I recently reviewed Voila and Lazari on the Cape Quarter. These are pretty cool breakfast options if you’re happy to wait for a table and pay a fortune for your breakfast. Walking distance from the Cape Quarter (up the road and right along Waterkant street) is a little gem called Cafe Max, hidden on a quiet road you would not normally traverse.
Peaceful, no queue for tables, friendly and good value. This place really is a gem. I opted to sit in the al fresco area which is a similar size to inside (about 5 or 6 tables) and enjoyed the peaceful sound of the water fountain next to me. I ordered a glass of orange juice (R14) while I checked out the menu. There is the usual selection of breakfasts: Health (R35), eggs benedict (R42 with bacon, R50 with salmon), omlette (R49) and the option I went for, which was the sunshine breakfast (R29) which included coffee.
Now, let me tell you what’s in the sunshine breakfast: Two eggs, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, baked beans and toast. It was all a very generous portion and it was well prepared and served nice and hot. Let’s take a minute to compare value…
Miss K down the road charges R50 for a similar breakfast plus another R19 or so for coffee, so R69 vs R29? Are you kidding? Even Cafe Sofia’s special for R25 including coffee is really half the offering of Cafe Max and about the same price.
Now here’s the kicker for those who are in the area in the morning during the week. The sunshine breakfast costs R20! It’s unbelievable value and the breakfast is actually so good and the place so nice I would eat there even if it was R50.
They are open for lunch too, with offerings such as salads, tartines and filled baguettes/croissants etc. All reasonably priced. They are only open for dinner on Thursday nights but they are available for functions. See their website for details on booking Cafe Max for functions.
The only negative I could think of was that there is no wifi, but apparently they are looking into providing that service.
Do I recommend you go to Cafe Max? No, definitely not, because if you go you’re going to find out what a little secret gem it is and you’re going to go back again and take friends and then they will go back again and take their friends and soon it will be so busy I will have to wait for a table. So I think you should stick to the Cape Quarter.
Cafe Max
Waterkant Street, Greenpoint
021 425 5102
www.cafemax.co.za
Comments
11 responses to “Cafe Max breakfast review”
You just like it because it rhymes with Dax!
too late!
Thanks, Dax. I will definitely be giving this a try within the next few weeks!
PS I tried Lazari the other day, but was seriously unimpressed and will not be returning. Voila! is excellent though and I will definitely be going back there!
Have to agree with you Dax. Cafe max is a great little gem of a place. and the Chef/Owner Anna makes the most fabulous cupcakes and fresh breads and pastries. If I can’t get there for breakfast, I make sure I grab a baguette and some croissants to go. 🙂
The problem that I find with blogs is the bloggers getting the information right. I ate the breakfast which is mentioned above during the week and was charged the menu price which is R29 and not Daxes ad which said R20.
I arrived at Cafe Max just in time before the earlybird special ended at 08h30 and had the R20 breakfast!
Penny, were you there in the stipulated times?
I popped into Cafe Max for lunch with a friend the other day. We tried the chicken mayo on baguette and the BLT on baguette. They were both excellent and priced around R29 if I remember correctly.
Cafe Max is open for breakfast and lunch, but closed in the evenings except for Thursday evenings. The Thursday evening menu changes from week to week, but below is a sample menu.
Also, the R20 breakfast special from 7:30am to 8:30am during the week will end at the end of the month (March 2010).
Starters
Grilled Halloumi with a Raspberry Vinaigrette – R39
Alder Smoked Salmon Crostini – R55
Asparagus & Courgette Terrine with Herby Sauce – R45
Mains
Linefish with Crushed Bean & Fennel Polenta – R85
Coriander, Honey & Mint Lamb Cutlets – R95
Coq au Vin – R65
Homemade Pasta with Tomato, Roasted Red Peppers & Olives – R59
Desserts
Chocolate Brownies with Blueberry & Vanilla Ice Cream – R42
Croissant & Chocolate Pudding – R39
Grilled Plums with Cinnamon Cream – R29
Thanks for finding this. Lazari is totally over priced, and the service levels no longer match the price.
Have you been to the Greek restaurant at Cape Quarter? Went for drinks with friends post Cape Town stadium event, and was made to feel invisible the entire time. Certainly not the way to attract customers back for dinner.
I’ve also noticed so many restaurants …e.g. Blues, have so many hosts and hostesses but none of them actually do anything, except prance around and pretend to be busy.
For all the Cafe Max lovers out there…and for those that haven’t tried it yet! We are busy with a very exciting ‘light’ refurb of Max. It will re-open on 1 September, with a fresh new look in time for Spring. Sorry if you have arrived at closed doors…but would love to have your comments on the new look!
Anna is adding some exciting menu options too! I found Cafe Max a year or so ago as a little inner city gem and am so proud to be able to collaborate with the talented Anna on this…see you there for a great cuppa!
Also trying to convince Anna to add so free wireless, so this will probably be my next mobile office after the re-vamp!!!