I always knew South Africa, would be an epic location in terms of its natural beauty! However, I never thought I would eat as good as I did in South Africa! Food in South Africa a mix of its own rich history and culture as well as from Dutch, English and Malay influence. This post covers 10 best places to eat in Cape Town.
A few things to note before I get into the best places to eat in Cape Town.
- Make reservations ahead of time! Especially if you are going during peak season or dinner
- Some places have a 2 person minimum. I visited South Africa with my mom and she left early while I stayed back a few more days. Therefore, I was able to reserve the ones with a 2 person minimum on the days she was with me
- South Africa has a few dishes that are must tries. These are bobotie, milk tart, malva pudding, boerewors (famer’s sausage), braai (BBQ), and Cape Malay food to name a few. Look out for these in menus and try them out!
1. Moyo
Moyo is located inside the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Their menu boasts of traditional African cuisine not just from South Africa but the entire continent. I had their shrimp and chicken curry with Moroccan rice and let me let you….it was one of the best curries I have ever eaten (and that is saying a lot considering I was born and raised in Sri Lanka!). The setting inside is African themed and you see beautiful views of the mountains even from inside the restaurant.
2. The Bungalow
If you are looking for a sea view or even a sunset spot, then look no further than The Bungalow. This is one of the best places to eat in Cape Town with a view. They have 2 outdoors spaces and 1 indoor space. The outdoor spaces are ideal for sipping a cocktail and watching the sunset. Unfortunately, I had bad weather the day I visited but I could have only imagined what the views were like if it was not cloudy and raining.
3. Potluck Club
The Potluck Club constantly ranks high in many a best places to eat in Cape Town lists. It is located at the Old Biscuit Mill in the Woodstock neighborhood. The restaurant has amazing cocktails and tapas style food. We tried a few dishes and everything was so delicious!
You absolutely need to make a reservation way ahead of time. Dinner reservations sell out months in advance. Especially the 6 PM sitting (they have 2 sittings). One thing to note is that you do need to put down a deposit when you book which will be applied towards your bill at the end.
4. The Bailey
The Bailey is a very similar in concept to the Potluck Club. They also serve tapas style food but the portions are so much bigger than the Potluck Club. We ordered 6 dishes and could only get through 4 of them and the restaurant was kind enough to cancel the order for the other 2! I think their salt & pepper squid with chili, pineapple and caramelized ginger was the best thing I ever ate on the entire trip! I still think about it from time to time!
5. Kloof Street House
While I had planned and made reservations for most of the places on this list, I had not done the same for Kloof Street House. Mostly because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go here for their brunch or dinner. First of all the place is SO CUTE! It’s very eclectic! Both their outdoor and indoor spaces are filled with all kinds of deco and plants that somehow go so well together. I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time. I was really lucky to get a spot but it also helped that I was one person. Sometimes a benefit of solo travel!
Try their ostrich with mash! It is out of this world! I would have licked the plate if no one was watching! haha
6. Chichilla and Bilboa
Chinchilla and Bilboa are essentially located in the same spot in Camps Bay. They are sister companies. They both offer good cocktails, small bites and large plates and great sunset views. Come during sundown and sit a cocktail while watching the people down at the beach.
7. The Bistro at Hotel on the Promenade
This is actually the hotel we stayed at for a couple of nights. What I am recommending here is their breakfast/brunch! It was delicious and it is open to non-hotel guests as well! They have a buffet style portion of fresh fruit, yogurt and cereals and an al la carte menu! Try their smoked salmon eggs benedict! It was amazing!! They also serve freshly squeezed juice. While we only had breakfast here, there was always a steady crowd of non-hotel guests for dinner as well!
8. Jonkershuis
Jonkershuis is located at Groot Constantia, the oldest winery in all of South Africa! This restaurant has a mixed menu of various cuisine but they also have a solid selection of Cape Malay cuisine. I unfortunately visited an an odd hour and did not have a full meal but tried their samosas and they were *chef’s kiss*. Again, this tells you a lot given my ethnic background!
9. The Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia
The Chef’s Warehouse is run by the same company that runs The Bailey. This location boasts of amazing views in Cape Town. You will be surrounded by vineyards as you dine. They have a 4 course set menu that changes regularly. Although they call it a set menu, you still have choices within each course to select from. Advance reservations are a must here as well. They also get booked up very often.
10. Afternoon Tea at Mount Nelson Belmond Hotel
This may be one of the most iconic things to do in Cape Town. The Mount Nelson Belmond Hotel is a luxurious 5 star hotel and their afternoon tea is very famous! The entire experience was wonderful! They start you off with the savories, followed by scones and then by the sweets. There was also a dessert bar with amazing looking desserts but I was way too full at this point! The best part was the take home box of sweets!
Early reservations are a must! They only have afternoon tea Wednesday through Sunday and have 2 sittings. One at noon and the other at 3 pm. Oh, and dress up a bit when you go for tea! Everyone was in their Sunday best!
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See all my posts on South Africa HERE!
