The best restaurants in Cape Town for 2025

Telegraph

19-02-2025

Rather than a particular style of cooking – though cooking meat over coals is a national pastime – Cape Town is all about fresh local produce, put together with flair. The city is a magnet for talented chefs, surrounded by a veritable pantry: fertile farmlands, forests and the Atlantic Ocean. Some say we eat with our eyes, and the city offers a visual feast – views of vineyard-clad mountains, craggy peaks and the sparkling sea.
Cape Town's restaurants offer unbelievably good value. Even the exceptional tasting menus, while expensive by South African standards, are cheaper than anything comparable in the northern hemisphere, and globetrotting foodies often rate them on a par with Michelin star-rated restaurants. The selection here covers both the best fine dining, as well as plenty of stalwarts favoured by Capetonians.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Cape Town. Find out more below or for further inspirations, see our guides to the city's best hotels, things to do and how to spend a weekend in Cape Town. For yet more inspiration, read about our expert's ultimate two-week holiday in South Africa.
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Bouchon Bistro
Truly my kind of restaurant: sophisticated, yet relaxed; located in a city-centre wine cellar; romantically lit with pools of light on each table; a two-page small plates menu, that is consistently good and varied enough to satisfy even the pickiest; a good but not overwhelming list of wines by the glass; and warm, professional service. Make an ad hoc selection or go for the excellent-value tapas special (three plates per person). In which case this is what I'd order: fillet cubes with bearnaise, tuna tataki, prawns in garlic, chilli and olive oil (add a side order of fries), duck breast with sweet potato puree, baked cheesecake, and white chocolate creme brûlée.
Clarke's Bar & Dining Room
Looking at the bustle and vibe – waiters ferrying burgers and Aperol Spritz, tattooed hipsters clustered around tables, bearded Boomers on their laptops – it's hard to believe lockdown almost killed Clarke's. Locals rallied, artists donated artworks, Strauss Gallery arranged an online art auction and regulars made generous bids, a testament to what this hub means to the community. It's a casual and welcoming atmosphere: dogs are as welcome as solo workers, it's happy hour 5pm to 6pm and a half dozen oysters will run you 120 bucks. It's good, unpretentious grub – excellent sandwiches (the white bread and flourless nut-and-seed loaf baked in-house), and many slate their burgers as the best in town.
Ouzeri
Greek cuisine is an integral part of South Africa's eclectic dining scene – the first Greeks settled here in the 1860s – but Ouzeri steps beyond the predictable staples to present a more interesting region-specific range of Greek and Cypriot dishes. It serves more-than-the-sum-of-its parts cooking, using quality local ingredients presented with minimal fuss by talented owner-chef Nic Charalambous. Drawing predominantly on recipes learnt from his Cypriot grandmother, to which he adds his own contemporary twist, Charalambous has devised a tight menu. View the choice online (with luck his beef-shin youvetsi, with roasted bone marrow and chunks of a great local crottin, is there), or just book a table and let the waiter take you through the choice; service is as excellent as the food.
Contact: ouzeri.co.za
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: £
Ramenhead
Located in a heritage building on central Church Square, Ramenhead is the most authentic ramen experience in the city. It's partly the umami-rich broths simmering away for up to 16 hours, partly the classic ingredients (chashu, ajitamago, pickled ginger, mayu, rayu, seaweed), but the quality of the noodles is key.
Japanophile chefs Peter Tempelhoff and Ashley Moss (the duo behind award-winning FYN, located upstairs) make regular pilgrimages to Japan where they sourced a Yamato noodle-making machine, enabling them to precision control every hand-fed layer, and produce their range of high-protein, low-hydration noodles, with the correct springy texture and mouthfeel for specific broths: thin Tokyo-style for classic tonkotsu; thicker, wavier Sapporo-style noodles for miso tonkotsu; Kitakata-style noodles for 'soupless' spicy chicken tantanmen. Whatever you order, sip a Kagatobi: made by Fukumitsuya Saké Brewery.
FYN
Fyn means fine, an adjectival understatement of the evening (or afternoon) ahead – for many, hands down the best fine dining restaurant in the city. Under an arresting installation of floating wooden discs, with large windows framing oblique views of Table Mountain, Peter Tempelhoff's team work in an open-plan kitchen preparing tasting menus inspired by Japanese culinary techniques and including South African ingredients.
A stand-alone Relais & Chateaux restaurant (indicating two- to three-star Michelin standard), the pleasure is not just the what happens every time you lift your fork, but the tasting menu as a whole is as perfectly balanced as each plate. Working with Jan De Vynck, director at the African Centre for Coastal Paleoscience, Tempelhoff incorporates and grows ingredients believed to have been foraged on the Cape coast millennia ago. High-brow stuff, partly why FYN won the Flor de Cana Sustainability Award at The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2023, and is the first in Africa to earn a coveted three-star rating from the Food Made Good Standard in 2024. As one astute voter noted, 'Table Mountain may offer the view, but what happens on the table is far more inspiring'.
The Lebanese Bakery
Chef Clara fell in love with Levantine cuisine while living in Egypt and travelling the Middle East. On her return home, she met Khaled who had just purchased a corner spot on busy Imam Haron Road in Claremont – a quaint spot with a few tables and bar stools. Enjoy her manakish, available with a variety of toppings; spinach or spiced mince fatayer; falafels (sandwich, wrap or bowl) or shawarma, stuffed with plenty beef or chicken, lettuce, tomato, sumac onions, pickles and tahini-yoghurt or garlicky toumeya.
Belly of the Beast
An intimate experience in the hip 'East City' hood, with chefs Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart doing everything themselves, from preparing dishes to serving diners. As such there are fixed arrival times for both lunch and dinner, a maximum of 30 diners, and very little flexibility when it comes to their innovative tasting menu, which is presented only once guests arrive (given 24-hour advance notice, vegetarians and pescatarians are provided with an alternative menu; regrettably vegans and allergy restrictions cannot be accommodated). The duo are proponents of the usual 'nose to tail' and 'locally sourced' mantras, sourcing from small-scale fishers and farmers, with their South African roots evident throughout. One of the city's best-value fine dining experiences, particularly at lunchtime, when the R750 three-course set meal becomes an impressive five (dinner is R1050). Small wonder they are almost always fully booked.
South China Dim Sum Bar
This hole-in-the-wall – on somewhat insalubrious Long Street, dense with budget backpackers and bars – is another firm family favourite. Menu highlights include the lamb potstickers, served with nuoc cham or chinkiang vinegar, and Shiu Mai (open-faced dumplings with pork belly and shiitake mushrooms), followed by a bowl of braised beef short rib. Décor is simple, some may say cheap – bench seating and Bruce Lee posters – and service is perfunctory. But you're here for the Cantonese-style street food, freshly prepared by chef-owner Ed Hung in his tiny kitchen.
Bodega Ramen
Up an old flight of stairs into the eaves of this lovely 18th-century building on Wale Street – above the Secret Gin Bar and behind Honest Chocolate – and you're in a very warm and welcoming space that feels a bit like a student loft conversion. Candle-lit, with mismatched vintage tables and thriving pot plants, the restaurant is overseen by a small team of regular waiters who explain the menu in between making deliciously creative cocktails. A tiny kitchen with almost no storage space, so everything is made fresh daily, noodles included. A few small plates to share – crispy karaage (Japanese fried chicken); burnt cabbage with peanuts, nori and sweet soy; Korean fried cauliflower with sesame and spring onions – followed by a generous bowl of ramen; the braised beef short rib and kimchi and Sichuan hot-pot pork are understandably popular, and the whole experience highly rated. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free accommodated.
GOLD
I'm not much for themed restaurants with live entertainment, but Cindy and Jan Muller pull it out the hat. More than just a great place to sample pan-African cuisine, a meal here is an evening of fun that starts at the door, where African praise singers and giant Mali puppets greet you, before ushering you into one of several dining areas. There are 14 dishes, served either as sharing platters or individually, with recipes sourced from across the continent. Roaming performers dance and sing and after the final act the whole team perform a rousing thank you. Make no mistake, GOLD is touristic, but the energy and vibrance is contagious, the performers are great, food is good and plentiful, and nothing – thanks to night shelter donations – is ever wasted.
Hemelhuijs
Don't be put off by this restaurant's unprepossessing location – this is one of the best luncheons you'll have in the city. The inclusion of all-day breakfast makes for a difficult decision. Self-effacing chef Jacques Erasmus dabbles in illustration, furniture and ceramics, and his décor touches are as inventive and unpredictable as his flavours. Naturally his 'heaven-house' (direct translation) menu changes regularly, although you can view the latest online, but expect fresh, creative, mouthwatering food. A seasonal offering might include roasted muscadel and shaved fresh pear with rocket, creamed burrata, walnut praline and sourdough wafers; nectarines with shaved fennel, whipped feta, roasted green olives and pickled onion; or shaved cucumber and crisp raw summer vegetables with grilled prawns and charred creamy tomato dressing. Thankfully his naked ravioli is perennial: succulent dumplings of ricotta and green leaf rolled in truffled butter, parmesan and fresh tomato. If only they also opened for dinner.
Maria's Greek Café & Restaurant
This tiny restaurant has been around for decades yet is so low-key it doesn't even have a website. Why bother when you have such a loyal local following? It does make any last-minute bookings tricky, especially on balmy summer evenings when all the tables are carried out onto Dunkley square, the festooned trees giving it a very romantic ambience. If you're lucky the charming owners Cleon and Kate will be in attendance; regardless, the atmosphere is always friendly and the vibe festive. The menu is ideally ordered to share: you can't go wrong with the calamari stuffed with feta and herbs, mucver (balls of courgette and feta, rolled in breadcrumbs and fried) or the slow-cooked lamb. Quite a few vegan choices too. Dogs are welcome.
Dorp
The trickiest part of dining here is deciding who gets to face the windows: located at the very top of Signal Hill – the city spread below like a dinky toy town, dwarfed by Table Mountain and Devil's Peak – this is one of the best view of the city. Printed on brown paper, the menu offers simple, unfussy classics – an excellent fillet prego, delicious salmon latkes and a great Caesar salad. The ambience is that of a dining-salon – decadent pink sofas and enough plants to fill a greenhouse, vintage tables piled high with books and candles, and several fireplaces in a grand double-volume space with arched windows and doors framing those postcard views. Overhead lighting can be a touch harsh at night, if the weather is fine ask for a table on the terrace. In deference to the Muslim neighbourhood, Dorp does not sell liquor; bringing your own makes for an extremely good-value lunch or evening out. Seating is limited, and hotel guests get first dibs.
Carne
One of those old-school restaurateurs who likes to greet every guest and ask if you enjoyed your meal, Chef Giorgio Nava has been selecting, maturing and preparing meat sourced from a handful of farms in the Western and Eastern Cape for close to two decades.Visitors have a choice of two venues (as well as a stall at the Time Out Market in the Waterfront): the smaller Kloof Street venue may be more convenient but I'd head to the original Keerom venue, a classic subterranean space in the city's historic heart, and order any of the beef cuts with the excellent 'fritte Carne', though the 'Safari: Misto d Selvaggina' is understandably popular – fillet of ostrich, kudu, black wildebeest, impala and blesbok. There are several sauces on the menu but Nava prefers you really taste the flavour of the meat – with just a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper – to experience what the fuss is about. There are vegetarian options but given the platter of raw meet presented prior to ordering, probably not the best place.
Galjoen
If you love seafood and enjoy a tasting menu, Galjoen is a must. Housed in a fairly unprepossessing venue – a semi-industrial space, up a flight of stairs – this latest venture from Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart, the duo behind Belly of the Beast, has similar provisos: a strict start time, limited guest numbers, no walk ins. Sustainably-caught seafood supplied by ABALOBI is on offer, but this is more than just fresh fish caught by local fishermen. Chef Isca Scholtz is at the helm of a kitchen producing innovative lip-smackers that taste even better than they look: balanced flavours and textures, not overly fussy, and just the right amount on every plate, leaving you sated and satisfied without feeling stuffed. At R750pp lunch is a bargain. (Note: Galjoen, South Africa's national fish, is on the masthead, but will never – being endangered – be on the menu.)
Pot Luck Club
There are surprisingly few restaurants with views in the city, which is just one of several excellent reasons to book here well in advance. It's located in the silo of the original Woodstock Biscuit Mill; inside, chef Jason Kosmas and executive chef Luke Dale Roberts serve signature-style Asian-influenced tapas menu along with fabulous city and mountain views. There are two seatings; I'd opt for the earlier to enjoy the change from sunset to city lights. Sharing plates change regularly but are divided into five basic tastes: salty, sour, sweet, umami and bitter. Great cocktails too. Service is fast and the ambience is high-energy – if you're looking for a quiet romantic evening, Dale Roberts' Salon, located below, is the better option.
Salon
Excitement in local foodie circles when Chef Luke Dale Roberts – who pivoted critically acclaimed The Test Kitchen into training restaurant TTK in 2021 – announced the opening of Salon, voted Best New Restaurant at the World Culinary Awards 2024. Décor has always been important to Dale Roberts, and Salon is no exception: you enter a cosy space, with pools of light from tassled lamps in semi-private nooks, and brass domes over marble-topped bistro tables. Guests can choose between the nine-course Journey dinner (R1690) or the seven-course Explorer lunch (R1300) – good value within the local fine dining context. Both are presented as a map, with a signature dish created from each country that the globetrotting Dale Roberts has worked in … a kind of edible autobiography if you will, and what a deliciously varied life! Every dish a sensation (some of the most popular from The Test Kitchen oeuvre); top-notch cocktails too.
Il Leone Mastrantonio
This is a small, traditional Italian restaurant specialising in homemade pastas with classic sauces, and attentive service. Linguine Portofino (prawns, rocket, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts in a white wine, olive oil, garlic and chilli sauce) is recommended or, if you're watching your waistline, order the courgette pasta topped with chunky prawns in a simple, flavourful passata, a delicious carb-free winner (if it's not on the menu, ask for it). For the rest it's an old-fashioned Italian experience, with tables draped in white, and napkins spread on the lap. Acoustics can be a problem when it's full (lunch is never a problem).
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City Bowl
Upper Union
Upper Union is one of my favourite restaurants, with a delightful location – either under pretty scalloped umbrellas in the front courtyard festooned with fairy lights, or in the Victorian-influenced dining room, all dark green walks and black-and-white chequered floor. It's pretty enough for a special occasion but the delight-inducing dishes – I'd recommend small sharing plates, enabling you to sample a fe.
Armed with a joyous artistic energy that is contagious, chef Amore's curiosity and knowledge criss-crosses the globe but is also rooted in Afrikaans heritage, blending in childhood-memory ingredients – condensed milk to mebos, Frosties to waterblommetjies – in unique ways (the latter currently with a nasturtium chimichurri that adds punch to tender slices of Picanha steak, great with feta, celery slaw, allium confit and salt-baked beetroot).
Vadivelu
Owned and managed by Kevin and cousin Jason with brother-in-law Tim, Vadivelu – named after Kevin's dad – has breathed new life into the city's Indian cuisine offering, with contemporary pink and mint décor and an 'Authentically South Africanly Indian' attitude towards food, which made Vadivelu an overnight hit. Chef Jai studied in Tamil Nadu, but the whole subcontinent is here – pani puri bombs (hollow crisped balls filled with savoury potato, mint, chilli, and tamarind sauce), zucchini bhaji with mint sauce, the unmissable '65', fried paneer in a lip-smacking tangy sauce. Durban lamb curry tends to be my go-to, mopped up with torn strips of crispy, flaky paratha, the ultimate Indian flatbread.
Kloof Street House
Entering Kloof Street House at night is like walking into a clubby boudoir, saturated walls dimly lit with candles in wax-dripped wine bottles, leather studded banquettes with silk cushions, vintage images on the walls and old books no one will ever read again. It's rammed with patrons who love the romantic atmosphere and see-and-be-seen vibe as much as the simple brasserie-style menu.
Not all dishes are made equal – I'd go straight for a steak cut, with spring onion miso butter and truffled wild mushrooms, or the burger. With smoked tomato aioli, pickles, red onion, mushroom relish and cheese this is hands down the best burger in town, with a thick juicy patty made from ground Chalmar beef. Dinner is packed with seating and the kitchen only closes at midnight; for a less charged vibe (but also less romantic) consider lunch.
Deer Park Café
Carin and Roger opened their neighbourhood bistro two decades ago, and it's become a community bastion, hosting occasional evening talks, early morning regulars, relieved parents and happy dogs. It's perfect if you're travelling with children, with a terrace overlooking a fenced public park and playground dappled by stone pines and yellow-wood trees.
A range of breakfasts (Akoori scrambled eggs, with onion, green pepper, chilli tomato, fresh coriander and Goan chef Ashton's mix of Indian spices a winner), a weekly changing lunch and dinner black-board menu (always featuring a couple of great Indian dishes), pizzas, well-selected wines and excellent coffee. If it isn't carefully sourced and free range, you won't find it in Carin's kitchen.
Blondie
Slap bang in the middle of the trendiest part of Kloof street, this street-food-style restaurant – presided over by a large artwork of Princess Diana – opened in December 2021, but it's archly styled to look like it's been here since the blonde icon once dominated headlines. A small, simple menu: start with seared Romaine lettuce, liberally dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, or slivers of charred beetroot served on crème fraiche. The 'Fire Aubergine' – a whole roasted aubergine spread on crisp flatbread – is delicious, as is the tender slow-cooked short-rib served on a harissa-spiced tomato base. 'Chips' are crispy roast potatoes, served with a bowl of crème fraiche topped with chilli oil. Be gone by 3.30pm, unless you want to be jostled by young hipsters in what – come evening – is a see-and-be-seen bar.
Black Sheep
This trendy yet unpretentious bistro-style restaurant has been a rip-roaring success since it opened. It's partly due to an excellent location on bustling Kloof street, with a long bar ledge that runs the length of large windows that open to the street and frame views of Table Mountain, partly the lively atmosphere and service, but mostly because of the consistent quality and wide choice on offer. Knowledgeable waiters are only too happy to guide you through the chalkboard menu. If available the fresh pappardelle with braised springbok in red wine and mushrooms, sea bream with Asian greens, and sticky five-spice hoisin pork belly with sweet potato purée are all winners.
ëlgr
One of my all-time favourites, ëlgr is both aesthetically pleasing, with clean-lined Scandi-style furniture in a charcoal and sage palette, and an inventive a la carte menu that both intrigues and delivers. Chef Jesper Nilsson has a Nordic background but is not limited to a particular region or style. Simple ingredients, sourced from local farmers and suppliers, are creatively combined, and he celebrates vegetables in marvellous ways – like Baby Gem lettuce with orange, dates, red onion, and red-wine soaked Belnori Kilimanjaro (a delicious local goats cheese). The menu changes regularly (check online) but there are always two pizzas – choose one to share. If the weather is good, reserve a table in the leafy courtyard as acoustics can be an issue when the restaurant is full.
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V&A Waterfront
Nobu
Nobu needs little introduction, at least for well-travelled foodies familiar with Nobu Matsuhisa's Peruvian-Japanese style and celebrity chef stature, having co-founded what is now a chain – 56 strong – with Robert De Niro in 1994. It's the only Nobu in Africa and very much a special-occasion experience, located in a fittingly grand space in the glitzy One&Only Waterfront – the lounge is a good place for a preprandial before entering to a rousing call of 'Irasshaimase!', the trademark Nobu greeting.
After seven years working as pastry and then sous chef Nicky King is now at the helm of the open-plan kitchen, a well-oiled team turning out deceptively simple mouthfuls of pleasure: king crab with amazu ponzu; yellowtail sashimi with a touch of garlic puree, sliced jalapeno, cilantro and Ponzu; tender miso-marinated baked black cod fillet, finished in the salamander. The waitstaff are a pleasure: enthusiastic and well versed, able to guide you through a selection of fabulous cold and hot dishes – let it come in waves, sharing each, family style, until full.
Time Out Market
The first Time Out Market in Africa opened towards the end of 2023; it follows the original Lisbon model closely but in some respects is an even better version. Located in the old power station in the V&A Waterfront, with two dining halls that flow to al fresco terraces forming part of the pedestrianised docks, the historic venue makes the most of the weather and the views.
The food choice – a curated selection of 13 of the city's most acclaimed and up-and-coming chefs – is varied, and good. Stand outs are Chef John van Zyl's The Melting Pot (West Coast mussels topped with fennel salad; Thai steamed fish with coriander and ginger), and slivers of perfectly grilled steak from Chef Giorgio's Carne. Or dig into some great Cape Malay from Chefs Anwar and Yolandi, melt-in-the-mouth bao buns from Chefs Matt and Carla, and Chef Peter Tempelhoff's excellent ramen. Live events include 7 to 9pm jazz on a Wednesday.
Willoughby & Co
Willoughby & Co is known for its excellent sushi – considered by many Capetonians to be the best in the city – and fusion-style Japanese dishes. It's extremely popular and they don't take reservations, so there is always a queue, but several open kitchens pump out orders to keep tables turning and a waitress trawls the queue with glasses and complimentary wine. By the time you're seated you are happy to be here. Their ratio of ingredients in each sushi dish is near perfect: order the '4x4' (four rainbow rolls and four creamy rock shrimp rolls), and drive straight to heaven. Even the simple fish and chips, served rustic-style in a pan, is excellent. The only drawback is that it is located in the Wharf shopping mall with no view.
Contact: willoughbyandco.co.za
Reservations: Not possible
Prices: ££
Pier & Waterside
Part of the La Colombe Group – a collection of excellent fine dining restaurants, with an ambitious (and successful) goal of being the most awarded in Africa – Pier and Waterside significantly upped the ante in the Waterfront's dining scene. Located in the Pierhead, on the lip of Victoria basin, bustling with small boats and yachts, both showcase the lovely working harbour setting. Of the two, Pier (upstairs) is the more vaunted option, with its multi-course menu focusing on seafood (a separate menu is available for vegetarians) and acclaimed chef John Norris-Rogers at the helm of a kitchen creating delicious edible art. Waterside is supposedly more casual but under the helm of Roxy Mudie the set menu dishes are every bit as artsy but at a lower price point.
COY
This is fine dining but laid back, the sleek minimal interior making the most of the views of Table Mountain and the marina (worth booking a window seat). The Afro-centric tasting menu is a creative take on local ingredients (and offering a choice in some courses) – slivers of venison served with sour fig and pickled pear; linefish and prawns with aromatic fynbos herbs; mielie samp with chakalaka and Aromat (South African favourites); ox tongue with Ras el hanout and black rice. There is a separate vegetarian and vegan menu, priced lower despite being just as much work (and equally, if not more, delicious). At R490 The Twos – a choice of starter and main, preceded by a couple of hors d'œuvres and the bread course – is a steal. The second restaurant to be opened by award-winning chef Ryan Cole (Salsify); working here with head chefs Geoffrey Abrahams and Teenola Govender.
Den Anker
This low-key Belgian restaurant has been here since the Waterfront was first developed; time has sloughed away most of the early pioneers but this remains, in every sense, an anchor. It's partly the location – a low-slung bungalow with tables spilling out onto the quayside, with a great view of Table Mountain – but also consistency. In a world of change, Den Anker's menu stays the course. The pepper steak is famously good and the Wagyu burger gets rave reviews, but it is the 1kg pot of mussels that always hits the spot: big juicy critters in a herby broth, served with frites and a mustard-flavoured mayonnaise.
Terrarium
Renowned hyperlocal forager and gardener Chris Erasmus was forced to close much-loved Foliage during t pandemic, so local foodies were thrilled when he announced he'd be opening a new restaurant in 2024. Terrarium is located in the Queen Victoria Hotel's dining room – a nice, safe space – but the menus – an eight-course 'Flora' menu rolled into a bamboo stem, and eight-course 'Fauna' menu in a marrow bone – are anything but.
Every dish is creative without being overly fussy or theatrical. Part of Erasmus' skill is his ability to hyperfocus flavour – his 'tomato tartar,' a medley of different tomatoes prepared in different ways, is a magnificent homage to this underrated vegetable; the West Coast oyster, drizzled with pickle juice and topped with dehydrated seaweed, a perfect distillation of sea. Not entirely flawless but this is one of the most memorable dinners you'll have, and at R795 the Flora represents exceptional value.
Belthazar
Owner Ian Halfon wanted to open the world's largest 'wine by the glass' bar; with more than 200 available, it's certainly a serious contender. A multi-purpose venue, Belthazar is also a gourmet home accessory shop and grill house-style restaurant; the steaks, aged by their in-house Master Butcher, are excellent, plus there are a range of lighter meals. With wines listed by varietal or blend, and the region, vintage, style and local platter star rating provided for each, it is easy to choose (do try anything made by Eben Sadie, or the Mullineuxs – check out the wines by the glass under 'South African Icons'), and service is warm and professional. With a view of Table Mountain, a pleasant place to take a breather from the bustle of the Waterfront.
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Kalk Bay and Southern Peninsula
Harbour House & Live Bait
The fish is always fresh and succulent, tablecloths clean and waiters friendly, but it's the location on the Kalk Bay harbour breakwater, with sea views across False Bay to the mountainous Kogelberg backdrop and seals at play in the water below, that make this restaurant a must. Downstairs is the more informal sister establishment Live Bait – the menu is more limited and overall cheaper but it comes from the same kitchen. Both offer a good selection of sushi too. Note that there is a second Harbour House in the V&A Waterfront serving similar fare – a good choice if you're trawling the Cape's most famous harbour for good grub.
Kalky's
If all you want is a classic fish and chips at a bargain price, step in line at Kalky's. On a summer weekend the long queues into this small shack on the edge of Kalk Bay harbour attest to its popularity amongst all walks of life. Arrive before 12pm or after 2.30pm and you'll avoid the wait; order at the till, then grab a table to join Cape Town's most varied cast of characters, all here for the best and biggest plate of crispy hake and chips, devoured with fingers or plastic cutlery. Note that cards are accepted only when the temperamental machine is working, so bring cash as a back up.
Furny's Fine Wine & Taste Room
My favourite wine bar, not only for the location – under gnarled milkwood trees in quaint Chapman's Peak village, the perfect pit stop after a walk on Long Beach – but the sensible wine-tasting concept that allows you to create your very own flight, choosing any four from over 50 wines by the glass. There are also specific food and wine pairings if you don't want to think about it too much. Family owned, it's a thoroughly unpretentious place, with dogs and children on the outside terrace; the boutique wine shop, floor-to-ceiling with more than 300 wines, is also wonderful, and you can pick up some great small-batch limited-allocation wines. Complimentary wine tasting on Friday from 4.30pm to 6.30pm; Sundays sees live music from 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Fish Hoek Fisheries
I rarely drive past this Portuguese-owned chip shop on Fish Hoek's high street without stopping. For more than four decades they've been rolling their hake fillets in a classic chip-shop batter, deep frying them in clean oil for exactly the right amount of time, wrapping the crispy fish up with what locals call 'slap chips' (thick cut, soft and oily), well-seasoned with salt and vinegar. Eat it in the car or leg it towards Simonstown, stopping at a layby with a view of the sea and seagulls for company. At R91, 'cheap as chips' is rather apt.
The Foodbarn
Franck Dangereux pinned Cape Town on the gourmet map when he opened La Colombe in 1996. But after a pressurised decade of garnering accolades – his was the first South African restaurant to make an appearance in the World's Top 50 – Dangereux opted for a more relaxed lifestyle, opening The Foodbarn in 2016. This relaxed, much loved 'café by day, tapas bar by night' is as popular with dog owners wanting a top-drawer burger as it is with those wanting a fresh, light 'bistronomy' meal. Unpretentious, comfortable and conveniently located just before or after the Chapmans Peak drive on the Noordhoek side.
Olympia Cafe & Bakery
When co-owner Kenneth McClarty couldn't find a decent coffee in Kalk Bay he decided to open Olympia Cafe. That was 1997; now a Kalk Bay village institution, Olympia serves excellent coffee (beans roasted by Truth Coffee) along with freshly-baked croissants (available from 6.30am from the bakery hatch around the corner), great sandwiches, and a lunch and dinner chalkboard menu. Try the West Coast mussels (cooked in a lovely light broth of white wine, touch of cream, garlic) and seafood linguini – both are simple but excellent. It's casual, welcoming and cosy, good for just a coffee if you don't feel like a full meal, and priced to serve Kalk Bay and St James locals as well as city centre Capetonians, some of whom drive here specifically to feast on their mussels (if that sounds like a confession, it is).
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Atlantic Seaboard
Codfather
'Decadent.' That's what comes to mind, looking at artfully arranged piles of lobsters and langoustines, king and tiger prawns, bowls of scallops and calamari above platters filled with a rainbow-array of filleted fish. It's what passes for the menu at Codfather. Each dish is picked from the counter, weighed, cooked and brought to the table in a large pan, with fat chips, rice and wedges of lemon, a delicious bowl of buttery al dente vegetables on the side.
This is simple food, well-prepared; a feast if you go for fleshy lobsters and langoustines. Not cheap by South African standards. Ask the per kilo price before ordering accordingly. Or if you're good for the splurge, just close your eyes and think how much more it would cost in England. Good sushi too, but that's not what you're here for. Nor for the decor, basic even when it opened in 1998; nor a sea view, despite being in Camps Bay (unless you bag window tables 110 or 109, from where you can spot the ocean glimmering above the treeline).
Salsify at The Round House
Tucked into a leafy glen halfway up Lion's Head, with tree-fringed views of the Twelve Apostles and sparkling Atlantic, this is not only the city's best located fine dining restaurant, but the most atmospheric. Located in an 18th-century guard house, arrival guests are ushered into the pretty Preservation Chamber for a cocktail, with arresting graffiti and fascinating backstory. In the Seasonal Room, a ceiling installation of thousands of meticulously folded flowers made from old Salsify menus is another nod to more recent heritage, but the better room, at least in daylight, is the curved room facing the sea, its small-pane windows framing gorgeous views. It's worth requesting this section when making your booking if you are travelling in summer.
Chef Ryan Cole's menu has really moved with the zeitgeist – it's well-balanced, light and featuring foraged herbs, ancient grains, preserved elements from previous seasons, and has a definite sense of place. Expect creations like coal-roasted oyster with Spekboom and ginger or Karoo Wagyu beef sirloin served alongside beef shin, baked rice and spicy chakalaka. And if the views and food aren't enough to transport you, the wine pairing will ensure you leave on another plane.
The Strangers Club
Is it an African craft gallery, a fashion boutique and a fabulous breakfast and lunch venue? If it's all three, you're in Strangers Club, located in 19th-century homestead, now surrounded by the high-density residential neighbourhood of Green Point. Peter and Sue Vith, founders of Out of This World, operated their sourced artefacts company from here. When daughter Emma set up a few tables in the courtyard, her healthy, nourishing meals soon found a loyal following, and the hybrid store-café is the result.
Breakfast is the business: Anchovy Toast (homemade anchovy butter, fresh tomato, rocket, lemon wedges) and the Green Goddess (tenderstem broccoli and sautéed spinach topped with a poached egg, avocado, radish, Chinese cabbage shoots, parmesan cheese, grilled lime) are favourites, and her vegan bircher muesli is next level. The lunch menu is simple – salads, sandwiches, burgers – but made with the same care. I only discovered the gorgeous craft gallery at the back on my second visit, so explore with intent.
Contact: thestrangersclub.co.za
Reservations: Essential
Prices: £
Hesheng Chinese Restaurant
This no-frills restaurant is widely considered the best Chinese restaurant in town and is really good value; ignore old reviews about the sharp-tongued proprietor – the new family who have taken over are charming, you'll only glimpse chef Yang Lijian in the kitchen but his wife Zeng Meie is warm and welcoming. It's a firm family favourite with the household agreed on the first order – fried pork and leaks dumplings (a generous portion of 12) and cucumber salad (thick slices of peeled cucumber in a tangy sesame oil dressing) – before arguing about whether it's going to be Sichuan Beef or black bean chicken; salt and pepper squid or sweet and sour pork – two mains being enough between four. Somehow the sour cabbage and intestines has never been a contender.
Contact: hesheng.co.za
Reservations: Advised for dinner
Prices: £
Bilboa
Camps Bay visitors tend to flock to nearby Codfather, but if you want a view served up with your fare, Bilboa is the better choice. Aside from the glorious setting perched above palm-lined Camps Bay beach, the décor is sophisticated without being stuck up, and the service is flawless. Café-style tables are arranged along an L-shaped tiled patio that wraps around a raised platform with a slightly more fine-dining vibe under modern geometric brass lamps. It's a combination that hits the spot as does the simple Mediterranean-Middle Eastern inspired menu – lamb cutlets are chargrilled, sea bass is chermoula-marinated, and prawn orzotto is tossed with chilli, garlic, tomato, café de Cairo butter.
Contact: bilboa.co.za
Reservations: Advised
Prices: ££
Chapmans Peak Hotel
At the base of the famous Chapmans Peak drive, 'Chappies' hotel, with its lovely view across the bay of the Sentinel, has been welcoming guests to its unpretentious collonaded verandah for more than a century. It's famous for its calamari – tender rings served in a frying pan with wedges of lemon, by a cheerful team.
It's a no-frills experience, with a laid-back atmosphere and very different to the glitzy gentrified seaview joints in Camps Bay or Moulle Point. There's steady trade from all walks of life, some of whom stop here only for a drink – if you've timed your drive along Chapmans Peak's cliff-hugging drive as the sun is heading towards its ocean end, it's a fine spot to watch the show.
Contact: chapmanspeakhotel.co.za
Reservations: Never a bad idea
Prices: £
Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic
This is an unbeatable combination: an exclusive seaside location, swish yet relaxed atmosphere and top-notch nosh at a relatively affordable rate (R1100). Given the quality, book as soon as you can. Located at the base of Chapman's Peak within the Table Mountain Nature Reserve, you are seated on a deck that cantilevers over the granite beach, almost within reach of the restless Atlantic. The view is spectacular, and you won't be disappointed by the food either. Executive Chef's Liam Tomlin's signature offering is 'tapas for 2'– eight to 10 dishes served in four to five courses. At Tintswalo he works with Cameron Smith (each of the four Chef's Warehouse restaurants has its own head chef, with whom Tomlin creates a totally unique menu); in keeping with the setting here seafood features predominantly though not exclusively. Vegans and vegetarians are also well catered for – just alert the team when making your booking.
Contact: chefswarehouse.co.za
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ££
West Coast
Wolfgat
Wolfgat shot to fame in 2019 when it was awarded Best Restaurant in the World at The World Restaurant Awards, much to the dismay of local foodies who could now no longer get a table for love or money. Producing a totally unique West Coast Strandveld cuisine that focusses on local fish and shellfish enhanced by wild herbs, seaweeds and succulents foraged in the immediate vicinity, chef Kobus van der Merwe takes 'hyperlocal' to another level. Each of the seven courses, beautifully presented, is unlike anything you have ever tasted before, and the venue is equally delightful: a whitewashed fisherman's cottage, overlooking one of the most picturesque beaches in South Africa. It's one of the most memorable meals you will have in Africa.
To keep it sustainable, he takes only 20 diners per sitting, and does not open every day; it's best to book here first, even before your flights, and work your programme around it.
Contact: wolfgat.co.za
Reservations: Essential
Prices: £££
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Outer suburbs
TTK Fledglings
In 2021 Chef Luke Dale Roberts transformed The Test Kitchen, (once Africa's foremost fine-dining restaurant) into something altogether heartwarming. Let's start with the basics: TTK Fledgelings ticks all the boxes – efficient, warm service; consistently delicious meals (seafood raviolo in a fragrant Thai-style butternut broth topped with lobster a stand-out) and great wine pairings with the six-course menu (there is also the a la carte two or three-course meal).
But it is also an upliftment project mentoring young people – the 'fledgelings' – with zero experience. This makes the polished experience all the more impressive. Head chef Nathan, who worked his way up as a sculler in The Test Kitchen, is clearly an inspired appointment, and the fully fledged stay to teach in turn or further their career elsewhere. It's not a new idea (thanks, Jamie) but in a country with an unemployment rate of 32 per cent, it's a big hats off, chef Luke.
Contact: ttkfledgelings.co.za
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
A Tavola
A big shout out to Luke Dale Roberts (much-feted chef-patron behind some of the city's best restaurants, like Salon and Pot Luck Club) for spotlighting this local gem as his regular. Opened by Emma and Dave Haubt in 2008 it's located in an unprepossessing part of the city (opposite the Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont), with an almost canteen-like décor – tiled floor, wooden tables, and open kitchen – but A Tavola is all about the food: authentic Italian, so good even a Roman might struggle to find fault.
The spaghetti alle vongole is perfect – clams providing a taste of the sea, plenty of olive oil, lemon, white wine, garlic, onion (less traditional, but works), a touch of chilli… or try the fresh taglioni with wild mushrooms, fresh rocket and truffle… Dale Roberts rates the grilled veal scallops with wild mushroom sauce, and the linguine prawns, tossed with olive oil, garlic, chilli, parsley, lemon and fresh diced tomato – a steal at R265. Absolutely stellar wine list too.
Contact: atavola.co.za
Reservations: Recommended for dinner
Prices: £
Reverie Social Table
Chef Julia Hattingh's tiny Table D'Hote concept restaurant is one of the most popular in the country, and deservedly so. It's a quaint venue, in a fairly unprepossessing suburb some 10 minutes from town, and seats a maximum of 16 guests (it's almost always full) at one long table in a charming shop-front dining-room.
Hattingh is a marvellous and warm host, able to put a disparate group of people from all over the world – many repeat guests; quite a few solo travellers – at ease. This is partly due to her passion for sharing interesting Cape wine finds. She encourages guests to move around, so you're never stuck, and the five-course meal is delicious – sophisticated but not haute, very varied (loved the hake wrapped in thinly sliced courgette, served with a delicious velouté and crispy curried cale) and the provenance of all like a foodie tour of the Cape – butter (Mysthill Farm in George); cheese (Allendale in McGregor); green leaves (sourced from community gardens that provide employment for the indigent); fish (sustainable supplier, abalobi). But ultimately the magic is the joy-inducing conviviality of strangers brought together by a love of good food and good wine.
Contact: reverie.capetown
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ££
Magica Roma
'The best Italian in Cape Town, maybe even South Africa.' Magica Roma evokes that kind of loyalty. Hidden in Pinelands – the city's inter-war garden suburb, a 15-minute drive from the city centre – this is wonderfully old-school; a warm and welcoming cocoon filled with happy punters chatting in upholstered booth seats, bustling waitrons under a timber ceiling. Décor hasn't changed much since I first dined here in the early 1990s; decades later Ezio and Franco still patrol the room, greeting and joking with regulars, making sure everything runs like a Swiss timepiece.
The menu is traditional Italian – if there is a signature it's their tender grilled baby calamari tubes on thinly sliced semi-roasted vegetables. Unpretentious, comforting and really good value.
Contact: facebook.com/MagicaRomaRestaurant
Reservations: Essential for dinner
Prices: £
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Winelands
beyond
In a historic Cape Dutch homestead, with sweeping vineyard views through floor-to-ceiling glass walls, beyond – unsung sister to award-winning FYN – offers a magical setting, and is one of the city's rare fine dining restaurants where diners are offered choice: a two-, three- or six-course meal, made up from a menu of four starters, six mains and three desserts. Chefs Peter Tempelhoff and Sebastian Stehr have also devised a six-course Origins of Flavour menu, currently on offer on Thursday nights only, with key heirloom ingredients harvested in the indigenous garden.
The duo have worked closely with Doctor Jan de Vynck, a paleoecologist who has spent years researching the indigenous and often-forgotten ingredients found within the Cape's fynbos and tidal zone – a natural pantry that provided a rich, calorie-dense diet that led to cognitive development, and finding evidence that the Cape may have been the first place where Homo sapiens began preparing food not just for energy, but flavour. Fascinating stories, ingredients and flavours you'll find nowhere else, beyond is exactly that.
Contact: beyondrestaurant.co.za
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
La Colombe
'Wow'. That's the involuntary response every time the waiter places a new creation in front of you. For visual artistry, La Colombe (alongside sister restaurant in Franschhoek La Petite Colombe) takes pole position. Chef Proprietor Scot Kirton has also ensured that La Colombe takes its place, year after year, in the world's top 100 restaurants (San Pellegrino's 'World's Best Restaurant'); alongside Peter Tempelhoff from FYN he and his team are definitely the brightest stars in the city's culinary firmament. The venue is fairly unremarkable – an unpretentious space on stilts amidst the trees near Constantia Nek – so this is doubly more about what's on the plate. If you have the stamina, go for the full 'Chef's Experience' but despite its name, the 'Reduced Menu' is anything but – 12 courses, visually each an edible artwork. Up there with the best, La Colombe is an absolute must for visiting foodies.
Contact: lacolombe.co.za
Reservations: Essential, book as soon as your dates are firm
Price: £££
Chef's Warehouse Beau Constantia
The same Chef's Warehouse recipe – a stunning location, this time with the most spectacular view of Cape Town's Constantia valley sprawled below, and delicious food – in fact this is the only Chef's Warehouse to have garnered a three-star rating in the Eat Out awards, with a concurrent rise in the per person rate (though still relatively excellent value at R1100pp). Like all four Chef's Warehouses (all highly recommended, each with their own chef), you are served eight dishes in four courses, but here infused by Chef Ivor Jones' strong South East Asia influence. In addition to the anything-but-standard 'tapas for two' there is a Pescatarian 'tapas for two' and a 'Vegan menu for one'. The dessert menu (a choice of four) is separate, ideal if you don't have a sweet tooth, or just too full.
Contact: chefswarehouse.co.za
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ££
Bistro Sixteen82
The double-volume barn architecture on the Steenberg Estate creates a rustic-chic setting that opens onto a cool water feature and beautiful vineyard views. It's romantic yet child-friendly; a place where cross-generational Capetonians come to celebrate special occasions over casual lunch. Chef Kerry Kilpin loves Asian flavours – tempura prawns are served with kimchi noodle salad, shitake mayo and a coriander-lime vinaigrette; sirloin salad is tossed with tender greens, red cabbage, sprouts and coriander in a chilli, soy and ginger vinaigrette – but she's equally adept at comfort food such as roast pork belly with cumin pumpkin puree. There's also a separate vegetarian menu as well as a vegan menu available at lunch. From 5pm the evening tapas menu kicks in – a selection of three small plates per person. Steenberg wines are incidentally very delicious.
Contact: steenberg-vineyards.co.za
Reservations: Advised
Prices: £
Dusk
Stellenbosch has just about wrested Franschhoek's self-proclaimed 'culinary capital' crown with an explosion of excellent restaurant openings, and Dusk – opened in 2022 – is somewhat of a vanguard, at least for fine dining pundits. A discreet 30-seater almost hidden in Stellenbosch's historic heart, dimly lit other than the pool of light on each linen table focusing the eye on what you're here for: delectable, edible art.
The 13-course tasting menu changes but expect playful touches and well-balanced inventive pairings (tempura squash flower, Kalahari truffle agnolotti and West Coast lobster with Parmesan and salted lemon and lemon-compressed tetra squash). Service matches the excellence of the kitchen. A 'waste not want not' ethos is evident in the on-show pantry of fermenting jars, and respect for time: executive Chef Callan Austin jotting down the hours that go into making each dish providing pause for thought as you wolf it down in seconds.
Contact: duskrestaurant.co.za
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
Good to Gather
Every year Dineplan, South Africa's popular online booking platform, releases a list of the restaurants consistently rated the highest by actual diners on food, service, ambience and value, and in 2024, Good to Gather was number one.
Located on the Rozendal Farm and Vinagrier in Stellenbosch, Luke Grant and Jess Shepherd's three-course menu changes weekly – check the sample menu online. Expect dense flavours coaxed from simple ingredients, and served al fresco at wooden tables under the oak trees. In winter tables are moved into the tasting room. Only open for lunch on weekends. At only R550 per person, it's often booked months in advance. Rozendal incidentally produces the best vinegars in the country; good enough to sip, and utterly transform a simple leaf salad; pop in for a tasting even if you can't get a table.
Contact: goodtogather.co.za
Reservations: Essential
Prices: £
DelAire Graff
Perched above the Helshoogte Pass, Delaire Graff offers the most spectacular mountain view in the Winelands. Owned by jeweller Laurence Graff OBE, this is a classic Relais & Chateau estate, the driveway up flanked by manicured gardens, sculptures hinting at Graff's extensive art collection and chichi interiors to come. The wines produced in surrounding vineyards aren't half bad either – small wonder it is regularly featured in the World's Best Vineyards. The menu is fairly straightforward a la carte, but the team knows exactly what they are doing (Karoo lamb; seafood orzo; wood-fired Bonsmara steak), and there is an entire plant-based selection (hazelnut gnocchi). All in all, a 24-carat experience. (Note that the estate has a second restaurant, Hōseki; it doesn't have the same spectacular view, but it's well worth sampling what highly respected chef Virgil Kahn has to offer if Delaire Graff is full.)
Contact: delaire.co.za
Reservations: Essential, particularly for lunch
Prices: ££
Epice
Read between the lines of much loved local food critic Tony Jackman as he tips Epice as his favourite restaurant in the venerated La Colombe Group (to date collectively dominating the local fine dining milieu) and you know you're in for a treat. It's not as famous as flagship La Colombe, but with a recent Best in Africa from the World Culinary Awards, head chef Charné Sampson's star is on the rise.
Derived from the French word (it being in Franschhoek) for spice, the concept is a nod to the historic role the Cape played as a pitstop for the 17th-century spice trade. That said, Sampson's is very much a contemporary interpretation – her baharat adding depth to the prawn roti and mango atchar; the sublime balance of lamb with herby-lemony chermoula and pickled carrot. Many cite Epice as their favourite tasting menu experience in South Africa.
Contact: lacolombe.restaurant
Reservations: Recommended for lunch; essential for dinner
Prices: ££
Arkeste
There's a lot to like about Chamonix Wine Farm's fine-dining restaurant, and not just because it's such a soothingly uncluttered space, overlooking a forest. The fact that it's a la carte rather than a tasting menu is a real boon for those of us who want a special occasion restaurant, but don't want to be force-fed a multi-course meal. It's also relatively unfussy and good value, with beautifully plated and delicious dishes, like compressed cucumber with goats' cheese, gooseberry, green figs, cashews, lovage-herb-oil; tamarind-glazed line fish with pommes puree and greens, and a Cape Malay-inspired sauce; two-hour crisped pork belly dressed with peanuts, sesame, mint, coriander, green chili, and the sweet-tart of Rozendal vinegar. Note that Chef Richard Castens, who is on every local foodie's radar, is no longer in the kitchen, with Ashwin Johannes now at the helm.
Contact: arkeste.com
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ££
Spek en Bone
Berthus Basson is one of our best, most authentically South African chefs, able to weave in aspects of nostalgia into contemporary trends, and combine fresh produce – much of it home grown – with cooking traditions that are typical, from cooking on fire to pickling and preserving. He also excels at nurturing talent; at Spek en Bone (named after the Basson's pet pig and our puppy) this is Chef Michael Fuller, who brings a great Asian influence into this tapas-style eatery (the Korean chicken is a stand out; steamed Asian vegetables with chili peanut sprinkle more than the sum of its parts).
The venue is unassuming, tucked behind Oom Samie se winkel; the value is unbelievable, even for South Africans. (Worth noting that Clara's Barn, located en route to Stellenbosch and Chorus, near Somerset West, are also brilliant. In fact you can't go wrong with a Basson restaurant, so it's well worth checking out his website and seeing if any of them suit your schedule and location.)
Contact: bertusbasson.com
Reservations: Advised
Prices: £
La Petite Colombe
The best fine dining restaurant in Franschhoek. La Petite Colombe is the younger sister of the more famous La Colombe (a regular on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list) but it is not, in any sense smaller. As each has a completely different menu (here the talented Chef Peter Duncan is at the helm), there is nothing but the name and a dedication to excellence in common, so serious foodies should give them both a whirl. Located in the luxuriously appointed and meticulously groomed Leeu Estate, La Petite Colombe has the better venue: interiors are cool and uncluttered, a perfect foil for the lush, manicured grounds and vineyard views beyond. Sublime setting aside, the dining experience is eye-popping, with fabulous reveals and creative plating, every element carefully chosen to become a visually splendid whole. The full Chef's Experience is quite a marathon but well worth it – not one dish disappoints.
Contact: lapetitecolombe.restaurant
Reservations: Essential
Prices: £££
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How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Pippa de Bruyn, Telegraph Travel's South Africa destination expert, is an award-winning journalist who has been researching and writing guidebooks to Southern Africa since 1998.