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$$$ | Tokai |
Named for the year the Steenberg wine estate on which it sits was established, this not-to-be-missed bistro serves dishes intended to be paired with the estate's vintages, but remains the opposite of hoity-toity fine dining. Dishes like beef tataki with shimeji mushrooms or sustainable fish with kimchi and umami cream are the perfect foil to a minimalist environment of bleached wood, metallic accents, and high ceilings. The outside terrace with its gorgeous mountain views is the perfect setting for brunch or lunch. If you miss lunch, you're in for a treat with a tapas menu that includes the likes of polenta frittes with baba ganoush, sticky harissa lamb ribs, and rosti with goat feta.
Steenberg Rd., Cape Town, Western Cape, 7945, South Africa
Known For
- Fantastic but unpretentious fare from breakfast to lunch to tapas
- Great location to while away an afternoon on Steenberg wine estate
- Excellent estate wines for reasonable prices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Gardens |
This unassuming little bakery and deli in Dunkley Square makes the most scrumptious donuts in the city. Women-owned and all vegan, all sorts of sandwiches, bagels, subs, coffees, and treats are also on offer. Don't miss out on the oat-milk soft-serve truck outside.
22 Dunkley St., Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Best donuts in town
- Vegan deli
- Woman-owned and run
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$$ | Cape Town Central |
Super-stylish Hemelhuijs is both a showcase for a range of exquisite and fanciful ceramicware, and a centrally located restaurant serving equally fanciful and exquisite food. Though a little pricey for lunch, the owner-chef's inventive seasonal dishes burst with freshness and flavor (think pear-and-celeriac salad with hazelnuts and trout, or a crispy panfried veal of sublime flavor and texture) are well worth it. On one of Cape Town's few pedestrian walkways (near the footbridge crossing busy Buitengracht Street), this tiny designer space, where food is served in gold-painted bowls under chandeliers hanging with beads, driftwood, and star-shape seedpods, is truly a treat. Needless to say, breakfast and brunch are also divine.
71 Waterkant St., Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
Known For
- Supercreative and seasonal menu
- Constantly evolving designer interior
- Intimate friendly service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner
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This new food market at the cruise terminal near the Waterfront showcases some of the best local foods that Cape Town has to offer. Try some killer wings from Sidewing, or a beloved traditional Koesister (a Cape Malay spiced donut) from Fuzzy's Food and grab a good cup of coffee from Coffee by Moses. Want something more filling? Try a tasty dosa from Indikaap's ayurvedic kitchen or a South African braai plate from Pitso's Kitchen. Whatever you get, enjoy it outside in the sunshine, watching cruise ships parking on the dock.
The Cruise Terminal, Unknown
Known For
- Cape Town's favorite foods
- Celebrating South African cuisine in all its forms
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Thurs.
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$$$$ | Woodstock |
A meal at this playful and inventive tapas-style venture from Cape Town star-chef Luke Dale Roberts always promises fabulous fun. With great harbor and mountain views from its position on the sixth floor of a renovated silo, this hip eatery serves an eclectic but clearly Asian-influenced array of fine-dining nibbles. Although the menu changes regularly, a few regulars like the smoked beef fillet with truffle café au lait and ceviche avocado tacos remain favorites. You'll want to order about three plates per person, so if you can, come with a crew to maximize how many you can taste. The cocktails are delicious, service friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere, with its open kitchen and gorgeous lighting, super relaxed. The all-you-can-drink sparkling-wine brunches (Sunday only) are also a fantastic treat.
375 Albert Rd., Cape Town, Western Cape, 7925, South Africa
Known For
- Super-creative and umami-packed dishes with distinct Asian flair
- Simultaneously hip, elegant, and casual ambience
- Two seatings for dinner—don't expect to linger if you choose the early one
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Bo-Kaap |
A new offering in Bo-Kaap for delicious bagels with a Cape Malay twist, Against the Grain has great coffee and their famous koeksisters (traditional spiced donuts). With elegant, ornate decor, this little cafe is a lovely place to stop for coffee or lunch in town.
142 Buitengracht St., Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Delicious bagels with a Cape Malay twist
- Coffee and koeksisters
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Cape Town Central |
An all-day breakfast bistro and bar, this bright little cafe in the heart of Cape Town serves yummy breakfasts and lunches like pancakes, eggs Benedict, wraps, and burgers. As the name implies, buttery goodness and comfort foods are on offer, but the menu is large and includes lots of fresh salads and vegetable-filled options as well as all-day cocktails and great coffee.
70 Loop St., Cape Town, Western Cape, 8000, South Africa
Known For
- Delicious healthy food in smallish portions
- Laptop-friendly
- Good smoothies, teas, and fresh juices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner
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$$$ | Tokai |
Serving good, unpretentious fare in an elegantly quirky space with lovely views across the historic Steenberg wine estate, this is a decent fine-dining go-to no matter the time of day. An oak-shaded terrace overlooking manicured lawns makes for a lovely, lazy lunch spot, and the restaurant's interior with its origami swans hanging from high ceilings and huge windows is a stylishly bright space. The lunch and dinner menu feature dishes like pork belly with butternut puree and a cashew-crusted fillet. A Sunday lunch buffet with a South African theme and accompanying live music is a family affair, and various canapé platters are also available throughout the day and can be taken in the delightfully plush bar and lounge area. A private dining room seats up to 24 and is a gorgeous and intimate venue for a special occasion.
Steenberg Rd. at Tokai Rds., Cape Town, Western Cape, 7945, South Africa
Known For
- Standard European fine-dining style cuisine at reasonable prices
- Beautiful setting
- Sunday lunch extravaganza
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Constantia |
A charming cafe in the Alphen Boutique Hotel, La Belle Constantia has fresh bakes, salads, and more filling lunches, though they are known for their cakes and pastries—be sure to try the lemon meringue or the berry frangipane. In warmer weather take advantage of the delightful outside seating.
Alphen Dr., Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Delicious cakes and pastries
- Great breakfasts
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$$$ | Victoria and Alfred Waterfront | Eclectic
Claiming a sweet spot at the V&A Waterfront with fabulous harbor and mountain views, this versatile eatery focuses on updated versions of global classics. From fish tacos to a Wagyu beef cheeseburger to salade Niçoise, dishes that you wouldn’t normally expect to see on the same menu are harmonized by shared traits of freshness, flavor, and quality. With a sleek, warehouse-inspired interior and outside seating that maximizes its position overlooking both Table Mountain and the harbor, Mondiall is a highly agreeable culinary stop. Open all day, this modern brasserie is a welcome addition to the Waterfront's often ho-hum offerings.
Alfred Mall, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8002, South Africa
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$ | Cape Town Central |
A four-generation family-run business, this fuss-free bagel shop and deli specializes in traditional boiled and baked New York–style bagels that are made fresh daily, with a number of delicious toppings—go with a simple schmear of cream cheese on a poppy-seed bagel or try the brisket, smoked salmon, or pastrami. They also serve great coffee, pastries, and an amazing New York cheesecake.
44 Harrington St., Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- The place for a good NY cheesecake
- Very busy during the breakfast and lunch rush
- Traditional bagels
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner
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$ | Gardens |
Originally a well-loved Stellenbosch bakery, Schoon expanded to Cape Town where it continues to offer freshly baked bread and pastries of all kinds. The plethora of freshly baked bread also ensures great sandwiches served on rye, sourdough, and baguettes, as well as pizzas, croissants, and other hearty breakfast and lunch options. Located at Kloof Street Village, the space also includes the eateries Nu (juices and smoothies), Free Bird (fried chicken), and Kofi (coffee).
Corner of Kloof St. and Rheede St., Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Fresh baked goods
- Great coffee
- Shares a space with other eateries
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$ | Cape Town Central |
Serving yummy, organic fare from breakfast through lunch, this minimalist designer café is a popular downtown option where you will often find locals on laptops enjoying items like raw muesli with Greek yogurt or coconut quinoa porridge. Lunch includes several salad and sandwich options, and healthy mains like zucchini linguine.
70 Loop St., Cape Town, Western Cape, 8000, South Africa
Known For
- Delicious healthy food in smallish portions
- Laptop-friendly
- Good smoothies, teas, and fresh juices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | Constantia |
Discover the wonders of South African haute cuisine in this modern, glassed-in conservatory overlooking the beautiful gardens of the historic Cellars-Hohenort Hotel. The cuisine is playful but high-end, with a medley of multicultural techniques and flavors being used to great effect on local ingredients, resulting in dishes like a springbok (local venison) loin served with tempura shiitake mushrooms, karoo lamb with pumpkin mousse and fynbos honey, or Atlantic tuna with kimchee and apple. A stylish room in tones of silver, gray, and dark chocolate with bare dark-wood tables allows the garden views outside to shine, while at night, warm lighting highlights well-chosen artwork. Solicitous service and an amazing wine list go without saying.
93 Brommersvlei Rd., Cape Town, Western Cape, 7800, South Africa
Known For
- An exquisite high tea is served daily
- Inventive and playful South African modern cuisine
- Stylish dining room with garden views
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | Cape Town Central |
With its steampunk design, full bar, and live performances on many nights, this spot captures the happening atmosphere in Cape Town's creative area that was once part of District Six. A great coffee shop with a variety of coffees and teas, the fun usually spills out onto the pavement so come prepared to have fun.
36 Buitenkant St., Cape Town, Western Cape, 8005, South Africa
Known For
- Open every day
- Coffee lover's haven
- Tasty pastries and light meals
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$ | V&A Waterfront |
Located in the Old Power Station, the Food Market is a great place to stop for a quick bite to eat while exploring the Waterfront. There are more than 40 vendors to choose from including Truth Coffee ( za.truth.coffee), Kynsa Oyster Company ( oystersonline.co.za), and the Bar Upstairs and the Bar Downstairs.
Dock Rd., Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Known For
- Wide variety of local and global cuisine
- Delis and bakeries
- Craft beer