A magical little French inspired café and crêperie.
One of my fondest memories of Paris was strolling past the Eiffel tower nibbling on a Nutella crêpe, so you can imagine my excitement when I was told about a hidden gem located in the serene suburb of Birdhaven that has just that on the menu.
From the outside, Arbour Café looks small and intimate but once you venture past a few tables and the open kitchen, the restaurant extends onto a quaint plant draped courtyard filled with the calming sound of running water from a grand water feature.
From the instant you arrive to the moment you leave the cheerful and friendly staff are ready and eager to help at a moments notice.
The menu caters to a wide range of tastes and appetites with dishes ranging from a fresh buttery croissant or a light gluten free galette stuffed with creamy wild mushrooms to the ‘magnifique‘ crispy duck confit with 5 spice cherry sauce. They have a fairly concise wine list (bubbly included), a few local craft beers and ciders as well as a selection of light refreshing cocktails.
We visited the Arbour Café twice in less than a week… but only because our first visit (breakfast) was so good we knew we had to come back to try the lunch menu.
Lazy Saturday morning breakfast for four…
I decided on the ‘flambéed chorizo, mozzarella, roast rosa tomato and fresh basil’ omelette, easily one of the best omelettes I’ve had, while my wife went for the ‘apple, honey, brie and pecan nut’ galette (really good but a bit rich). The kids both decided that the chocolate croissant sounded too good to pass on.
A birthday celebration…
This took a little longer to settle on because everything looked so good but in the end, we both chose the ‘ribeye steak with herbed mushroom sauce and a side salad with Grana Padana shavings. The kids had the ‘Nutella and banana’ crepe and the burger – a 200g beef patty on a ciabatta roll with fresh tomato, caramelised onion and crème fraîche.
The food and service we received on both occasions was outstanding and the team at Arbour Café are always willing to go the extra mile to make you feel special which makes it the perfect spot for special occasions.
The venue is also available for private functions.
Arbour Cafe & Courtyard
Shop 6, 64 St Andrew St, Cnr Wrenrose Ave, Birdhaven
Johannesburg, Gauteng
011 788 4111
info@arbourcafe.co.za
No Comments