Top Dining Out Spots in Cape Town [updated Jan ’26]

#HelloRecommends World-Class Flavours in Local Settings

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Few cities dine quite like Cape Town. Framed by mountains and ocean, the Mother City’s food scene blends world-class restaurants, innovative chefs and a deep appreciation for fresh, local ingredients. From buzzy inner-city hotspots and refined fine-dining destinations to relaxed neighbourhood favourites, this guide rounds up Cape Town’s top dining-out spots — each offering a taste of the city’s endlessly evolving culinary identity.

La Colombe

Often featured on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and currently ranked at 55, is La Colombe at the Silvermist Wine Estate in Hout Bay. Chef James Gaag’s multi-course tasting menus are inventive, beautifully plated and delicious. Nothing about the decor in the minimalist restaurant detracts from the French-meets-Asian cuisine, which is presented with the restaurant’s distinctive theatrical flourishes. Dining here makes for an unforgettable experience that appeals to all the senses.

www.lacolombe.restaurant

@lacolombect

Pot Luck Club

The Pot Luck Club is known as the pioneer of small-plate dining in Cape Town. Under the direction of renowned chef Luke Dale Roberts, here you can look forward to Asian-inspired flavours with a side order of urban energy. Its location at the top of the silos of The Old Biscuit Mill makes for incredible views of the city. Whether you’re a first-time diner or a regular, if you go now you can enjoy the recently refreshed interiors, newly embellished with a touch more luxury to match bold flavours and inventive style of the cuisine it serves.

thepotluckclub.co.za

@thepotluckclubct

Le Bistrot de JAN

Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen is one of the first South African chefs to obtain a Michelin star, and he did it in France, the home of the Michelin Guide itself. Now he has brought the taste of France home in the form of Le Bistrot de JAN, a local version of his successful bistro in Nice, this time at the newly refurbished InterContinental Table Bay Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront. Led by acclaimed Executive Chef Giles Edwards, this eatery pays tribute to the beloved bistro culture of France with a concise menu of à la carte offerings infused with Jan’s distinctive South African-French flair. And just in time for the festive season!

janonline.com

@janhendrikvanderwesthuizen

Reverie Social Table

For those looking for a dining experience with a difference, Reverie Social Table is a social dining experience where a group of strangers, locals and travellers alike, gather around one long communal table to share a five-course meal, paired with local South African wines. With a maximum of 18 guests per evening, it’s designed to feel like a relaxed dinner party. The menu highlights a different winery (or group of wineries) every few weeks and showcases the very best seasonal ingredients the Western Cape has to offer, all while bringing people together.  

www.reverie.capetown

@reveriecapetown

Locál

There’s nothing like the buzz of a Cape Town rooftop in the summertime. The Radisson RED Rooftop has been refurbished and the famous rooftop truck bar “Van Rouge” has made way for an entirely new concept. Now known as Locál, the elevated social space is the perfect place to bring in the festive season. As the name implies, the new menu includes some distinctly local dishes such as wild garlic roti with curried vetkoek and a homage to the Gatsby, a Capetonian classic, that is, in this case, stuffed with battered fish, smoked triple-cooked chips and salad. Though the decor and menu have changed, the incredible aerial views of the mother city remain as breathtaking as ever.

www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-red-cape-town-va-waterfront

@radissonredcpt

Royal Countess Zingara's La Dolce Royal

This October, Century City sees the much-anticipated return of Royal Countess Zingara after a 10-year hiatus. The new show La Dolce Royal is an immersive dinner-theatre experience. In a classic circus tent, diners will be entertained by a spectacle of dancing, music, aerial acts and storytelling while enjoying a five-course meal in an experience that feels almost surreal. Described as a ‘love letter to humanity,’ the performance uses imagination and beauty to rekindle hope. With group bookings available, it’s a great option for a truly memorable end-of-year work function or family celebration.

www.zingara.co.za

@zingara_royalcountess

Tambourine

Tambourine, a new restaurant in a restored heritage building on Harrington Street, is a celebration of seasonal, local produce. Chef Keane Munro crafts a short, flavour-packed menu of food cooked over an open fire, with dishes drawing on global and African influences. With a strong focus on sustainability, his ingredients consist of pasture-raised beef and lamb, line-caught fish, and produce from a pesticide-free regenerative farm in Khayelitsha. Everything is local, seasonal and organic wherever possible. The decor is understated, allowing the food to take centre stage. The result is a dining experience that’s both casual, delicious and guilt-free.

www.tambourine.co.za

@tambourinecpt

Toevlug

After opening Ongetem earlier this year, renowned local chef Bertus Basson has just opened another restaurant this month. Toevlug, meaning “sanctuary,” is a family-friendly eatery that can be found on Annandale WineEstate in Stellenbosch. Partnering with Chef Drikus Brink, this restaurant showcases simple South African produce-focused cooking that will no doubt be paired with the estate’s acclaimed wines. Dating back to 1688, the farm is believed to be the oldest farm in the premium red-wine producing Helderberg Valley and oozes with old-world charm.

www.annandale.co.za

@annandalewines

The Wes Bistro & Bar

A large mural of The Grand Budapest Hotel (a fictional hotel from the iconic film) forms the backdrop for a charmingly quirky dining experience at The Wes Bistro & Bar. Drawing inspiration from classic French bistros and the cuisine that they serve, Megan Kritzinger of the Stellski Coffee Bar & Café set out to bring this approach to Cape Town. Open since October 2024, The Wes Bistro & Bar’s menu celebrates the simple elegance of French cooking with a modern twist, along with a selection of carefully crafted cocktails. All of this is artfully presented in a unique homage to American film director Wes Anderson. The food was conceptualised and designed by local legend, Chef Peter Goffe-Wood. Further to this, Nicola Orpen of Bone Studio infused the décor with Wes Anderson’s signature flair.

www.thewes.co.za

@wesbistrobar

Lievland Café

Lievland Café seems to be one of Stellenbosch’s best-kept secrets. In the month of love (or in any month), the Lievlove brunch menu could win the heart of just about anyone. Start off with a sharing platter of bread and cheeses for the first course. Then, indulge in a selection of hot breakfasts (such as the Cheesy Baked Spinach and Gammon Filled Pancake or the Brioche French Toast) for mains. Finally, fall head over heels for their trio of desserts for the third course. If that doesn’t work, Cupid might just shoot you with his bow and arrow from atop the springbok he’s riding on the estate’s signature wine label.

www.visitstellenbosch.org

@lievlandcafe

SÓTANO

SÓTANO, a beloved Mouille Point restaurant, has been serving up popular Mediterranean-inspired cuisine for fourteen years. Recently though, they updated their menu to include fresh Cape seafood and tasty sushi, as well as a new range of signature cocktails. One of the new menu’s highlights is Head Chef Eugene Marinus’ Seafood Espetada, which includes king prawns, grilled octopus, Patagonian calamari and line fish, all served on a skewer and drenched in rich lemon butter. Whether you indulge in this new menu offering or something else, SÓTANO is a great place to pop in for a meal and a summer sundowner after a stroll on Cape Town’s iconic promenade. From here, you can also watch the sun set behind the Mouille Point lighthouse.

www.sotano.co.za

@sotanoct

Why So Cerious Cereal Café & Bakery

Cape Town’s very first cereal café has arrived and it’s serving up a heaped bowl of nostalgia with every bite. Taking its name (deliberately misspelt) from the famous Joker quote, this quirky, family-run café and bakery draws inspiration from the international success of other cereal cafés, bringing the magic to the Mother City. Their menu is a colourful tribute to childhood favourites, featuring playful creations like basic cereal bowls with your choice of milk and the indulgent Cereal Swirler which blends your favourite cereal with vanilla ice cream. Their top seller, though, is the Ice Cream Burger: A lightly toasted roll stuffed with ice cream, cereal and your choice of extra toppings. It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit nostalgic and a whole lot of fun!

@whysocerious_cafe

Konnichiwa

Cape Town has a new sushi restaurant. Located at the Pullman Hotel, Konnichiwa is a made-to-order sushi bar that may look like a conventional Japanese restaurant, but wait until you meet the chef! Ernest Tsosane is a remarkable local ‘shokunin’ (a Japanese term for an artisan who exhibits a deep commitment to mastery and craftsmanship with a profound connection to one’s work). He trained under master chefs in Japan for six months before honing his skills at some of South Africa’s most prestigious restaurants, including the likes of Tang, Koi, Nikkei Japanese Peruvian and Nobu. Now, at Konnichiwa, he expertly crafts sashimi, nigiri, signature rolls and other delicacies using high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients. He also takes into account not just the preferences of his guests, but even their moods to create an experience as personal as it is delicious. This street-level restaurant just off Bree offers a laid-back, welcoming and surprisingly impressive dining experience that’s bound to become a local favourite.

all.accor.com

@pullmancapetown

Wilde Vy Bistro

Wilde Vy Bistro is the new eatery at Hooggelegen Farm, known as the home of Signal Gun Wines, located on the Durbanville Wine Route. The restaurant is the brainchild of renowned South African chef, Jürgen Snyman (of Kloof Street House, Asoka and Egghead), alongside Ghanaian entrepreneurs, Kwasi Osei-Kusi and Charles Bucknor. With over 25 years of hospitality experience, Jürgen has crafted a menu that caters to a wide variety of tastes, offering everything from small plates and raw dishes to fire-grilled specialties, vegetarian delights, indulgent desserts and even a kiddies’ menu. The bistro’s indoor spaces pay tribute to the heritage of the sixth-generation estate by preserving existing artefacts and architectural features while blending them with more contemporary design elements. Outside, a beautiful al fresco dining area surrounds a statuesque wild fig tree, making it the perfect setting for leisurely lunches or magical evenings under the stars.

www.wildevybistro.com

@wildevybistro

DAWN by DUSK

DAWN by DUSK is not a restaurant, but a private dining experience created by the renowned South African chefs, Darren Badenhorst and Callan Austin. They are the masterminds behind the well-known, multi-sensory dining experience, DUSK. Now, DAWN by DUSK is essentially a test kitchen where Executive Chef Callan Austin can experiment and test the boundaries of his own technique. An open kitchen situated at eye level invites diners to witness him at work. Each meal is a bespoke, multi-sensory experience inspired by the season, the preferences of the client and the chef’s inspiration. This private event dining venue accommodates up to twenty-four guests at a single communal table and is available for private celebrations and exclusive corporate gatherings.

www.duskrestaurant.co.za

@dawn_by_dusk_

Bus Cuisine

Yes, Cape Town has a tour bus that is also a fine-dining restaurant! Bus Cuisine gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘culinary journey.’ This new venture, created by seasoned hospitality entrepreneurs Janse de Villiers and Jonathan Faurie, transforms a luxury double-decker bus into a roving gourmet experience. Here, guests are treated to exquisite 4- and 6-course meals crafted by award-winning chefs, expertly paired with some of the finest Cape wines. Departing from the Commodore Hotel on Portswood Road, one can expect delicious food and spectacular, ever-changing views of Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill and the vast Atlantic Ocean as you travel along the Atlantic Seaboard. Bus Cuisine offers a truly unique way to wine, dine and explore the Mother City in style.

www.buscuisine.co.za

@buscuisine

Local Plates

If you’re interested in learning more about South African history while enjoying scrumptious food, LocalPlaces has just the experience for you. They offer four different storytelling sessions, each combined with a meal at a different restaurant, taking place four Thursdays per month. Guiding these immersive evenings is Gerald Garner, a legendary storyteller, tour guide and author who is known for his captivating way of bringing the past to life.

From ancient times to Dutch rule, British rule, the Union, Apartheid, democracy and onto the future, Garner covers different aspects of South Africa’s complex history in every session. Each is carefully crafted to stand on its own, but you can get the whole story by doing them all. From Xhosa-inspired dishes with a modern twist to Karoo farm-style dinners, each meal complements the stories by offering a taste of the diverse cultures that have shaped South Africa. The result is a feast for both the mind and the palate. If you’re looking for a unique way to experience Cape Town, book a spot at LocalPlaces’ Storytelling Sessions and let history unfold one bite at a time.

www.localplates.co.za

@localplates_southafrica

Libertino

Libertino is a new restaurant in de Waterkant that describes itself as “the wild side of Italian dining.” Here, handmade pasta and Neapolitan pizzas meet disco vibes. They roll every strand of pasta by hand, they stretch their pizza dough from scratch, and they even make many of their cheeses in-house. That said, the menu is anything but predictable, with bold, creative flavours that come with a twist. According to them, they don’t do boring and they definitely don’t do preservatives. Their décor seems to reflect their quirky and unconventional spirit with signature leopard graphics, zebra print chairs and a neon sign that reads “Feed me pizza and tell me I’m pretty.”

www.libertino.co.za

@libertino.ct

GOLD Restaurant

GOLD Restaurant has a reputation in Cape Town as the place to go for a unique and distinctly African dining and entertainment experience. Here, you can sample a 14-dish tasting menu of cuisine from all over the continent while enjoying performances of singing, dancing, drumming, storytelling and even Malian puppetry. For a more personalised affair, you can also opt for the Spice Experience. In a private dining room, you can learn about the Spice Route and how it influenced world history, while sampling different spices and the dishes they add flavour to. If you’re not already impressed by the incredible talents of the front-of-house staff (and you will be), a sneak peek into the kitchen reveals even more remarkable skills among the almost all-female kitchen staff. Dining at GOLD feels like a series of wonderful surprises for all the senses, and the Spice Experience gives you even more.

goldrestaurant.co.za

@goldrestaurantcapetown

Salon at Dorp

The terms ‘best kept secret’ and ‘hidden gem’ get thrown around a lot, but the Salon at Dorp – the sprawling hotel near Bo-Kaap – truly fits the description. In fact, the quirky and eclectic décor is almost more mesmerising than the incredible Table Mountain views. Though it is not licensed, one can get intoxicated on the ambience alone. The menu consists of simple, home-style comfort food in generous portions. The cheese soufflé is decadent and delicious, but it’s the roast chicken that is the stuff of legends. Together with a cosy fireplace, it is the perfect spot for a winter lunch or dinner. Be sure to book in advance.

dorp.co.za

@dorphotel

Stella Café & Bar

If you haven’t been to Southern Sun Cullinan since its refurb, it’s worth a visit. The Stella Café & Bar offers a stylish al fresco dining experience where you can enjoy some winter sunshine near the hotel’s stunning pool, while the chic interior is perfect for those less pleasant days. In this elegant setting with gold, navy and natural wood accents, diners can enjoy a seasonal tapas menu which includes dishes like Cape Malay Bobotie Spring Rolls and Lamb Cutlets. The meal can be completed with an extensive selection of cocktails and South African wines.

southernsun.com/the-cullinan/

@southernsuncullinan

Curate

Ellerman House, the renowned boutique hotel in Bantry Bay, recently opened its own fine dining restaurant. Head Chef Kieran Whyte leads the kitchen to present a multi-course tasting menu that reimagines South African cuisine. The menu focuses on seasonal ingredients, regional provenance, diverse cultural influences and bold flavours. Set within the striking setting of the Wine Gallery, designed by celebrated local artist Angus Taylor, diners feast amongst the hotel’s 10,000-bottle collection featuring some of our country’s most exceptional wines. With the help of Sommelier Manuel Cabello, rare vintages, single-vineyard selections and expertly curated pairings are available for those who appreciate fine wine. Curate lives up to its name, delivering an experience where every element is thoughtfully considered and beautifully presented.

ellerman.co.za

@curateatellerman

Ongetem

South Africa’s first Canopy by Hilton has opened its doors, and with it comes Ongetem, the new restaurant from award-winning chef, Bertus Basson. Deriving its name from the Afrikaans word for ‘untamed,’ it offers an approachable dining experience that celebrates local heritage through bold, contemporary flavours. The menu is structured around the guiding philosophy of “Butcher, Baker, Cocktail Maker.” The Butcher section focuses on grass-fed local beef, free-range poultry, open-flame cooking and local braai culture. Then, the Baker offers Cape-inspired baked goods and comfort foods and the Cocktail Maker provides a bar experience with local botanicals, spirits and “old-school hip hop vibes.” Ongetem is a fresh take on hotel dining, focused on locals and centred on good food, good people and a lot of heart.

ongetem.com

@ongetemcpt

SPYCED

This restaurant at the V&A Waterfront draws inspiration from the flavours that shaped the history of the Spice Route. The menu of Cape Malay cuisine offers bold, aromatic dishes and innovative drink pairings (such as spice-forward cocktails). Apart from incredible food, dining at SPYCED is an immersive affair that begins with a djembe drumming session. Talented local musicians provide the rest of the evening’s entertainment, with live Cape Town Jazz every night of the week. A Cape Malay Cooking Experience is also available for a different kind of interactive experience. SPYCED brings together music, culture and flavour for a proper taste of Cape Town.

spyced.co.za

@spycedrestaurant

Mischu

First there were Cronuts, then there were Crookies, and then followed Cruffins (honestly, some of us missed that one). Now, a new croissant-related trend has emerged: the Croissant Cube. Mischu is a simple, no-frills, Sea Point coffee shop with a committed crowd of regulars. It is renowned for serving some of the best coffee and cappuccinos in Cape Town and now, they are raising the bar with pastries too. If you think there can’t be anything that special about a geometrically shaped croissant, think again. Available in pistachio, raspberry and chocolate hazelnut, Mischu’s Croissant Cubes are not just topped with these flavours, but the centres are also filled with them. They’re freshly baked each day and heated to exactly the right temperature to be perfectly flaky on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. It’s the kind of pastry worth planning your morning around.

mischu.co.za

@mischucoffee

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Top Dining Out Spots in Cape Town [updated Jan ’26]

#HelloRecommends World-Class Flavours in Local Settings

Share this article

La Colombe

Pot Luck Club

Le Bistrot de JAN

Reverie Social Table

Locál

Royal Countess Zingara's La Dolce Royal

Tambourine

Toevlug

The Wes Bistro & Bar

Lievland Café

SÓTANO

Why So Cerious Cereal Café & Bakery

Konnichiwa

Wilde Vy Bistro

DAWN by DUSK

Bus Cuisine

Local Plates

Libertino

GOLD Restaurant

Salon at Dorp

Stella Café & Bar

Curate

Ongetem

SPYCED

Mischu

#HelloRecommendeds

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