Joburg is a city that gets up early. Whether it’s a sunrise run, the school drop-off or the daily hustle, mornings are a vibe. It’s also why, despite seriously lagging behind Cape Town on the fine dining front, the city has a brilliant breakfast scene. Looking for the scrambled eggs worth crossing town for or a café with an excellent flat white and fast Wi-Fi? Here are some of our favourites.
The boss bakery
If you’re heading to Melville, make sure a stop at De Baba Eatery is part of the plan. What began in Jean René Onyangunga and Ansie van der Mescht’s home kitchen before making its way through the city’s markets has become one of Joburg’s finest bakeries.
The pastries alone are worth the trip. Expect beautifully flaky croissants, from classic butter to almond and chocolate, alongside excellent sourdough topped with exotic mushrooms. For something a little different, order the signature gochujang breakfast muffin, layered with kimchi, fried egg and crispy onion rings, or the toasted banana bread with espresso butter, brûléed banana and crème fraiche. Debaba.co.za
Where you’re part of the family
Few places live up to the Cheers theme song’s promise of “where everybody knows your name”. Olivia’s CoffeeBake in Northcliff is one of them. Walk through the door a few times and you’ll soon be greeted like family. The staff know your coffee order by heart, ask where you’ve been if you’ve been away for a while, and, before long, you’ll know many of the other regulars too.
Owners John and Georgia Killas have created one of Joburg’s most welcoming neighbourhood cafés. Whether you’re settling in with your laptop and the free Wi-Fi or catching up with friends over breakfast, it’s an easy place to hang out. The menu covers everything from a generous vegetarian breakfast with avocado, mushrooms and halloumi to the classic sunrise breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. Fresh pastries, including killer homemade sausage rolls, and excellent coffee complete the picture. olivias.org.za
For the veggies and gluten-free
While Njam Eatery in Linden serves excellent meaty breakfasts, from roosterkoek topped with tomato smoor and crispy bacon to waffles with bacon bits and maple syrup, it’s the vegetarian options that really shine.
The green benedict is a standout, pairing poached eggs with chargrilled baby marrow, spinach, broccolini and hollandaise on sourdough, and the smashed avo on toast comes topped with crunchy spiced pumpkin seeds, a fresh green salad and the restaurant’s addictive spekboom pickle. Better still, those avoiding gluten won’t feel like they’re missing out. The gluten-free bread is genuinely delicious, making it one of Joburg’s best breakfasts for vegetarians and gluten-free patrons. Njam.co.za
New York-style deli breakfast
While Kleinsky’s may have started life in Cape Town, Joburg has enthusiastically embraced it. Inspired by the Jewish delis of New York and Montreal, the Linksfield and Birdhaven branches capture the feel of an old-school neighbourhood deli, with wood-panelled walls and just enough nostalgia to transport you straight to Seinfeld.
The breakfast menu includes everything from latke benedicts and apple crumble French toast to breakfast buns, but the real reason to visit is the bagels. Slow-fermented overnight, boiled in malted water before baking and filled with everything from bacon and eggs to smoked salmon with wasabi cream cheese, avocado and pickled ginger, they are among the best in the city. Pair one with a flat white or, for something stronger, the Bloody Mary elixir with pickle brine. kleinskys.co.za
See and be seen
If you’re in Parkview any time after 6am, chances are you’ll find Croft & Co buzzing with runners, cyclists, locals and early meetings. A favourite with the FM team, it’s equally good for a quick cortado before work or settling in with your laptop. Better still, breakfast is served all day, so you don’t need to be on the clock.
The Middle Eastern-inspired shakshuka with poached eggs and Portuguese bread is a standout, while the masala beans on sourdough take baked beans to another level. If you’re after something simpler, the creamy scrambled eggs with Croft’s homemade tomato relish and a side of bacon never disappoints. Good coffee, great people-watching and all-day breakfast make it a favourite meeting spot. croftandco.co.za
The leisurely brunch
Tucked into the ground floor of the Hyde in Rosebank, with the buzz of The Zone just beyond, Proud Mary is the kind of place where breakfast can inadvertently turn into lunch. It’s a favourite for celebratory brunches, whether that’s sharing a bottle of Graham Beck, starting with a Bloody Mary or keeping things classic with a mimosa.
There are Mary’s Bennies (aka benedicts), shakshuka, labneh with greens and eggs, plus a Bombay frittata for vegans. One of the best options, though, is building your own breakfast, choosing everything from your eggs and bread to the extras, whether that’s mushrooms, bacon, sausages or avocado. And if one more cocktail somehow finds its way to the table, the bar is the perfect place to settle in to watch Rosebank life happen. proudmary.co.za
Honourable mentions
The hangover cure: Haloumi burrito wrap at Foood, Cresta Shopping Centre
The taste of nostalgia: Wimpy because, yes, you must have a burger patty with your brekkie. There’s a branch close to you
The best benedict: Salvation Café, 44 Stanley Avenue
The ultimate breakfast sandwich: Ti Amo, Nine Yards
The kids’ pick: JoyJozi, Dunkeld
The award winner: The Whippet in Linden (it was voted one of the top 100 best coffee shops in the world)
Best health kick: Fresh Earth Café, Blairgowrie
Four-legged friends welcome: Goddess Café, Kensington and Linden