News Cafe Sandton — Restaurant in Gauteng

The food was bland, the butterchicken was very under seasoned and bland, a pita bread was plated instead of a naan, the bacon and cheese burger was dry with no seasoning and no sauce. The waiters were all gathered by the POS station having full blown conversation, not considering the fact that there was consumers right next to them.

There was one particular waiter who was incredibly rude when we asked them to help us with a wobbly table. He did not even let us finish our request and he walked away mid-conversation and said “i’ll call your waiter”. He is cocky and should not be in a business that involves customer service.

Every thing is dirty, the water bottles, the cutlery and even underneath the tables.

The is no managerial presence, no one came to check on our meal. Our waitress was having full blown conversations with other staff repeatedly and at one point she was leaning on the waiter station, with her BACK facing away from us and we constantly had to ask her for attention.

The bathrooms are shared between staff and customers which is strange. The kitchen was right next to us and we constantly saw people carrying ice in a yellow bucket in and out the kitchen.

The baked cheesecake was stodgy and mushy and overall too sweet.

We asked for the bill and included a tip. Our waitress then said on the menu it says a 10% tip is compulsory. Then why is it not on the bill. We refused to add more tip as we were already coughing out R1550,00 for a very underwhelming experience. It is always good to tip but on the occasion it was something we did not prepare to do.

The staff is too relaxed and it showed. No one cares that you are there, they walk around in their own world, like they own the place.

We definitely won’t come back, if you are thinking of coming to this Newscafe, just come for drinks END of story.

Even our water glasses came to the table WET.

The only decent meal was the bone marrow steak and the tapas board, hence the 2 for food.

Everything else was highly...

We arrived, a party of 3 yesterday. Quiet venue and thats what I was hoping for as I had my 2 kids with me. We ordered 3 breakfasts, caps and 2 pots if tea.

The breakfasts werent very hot. The beverages all had a odd taste. Something was wrong with the water. My daughters tea, which she loves tea, wouldnt finish it due to it tasting funny. When looking at the tea in the cup, you could see an oily residue on the top of the tea.

The caps all had the same weird taste. I opened the tea pot, the tea inside the teapot smelt odd as well so ordered another pot of tea.

Kids wouldnt even try it so I had it... The food also had a odd taste. The tomato tasted off so we left the rest.

We used the facilities as my daughter is young and we were told to use the ladies bathroom on the side (It smelt clean) but the floor had lots if soap on it hence we were half slipping around and no hand soap to actually wash our hands... Thankfully I had a bottle of sanitizer.

If something nasty like this happens, Id leave and just not go back but I have spent my entire day not feeling well since and vomitting all night and my daughters tummy wasnt great yesterday since we left.

There is a outbreak of hand foot and mouth disease in Gauteng, please ensure you use clean water and that everything is sanitary as at around 7am -...

I must say I was impresed by this buzzing, well-located urban hub perfectly suited for business lunches, casual meet-ups, coffee breaks, or after-work drink in the heart of Sandton City. Its strengths lie in its prime location, lively atmosphere, versatile all-day menu, and good drinks selection. It's a reliable "see-and-be-seen" spot offering convenience and energy. It delivers excellent value as a convenient meeting point but less so as a culinary destination.

In short: The go-to spot for convenient, vibrant meetings and social drinks in Sandton's core. Great atmosphere & location, decent food/drinks, expect crowds and premium pricing. Choose it for the scene & convenience, not for a quiet meal or gourmet experience.

Pro Tip: Book a weekday breakfast meeting (7:30–9:30 AM) or mid-afternoon lunch (2–4 PM) to enjoy the terrace/location at half the crowd level. Avoid lunch rushes (12–2 PM) and after-work chaos (4–7 PM) unless you thrive in loud scenes.Terrace seats are gold dust –...