10 Best Places to eat with Locals in Cape Town

Friends eating lunch in diner by Dan Gold – Unsplash

10 Best Places to eat with Locals in Cape Town

Perched on the southern tip of South Africa, Cape Town, also known as South Africa’s Mother City, is described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Home to the iconic Table Mountain, stunning white sandy beaches, rich fauna and flora, world-class vineyards, and much more, it is no wonder that Cape Town’s beauty and diversity extend to its culinary offering. 

The South African fine dining scene is unique – there are tons of options and they’re way more accessible than you might expect. Most places offer seven or more courses for less money than you’d pay for a boozy airport meal and the food typically involves creative twists on South African dishes with indigenous ingredients that you just don’t see anywhere else.

Let’s look at the 10 best places to eat with Locals in Capetown.

1. The Test Kitchen

The Test Kitchen is a Nouvelle Latin cuisine with a South African touch and an inventive restaurant with contemporary decor. The restaurant is located at The Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915, South Africa. They open from Tuesday to Saturday between 6 pm to 9 pm.

Dinner here is elaborate and involves 16 courses, complimentary cocktails, and surprises like homemade, infused gummy bears or vintage South African brandy. Your table even relocates halfway through. But despite the fact that you’ll eat things like a lime-compressed apple. Make sure you make a reservation before heading there.

2. Chefs Warehouse 

People out eating by Sebastian Coman Photography – Unsplash

Chefs Warehouse is the best spot if you’re looking for a really special dinner. This place lands somewhere between a tasting menu and a small plates restaurant, serving eight shared dishes across three courses for two people.

The restaurant is located at Beau Constantia Wine Farm, 1043 Constantia Main Road, Constantia Neck, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa. They open daily from 12pm to 8:30pm.  They don’t take reservations, so it’s best to show up around 5:30pm, put your name down before they close the list.

 3. Belly of the Beast

Belly of the Beast is the place to go if you’re looking for the perfect barbecue. They are located at 110 Harrington St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa. They open from Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm.

There are 20 seats, no menus, and only one seating time at 7 pm when you’ll eat some of the best cuts of sustainably-sourced meat in the city. Pescatarians or vegetarians can just as happily enjoy a meal here, just make sure to let them know in advance. The nightly menu is kept a secret, but past highlights included curried lamb afval (tripe) with basmati rice foam or Saldanha Bay mussels with oyster emulsion and spicy vierge sauce. 

4. Kloof Street House

Popcorn coated chicken by Sara Dubler – Unsplash

Kloof Street House has richly furnished dining rooms in a Victorian house with a bar and leafy gardens, for eclectic cuisine. Their address is 30 Kloof St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8005, South Africa. They open daily from 10 am to 2 am.

In their own words, their grand old dame is more than just a restaurant, it is a collection of interesting rooms and spaces, each bursting with a character of its own. The venue is everything for every occasion from live jazz over Sunday lunch, romantic candle-lit dinners in our dining rooms, or cocktails under the trees in our garden. Our delicious meals, cozy ambiance, and friendly staff will make you feel right at home.

5. SeaBreeze Fish & Shell

SeaBreeze Fish & Shell is the standalone best choice for high-quality fish in a cool setting. It’s located at 213 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa. They open from Wednesday to Monday between 12 pm to 9 pm.  

The restaurant has a great oyster Happy Hour, fantastic wine, and a beautiful dining room and patio. It’s also perfectly located on Bree Street, one of the main areas for restaurants and bars in the city center. Eat dishes like hake and chips, Cape Malay curry, and aubergine fries before heading down the road for drinks at Orphanage for a great one-two punch.

6. The Poke Co

People out having lunch by mona Masoumi – Unsplash

The Poke Co is the local go-to fast-casual spot because of the high-quality, sustainable fish they serve. They have five different locations across Capetown and they open daily between 8 am and 8:30 pm.

The restaurant can trace their ingredients right to the source, be it the ground it was grown on or the sea it was caught in. The highest quality fresh, healthy ingredients make Poké the best fuel for the body and mind.

7. The Foodbarn Restaurant

The Foodbarn Restaurant is widely recognized as one of the forerunners of the fine-dining scene in Cape Town, having established the original La Colombe restaurant on Uitsig farm over 20 years ago. They’re located at Noordhoek Farm Village, Corner Village Lane, and Noordhoek Main Road, Noordhoek. They open daily from 12 pm to 2.30 pm

Diners are treated to decadent seasonal cuisine in a relaxed, family-friendly (and even dog-friendly) environment! Franck’s roots in southern France inform his hearty, earthy style bouillabaisse, slow-stewed tripe, and trotters, but it is the bonhomie of this converted barn, with its farm-inspired decor, and the relaxed Noordhoek Village vibe that makes dining here a wonderful day out for the entire clan. Choose between the relaxed Café or Bistronomy menus, vegetarian and plant-based options, too. 

8. Grub & Vine

People out eating by Alex Haney – Unsplash

Grub & Vine has beautifully prepared and executed dishes that taste heavenly with none of the pomp and ponceyness that often accompany upscale dining experiences. It is located at 103 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa. They open from Monday to Saturday between 12 pm to 11 pm.

The characterful interiors with distressed concrete floors, avian prints, rattan chairs, atmospheric hanging lights, and pot plants everywhere enhance the buzzy vibe in the compact 50-seater. That, and the fact that the galley is on show, so diners can watch Matt and his busy team while they wait for their meal.

9. The Pot Luck Club

The Pot Luck Club has sophisticated tapas served in a chic, buzzy locale with glass walls & views of Table Mountain. They’re located at Silo Top Floor, The Old Biscuit Mill, 373 – 375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town. They open from Monday to Saturday between 12:30 pm to 10 pm.

The restaurant is headed by chef Jason Kosmas, whose ravishing menu is designed to encourage plate-sharing so that can diners can experience the gastronomical gamut of all five flavor profiles salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami.

10. Aubergine Restaurant

 Aubergine Restaurant has a contemporary East-meets-West menu in a simple but sophisticated setting with courtyard dining. Their address is 39 Barnet St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. They open on Thursday and Friday between 6 pm and 8:30 pm. 

Aubergine Restaurant in Gardens has been going about its business of serving carefully conceived and creative dishes for more than 25 years.

The 19th-century home has been tastefully converted into a warm and inviting dining area, where a floor-to-ceiling wine rack takes center stage.

Committed to the ethical and sustainable procurement of produce, chef Harald Bresselschmidt and his team change the menu regularly, but diners can expect delights such as the Cape Sea Harvest seafood feast; slow-roasted lamb rump and loin in strudel; springbok loin medallion and Iberico pork. The dessert round features souffléd ginger crêpe; chocolate fondant; toffee parfait; crème brûlée; as well as a South African artisanal cheese selection.