Cafe Culture: The great outdoors

The sorry chorus around the table as we sat outside on the charming Bree Street pavement in Cape Town was "Why don't we have this in Joburg?"

Johannesburg has built up such a mall culture over the years that eating and drinking at a restaurant with street frontage has become a real treat. Clever local restaurateurs are taking note of this lament and are working hard to give customers that pleasant street-side vibe.

The newest kid on the block in Greenside is Trio, a restaurant with a focus on coffee brought to you by a partner in Whippet in Linden.

Open for only a few months, Trio is fast becoming the most popular spot on the strip, especially with people who prefer their beers milky and unfiltered and their coffee served strong, tasty and in glasses - just like the best men.

It also helps to have a really friendly, good-looking staff complement who treat you like a regular, even if it's your first time.

Most of the seating is outside next to a glass window, and on the other side of the window is a recording studio that pipes its music onto the street.

The decor is laid back and pared down, but with a lot of attention to detail. For example the salt and pepper comes in a sleek, round wooden container with a sliding top.

The menu is simple, divided into breakfast, bruschetta, salads, burgers and café foods - including their famous southern fried chicken, gingery mint slaw and spicy chips.

Past the bar and down some stairs at the back is an enclosed urban courtyard. It has a charming feel about it, decorated simply with a beige awning and string lights.

This Saturday, Trio will present its first jazz evening. A jazz band will play in the studio behind the glass and the sound will be piped onto the street.

Save a date

What to eat. The burgers are big and delicious, the southern fried chicken is a winner and the Scottish salmon with tagliatelle and chilli cream was cooked to perfection

When to go. Any time is good. They serve a mean breakfast, including a delicious dish of corn cakes with grilled chorizo, spicy tomato salsa and whipped sriracha avo. Lunch comes with free music from the recording studio next door and at night it's a great place to relax with friends over a drink. There's live music on the last Wednesday of the month.

Who to take. A small group of friends. The place has limited seating.

What not to do. Congregate around the bar. It runs along the entrance of the restaurant to the kitchen - there's not enough space for you, your beer and the staff to get by.

What to drink. Double cappuccino served in a glass or a latte you mix yourself in the morning, and a large selection of craft beers in the evening.

How much do you need? Breakfasts range between R32 and R60, burgers between R55 and R77, and the mains are just over R100. You're looking at about R200 per person for dinner if you add in drinks and dessert.

Trio, 116 Greenway Road, 7am to 11pm daily, 011-486-3631