Giulio’s Café – Italy Meets Cape Town

When you step inside this quaint little corner café, you forget for a moment that you are in the middle of Cape Town’s CBD. It opened in October 2015 as a daytime diner, and since March 2018 they started offering dinner on Thursdays and Fridays, with live music.

The space is perfect for a fun gathering with friends or family. Or use it as an informal first date option, it’s not too casual and not too fancy.

A Son and Mom Duo

Giulio Loreggian and his mom always dreamed about opening a little corner café. After school he first attempted to follow in the footsteps of his accountant family, but soon realised that his passion lies with food. He shifted over to the SA Chef Academy and completed a one year culinary course.

After completing it, Giulio got a big break — the opportunity to work with Jamie Oliver’s executive chef in London. He stayed there for just over a year, but decided to rather move back to Cape Town. Upon his return he worked as a private chef before taking a leap of faith at age 26, to open the little corner café.

A Home Away from Home

The restaurant serves authentic homemade Italian dishes. All the items on the menu are personal favourites of Giulio and his mom. The pristine white colours and marble finishes remind you of an Italian restaurant somewhere in Rome or Venice.

Giulio’s Italian charm draws people in, and customers soon become his friends. This warm hospitality flows into the vibe of the space, creating a great relaxing atmosphere. The son and mom duo believes in a hands-on approach. They personally painted the tables. And Giulio’s mom, a terrific artist, painted the famous roof scene as well as other artworks scattered around the space.

You might be intrigued with the wreath circle hanging from the roof (which they weaved themselves) It is used to wed couples under. Giulio’s Café has been turned into a wedding banquet hall a few times since its opening. The space can host up to 50 people, perfect for a special intimate event. You can hire the space for other celebrations as well.

Passionately Serving Authentic Italian Food

You know you are in for a feast when the chef is a true blood Italian! Giulio loves keeping the dishes authentic, but he does add a bit of African flair here and there, such as the Peri-Peri chicken livers. A few dishes from their menu to tantalize your taste buds:

Breakfast (available all day): La Colazione — poached egg, crispy bacon, pork apple and sage banger, balsamic-roasted tomatoes, flat mushrooms, wilted spinach, smoked paprika, beans with toast of your choice

Lunch: Panzerotti di Franca — hand-made pasta filled with spinach and ricotta served in a basil and pomodoro based sauce, and parmesan cheese

Dinner: Involtini di Pollo — ricotta-stuffed chicken breast wrapped in parma ham, with potato gratin, pan-fried wild mushrooms, and a whole-grain mustard sauce

They also serve pizza. And be sure to try the Italian Bake of the Day for dinner. The menu is versatile and the space lends itself to being both a daytime and evening eatery.

Visit Giulio’s Café Now

With its handy location in the centre of town, it’s the perfect spot for a quick lunch date or meeting. A night time outing will treat you to the vibe of the city transforming into a more mysterious setting. You will find Giulio bustling about between the kitchen and the patrons on most days. He’s starting a fun new trend for the restaurant décor — if you want to become part of the family, ask him to take a Polaroid picture of you and your friends.

For more information, visit www.giulios.co.za  and follow @giulios_cafe on Instagram.