Eat al fresco under leafy trees at Picnic Cafe & Deli

All-day breakfast, fresh salads, gooey brownies plus a fun, safe play area

Finding a place outdoors to tuck into a deliciously fresh and healthy meal has never been easier; Picnic Cafe & Deli at Montebello Design Centre in Newlands has got you covered.

Montebello has long been home to The Gardener’s Cottage, opposite the nursery. Duck through the archway alongside and you’ll come upon an entirely different space where Picnic Cafe & Deli is located.

YOUR FRESH FARE IS BROUGHT OUT IN A PICNIC BASKET

The concept is beautiful, in keeping with the name. The small deli area inside, with only a couple of tables, is where you order from the counter. Take a seat outside at one of the tables under the massive old trees, some with couches, and wait for the food to be brought to you in a picnic basket. Lined with cheerful blue-and-white fabric, they are made by the Cape Town Society for the Blind. 

THERE’S A PLAY AREA FOR KIDS, & BOARD GAMES, TOO

The seating area is lovely. There’s a fenced-off, rustic play area for children with swings and a climbing apparatus made of wood placed on top of soft sand in case of spills. For older patrons, a box of board games is available. Jenga, anyone?

Picnickers are not bound to these tables. Grab a complimentary blanket and wander off around the Montebello property until you find an attractively secluded spot and have your romantic meal there in private. Another option is, for a deposit of R200, you can take the basket and leave the premises entirely. As in, you can go to Kirstenbosch, or anywhere else that takes your fancy.

BREAKFAST IS SERVED – ALL DAY

All-day breakfasts should be a rule, like they are at Picnic Cafe & Deli – there’s no time limit on a good croissant. Here, the choices include savoury with ham, cheese and tomato; scrambled eggs can be solo or jazzed up with cheese, avo, hummus, or salmon. Or all three, no one’s judging. Slightly sweeter would be a croissant with butter, jam and cheese, a classic combination.

Smoothie bowls or a berry, yoghurt and granola cup will leave you feeling smugly healthy, but if decadence is more your bag, go for the vanilla flapjack stack with cinnamon butter and berry compote.

LUNCH OPTIONS ARE HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS

For lunch, look at a combination from the deli menu and the light meals. On the former you’ll find hummus with cheese straws (or pita for the vegans), chicken liver pâté with bruschetta, and whipped dips. There are sandwiches, of course, because what would a picnic be without them, right? Salt-and-peppered avo with pesto on brown bread; rare roast beef, gherkins and English mustard on sourdough; mozzarella, roasted aubergine and sundried tomato on sourdough; as well as good old fashioned toasted chicken mayo and toasted cheese and tomato are up for grabs. Children will be delighted with the hot dog with mustard and tomato sauce.

Salads in jars are colourfully layered: choose from quinoa and roasted vegetables with feta, and sundried tomato dressing; grilled chicken and avo with pesto dressing; smoked salmon trout, quinoa, avo and greens with a creamy soy dressing; and grilled chicken with edamame beans, spinach, carrots and cabbage with tahini dressing.

YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO HAVE THE BROWNIE

Some people have a hard time making up their minds, so let us direct you to the ready-made picnic section, which ranges from option one, hummus and straws, ham, cheese-and-tomato bagel, and an American choc-chip cookie (what we would call a biscuit, round and flat); all the way up to the luxurious option four...Camembert and fig, avo and sundried tomato dip, straws and bruschetta, chicken kebabs, pickles and smoked ham, and a chocolate brownie.This is not just any brownie though. It’s rich and soft and gooey in the middle, and it’s topped with colourful sprinkles and smarties.

LEAVE SOME TIME TO EXPLORE MONTEBELLO

Before or after your leisurely meal, there’s plenty to explore at Montebello, from the arts and crafts centre, to the huts and studios where you can watch craftspeople at work, and outlets selling fresh organic produce and honey. In the nursery there’s an historic greenhouse, and the site was the birthplace of Ohlsson’s Brewery (a SA Breweries predecessor) and Continental China. You can even have your car washed while you relax in the dappled shade.

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WHERE TO FIND PICNIC CAFE & DELI

Address: Montebello Design Centre, 31 Newlands Avenue, Newlands

Contact: picniccafeanddeli@gmail.com, 084 516 0530

Hours: Monday–Sunday, 7am-4pm 

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FOR FURTHER READING

Enjoy a dynamite meal or buy produce from the local community at The Blue Café.

Since you’re already in Newlands, you can precede your picnic with a hike in the forest.

Or you can head to Cape Town’s most famous – and absolutely exquisite – Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.

Known for exquisite natural beauty, Cape Town and its surrounds have gorgeous places to have a picnic.

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