The restaurant has an industrial pub feel about it. The downstairs area is taken up mostly by the large bar, but doesn’t feel cramped. There is some seating available outside, which is great for smokers. Unfortunately the smoke does drift inside a bit, which isn’t ideal for non-smokers.

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Eat Out critics dine unannounced and pay their way in full. Read our editorial policy here.