The Vovo Telo branch on bustling 4th Ave in Parkhurst is one of the chain’s numerous locations around South Africa. But don’t let the fact that it’s a chain steer you away — this chic cafe doesn’t feel like a chain at all, and is full of custom murals, a whimsical vibe, a burning pizza oven, and delicious fresh food and baked goods. In fact, the vibe was so non-chainy, I didn’t realize there were other locations until I did some further research.

When my fiance and I walked inside, we were instantly confused about where to wait, as several people were standing both outside and indoors. No one approached us to seat us, but after we flagged a staff member we were given seats, and my only real complaint is that.

The interior was incredibly charming and lively, with rustic wood and a white bunny mascot appearing all around the restaurant. The back room had a fantastic mural replica of Vladimir Tretchikoff’s ‘Lady From Orient,’ and the front of the house was set up as a cute bakery with colorful cupcakes, large cakes and freshly-baked bread. All of the furniture is recycled and bohemian-looking, with snazzy paint jobs to compliment the rest of the decor.

Vovo Telo specializes in just about anything bakery-related, including sandwiches, breakfast items, pizzas, and even Banting bread, if you’re trying to watch your carbs. Personally, I’m on the lookout for as many delicious carbs as I can find, so after perusing the gigantic menu for awhile, I went for the Spanish pizza, while my fiance decided to be a bit more daring and go for the chicken liver panini. My pseudo-flatbread pizza came out piping hot with the right amount of chewiness, a heap of feta, a smattering of moz, about a dozen kalamata olives and a good amount of Spanish chorizo. Yes, it sounds like it could actually be a Greek pizza if they had just added some gyro meat, but don’t worry about the name — it was delicious. The chicken liver sandwich came on a Portuguese prego roll and was dripping wet with brown sauce. My fiance said it was delicious, but I’ll have to take her word for it as I always stay far away from anything with the word liver in it.

After our mains, we decided to hang out for a bit and enjoy the ambiance, and ended up ordering a spiced chai and a strawberry tart to pass the time. The chai came in a tall glass about 1/3 filled with silky foam, with a generous amount of spice to give it a kick. The tart was airy, not overly sweet, and had a hard, yet flaky crust that required some strength to cut.

During our stay, the waitress was extremely nice, super attentive, and came to our table several times with a big smile to see if we needed anything else. Everybody in the restaurant seemed to be enjoying themselves as well on the chilly (for South Africa) Sunday afternoon. From the vibe, to the execution of the food, to the excellent value, Vovo Telo in Parkhurst is one of the best chains for foodies you can find.