Nice setting with friendly staff, but the food is not anything to write home about. I felt the cafe could do with a good clean, but perhaps I was there on an "off" day even though I visited in the morning when you expect a restaurant to be at its cleanest.

The empire is the best cafe in the cape and it's on my door step food is always top quality ,don't bad mouth what you don't understand.

Personally I have found the owner to be a charming host with an off beat sense of humour. Perhaps some don't get it or as we all do, just had a bad day. Food is simply prepared and very tasty. Coffee is the best in the south. Don't let one incident ruin your life. My only gripe is they close most nights except Thursdays and Saterdays.

@Felix It's true I should not have yelled but I was offended at the attitude of clients who ate 99% of the meal (excluding drinks it was 4 burgers and a Lamb Rump Steak - one burger was ordered MR. They also complained it was raw - it's about 6mm thick..) and then came downstairs ready to explode because there was fat in lamb... We could have removed more fat but it slipped through under the pressure. The plate was "licked clean" except for that fat; the assumption is that after eating a meal they enjoyed so much they left almost nothing on the plate Empire is supposed to apologise? The woman mistook my conciliatory statement somehow and her reaction was too much for me to be honest. At the end of the 2nd highest turnover day for 2012 I was tired and "over it". Empire Cafe is not for everyone and that is how it should be. FYI I charged them R340 on a R483 bill, which they appreciated. Our food is great- 100's of customers tell us so each year, for over ten years. Obviously not to your taste, but everyone has their preferences. If you ever feel like discussing this in person you know exactly who I am and where I'll be. All the best. Dave

Thanks for clarifying on merely being an observant observer, as I have been for the past 8 years and will continue being one. And I am sure to find you back at The Empire sooner rather than later for yet another lovely cuppa and/croissant. Wish you a super 2013.

Uhm…Annelene, to be honest, as I said in my review, I don’t rate Empire Café as a dining venue, so I did not have a plate to lick clean. I had a coffee. Seulement. No one asked me for an opinion, I just observed. If you were a patron of the establishment (and not connected in some way or the other to the arrogant owner, or not the owner himself), and you had any sense of consumer orientated ethics, you should agree with me that such behaviour in reaction to a food complaint is uncalled for.

Uhm...Felix? Be honest - how much of your food was left on your plate before you realized you had a voice? The Empire is a lovely laid-back meeting place much loved by people acoss the Peninsula. Go to the Spur or Wimpy if you want fast service.

Yesterday I witnessed the most aggressive, arrogant and high handed reaction from a restaurant owner to a food complaint that I have ever seen. It was quite embarrassing and I am not sure that I will support this venue again. I usually go there for breakfast or coffee and croissants and not for lunch or dinner meals, as I find the service slow and the food mediocre. From now on I will rather support the other coffee shops in the area.

Hello y'all. Sue: Sorry you never liked the ribs, try the sirloin with grilled peaches :). Everybody be nice now. Warmest Regards Dave

Went to Empire after the good reviews. Most uninspiring food I had in a long long time. Grey looking pork spare ribs with apple galette - thanks to the chilli sauce I could have it as wasting food is a sin!. I am sure you can do better?

I agree with Delia..the owner would be the first to admit that he was responsible for his own bad press in previous years, but now he always greets us and his staff are super friendly and helpful! The place has also been revamped so I'm not sure where the claims that it's dirty comes from!

@ Mufti, Empire Cafe, has very friendly staff, and yes sometimes you do have to wait awhile, especially when they are very busy, as they tend to be most Saturday mornings, but their service is definitely not crap, and the owner is actually very friendly. Maybe you don't come across as friendly, and he therefore does not feel inspired to talk to you.

In regards to the Empire owner who 'looks like Simon Cowell' ...at least Cowell smiles occasionally. The owner of the Empire never smiles, thinks he is God's gift to food and women and sits on his laptop while his staff dish out crap service!! But the food is good which is a redeeming quality.

Had superb steak egg and chips for lunch today. Also serve best coffee this side of the lentil curtain. Food always flipping delicious. Not fancy, just good food. Nice

Have to agree with Carmen, whenever I am near Muizenberg, I have to pop into Empire, sitting upstairs with a view of the ocean and a great coffee and pastry, is the best way to start my day.

Empire Cafe is my favourite breakfast haunt in Cape Town! Their friendly staff, laid-back style, bustling and pet-friendly venue,and an owner who looks like Simon Cowell, all make for a fabulous dining experience! They're pet and child friendly,and to top it all off their food is consistently good as well!