Written by: Katrien Pienaar
Mondays are one of the best days to explore Pretoria at an easier pace. With a slower rhythm and fewer interruptions, it’s the perfect time for simple moments, a quiet coffee, something sweet, or a relaxed stop, that helps you ease into the week ahead and discover easy things to do in Pretoria.
It’s Monday. The weekend is behind you, and a new week is ahead. This is the day that sets the tone. We’re keeping things simple: minimal planning, but plenty of moments that make the week feel a little lighter.
Easy Monday Ideas in Pretoria
Everyone knows starting your day with coffee makes things a bit easier. The same goes for starting your week. Mondays can start with a quiet coffee. You open your notebook, plan your week, and get focused. Many coffee spots are noticeably less busy on Mondays, which makes it feel even calmer. I love making a reset stop on a Monday at Wild Route Café, where you can look out over the quieter side of Pretoria. They’ve got free WiFi, making it easy to set up a few meetings and organise your week. Wild Route Café understands the agenda, and with their R35 breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and an Americano, or their R65 cake and cappuccino, you might just spend much longer here than you planned. No matter, it’s just what your Monday needs.
Facebook: Wild Route Café
For a little sweet reset in the middle of your Monday, we’re thinking a stop at Der Zucker Bäcker at Menlyn Retail Park is what you need. If you’re having the Monday blues and need something special, their famous Bee Sting Cake is always a good idea — creamy custard sandwiched between roasted honey and almonds. You can sit and enjoy it, or take some pastries to go to share with a friend who might need a little Monday pick-me-up.
Facebook: Der Zucker Bäcker
For lunchtime, Tiger’s Milk at Irene Village Mall is a great option. Their 2-for-1 burger on Mondays makes it an easy choice, whether you’re meeting someone or making it part of your work-from-home day (and maybe keeping that second burger for later). If you’re able to stay a bit longer, Monday is also a good time to enjoy their happy hour, with 2-for-1 deals on house beer, wine, and selected cocktails. The relaxed Monday pace makes it easy to slow down and enjoy it.
Facebook: Tiger’s Milk
By the time the afternoon rolls around, kids might need a bit of a Monday reset too. If you’re looking for family-friendly things to do in Pretoria, The Park at Willows is a lovely option where the kids can wind down. There’s a bicycle pump track for beginners and more experienced riders, and enough space for kids to run around while you sit and take a breather. With Plato Coffee on site, you can have (another) coffee, or swap it for a Signature Plato Freezo this time to ease you into the week.
Facebook: The Park – Pump Track - Pretoria
And of course, sometimes there are a few grocery items you’ve forgotten about on a Monday. Safari Pantry in Faerie Glen is a stop on the way home and is perfect for this. You can pick up freshly baked bread, grab a few grocery items, or even take home a wood-fired pizza for an easy takeaway night.
Contact: 070 445 4312
And finally, some Mondays, you’re just not ready to cook dinner yet, and taking the whole family out can feel like the easier option. Papachinos Silverlakes has you covered with half-price pizza and pasta every Monday. With multiple play areas, some even themed like castles, and pizza making for little ones, the whole family will be ready to take on the rest of the week after winding down their Monday together.
Facebook: Papachinos Silverlakes
And that’s really what Mondays in Pretoria are about. Easy moments that help you ease into the week. A coffee in the morning, a sweet stop in between, an unhurried lunch, and an easy family dinner, all the little things that make the week feel lighter and more manageable, in a city that moves at just the right pace on a Monday.