From the fruit of the well-known and much-loved Café del Sol restaurant, a seed has taken root – Café del Sol Botanico. Situated in the Bryanston Shopping Centre, Café del Sol Botanico is a tribute to the greatest teacher and healer of all – Nature – and the decor reflects the colours and secret language of flowers, plants and herbs.

From the serviettes to the walls, beautiful illustrations of blossoms and herbs abound. Each one of them has been selected for their unique beauty and qualities. The orchid for instance, represents grace, elegance and luxury, while the lemon brings luck, friendship and happiness. There is the delicate plum blossom representing harmony and virtue, the frilly hydrangea with its qualities of gratitude and enlightenment, and the fragile lotus blossom displaying flexibility and awakening.

Like Café del Sol, Botanico is very much a family affair in the tender care of Chiara, her brother Ryan, and mother Luciana.

Café del Sol Botanico includes The Landmark bar. This is not merely a traditional bar – it is what the Italians call an Aperitivo Bar. In Italy, between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 pm, before they move on to dinner, people enjoy complimentary aperitivo. It’s all about tuning the palate and whetting the appetite – it’s about tempting “little bites” that accompany digestivo drinks. It’s also about chatting, laughing, meeting people and making friends.