the il ritrovo lounge and bar - the michelangelo hotel

just finished a quick bite at the ilritrovoat the michaelangelo, and what a disappointment it was. after eventually asking for a table, it took another 10 mins to get any service from the staff, to the extent where i had to get up and ask someone if we could place our orders. we ordered the spicy chicken mayo sandwiches and cappuccinos. after about 20 mins the sandwiches arrived, the chips were cold and when asked to be sent back the waiter even checked to see if they were infact cold, which is quite insulting. the sandwich is probably the worst tcm i've ever had, with the toasted leaning more to the side of just bread. for an establishment in a 5 star hotel their staff have alot to learn. i'm not sure if its cause they are working the graveyard shift but i expect the service and quality of food to be consistent, no matter what time it is.

in the midst of sandton's booming and buzzing, ilritrovolounge offers a serene, calm, and relaxing environment. the ambience is amazing, live piano, and what i consider to be one of the best cigar/smokers lounge in johannesburg.

my favorite meal by far at this place is the chicken curry.. their presentation is amazing, especially with the créme brulé.. and the staff is very helpful. an added bonus is that you are allowed to order from the piccolo mondo which offers a completely different gourmet meals menu.

an afternoon of tea and baking at theritrovolounge , by far the most tastiest carrot cake ever !!! , well priced good service and an amazing experience.

i brought my mom for the high tea at the ilritrovoto celebrate her birthday. although the setting is beautiful, the savoury selection of the buffet leaves much to be desired and is in fact a little bit disappointing. the sweet selection, together with the friendly service is their only saving grace. with a cost of r225 per head, ilritrovoshould definitely look at redoing their buffet, or otherwise consider reintroducing the classic three-tiered concept and charging a little bit more.

i went to ilritrovowith a friend after a morning of pampering, and it was a great way to end the day. the dining room is quite large, and tables are well-spaced. it’s quite busy and seems best to make a booking. while we were there they started setting out the treats for high tea, and my friend and i decided we would definitely need to return for that.

we shared a margarita pizza, which was served under a dome and was really good, with a crispy base and lots of melted cheese and fresh rosa tomatoes. i had ordered the lemon meringue milkshake, which was supposed to be served with a meringue – only the milkshake was delivered; no meringue. it was incredibly delicious though – not too sweet or sour, but undeniably lemony.

the main reason for us trying out this restaurant was their signature berry crème brulee my friend read about. what a spectacular dish! served on dry ice it’s surrounded in a cloud of mystery. it’s a decent-sized serving with layers of mixed berries, creamy custard, and crunchy caramalised sugar.
the service was a little slow, but friendly.

the ilritrovolounge is a great place for after dinner drinks.

the service is excellent and expect an attentive waiter to ensure you find for as long as you are there.

their creme brûlee is a must try if for no other reason but its presentation. the desert is brought to the table with a cloud of smoke and under glass dome.

the milkshake of the same flavor is also worth a try.

there is also a cigar lounge and if you want to experience high tea, there's one served every afternoon.

they also have a full menu so you can make a meal out of it.