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It is a bustling metropolis built on centuries of history, cultural influences, native ecosystems and natural phenomena. And yet, there is one more reason why Cape Town features as one of the world’s most trending tourist destinations — the food. If your idea of the ultimate vacation includes gastronomic explorations, let the restaurants in Cape Town take you on a culinary journey like never before.
Some of the best places to eat in Cape Town, serve authentic and contemporary African cuisines, giving you a taste of the entire continent without ever leaving this most idyllic city. Everyone’s favourite Ethiopian restaurant, Addis, plates flavour and authenticity in quite literally every dish on the menu. While the exclusive Gold restaurant serves 14-course Malay and African meals with everything from Malawi to Cameroonian to Xhosa delicacies. Andalousse meanwhile, is a Moroccan dining house that will treat all your senses with aromatics and flavours of Marrakech on your plate.
When you’re deciding what to eat in Cape Town, be sure to keep room for some of the local mainstays. Braai — the native barbecue preparation, is one such that you can’t miss. Head to Mzoli’s for some of the best grilled meats along with filling sides, with great music and mingling experiences too. While staples like bobotie and bunny chow aren’t really featured on typical restaurant menus, there are plenty of stalls and street vendors selling them by the scores.
With so many cultures embedded into its society, there are a multitude of places to eat in Cape Town that serve great international as well as fusion foods. Like Galbi, where Korea meets South Africa to bring you game meat Seoul-style. Chefs Warehouse and Canteen is where you can savour global tapas dishes in communal style seating, while Salt also has some great small plates.
Shortmarket Club is one of acclaimed chef Luke Dale-Roberts’ eateries where you can appreciate local produce and sustainable meats and seafood, with European panache. Some of the other parts of the world you can include in your food adventure include India, at the Bombay Brasserie, Japan at Izakaya Matsuri or Kyoto Garden Sushi. France shines at La Mouette which has a delightful contemporary take on classic dishes.
End your meals on a sweet note at some of Cape Town’s most popular dessert houses — My Sugar for artisanal chocolate creations, Charly’s Bakery for glittering sugary delight, or Unframed for exquisite ice creams and sorbets. There are others of course, but these are considered some of the best.
Still wondering where to eat in Cape Town? It’s no surprise, given how spoilt for choice the city leaves you. These are just the recommendations to get you started.
If you’re planning on a Cape Town Tour for some of the fine-dine experiences, advance reservations are a must. SOTC has some wonderful South Africa packages that will get you on your way to one of the most exquisite culinary adventure.
