Five great reasons to visit Café Paradiso in Gardens

If you're a resident of Gardens, there's a good chance you've driven or walked past Café Paradiso on Kloof Street. You'd be doing yourself a massive favour if you went it, soaked up the restaurant's quintessential Gardens ambience and enjoyed some of the delicious cuisine on offer. As a real estate agency with its finger on the pulse of all things Gardens, Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty provides five great reasons why Café Paradiso should be a regular stop for you, your family and your friends.

1. The vibe, ambience and location

When you step into the sun-kissed outdoor seating area at Café Paradiso, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd left Cape Town and been transported to a courtyard somewhere in Italy or Spain. With Table Mountain providing the Insta-worthy backdrop you can sit back and relax in the shade of trees and shrubs and step away from the frenetic pace of everyday life in the Mother City.

2. It's child and dog-friendly

Children are not just made to feel welcome at Café Paradiso - they get to be part of the Italian cooking experience. Café Paradiso's pizza-making classes see little ones learning to knead dough, choosing their own toppings and assembling mouthwatering pizzas - all while wearing adorable chef's hats that will make fabulous pictures to be shared later on their 21^st birthdays.

Dogs on leash are welcome to join their humans as they make the most of the stunning food and views on offer at Café Paradiso.

3. The varied and delectable menu

The Café Paradiso menu has something for every group, every occasion and every palate. Sharing boards (meat and veggie) are the perfect solution for groups of friends or family looking to share a tapas-type meal with a Mediterranean flair.

The range of starters and salads cater for an array of tastes, including a vegan option. Personally, we've tried the camembert fritters, sushi crunch rolls and the vegan Buddha bowl - and can attest that all were mouthwatering.

When it comes to choosing your mains, there's an array of pasta dishes to choose from. The fact that Café Paradiso makes its pasta from scratch means that every option is a special one. Not in the mood for pasta? The mouthwatering mains menu has everything from burgers and bouillabaisse to steaks and seafood. You're sure to find something to tantalise your taste buds - and that's before we've even talked about the pizzas.

4. The authentic 'pizza deliziosa'

The newest addition to Café Paradiso's menu is 100% authentic wood-fired pizzas, made with tomato passata and fior de latte mozzarella. The hallmark of authentic Italian pizzas lies in their simplicity and top-quality ingredients, and options like Café Paradiso's gourmet mozzarella, caprese and paradiso pizzas will make your mouth water. When you read through the menu, you'll notice ingredients like pancetta, porcini and truffled black mushrooms - all of these relate to the Italian authenticity of Café Paradiso's pizzas.

5. Home-baked goods and pasta made from scratch

While many restaurants (and other businesses) try to take shortcuts and cut corners, Café Paradiso is committed to generations-old traditions and family values. The aroma of fresh-baked bread fills the café every morning in preparation for the day ahead. The pasta machine is hard at work every day, making its contribution to Café Paradiso's reputation of being a purveyor of fine Italian cuisine.

Café Paradiso is just one of the great local restaurants that await you if you're considering making Gardens your home. Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty has its finger on the pulse of all things Gardens and you can view the range of properties for sale and to rent and choose the home that's right for you.