(Image by VooDoo Lily in Johannesburg)
Cape Town
Kleinsky’s, Sea Point
This bustling delicatessen serves a mean breakfast with dishes focusing on traditional Jewish New York cuisine. But do not despair if you need your bacon and eggs, you can get bacon here as well as lamb bacon, smoked salmon, pastrami or spinach for vegetarians. One of these options is served with their latke Benedict (shallow fried crispy potato cakes), topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce.
Hemelhuijs, CBD
The food at Hemehuijs is unique, refined and beautifully prepared and executed. You can always see and taste the care that has gone into each dish, their Benedicts being no different. The Benedict consists of two poached farm eggs, artichoke hearts and rich Hollandaise on homemade mosbolletjie bread. Breakfast is served all day.
Four & Twenty, Wynberg
This quaint café can never shy away from our breakfast guides, serving up some of the tastiest and creative breakfast dishes in Cape Town. They will never let you down with when it comes to your morning meal. Order the Eggs Be-lean for their version of a Benedict with two free-range poached eggs on an aubergine, mushroom and truffle rösti with confit baby tomatoes and a light yoghurt Hollandaise or the Oriental Be-lean of pan-fried mixed exotic mushrooms, two poached eggs, umami Hollandaise, buttery edamame beans, sesame oil, and sesame-crusted crispy bacon – it does not get much better than this!
Mantra Café, Camps Bay
Who doesn’t love breakfast overlooking the ocean? And it’s even better when you know it’s coming from Melissa’s. The group’s latest venture – Mantra, sees a modern, large, upscale eatery that is already a popular spot on the Camps Bay strip. Mantra serves classic eggs Benedict with crispy bacon on toasted ciabatta.
Jarryds, Sea Point
If you know Jarryds you’ll know how packed it gets on weekends, as crowds pull up for their brunch that they simply cannot do without. There is a special ‘Benedict Bar’ section on their menu in which you can build your own eggs Benedict. Accompaniment options include streaky bacon, smoked salmon, sautéed artichoke and mushroom and espresso brisket. And if you are totally ravenous or maybe a little hungover (or you enjoy sharing and tasting a bit of everything), you can get the ‘4 ways’ option which includes all the accompaniments, each with an egg (4 eggs). Benedicts are served with bread of your choice or hash browns.
Liquorice & Lime, Gardens
This quaint and quirky corner café serves up comfort classics and gourmet breakfasts. Locals flock here every weekend and a popular item on the menu is the eggs Benedict. This is served on a herbed potato rosti, topped with bacon, ham or salmon (extra charge), two poached eggs and hollandaise.
The Foodbarn Deli, Noordhoek
The Foodbarn is known for its creative food, bursting with flavour and always beautifully presented. The breakfasts at the deli stick to this refined formula, with passion evident in each dish. The eggs Bendedict combines poached eggs, smothered in hollandaise sauce, with confied cherry tomatoes which comes in three ways, either with stacks of bacon on a potato rosti, smoked salmon on a sweet corn fritter, or roasted mushrooms and spinach on a potato rosti.
Johannesburg
Cnr Café, Craighall Park
The lively neighbourhood café is a favourite for locals at any time of the day. Order their decadent eggs Benedict served until noon with two poached eggs on toasted seed loaf with baby spinach, basil, roasted cocktail tomatoes, Prosciutto or smoked salmon and Hollandaise.
Ferguson’s Fifth Floor, Illovo
Head on up to Ferguson’s rooftop café, with panoramic views of Joburg and a lovely sunny terrace that will make you not want to leave. Ferguson’s takes eggs Benedict seriously with options of a single or double portion. They also have an eggs Florentine variation with wilted spinach, ham and poached eggs on English muffins and topped with Hollandaise.
(Image by Ferguson’s 5th Floor)
Voodoo Lily Café, Birdhaven
Voodoo Lily can best be described as a gentle café. The mood is relaxing and their approach to food is ethical and wholesome. Order their classic Benedict which you can have either with bacon or salmon (extra charge), both served the proper way on English muffins.
The Whippet, Linden
This popular Linden hangout is perfect for a coffee and laptop session or a brunch with friends. The food is consistently scrumptious and the vibe is always relaxing and welcoming. Choose from five ‘Bennies’: the classic with ham, bacon, spinach or smoked salmon all served on an English muffin, or have the one on a potato rösti.
54 on Bath, Rosebank
If you’re after a little elegance and a plush interior, head to 54 on Bath, which will fulfill your desire for a fancy hotel breakfast. They serve a classic eggs Benedict with either Hickory ham or bacon, on an English muffin.
Durban
Freedom Café, Greyville
Freedom Café was once the small eatery adjoined to The Concierge Boutique Hotel and has today become the very heart and soul that pumps the vibe through the hotel. Set in a leafy courtyard, the café offers a lush, green oasis away from city life. When it comes to ‘The Benedicts’, on their menu, be ready for your socks to be knocked off – they offer five different kinds, The Classic one with crispy Pancetta, the Florentine with spinach, The Royal with smoked salmon trout, The Porkie and The Chakalaka.
Delish Sisters, Salt Rock
The Litchi Orchard is home to first and foremost, a functioning litchi farm, reoccurring farmers markets and lifestyle shops and eateries like the Delish Sisters. Run by an enthusiastic upbeat sister duo, this café serves breakfast, sweet treats (including healthy alternatives), cold pressed juice and they have a harvest table that changes weekly. Their Eggs Benedict is a simple classic; an English muffin, Hollandaise sauce and bacon. For a Banting-friendly version you can swap the muffin for wilted spinach.
The Glenwood Bakery, Glenwood
The Glenwood Bakery is an artisanal bakery that produces six different breads daily with a bonus of ten other breads of the day over the course of the week. Other than that they serve gourmet sandwiches, homemade ice cream in Summer, pizza on certain evenings and breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Their eggs Benedict is a specialty on their very small breakfast menu.
Circus Circus Beach Café
With its four branches across KZN, Circus Cafe has been part of Durban’s eating culture for more than twenty years. Amongst the various items of traditional scrambled eggs, French toast, omelettes and croissants, they have their outstanding eggs Benedict that’s served with Black Forest ham. The beach café overlooks the promenade, a lovely place to enjoy breakfast, watching the world go by and the sea lap the shore.
Essence Café, Hillcrest
Essence Cafe is the ideal place for a meeting or casual meal with the family. In addition to their great coffee, Essence cafe serves their famous eggs Benedict the traditional way with the option of adding smoked salmon instead of ham.
Port Elizabeth
Savages
Savages is set in an old Victorian house, overlooking a lush garden, making it the ideal breakfast/brunch spot. They’re quite popular with the locals and other than their showstopping lemon meringue pie, they make a mean eggs Benedict – two poached eggs with bacon and rocket, served on toasted sourdough and topped with a Hollandaise.
(Image by Savages)
Groundfloor Café, Richmond Hill
Groundfloor is a small, vibrant, coffee shop with a small menu and simple unpretentious meals. The café is a popular breakfast spot and with this being the case they couldn’t get away without serving great coffee and a stellar eggs Benedict.
Company Social Brasserie
Company Social Brasserie is an upmarket, stylish eatery that prides itself on believing in “the forgotten art of social dining”. The space is tastefully decorated with contemporary elements, exposed brick, low hanging lights and a section with soft, cushioned booths. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with their eggs Benedict being a noteworthy menu item – sourdough toast topped with poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, smoked ham and Emmental cheese.
Pretoria
Ginger and Fig, Brooklyn
This trendy little café just gets it right with quality, wholesome food that is both comforting and healthy, as well as sensational baked goods. Try the eggs Benedict made with house-cured and smoked ham, on an English muffin, topped with Hollandaise.
Carlton Café, Menlo Park
Everything made at Carlton is made with passion, and a desire to make sure that diners receive the utmost in flavourful food. The eggs Benedict is no different, served with Pancetta or smoked salmon on a buttermilk biscuit, topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise.
Afro-Boer
This café offers a peaceful setting with decor and an overall setting that whisks you away to the countryside. The food is wholesome, hearty and true to South Africa, and made from ethically sourced ingredients. The eggs Benedict is made with homemade English muffins, country ham, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce.
Where do you get your eggs Benedict fix? Let us know in the comments section below!
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