Savior Courtyard
Where: 147 Gordon Road, Morningside
Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 4pm, Saturday 8am to 12.30pm
Call: 082 447 9690
It’s always exciting to have a new venture open in your neighbourhood, especially when the coffees are top notch and the breakfasts interesting.
Savior Courtyard is an offshoot of the popular Savior Cafè in Glenwood, and the name describes it perfectly, despite the American spelling.
Straddling a courtyard created from the space between two old restored Berea homes which are today both decorating businesses, the kitchen and barista station takes up the old outbuildings while the courtyard spills out onto the pavement under the trees. It’s a simple space livened up by pots of flowers and herbs, the floor paved to pick up the style of an original Berea veranda. It’s an inviting spot.
A friend invited us for a birthday breakfast which took up the whole courtyard. Here, besides glasses of prosecco on arrival, we enjoyed excellent coffees and good creamy scrambled eggs with croissant, bacon, tomatoes and sausages. The breakfast was excellent. It was a fun morning.
Shade might be a bit of an issue, although umbrellas were up to provide some cover. We did have to move them, and the whole long table, a couple of times to keep the sun out of our eyes, but in winter a little bit of vitamin D will always be appreciated.
A friend and I popped back for breakfast later that week.
The menu is a simplified version of what’s on offer at the Glenwood mothership but with much the same emphasis on real ingredients and real flavours.
Breakfast at Savior would not be the same without the smashed avo on toast options, with or without a poached egg or eggs. And being avo season, why not take advantage? There are any number of ways with eggs and bacon and sausages and tomato and mushrooms…
I relished my savoury mince on toasted sourdough topped with a poached egg, while my friend enjoyed an omelette accompanied by another of the crisp buttery croissants served with cheese and jam. He was impressed. And what’s more, prices are reasonable. And the staff super friendly
Lunch includes a few specials which will probably change regularly. There are sandwiches, wraps and salads plus a range of burgers including a falafel burger with all those delicious Middle Eastern toppings. Pizzas feature, with the butter chicken being popular, while the slow roasted lamb with feta and chilli mint sauce, a favourite from the Glenwood branch, could not be left out.
We lapped up the late afternoon sunshine with a second cappuccino, which was silky, rich and fulfilling. Hats off to the barista.
Food: 4
Service: 3 ½
Ambience: 4
Kloof SPCA
Where: 29 Village Rd, Kloof, 3610, South Africa
Open: Monday to Friday 8am to 3pm, Saturday 8am to noon
Call: 031 764 1212
While on the subject of breakfasts, we enjoyed a good coffee at the Kloof SPCA recently, served by a friendly barista from a caravan stationed near the charity shop marquee. And Marilyn’s Tea Garden does some great value breakfasts of egg and bacon rolls for a humble R25, all cooked fresh and to order. After an early start to the day, that second cup of coffee was a lifesaver.
The Independent on Saturday