Essence Cafe & Grill, Pietermaritzburg - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews

Does this restaurant have a full bar?

Yes

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CUISINES

Cafe, Grill

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Free Wifi, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

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4.0

88 reviews

Excellent

33

Very good

29

Average

17

Poor

4

Terrible

5

Makhosi

2 contributions

Mrs

Dec 2019 • family

We enjoyed ourselves, the food was great and the waiter was the best We will definetly come back for more.

Written 22 December 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sherri

Pietermaritzburg1 contribution

30th Birthday Celebration

Mar 2019 • family

I held my partners 30th Birthday celebration at Essence and the service that we received was remarkable. Steven, the owner, knew exactly how to put me at ease and went out of his way to assist me with what ever I needed. The staff were one step ahead the entire evening, served amazing food, were full of smiles and were eager to attend to all the guests requests. I am so thankful for the Essence team for making the celebration so much more special where I could focus on those being hosted in such a relaxed environment. You have outdone yourselves Essence team!

Written 26 March 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SteveF1195

Thank you for the great review and for celebrating your birthday with us Sherri.

Written 28 March 2019

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Klza19

24 contributions

Brilliant Breakfast

Mar 2019 • family

Lovely food. I highly recommend the Falafel breakfast. Each element of the breakfast tasted like they were cooked with care. The flavours were fantastic. A solid 5/5 for that breakfast dish.

Written 21 March 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark L

36 contributions

Don't go early on a Sunday

Apr 2021 • friends

They open at 08.00, they say. Not so much. At 08.30 the tables and chairs were not out, and staff were arriving in dribs and drabs. The floor got brushed around us with a large broom. Tables dragged around noisily. Noise: nice music but way too loud, and then the coffee grinder is mindblowing, like a jumbo jet taking off, it totally stops any conversation. The food was OK, and our waiter was attentive, but the overall experience was not good. No more early breakfasts at Essence.

Written 11 April 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Moorti

Pietermaritzburg22 contributions

Poor quality of food

Nov 2022 • family

1 definitely a miss Breakfast came cold after a long wait . The place was not busy . Sunnyside eggs went back an came well done. Food had no flavor . Not a good experience.

Written 26 November 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sim

1 contribution

Dinner in a night club

Dec 2021 • couples

Slow serve and barely any enthusiasm from staff. The music is so loud that you cannot talk to people at the table.

Written 30 December 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Northdene

Durban17 contributions

Disappointed.

Jun 2019 • friends

Lovely decor but sadly the service does not match up! Waited really long for any attention and then waited even longer for our food to arrive, and then, if possible, even longer to try settle our bill! We only had cake and tea but it wasn't anything extra special and the Cafe was very noisy so, all in all, not the greatest experience.

Written 2 July 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Yumeshrey N

Pietermaritzburg48 contributions

A little gem

Mar 2019 • friends

Essence has a rustic look with ancient items in different corners of the restaurant. The waitors are very pleasant and the food is absolutely superb. I loved every bite of my starters and my mains. In addition I had an ice coffee which was strong and delicious. Definitely my new go to place.

Written 20 March 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

nathichonco

Cape Town Central7 contributions

Good & Fresh

Jan 2019 • family

I like the homely, relaxed atmosphere at this restaurant. The food was sumptuous and fresh. Oir waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was impressive that there was only a private party hosted there but it wasn't intrusive to the other diners

Written 5 January 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Petite-Bouffant

Calgary218 contributions

Lovely ambience, decor and food in PMB!

Dec 2018 • family

I visited this venue twice with family over the festive season. We were looking for a café that was open, that serves healthier meal options and has good coffee. The first visit was with my mom and a second time with the whole family. We really enjoyed the crispy calamari salad on both occasions! It was delicious, good value, fresh and healthy. Would definitely recommend this venue!

Written 28 December 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

andrec62

Pietermaritzburg47 contributions

Average food great service

Dec 2018 • family

We went to Essence Cafe for lunch. I had a crispy calamari salad. Most of salad was leaves with calamari that was fried covered with flour. Unfortunately the flour was still raw. The service was great.

Written 26 December 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

M Theresho C

Roodepoort428 contributions

Great ambiance

Oct 2018 • friends

Had dinner here with friends day before a cycling race , we ordered pasta and it was divine, loved it. The atmosphere in the restuarant was awesome, great ambiance . It was a cold evening and the heaters made us forget the miserable weather outside :-) Our waiter was also awesome 👌🏾

Written 16 November 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LynCJ

83 contributions

Care for your customers

Nov 2018 • business

The ambiance is appreciated for a rainy, there is fire glowing. Lots of servers around. Don't ask for a glass of water, it takes longer than a drink to arrive. The harvest table has a wide selection of good food. It would be appreciated that when there is food on the harvest table, it be kept hot. Why serve it then?? A good place to eat at, be there at 12 and line up for lunch for hot food.

Written 6 November 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

EB

Pietermaritzburg29 contributions

Lunch with friends

Nov 2018 • friends

I can recommend the calamari. It was tende and served with a delicious sauce. The harvest table had a wonderful selection of various dishes to chose from.

Written 6 November 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Charlene R

Pietermaritzburg24 contributions

Slow service

Oct 2018 • family

Essence cafe has a good warm and welcoming feel to it. It has good food that is reasonably priced, however the service is slow and the waiters are not friendly. You have to wait a long time to get the attention of a waiter and then he did not even bother to return. Really dissapointing service.

Written 1 November 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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