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Everyone knows that breakfast is ‘the most important meal of the day’. But breakfast is also my favourite meal of the day. I dream about delicious breakfasts. I stay in hotels just so that I can have delicious breakfasts. Most of the time I fantasise about bacon and crave flapjacks and waffles. Yes, I really could eat breakfast food all the time. All the time.

Growing up, my breakfasts consisted of bacon and eggs. Well, special breakfasts. At home it’s toast, oats, fruit – normal things that make for a good life. But going out for a special breakfast is incomparable. And, lately, my special breakfast treat has been Eggs Benedict.

I’m super judgmental when it comes to a great Eggs Benedict. I’d say that’s a side effect of running I Love Foodies, but, really, a bad Eggs Benedict is just plain sacrilege. So I’d like to share with you my three top Cape Town Eggs Benedict breakfast spots I’ve discovered thus far – there may be more undiscovered gems, so please do share if you find!

What Makes a Good Eggs Benedict?

Here are my criteria for a good Eggs Benedict dish:

  • Soft to medium poached eggs.
  • Crispy bacon. Emphasis on crispy. And bacon. The more the merrier.
  • Some spinach, rocket, or roast tomato on the side is always nice.
  • Good quality toast, crispy enough to not get soggy with the egg and yet soft enough to not break a tooth while eating. Eggs Benedict on croissant, bagels, or English muffins don’t really work for me.
  • And then the hollandaise, the trickiest part. It needs to be the perfect mixture of creamy and lemon-y. I want to be able to taste the lemon, but not be overwhelmed by it, and it needs to be wonderfully thick, rich, and absolutely smooth.

Ok, so with those criteria in mind, here are my top three Cape Town Eggs Benedict breakfast spots (in no particular order):

Jarryds Eatery

Everyone loves Jarryds, and for good reason. They know how to serve a wicked breakfast. While I’m pretty sure all their breakfasts are amazing, I wouldn’t know coz I always, always, always have the Eggs Benedict. And it’s never failed to disappoint me.

Jarryds even has a whole Benedict Bar with a variety of different benedict options, all served with bread of your choice and house-made hollandaise. My favourite, of course, is the Streaky Bacon option (R90).

In addition to that, you’re bound to feel like one of the cool cats at Jarryds, and you can follow your breakfast with a promenade stroll. Or, the way I like to do it, hit up a Sweat 1000 class, followed by a breakfast of champions.

Visit Jarryds:

  • Address: 90 Regent Road, Sea Point
  • Opening Times: Monday – Sunday (07:00 – 16:00)

Top Cape Town Eggs Benedict Breakfast jarryds eatery

Mantra Café

Not only does Mantra have the best view of all my favourite breakfast spots, but they’ve also got a killer Eggs Benedict dish. It’s always done perfectly – plus these guys probably have the best hollandaise sauce of all!

The Bacon Eggs Benedict (R98) includes free-range soft poached eggs and Hollandaise on toasted ciabatta with roasted tomatoes. Winner.

The downside is that the acoustics are not amazing and an intimate breakfast experience is pretty much non-existent. But the food is totally worth it. And the views. Don’t forget those gorgeous Camps Bay ocean views. This is definitely the spot I’d take guest to if I want to impress.

Visit Mantra:

  • Address: 43 Victoria Road, Camps Bay
  • Opening Times: Monday – Friday (09:00 – 22:30), Saturday & Sunday (08:00 – 22:30)

Top Cape Town Eggs Benedict Breakfast mantra cafe

The Larder Cafe

I’m a CBD / Atlantic Seaboard girl and venturing out of my beloved city hub isn’t entirely my favourite thing to do – unless I’m heading out to the wine lands, the film studios or a set (*actress*), or, of course, a phenomenal restaurant. Or, in this case, café.

The Larder has an Eggs Benedict option called the Johnny Depp (coz Chef Sonja used to be Johnny Depp’s private chef and this was his favourite breakfast option). He obviously has great taste coz this breakfast is too die for. The Johnny Depp (R78) includes two poached eggs on sourdough toast, crispy bacon, roast tomatoes, and hollandaise sauce.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city – even though the Larder is always jam-packed – this is the quieter option of the bunch and definitely makes for a more intimate breakfast experience.

Visit The Larder:

  • Address: 8 Grove Avenue, Claremont
  • Opening Times: Monday – Friday (07:00 – 15:30), Saturday & Sunday (08:30 – 13:30)

Top Cape Town Eggs Benedict Breakfast larder cafe

More Eggs Benedict

And there you go, my three top Cape Town Eggs Benedict breakfast options. You’d think my Eggs Benedict list would be longer. But, alas, this is it. I’ve visited tons of other places as well, of course, but there’s always something ‘wrong’ – either the hollandaise isn’t right or I’m stuck with a soggy English muffin.

Recently, though, the number one phenomenon I’ve been experiencing is that I enjoy a wickedly good Eggs Benedict – at a steep price and a portion size not even enough to feed my hamster (figuratively; I don’t have a hamster. But if I did, he wouldn’t be satisfied). And then I leave feeling absolutely cheated. That’s never how a customer should leave a restaurant. Granted, the above spots aren’t cheap, but they are tops – I’ve always left satisfied, and I’ve gone back again and again and been consistently impressed.

That said, if you do have a favourite spot I may not have tried, pop me a comment below.

*All photos courtesy of the respective restaurants. Not sponsored.

Written by Benike Palfi
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Article Date: January 2019

All information correct at time of publication. We do not accept any liability caused by errors, including, but not limited to, changes in price, menu, opening times, address, or other contact details.