Fodor's Expert Review Casa Labia

Sitting atop fynbos-covered hills overlooking the magnificent surf, this excellent Italian-inspired café churns out well-priced meals, from delicious all-day breakfasts (fresh scones and poached eggs with pancetta) to homemade pastas (linguine with basil and tomato), and an excellent spinach-and-ricotta pancake with Gorgonzola. The unusually opulent setting—think gold-coffered ceilings, Venetian wallpaper, and marble fireplaces—was once the home of Count Natale Labia, South Africa's first Italian ambassador. Friendly staff encourage you to linger amid the English arts and crafts and Italian rococo mash-up, the effect of which is mellowed by a sun-filled courtyard overlooking False Bay's gorgeous blue horizon.