2 Best Restaurants in Gardens, Tamboerskloof, and Oranjezicht, Cape Town

A surprise repurposing of a former auto repair shop, this vast warehouse-like space is full of mix-and-match furniture and packed to the rafters with plants—whether it's a nursery with a restaurant or a restaurant with a nursery is beside the point—and has become a true neighborhood gathering spot. You come here for the personality of the waitstaff, the comforting food (breakfasts, lunches, toasted sandwiches, and dinners, plus all manner of baked goods, and no expectation that you sit down for anything more than tea or coffee), the buzz, and the marvelous assortment of people, many of them strangers sharing tables. There's a separate room at the back where free-roaming laptop workers are often connected to the outside world via free-flowing Wi-Fi.

Cute, sassy and retro-themed, this eggceptionally handsome diner has established itself as a reliable purveyor of tasty comfort food, specializing in anything and everything related to eggs. Foodwise, the focus is on dishes that transport you back to simpler times––steak and eggs; adventurous-sounding egg-themed sandwiches; or a soft brioche bun burger with an egg in there for that extra bit of taste bud–pleasing protein. If eggs aren't your thing, they have wagyu beef burgers, perfectly grilled cheese sandwiches, and tortillas with vegan fillings. What's ineggscapable, though, is the eggy-color scheme: the deep-yellow banquettes; light fittings resembling eggs; adorable yolk-hued outfits worn by on-the-ball waitstaff; the central bar area, adorned with vintage radios and ancient TVs, is infiltrated with golden glass panels; and even the coffee machine is yellow.