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Cape Town is bursting at the seams with so many restaurants, cafés, bistros, and bars that you can eat at a different establishment every night of the year and still not get through them all. The city centre itself is densely packed with all manner of eateries, from high end, fine dining restaurants to quirky takeaway joints. Choosing a place to eat for visitors unfamiliar to this culinary landscape can therefore be quite daunting. Over the years, however, we have cultivated a deep love for a handful of very special restaurants and so we thought we’d share our recommendations with you. Here they are….
BOCCA, Cape Town City Centre
BOCCA is an urban Italian restaurant located on Bree Street, and a strikingly colourful and vibrant space run by extraordinary couple, Chef Guido and Adnana Brambilla. The restaurant serves honest and authentic Italian food, inspired and made with love. Think yellowfin tuna carpaccio, robust and earthy Neapolitan style wood fired pizza, Venetian style seafood ragu, and tiramisu, which is so good it beggars belief. Every dish on the menu means something to the husband-and-wife team; and if you ask, they will tell you the (often romantic) story behind each one.
Address: The Block, corner of Bree and Wale Streets, Cape Town City Centre
Cape Point Vineyards Restaurant
Located on the rugged, Fynbos-carpeted peninsula with sweeping views of Noordhoek beach, the award-winning Cape Point Vineyards is one of our favourite regular destinations. The food here is prepared with great thought and attention to detail, and using only the freshest ingredients. The resultant delicious dishes pair beautifully with the estate’s Sauvignon Blanc driven wines. Cape Point Vineyards is also an immensely popular spot for picnics, which can be pre-ordered from the restaurant and enjoyed on the lawns overlooking the estate’s dramatic ocean views.
Address: Cape Point Vineyards, Silvermine Road, Noordhoek
Cowboys and Cooks, De Waterkant
Acclaimed restaurateurs and entrepreneurs Stuart Bailey (of Hussar Grill) and Michael Townsend (of Harbour House Group) had always dreamed about opening a steakhouse. Thus, the Cowboys and Cooks restaurant was born. De Waterkant is the second branch of this fabulously sexy yet approachable steakhouse. The interiors are a blend of rustic country and sophisticated chic, while the menu delivers the usual meaty and seafood suspects but executed at an altitudinous calibre.
Address: 4 Liddle Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town
Fork, Cape Town City Centre
For Spanish tapas with a South African twist, look no further than this intimate, low-lit restaurant located in the heart of Cape Town’s hustle and bustle on Long Street. Fork serves up contemporary tapas, which is a seamless blend of traditional Spanish favourites and cheeky new interpretations. The spirit here is all about sharing small plates in an atmosphere that is informal, yet trendy. The food is sensational and reasonably priced, and the rustic, bare-brick interior incredibly romantic.
Address: 84 Long Street, Cape Town City Centre
Green Vine Eatery, Silvermine, Hout Bay
Nestled amongst the Longkloof Mountain Range and overlooking the Constantia Valley, you’ll find the gorgeous Silvermist Organic Wine Estate. Silvermist’s restaurant is called the Green Vine Eatery. The "Green Vine Experience" focuses on abundance and the freshest ingredients, which it delivers in a shabby-chic-meets-wine-farm setting with gorgeous views, raw wooden decks, rolling lawns, exposed wooden tables, and friendly, welcoming staff.
Address: Silvermist Wine Estate, Constantia Main Road
Il Leone Mastrantonio
www.mastrantonio.com/il-leone-mastrantonio/
Meaning “Master Anthony” in Italian, Il Leone Mastrantonio is one of several restaurants under the Mastrantonio Group umbrella. This Green Point based restaurant is popular for its excellent, authentic Italian food made from quality ingredients cooked to perfection. It also boasts a walk-in wine cellar (we love) and private dining room and bar. The atmosphere is sophisticated - so a night here feels quite exclusive and a real treat – yet there is also a friendly buzz and personality about it. The service is excellent to boot.
Address: Corner of Prestwich, 22 Cobern Street, Green Point
JÉAN, Klein Roosboom Winery, Durbanville
JÉAN is the brand new signature restaurant at the darling boutique winery of Klein Roosboom (“little rosebush”) in the Durbanville winelands. Named after the owner of the wine farm, the restaurant is contemporary with an eclectic, personality-riddled interior and affords diners beautiful views of vineyards. The delicious gastronomy is by Chef Lorianne Heyns, whose philosophy is simple: flavour is the priority. The menus change regularly with the season and whatever local, farm-fresh, and organic produce is available.
Address: Klein Roosboom Winery, Tygerberg Valley Road, Durbanville
The Potluck Club, Woodstock
Happily residing in the Valhalla of Cape Town’s gastronomy scene is a restaurant of such popularity that locals and visitors alike perennially line up, Monday to Sunday, to secure a booking. The Potluck Club (one of award-winning chef Luke Dale-Roberts’ restaurants) sprawls out on the sixth floor of the Silo at Woodstock’s artsy, industrial Old Biscuit Mill. From here, diners can enjoy views of the city bowl, harbour area, and Table Mountain. The Potluck Club’s menu, which encourages sharing, is divided into the five primary flavours: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, each of which has its own selection of tapas-style dishes. Book well in advance!
Address: The Old Biscuit Mill, Woodstock Main Road
The Cousins Trattoria, Cape Town City Centre
They call themselves “the best Italian restaurant in Cape Town”, which might be little biased but we’re inclined to agree because we absolutely love this little tucked-away gem. The Cousins Italian Trattoria serves up steaming authentic and truly delicious Italian fare in an intimate, rustic atmosphere. The pasta is made fresh every morning – as is the tiramisu - and is absolutely to die for: particularly the Cousins’ pasta, a glorious, mushroom-and-cream taglioni pasta that’s tossed right at your table in a halved wheel of Parmesan cheese, before being dished up. It doesn’t get any better than that!
Address: 3b Barrack Street, Cape Town City Centre
Willoughby & Co, V & A Waterfront
Located in the vibrant and cosmopolitan V & A Waterfront mall, Willoughby & Co. is one of Cape Town’s original sushi establishments. This sprawling seafood restaurant offers an extensive menu and impeccably crafted sushi by experienced Japanese chefs. There’s also a delightful wine boutique adjacent to Willoughby & Co. so you can do a wine tasting or have a glass of wine while you wait for a table on busier days (they don’t take bookings). The restaurant has seated tables and seating at the sushi bar where you can watch the chefs at work.
Address: Shop 6132, V & A Waterfront
