Burgers @ Essence cafe hillcrest
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Category: Essence cafe
Essence Cafe & Pizzeria Hillcrest (also referred to as Essence Café) is a casual café and pizzeria in the Hillcrest Corner Shopping Centre in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is an extension of the popular Pietermaritzburg (PMB) coffee shop, offering home-style food, wood-fired pizzas, and their well-known coffee in a relaxed atmosphere.
Location & Contact
- Address: Hillcrest Corner Shopping Centre, Upper Level Parking by the Woolworths entrance (variously listed as 51 or 57 Old Main Road), Hillcrest, 3610.
- Phone: 031 765 2546
- WhatsApp: 072 950 0281
- Email: info@essencehillcrest.co.za
- Website / social: essencehillcrest.co.za (or related essencecafe.co.za references); Instagram @essencehillcrest; Facebook page for Essence Cafe & Pizzeria Hillcrest.
Parking is available at the centre (including upper-level parking near Woolworths). It offers dine-in, outdoor seating, takeaway/pickup, and delivery via platforms such as Mr D and Uber Eats.
Opening Hours
Hours vary slightly across sources; the most consistent recent listings (including from restaurant directories and navigation apps) are approximately:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 07:30 – 18:30 |
| Tuesday–Thursday | 07:30 – 20:00 |
| Friday | 07:30 – 21:00 |
| Saturday | 07:30 – 20:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00 – 18:30 |
Some older or alternative listings show slightly earlier closes (e.g., Monday ~18:00 or Sunday ~17:00–18:00) or later weekend times. Breakfast specials typically run until 11:00. Confirm current hours via phone or social media, as they can change.
Menu Highlights & Style
The menu covers breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner-style options with a mix of café fare, wood-fired thin-base pizzas (generously topped with quality mozzarella, often locally sourced), pasta, burgers, grilled items (including Portuguese-style flame-grilled chicken, ribs, wings), salads, wraps, toasties, sandwiches, curries, and desserts. Coffee and other drinks (including freezos, smoothies, and soft drinks) are a strong focus. Vegetarian and some vegan-friendly options are available.
Recent/ongoing specials (check current availability on Instagram/Facebook or by calling, as they rotate):
- Breakfast special (daily ~07:30–11:00): Two eggs, bacon, pork sausage, mushrooms, grilled tomato & toast, often with a free cappuccino or tea (around R70 in recent promotions).
- Pizza Thursday: Buy 1 pizza, get 1 free.
- Pasta Day promotions (e.g., buy 1 get 1 free on pasta).
- Weekend “Mix It Up” deal: Buy any 3 meals (pizza, pasta, ½ chicken, or burgers) and pay for only 2.
- Burger Wednesday specials (e.g., buy 1 get 1 free on burgers).
- “Chilla Menu” (braai-style options with sides like pap & relish, salads, butternut).
- Lunch deals and other value offers.
Delivery menus on Mr D and Uber Eats show a wide range of items (pizzas from classic to gourmet, burgers ~R135+, salads, etc.), with positive notes on portions and value in some reviews.
Atmosphere, Reviews & Additional Notes
It is described as a relaxed, comfortable spot suitable for breakfast through evening meals, with a community-oriented feel (the Hillcrest Corner centre has highlighted it as a local legacy business). Facilities typically include child-friendly options, table service, takeout, and wheelchair accessibility notes on some platforms.