Photograph: Claire Gunn

The 44 best restaurants in Cape Town

There are so many great restaurants opening in Cape Town we've had to update this list again! Time Out's local expert flags the restaurants you just can't miss...

Monday 31 March 2025

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Written by Rebecca Weber & Alicia Erickson

Written by: Richard Holmes

Cape Town is the culinary capital of Africa, and has long been hailed as one of the world's most exciting destinations for foodies. Whether you're searching for a restaurant with a view of the winelands – hello Chef's Warehouse – or a contemporary fine-dining destination in the heart of the popular V&A Waterfront, we've got you covered in this authoritative list of the best restaurants in Cape Town. And because the landscape keeps changing, so does this list, with new additions including Chefs Warehouse & Canteen, The Red Room, Ouzeri and The Happy Uncles! 

Cape Town is a cosmopolitan culinary landscape and one that is increasingly aware of the need for diversity both on the plate and in the kitchens. In selecting our favourite spots (and we know there will be those who disagree) we’ve highlighted a cross-section of the city’s kitchens. They are each memorable in their own way, and while they differ in approach and price they are all worth a visit. So, our advice? Come hungry, and get stuck into our (ever-changing) selection of Cape Town’s best restaurants. 

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This guide was recently updated by Richard Holmes, a travel writer based in Cape Town. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Time Out Market Cape Town

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The Time Out Market Cape Town sees 13 of the city's best chefs bring an authentic taste of the Mother City to one colourful, cosmopolitan destination in the popular V&A Waterfront. 

Best restaurants in Cape Town

1. Salon

Photograph: Salon

Gourmands wept when Luke Dale Roberts announced in 2021 that he was closing The Test Kitchen, his groundbreaking fine-dining destination that put Cape Town on the global map for well-heeled foodies. But at Salon there’s an echo of The Test Kitchen’s glory days, with a menu of layered, adventurous and creative cooking that takes its cue from Dale Roberts’ career in kitchens across the world. That globetrotting inspiration is blended with the talent of Executive Development Chef Carla Schulze, and together the pair have created a remarkable dining experience in an intimate, yet glamorous, space in Woodstock’s Old Biscuit Mill precinct.

The set menu of 11 dishes roams widely and changes regularly. The playful plate of ‘Padkos’ snacks celebrates traditional South African flavours, while the Duck Suzette (France) and ‘Black Forest Cake’ (Germany) reinvent these classic plates. And you won’t soon forget the remarkable ‘Beef Kalbi’ (Korea), served with shiitake and chestnut rice. Across the menu it’s playful, creative cuisine that’s perhaps less experimental than The Test Kitchen once was, but all the more enjoyable for it. The Journey menu can be ordered with a bespoke wine pairing, or select from the carefully curated wine list. Certainly don’t miss the signature cocktails: the Elderflower martini is superb. Advance booking recommended.

The Silo, The Old Biscuit Mill, 373-375 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915

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2. La Colombe

Photograph: Lisa Daubermann Photography

Hidden in the forests above the Constantia winelands, La Colombe – 'the dove' – is widely hailed as one of the world’s best restaurants. This is a destination, not merely dinner, so set aside some time for the extensive Chef’s Menu (there’s also a vegetarian option and a reduced menu at lunch) that combines flavours and textures from Asia, Latin America, Europe and Africa into an experience gloriously playful, interactive, and creative at every turn. The hours slip by as talented chefs send a wonderland of dishes across the table, while inspired pairings – from cocktails and craft beer to boutique wineries – make this optional extra worth the spend. 

Silvermist Estate, Constantia Nek, Cape Town

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3. ROOI

Photograph: One&Only Cape Town

In a beautifully revamped space (the work of London-based Muza Labs), the flagship restaurant at One&Only Cape Town has been reimagined as a modern South African grillroom, billed as ‘a celebration of land and sea, touched by fire’. It’s an approach that has worked for high-end dining destinations elsewhere in South Africa and comes seamlessly to the fore at ROOI. The menu ranges widely, from salads to suit lighter appetites or to combine with the inventive starter plates that tap into a larder of local produce. The ‘Simonstown Chokka & Chips’ is a wonderful take on a popular classic. The selection of grills is likely to tempt, but the kitchen’s creativity is best discovered in the Mains, where the Cape and that fiery influence come together neatly. Think Cape Malay chicken breast, Josper-fired aubergine and a contemporary version of classic lamb shank potjie with krummelpap. Desserts lean heavily into traditional plates, from reinvented Hertzoggies and malva pudding to the clever ROOI smores; a braai-time favourite. For pairings, turn to One&Only’s long-time sommelier, Luvo Ntezo.

One&Only Cape Town, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

 

4. Marble Cape Town

Photograph: Claire Gunn

It’s been a long time coming, but chef David Higgs has finally brought his much-loved Johannesburg restaurant to Cape Town. Located in the historic Union Castle building in the heart of the V&A Waterfront, floor-to-ceiling glass facades offer stunning views of the harbour precinct and city beyond. On the menu, Higgs combines his signature fire-focused philosophy with the city’s seafood traditions, on a Mediterranean-inspired collection of plates that includes snoek pâté with magwenya, alongside new creations like mussel paella and line fish with burnt leeks and roasted fish bone sauce. Mains feature Marble’s famous wood-fired Chalmar ribeye, which pairs well with a bottle of Cape red from the extensive cellar. It’s not all meaty though. Vegetarians are well taken care of, with the likes of roasted pumpkin with candied walnuts and burnt honey dressing.

Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

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5. PIER

Photograph: Supplied

PIER brings a long-overdue dose of fine dining to the popular V&A Waterfront. Set in a historic building overlooking the working harbour, Head Chef John Norris-Rogers dishes up a memorable multi-course journey of flavours. Expect a culinary experience that weaves together classical French technique, superb local produce and a subtle touch of culinary theatrics. Book ahead for a window seat, where a tableau of sea views suits the wave of seafood-focused plates that roll out from the kitchen.

Pierhead Building, V&A Waterfront

6. FYN

Photograph: Bruce Tuck

With a clutch of awards for both its innovative cuisine and commitment to sustainability, FYN offers a thoroughly contemporary fine dining experience in a beautifully eye-catching loft-style space boasting city and mountain views. But your eyes will be fixed firmly on your plate here, as you taste your way through a menu inspired by a unique fusion of South African ingredients and Japanese flavours and techniques. Cape Malay-style trout, prawns cooked in kelp and guinea fowl wontons are among the creations you can expect to find on the kaiseki set menus. Non-carnivores need not worry – pescatarian and plant-based menus are also available.

37 Parliament St, CBD, Cape Town, 8001

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7. Una Más

Photograph: Una Mas

Set in the vibe of Sea Point’s Main Road, Una Más introduced Cape Town to the delights of premium Mezcal. But the food is just as good as the cocktail and mezcal selection, with Head Chef Dian Botes crafting an impressive collection of plates that celebrate the flavours of Mexico.

Start with the guacamole and totopos, of course, but the Bites and Sides selection hides plenty of treasures, including tasty empanadas and tangy ‘Street Corn’ ribs. There’s a worthy focus on getting the basic right here, with imported Mexican chillies and tortilla chips made in-house each day. The tacos are superb, not least because they are made properly, with traditional Masa Harina corn. Don’t miss the Jalisco-style beef birria for an umami bomb. To drink? You’ll find more than 200 agave spirits on the menu, from premium imports to a handful of top-notch local varieties.

77 Regent Rd, Sea Point

8. The Red Room at Mount Nelson

Photograph: Claire Gunn

Another outing by chefs Liam Tomlin and David Schneider sees their highly successful small-plate approach given an Asian spin. Set in a dark and moody space beneath the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel, perhaps only Tomlin and Schneider could have taken a windowless room (once a much-loved ‘70s grillroom) and turned it into a destination restaurant that’s sexy-as-hell. Start with drinks and snacks in the bar, where classic cocktails are given a contemporary update, before moving to the main event. Sleek banquettes are ideal for couples, or book the private tables curtained off in the middle of the room. The Red Room menu is a celebration of Pan-Asian cuisines, deeply rooted in the dim sum of Hong Kong, and diners can choose between à la carte plates or a range of set menus for sharing. Whole Peking duck – sliced and served with all the trimmings – is a signature, as is the whole roasted fish. There’s an impressive wine list on offer, and skilled sommeliers on hand to guide you through it.

Mount Nelson Hotel, 76 Orange Street, Gardens

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9. Seebamboes

Photograph: Claire Gunn

A fascinating colab between four chefs and artists has transformed the mezzanine level above GALJOEN (also on this list) into an intimate 16-seater restaurant that ups the ante on ‘surf and turf’. The menu and concept at Seebamboes have been imagined as a ‘conversation between land and sea’, so look forward to small plates like West Coast snoek pâté, rolled in biltong dust and served with grilled grapes redolent with the smoky tang of the braai fire. Up next? Perhaps lamb and dune spinach. Rump steak and seaweed dashi. Blesbok and mussels. A flatbread with fermented tomato, nduja and Cape Point octopus. That ‘chimichurri’ on the side? It’s also made from seaweed. It’s playful, creative and delicious at every turn. The wine list is equally adventurous, with a wonderful cocktail list to tempt you too. 

GALJOEN, Harrington Street

10. Seven Colours Eatery

Photograph: Seven Colours Eatery

Set in the riverside Battery Park section of the extended V&A Waterfront precinct, Seven Colours Eatery is a charming café-style eatery that takes its name from the traditional Sunday lunch served in many African homes, offering a contemporary take on traditional African cuisine.

While the menu extends to hearty breakfasts and sandwiches made with local igwinya or roosterkoek, the heart of the menu is the iPlate. Here you’ll be guided by a choice of the day’s dishes, whether it’s umngquso onembotyi (samp and beans) or amazimba red sorghum for staple starches, to slow-cooked beef potjie or lamb tripe for proteins. Served alongside are four traditional side dishes, including savoury spinach and bean chakalaka.

Owner-chef Nolu Dube-Cele also supports other young black-owned suppliers and producers across the city, so pair your iPlate with wines and beers by Ntsiki Biyela and Tolokazi, gins by Best Spirits of Africa, or beans roasted by Khayelitsha-based Siki’s Coffee. It’s a young, joyful, colourful South African dining experience that’s a must-eat in Cape Town.

Battery Park, V&A Waterfront

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11. Salsify at The Roundhouse

Photograph: Salsify at The Roundhouse

Stretched out across the upper floor of an 18th-century hunting lodge amid the forests above Camps Bay, the tables at Salsify boast Atlantic Ocean views that make the plates from chef Ryan Cole all the more enticing. The seasonal menu draws inspiration from the abundant nature around the city: langoustine gnocchi with spring truffles, linefish in lemongrass cream and smoked springbok are some of the inventive items to grace the menu. Come hungry – and in time to catch the golden sunset light pouring through this stunning art-filled space.

Roundhouse, Round House Rd, Camps Bay

12. YATAI Ramen Bar

Photograph: Yatai

Cape Town has fallen hard for ramen, and this latest addition to the city’s menu of noodle bars is well worth a visit. But unlike the dive bars and counter eateries you’ll find elsewhere, YATAI takes the luxe up a notch. This is a place for date nights and celebrations, collared shirts and a frock. The décor is elegant, dark and sexy, and you’ll want to dress the part. And don’t hurry along to the ramen. First, take your time meandering through the collection of pan-Asian small plates: the bao are superb, matched only by the Cape Bream tartare. For vegetarians, the miso-glazed aubergine is a standout. But the ramen certainly steals the show. Yatai’s focus is a modern take on the ‘kotteri’ style, so expect creamy richness rather than clear ‘assari’ broths. The signature ramen dish is the 72-hour Tonkatsu broth, but you’ll also be able to dip a spoon into Shio broth enriched with fresh clams. Look out for their value-for-money specials on certain days of the week.

87 Bree Street

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13. Terrarium

Photograph: Newmark Hotels

Chef Chris Erasmus has long been known for his remarkable ability to combine hyper-seasonal produce – often foraged by his own hand – into memorable fine-dining cuisine.

That skill is on full display at Terrarium, the new flagship restaurant at the Queen Victoria Hotel in the V&A Waterfront. In keeping with Erasmus’ approach, Terrarium’s menus incorporate seasonal ingredients and unusual cuts of meat, lowering the demand on prime cuts, without compromising on flavour.  Expect much of the produce to come from local farms and small, family-owned fisheries, butcheries, smokers and beekeepers. There’s a ‘small plates’ menu for lunch – or at the bar come evening – but the standout offering is the eight-course Fauna or Flora menu.

Queen Victoria Hotel, Portswood Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

14. Galjoen

Photograph: Claire Gunn/Supplied

Named for South Africa’s national fish, Galjoen celebrates seasonal seafood plucked exclusively from local waters. There’s a set menu served daily, with the chefs asking you to put your trust (and appetite) in their hands with a selection of plates that will likely run from freshly shucked oysters to fantastically fresh line fish. Of course, it all depends on what the boats bring in that day, so surrender to the surprise and enjoy a proudly local taste of South African seas. An excellent wine selection, open kitchen and contemporary décor by leading artists makes this a must for anyone with a taste for seafood.

99 Harrington Street, Cape Town

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15. Heirloom

Photograph: Cape Grace

The iconic Cape Grace Hotel has enjoyed a long-overdue rejuvenation of late, with a top-to-toe refurb that has breathed new life into this famous city address. That new energy extends to the kitchens, with acclaimed chef Gregory Czarnecki – who wowed diners at The Restaurant at Waterkloof – at the helm. At Heirloom he brings his full talent to bear on a multi-course degustation menu that taps into local inspiration and flavours coupled with his deep love for classical haute cuisine. It’s all served up in an elegant space of white napery and a striking central bar. Afterwards, be sure to enjoy a digestif in the hotel’s elegant Library Bar overlooking the marina.

West Quay, V&A Waterfront

16. Chefs Warehouse & Canteen

Photograph: Claire Gunn

A decade after Liam and Jan Tomlin first opened Chefs Warehouse & Canteen in Heritage Square on Bree Street, the original has received a long-awaited reboot just across the road. This new outing is a partnership with chef David Schneider, and delivers the same dedication for down-to-earth dining, this time with a little more space than the original. But the concept remains reassuringly (almost) the same, with a ‘Tapas for 2’ menu the bedrock of the experience, offering a set menu of four courses for sharing. Those plates change regularly but look forward to the likes of venison tataki and pork gyoza, pork belly with lentil ragout or duck breast with fesujin sauce. No surprise that Tomlin’s iconic lemon posset, of course, makes a triumphant return. Don’t like set menus? There’s now also an à la carte option, plus a well-stocked wine cellar (two, in fact) filled with many bottles from Tomlin’s own cellar.

91 Bree Street, Cape Town

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17. The Foodbarn

An early pioneer of Cape Town’s ascent into the heady heights of global fine dining, Franck Dangereux has long since thrown off the foams and frippery in favour of elevated bistro-style cuisine in a relaxed setting in the Deep South. For the past decade and more, The Foodbarn in Noordhoek Farm Village has been the go-to for locals in the know, lured in by an inspired menu of dishes that are “civilised, without being pretentious”. With both a café-style and ‘Bistronomy’ menu by day, the offering segues into a Tapas bar come evening. Expect the likes of cauliflower beignets, bouillabaisse and mussel fritters with flash-fired rice noodles. Capetonians can’t get enough of his delicately crafted cuisine, and you’ll likely need to book ahead for a weekend table.

Noordhoek Farm Village, Chapmans Peak Road, Noordhoek

18. The Pot Luck Club

Photograph: Supplied

Spanning the top floor of the original silos in The Old Biscuit Mill, The Pot Luck Club has floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the edgy Woodstock neighbourhood. The space is all modern, industrial elegance, with a rotating menu of small plates built on Asian flavours and superb local produce. Look for inventive spins on well-loved classics like fish tacos, and don’t miss the signature smoked fillet with café au lait sauce. The cocktail collection is superb, and the set menu Sunday Brunch is wildly popular with locals.

The Silo, The Old Biscuit Mill, 373-375 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915

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19. The Happy Uncles

Photograph: The Happy Uncles

In the gentrifying suburb of Salt River chef Anwar Abdullatief leads the kitchen at The Happy Uncles, pioneering the concept of Halaal fine dining in celebration of the city’s ‘Cape Malay’ Muslim community. While he brings many of the same flavours to Barakat at Time Out Market Cape Town, at The Happy Uncles (a name in contrast to his previous bakery, ‘My Cross Aunt’) Abdullatief’s years of fine-dining experience are given a chance to shine here, with inspired culinary creations that draw heavily on childhood food memories. Across 4-, 6- and 8-course tasting menus the dishes are complex and conceptual, with creative plating adding a sense of the theatrical to a flavour journey through the history of the Cape.

100 Voortrekker Rd, Salt River

20. Scala

Photograph: Scala

‘Not Your Mamma’s Pasta’, claims the cheeky napkin at Scala. And it’s not wrong. This sexy subterranean Italian eatery is as far from a familial trattoria as you could ask for. Instead Executive Chef Justin Barker, working with Italian master chef Luciano Monosilio, has created an elegantly upmarket take on Italian cuisine.

Start with Scala’s signature negroni as you browse the selection of modern antipasti plates, tapas-style pasta dishes and tempting dolce.  The starter of char-grilled melanzane is a standout, lifted by bright tomato salsa and hits of basil, while the imported Italian burrata served with panzanella would make your nonna weep. Pasta dishes – the main event – are plated as small portions, allowing you to dabble in a few of the 10 different variations on offer. The Scala carbonara is the highlight, but the tortelli of roasted tomato and burratina are equally memorable. The curated wine list is a perfect foil for the fine food, making this one of the city’s must-visit Italian eateries.

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21. Chef's Warehouse at Beau Constantia

Photograph: Claire Gunn/Supplied

Chef Ivor Jones dishes up some of the best value fine dining in Cape Town in this elegant space pitched high above the vineyards of the Constantia Valley. Jones is a stalwart of the Cape’s culinary scene, and here his inventive selection of four-course set menus selivers a wonderful cross-section of culinary inspiration. Beyond the plates the views are sensational, and on a fine day al fresco tables at Chef's Warehouse at Beau Constantia offer stellar views across the Constantia winelands.

22. Nobu

Photograph: Rupert Peace

From the first shout of irashaimasu (welcome!) as you enter Nobu you’ll realise this is no ordinary sushi restaurant. Chef Nobuyuki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa’s global empire now runs to dozens of restaurants worldwide, but the first Nobu restaurant in Africa opened in the One&Only Cape Town hotel back in 2009, and continues to impress.

Beyond the signature Peruvian-Japanese plates, the sushi is arguably the best in the city.  Book a seat at the counter to watch the sushi masters at work, where traditional sashimi and nigiri are elegantly plated, or opt for the inventive new-style sashimi. Our recommendation? Avoid the salmon or tuna and opt instead for the local springbok. Nobu certainly isn’t a cheap night out but is worth every cent for that special occasion.

One&Only Cape Town, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001

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23. Ouzeri

Photograph: Ouzeri

In an understated inner-city space, Ouzeri chef-patron Nic Charalambous celebrates the kitchens of Greece and Cyprus with a concise menu dishing up a contemporary take on deeply traditional cuisine. Across the menu, each dish spotlights produce and provenance, whether it’s a Greek recipe for octopus with potato and caramelised garlic, or the anari dumplings with fresh tomato dumplings from Cyprus. A summertime standout is the cured, smoked pork loin that is cooked over wild rosemary to offer a modern taste of Crete in the Mother City.

From the very beginning, Charalambous has turned to the pages of his family’s recipe books for inspiration, coupling that with his own travels through the region and a healthy dollop of creativity in the kitchen. The result? A Mediterranean menu you won’t soon forget. 

58 Wale St, Cape Town

24. Clarke’s

Photograph: Clarke's

Set halfway along the gourmet boulevard of Bree Street, Clarke’s is as famous for its homemade burgers served up on house-baked brioche buns, as the excellent smoked tomato soup served with a cheese toastie. It’s a favoured hangout for digital nomads and hipsters alike, and buzzes with a Brooklyn energy every day of the week.

133 Bree Street, Cape Town

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25. Grub & Vine (& Culture Wine Bar)

Photograph: Nickey Bothma

Matt Manning has built a loyal local following at Grub & Vine, with his upmarket yet unpretentious New York-inspired bistro in the heart of the Bree Street strip, where a menu d’jour offers two- and three-courses from a dozen or so elevated bistro plates. ‘Good honest cooking, with proper sauces. That’s the style we do, and we do it well,’ says Manning. ‘And we serve it with a great wine list that we’re known for.’

The Grub & Vine wine list is certainly impressive, which led to Manning opening Culture Wine Bar alongside. Here you’ll find a few lighter plates, each with Manning’s signature touch, alongside a wine list of more than 600 labels. It’s the perfect place to take a deep dive into the world of Cape wine, in the heart of the city. 

103 Bree St.

26. Nikkei

Photograph: Nikkei

Nikkei is, simply, named for the style of cuisine on offer: a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions. On the menu that means a heady mix of flavours and textures, cooking styles and serving plates. At heart, Nikkei is all about sharing, and it’s the best way to sample the diversity of dishes on offer. There’s sushi, of course, and here it’s expertly crafted with a variety of seafood. The Crudo plates of raw and cured fish are more expressive though, with the likes of tuna ceviche, smoked jalapeno and shoyu neatly embracing the Nikkei concept.

Next tackle the Small Plates – the coal-seared scallops are worth the spend – and skewers of Robatayaki from the coal-fired grill, or opt for heartier mains. Across the menu the cross-cultural interplay of flavour and texture means that few dishes disappoint. That fusion extends to the drinks menu, where both sake and pisco define the impressive signature cocktails. Spread across two levels Nikkei is a thoroughly glamorous set-up, with both banquette seating and booths set beneath a riot of natural greenery.

87 Bree Street, Cape Town

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27. Vadivelu

Photograph: Vadivelu

This contemporary take on Indian cuisine has fast become a local favourite, and an early entry on our list of the best Indian restaurants in Cape Town. Vadivelu is a family affair, with three cousins and in-laws coming together to create a space that celebrates South Africa’s Indian community on a menu that promises ‘Indian. With Attitude’. That shines through in the energetic service as much as the diverse menu, where you’ll find fiery pani puri alongside wafer-thin dosas and fragrant prawn curries redolent of southern India. The vegetarian curries are superb – don’t miss the aloo gobi – but the standout is the Durban lamb curry, a deeply flavourful local speciality that’s best mopped up with the flaky garlic parathas.

151 Kloof St, Gardens

28. Upper Union

Photograph: Jan Ras

There are many great reasons to visit Kloof Street, which Time Out voted one of the world’s coolest streets in 2023. But there’s an equally good reason to step away from it and into the gate of Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel.

Because here you’ll find Upper Union and the sublime menu of seasonal dishes dreamed up by chef Amori Burger. Her focus is firmly on letting the ingredients shine, with just enough kitchen creativity to elevate the produce from the merely delicious to the sublime. While a choice (Pasture, or Garden) of shared menus are available, the heart of Upper Union is the menu of small plates, built for sharing and taking inspiration from culinary cultures across the globe. In summer local botanicals shine through in the picanha steak with waterblommetjie and nasturtium chimichurri. Burger’s candied summer pumpkin will shift your perception of squash, while the grilled Karoo lamb and baharat sauce is a delight. The wine list is small but features a wonderful well-priced collection of Cape estates.

3 Upper Union St, Gardens

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29. Foxcroft

Photograph: Foxcroft

A more relaxed alternative to its sister-restaurant La Colombe up the road, the selection of small plate menus at Foxcroft focuses on hyper-seasonality and sustainability. Despite the calibre of cooking, this is not fiddly fine dining, with warm and attentive service, refined plating and perfectly pitched portions.

Shop 8, High Constantia Centre, Groot Constantia Road, Constantia

30. Gigi Rooftop

Photograph: Gigi Rooftop

Gigi Rooftop at the Gorgeous George Hotel in the city centre is most famous for its rooftop bar; something of a hidden secret amongst locals and savvy travellers. But after you’ve sipped a few signature cocktails – the Maple Old Fashioned is a favourite – you’ll want a bite to eat. Happily, the restaurant serves a superb seasonal menu that taps into some of the city’s best producers. It's an eclectic offering with something for most palates, whether you look to the Cape Malay fish tartare, or go classic with a twice-baked cheese soufflé. That’s for starters, while mains are largely meaty in focus: think lamb rump, springbok loin or a creative fish en papillote (that’s fancy-French for cooked in an airtight parcel) with miso tomato ‘shakshuka’. The décor is just as imaginative, with deep-buttoned banquettes, low-slung tables and no shortage of terrace tables for those balmy summer nights.

118 St. Georges Mall, Cape Town

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31. Belly of the Beast

Photograph: Belly of the Beast

Reservations are essential at Belly of the Beast, an intimate spot in the heart of Cape Town, with only one lunch and one dinner seating per day. There’s no menu, but instead a daily table d’hôte set menu of courses that takes its cue from local, sustainably sourced ingredients. Wine pairings draw on some of the Cape’s leading cellars. Expect a creative, immersive dining experience that’s hard to find elsewhere in the city. 

110 Harrington St, Cape Town City Centre

32. Ramenhead

Photograph: Supplied

The team behind fine-dining juggernaut FYN take ramen to an entirely new level at this chic spot in the heart of the city. While you’ll also find a Ramenhead outpost at the bustling Time Out Market Cape Town in the V&A Waterfront precinct, it’s well worth a visit to the original to take in the impressive Yamato noodle machine, the first (and only) in Africa. Beyond the three soupy varieties of ramen on offer you’ll find a collection pre- and post-bites inspired by Japanese street-food favourites. Don’t miss the upmarket take on gyoza dumplings.

37 Parliament St, Cape Town City Centre

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33. Beyond

Photograph: Beyond

At beyond chef Peter Tempelhoff delivers a superb à la carte menu of elevated cuisine that places provenance and produce in the spotlight. That means starter plates of local handcrafted Burrata, plated with seasonal vegetables, or a tataki of local game fish enlivened by wild herbs and seaweed foraged from the shoreline of the peninsula.

Main courses are built around your choice of protein, and the free-range steak – well aged and perfectly seared – is a standout, served with a clever take on a classic salad. It’s a concise menu, with a handful of options per course, but with enormous care taken over every element it strikes the right notes of relaxed fine dining at friendly prices. Set on Buitenverwachting Estate in the Constantia winelands, expect expansive views of mountain and vineyard; a perfect counterfoil to the elegant organic décor indoors.

Buitenverwachting estate, 37 Klein Constantia Rd, Nova Constantia

34. ëlgr

Photograph: ëlgr

In the heart of buzzy Kloof Street chef Jesper Nilsson has created a minimalist, Scandinavian-inspired dining experience that blends local colour and global flavour.

While ëlgr is ‘moose’ in Old Norse – a nod to Jesper’s Swedish heritage – the menu is decidedly contemporary, with a focus on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. What’s great about ëlgr is that it’s a space for all seasons: pop in for a drink after work, paired with a charcuterie board or a few small plates, or settle in for a full fine-dining experience in the moody main restaurant. Go à la carte or opt for the Chef’s Choice sharing menu. Come summer, the cocktail bar and wood-fired pizzas in the rear courtyard always draw a crowd.

75 Kloof St, Gardens

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35. Dawn

Photograph: Dawn Restaurant

Husband-and-wife duo Ronnie Mao and Giselle Li are trying to change perceptions of ‘Chinese’ food in the city, with a focus on authenticity and regionality on a menu that delves deep into Chinese culinary traditions. If you’re coming in search of sweet-and-sour pork with a fortune cookie to finish? Well, you’ll be disappointed.

Instead, look forward to a menu of remarkable plates – mostly small, to allow for sharing – that offer an entirely new perspective on the flavours of China. Start with dim sum, don’t miss the pork ribs in fermented tofu, and marvel at the eye-opening new flavours and textures in the jellyfish and chicken leg. 

The list goes on, from small plates, noodles and dim sum, to the signature Peking Duck. It’s a menu of remarkable plates that will make you rethink just what ‘Chinese’ food can be. If you love the flavours of Asia, Dawn is a must in the Mother City.

Cape Quarter, 10 Jarvis St, De Waterkant

36. Ember & Oak

Photograph: Claire Gunn

Constantia’s Uitsig Estate keeps evolving in all the right foodie directions, with the whitewashed heritage huisies home to a delicious diversity of eateries. One of the finest is Ember & Oak, where chef Tim Pick makes magic on a compact menu of small plates. It’s a menu built for sharing, and roams widely from Asia to South America and everywhere in between, so look forward to the likes of yellowtail ceviche, pork tostado and gochujang-glazed chicken wings. Another standout is the ‘Cape Malay Cauli’, which translates the savoury and sweet flavours of a traditional South African fish barbecue into a vegetarian plate. The wine list is limited to Uitsig wines or opt for a glass of the unique Chardonnay slushie. The best tables are out on the shaded terrace, with wide lawns and a lush garden for kids to stretch their legs.

Constantia Uitsig, Spaanschemat River Road, Constantia

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37. The Test Kitchen Fledgelings

Photograph: Supplied

At The Test Kitchen Fledgelings acclaimed chef Luke Dale Roberts turns his energy towards offering opportunities for a new generation of talent. Aspiring chefs, often with zero formal training, are brought under the wing of former-Fledgelings and professional chefs, and taught the basics from the scullery to the pass. It’s a remarkable project offering employment, training and hope to a new generation.

While the goals are laudable, they don’t come at the expense of great food. The focus is on elevated cuisine, not fine dining, with an à la carte menu that runs from starters of umami-packed Korean Fried Chicken and fiery Fish Tacos, through to elegant mains of Springbok with a heady coffee jus, and creative vegetarian assiette of beetroot. At the table, the atmosphere is infectious and the service exemplary.

38. Thali

Photograph: Claire Gunn / Thali

The atmospheric courtyard and dimly lit interior decorated with relics from the Indian sub-continent will immediately transport you to a vibey Bombay-style eatery. Thali offers a rotating tasting menu of contemporary Indian food shaped around the concept of thalis—a popular meal in India consisting of numerous small dishes. Here, the ever-changing menus are served in three courses, working their way from milder tastes to spicey dishes with an emphasis on the heat. Thali offers options to suit everyone in your group, from carnivores to vegans and vegetarians. If you thought the food was a showstopper, the inventive cocktails are equally as memorable, drawing inspiration from South Asian flavors. 

3 Park Rd, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001