South Africa is a nation emerging as one of the foodie hotspots of the world. With a stunning and varied climate there is plenty of wonderful local produce to work. Chefs showcase these ingredients with particular skill and the cuisine draws influence from across the globe. 

This blog will focus on some of the foodie hotspots of Cape Town, one of South Africa’s most diverse cities. With a beautiful coastline and varied climate as well as amazing fresh seafood there’s some amazing restaurants and dining across the city. 

From the iconic Table Mountain to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront and the up and coming hipster hotspots of Woodstock and Bo-Kaap there’s plenty to see in Cape Town. The recurring theme throughout the city is an emphasis on fantastic dining. There are so many different restaurants which are incredible and should be experienced in Cape Town and too many to list below! I have picked some favourites below:

Chef’s Table Cape Town: 

Chef’s Table Cape Town is a rustic dining experience that gets up close and personal. Former Michelin star Chef and restaurateur Santi Louzán welcomes guests into his Manhattan Loft style home and provides a dining experience which is hard to beat. He brings people together through his sociable shared dining table concept and serves up sensational cuisine whilst telling his personal story and the story of the food as well. 

The food spans across seven mouthwatering courses with five different paired wines and shows off the best artisan and local produce from Cape Town. The menu is tweaked and adjusted as different ingredients come into season and dietary requirements are accommodated with ease. Expect a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

New Cape Town Foodie Tour:

This is a full on foodie tour of this vibrant city. The tour can change a little depending on where has sourced the best produce at the time and where the next hidden gem is. The concept of finding the best places off the beaten track always stays the same though.

Guests on the foodie tour will sample some of the finest coffee, chocolate, cheese and dried meats found in Cape Town. The foodie tour will take you to some of the best artisanal producers in the city in areas such as Woodstock, Bo-Kaap and Bree, the areas of Cape Town where the creatives are known to be. 

Guests might sample coffee in a hipster side-street coffee shop, walk through gardens full of produce and pass artists studios along the way. After this those on the tour might sip on a pint of beer from the finest microbrewery in town, visit a bean-to-bar chocolate producer or try some biltong at a local deli. To round off the day you are likely to have a taste of some of the spices imported into the city and enjoy some local handmade samosas or finish with a cheese tasting.

The Test Kitchen: 

Since it opened nine year ago The Test Kitchen has consistently been one of the most popular restaurants in Cape Town. The cuisine is a fusion of South African and international flavours and paired with award-winning service. Seating 40 diners the restaurant has a unique ambience, with the restaurant and menu splitting into The Dark Room and The Light Room. 

Dining starts in a hushed and secretive manner in The Dark Room before transitioning to the beautiful and more formal Light Room where diners enjoy the plated tasting menu. There are a choice of two different wine pairings or for those who prefer a non-alcoholic option there is also a tea pairing to compliment this exquisite food.

The demand for tables at The Test Kitchen is exceptionally high and it can prove very difficult to get a reservation. Bookings open for a three month window, one more prior to this, at 8:00am local time and tables get snapped up in a matter of seconds rather than minutes. 

4Roomed eKasi Culture:

About half an hour from the centre of Cape Town is Khayelitsha and where 4Roomed eKasi Culture is found. The passion project of Abigail Mbalo who transcended through MasterChef South Africa from a food truck in the suburbs to this informal dining space. An emphasis on locally sourcing runs throughout the ideology of 4Roomed eKasi Culture. This doesn’t just extend to locally sourced ingredients but also the fixtures and furnishings such as the up-cycled school desks and chairs.

Abigail’s ambition is to revolutionise the way in which we eat and she encourages everyone to grow their own produce. Her childhood was influenced through gorging on home grown fresh peaches and other fruit and she wants to share this experience. The food draws on these childhood memories and South African cuisine yet accelerates it to the modern fine dining style that is found in some of the best restaurants around. The menu ranges from slow cooked chicken and pap to butter-chicken bunny chow served in freshly baked bread.

FYN:

A wonderful alternative to The Test Kitchen, FYN is an excellent restaurant situated high up on Parliament Street with spectacular views of the Lion’s Head and Table Mountain. The restaurant receives sensational feedback from normal diners and critics alike. The food fuses South African and Japanese cuisine to create culinary excellence. The menu changes regularly and the chefs elevate humble ingredients to delicious meals with skill. 

The service is attentive and the wines are a real highlight with some particularly elusive bottles found on the curated wine list. There’s the ‘normal’ FYN menu, a pescatarian menu and a plant based menu to choose from which should cater to all needs.

There are far too many really good restaurants to experience in Cape Town and this is just a glimpse of these. If you want to take the time to have your own foodie’s journey around Cape Town or South Africa then get in touch with our specialists now.