Fodor's Expert Review Empire Cafe

Overlooking Muizenberg's surfers' beach, Empire is a place to come barefoot with sand still between your toes for unexpectedly good food, though with less-than-great service. The chalkboard menu changes regularly, but the lamb rump steak is fabulous, served on sautéed spinach with chickpeas, rooibos-tea-soaked raisins, garlic butter, and eggplant, all dribbled with garlic aioli. Also delicious is the pasta carbonara. Smoothies and fresh juices are just as good, the bread baked on-site is stupendously tasty, and the coffee is great. Some will find the laid-back vibe irritating, whereas others will find it's exactly what they were looking for.