A chic rooftop eatery and function venue, Ferguson’s 5^th Floor is run by the owners of The Fat Zebra and 4^th Avenue Coffee Roasters, so you know what to expect: good food, drinks, service and décor – and attention to detail throughout, says Eat Out critic Thando Ndabezitha.

Breakfast is served until 11am – and there are plenty of options for bacon fans. Photo supplied.

Fast facts

Food type: Café
Parking: Ample and secure parking, with security guards to assist.
Average price main course: R50
Best for: A catch-up sesh with a friend, coffee with a client or lunch with the boss.
Star rating: Food 4, ambience 5, service 5

Food

The menu is well thought-out, detailed yet uncluttered, and the food is tasty and fresh. Breakfast, served until 11am, comprises all the traditional fare, such as scrambled egg and salmon, croissants, eggs Benedict, oats and fruit salad. Dishes range from R15 (two slices of toast) to R90 (salmon scrambled eggs).

The harvest table takes care of lunch. Else opt for open sandwiches, pasta, salads, toasted sarmies or the beef fillet. Photo supplied.

Pork lovers will delight in the signature Breakfast Bowl, which features crispy bacon, as does the The Hangover and Elvis-Style French Toast. Vegetarians are catered for with a number of options, including smashed avo on toast with the mouthwatering combination of Maldon salt, cracked pepper, lemon and chilli oil.

A fresh, tasty salad. Photo supplied.

A daily harvest table offers a variety of satisfying meals between 12pm and 2.30pm at R20-R24 per 100g serving, but the à la carte menu covers the usual range of open sandwiches, pasta, salads, toasted sarmies and a beef fillet. Freshly baked cakes are also offered as part of dessert for a very reasonable R35 for a slim slice and R45 for a full slice.

Drinks

Coffee is by 4th Avenue Coffee Roasters. Photo supplied.

The 4^th Avenue coffee (which belongs to this family of restaurants) is superb. I’d be happy to pay more for a bigger cup of their coffee because the quality is certainly worth the price. Other drinks include iced coffees, fresh fruit juice, hot chocolate, tea and red cappuccino. Sundowners may form part of the drinks offering down the line when they have a liquor licence.

Service

The waitrons are warm and efficient. It’s great to find a restaurant in a popular suburb of Joburg that has ample parking space that’s also secure. The security guards in the building are friendly and helpful with assisting guests to find parking.

Staff are warm and efficient. Photo supplied.

Ambience

Ferguson’s 5^th Floor in Illovo is the quintessential modern Joburg restaurant with minimalistic décor. A black-and-white colour scheme – with our official national flower, the protea, adding a dash of colour to each table – is complemented by glass doors that let in natural light, a view of the azure sky, and panaromic views of the city.

The rooftop area is a real oasis in the city. Photo supplied.

This is the place to meet – whether be it for a quick breakfast catch-up sesh with a friend, coffee with a client, lunch with the boss, or a date. The rooftop venue at the top of the unassuming building has a fresh and charming atmosphere, making you feel as though you’re dining the way you’re supposed to in the City of Gold.

And…

While the venue offers satisfying meals and service during the day, it’s also a function venue for hire. The cavernous inside space and equally generous outside seating area of this rooftop venue would make for a magical experience at night.

Freshly baked cakes are also offered as part of dessert for a very reasonable R35 for a slim slice and R45 for a full slice. Photo supplied.

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Eat Out critics dine anonymously and pay for their meals in full. Read our editorial policy here.