I have never had lunch in a glasshouse, let alone a glasshouse with a chandelier in it, let alone a glasshouse with a chandelier and actor Judy Davis eating at a nearby table.

But all these unlikely elements came together at Cafe Parterre in Woollahra, behind Parterre antique shop on Ocean Street, a lovely old sandstone corner store. Owner Richard Haigh has been selling his hand-picked mix of antiques and modern pieces here for more than 30 years, and a couple of years ago decided to install at cafe in the outdoor courtyard.

After more than two years of work, it opened in August but looks as though it’s been here for ages, with the worn sandstone stairs, brick paving, preloved mismatched furniture and thriving plants everywhere.

Local lunching ladies made a beeline for it immediately — no bookings are taken so it’s best to get in early. On the Wednesday we visit, by 12.30pm almost all the tables are full (Judy looks as though she’s already been there a while).

The waiters in fetching aprons are attentive and cheery, pouring waters and taking coffee orders before leaving us to scan the succinct French Provincial-accented menu, designed by Kirsten Jenkins of delicious. magazine.

Breakfast is covered with toast, granola, bircher, and the classic avo, feta and tomatoes on toast — except the toast is activated charcoal and buckwheat from Paddington’s Organic Bread Bar, and the tomatoes are heirloom.

We order a thoroughly Woollahra lunch, the no-carbs prosciutto, asparagus and bean salad, and chicken celery honey almond tartine, then settle in with our excellent Allpress coffees for a good look around.

It’s gorgeous. The walls are covered in hanging pots of edible plants — parsley, thyme, basil, nasturtiums — and an old olive tree grows in a weathered steel drum. Arched mirrors add depth to the space, and casually styled elements such as the rusty rustic gates and terracotta pots stacked in the glasshouse make it all feel lived in.

The food is lovely too. The tartine is piled with poached chicken, goat’s cheese ($24) and mandolin-thin slices of celery, scattered with almonds. The salad ($25) uses witlof instead of carbs to good effect, and a glowing, jewel-red hibiscus and mint cordial is refreshing and not too sweet.

A custom-made cake cart from Belgium contains pastries, blueberry spelt scones and an apricot and strawberry tart, which looks and tastes homemade. Pastry chef Pierre Labancz looks after the baked good, with head chef Gaurav Karki in charge of the rest of the menu.

It’s a warm day and we are starting to feel the heat when suddenly, a discreetly installed watering system sprays out a fine mist of water that keeps the plants happy and cools the diners without getting us wet.

Though it’s a million miles from the Swedish discount furniture giant, Cafe Parterre has one key Ikea element — on the way out, we wander through the store. Several antique chandeliers are for sale, and we admire one French beauty, circa 1880, in bronze and brass with clear and smoked crystal. It’s $7,800.

We leave with a handmade unscented candle for $20 instead. It’s the best Wednesday I’ve had for a while.