Innovative dining scene in Cape Town, South Africa

Reverie Social Table is a South African table d’hote style eatery located in the Observatory District of Cape Town. Chef Patron Julia Hattingh opened this 18-seater restaurant in 2015 to offer its guests a glimpse of social dining with five-course meals and carefully selected wines going with the food. Julia has been a chef for many years before opening her own restaurant, and her contemporary style is strongly influenced by her mentors.

She believes that dining experiences should revolve around a homey and comforting atmosphere. For this reason, Reverie Social Table brings random strangers together from all over the world in a sort of global dinner party. Here, guests spend the evening making new friends and enjoying the best local produce that Cape Town has to offer. Their menu changes every time based on the fresh seasonal produce that is available for the day. Reverie Social Table is a lovely place where visitors can come and switch off from the fast-paced, decision-filled everyday life and enjoy an eclectic dinner while interacting with new people.

Blu’s Bistro is a fine dining restaurant located in the Table Bay Mall in Cape Town. It represents a fusion of French and South African cuisine, using traditional French styles combined with the finest local ingredients. The owner, Szabi, is a talented chef who has worked overseas for many years in Five Diamond and Michelin-star restaurants, developing his passion for the culinary arts and mastering the French technique. After falling in love with South Africa, he opened Blu’s Bistro in 2018 and settled in Cape Town.

Szabi experiments with some of the traditional dishes by giving them a new look. The chef re-envisioned classic steak tartare as springbok tartare: garnished it with organic mushrooms and served on a giraffe bone. Then there is filet mignon that is cooked to perfection and served with a gremolata of Herbes de Provence. The menu also features fresh seafood such as salmon, shrimp, and scallops, based on their availability. Blu’s bistro also offers a comprehensive wine list featuring options such as Springfield, Jordan, Tokara, and also some of the best Champagnes. Visit this fine dining establishment for an authentic European feel in South Africa.

Catch 22 Beachside Grill is a surf & turf oceanfront restaurant with a casual atmosphere. It is a family-run business that was founded by the Katz family in 2013. They are the 2nd and 3rd generation hospitality entrepreneurs. You can enjoy casual alfresco-inspired dining in an effortless environment with breathtaking views of the ocean.

They offer some of the best steaks in Cape Town and the freshest seafood. Some of their signature dishes worth ordering include prawn poppers, filet mignon steak, Jolly Rodgers sushi rolls, salmon sashimi, and, when available, their signature seared tuna steak. They also mix amazing craft cocktails, milkshakes, and their gin and tonic variations are definitely worth trying. Whether you are catching up with a friend or having a family dinner, at Catch 22, you can savour a casual meal coupled with friendly hospitality and a picturesque view.

Aiko Sushi is a little Asian restaurant based on Bree Street in Cape Town. The exact location previously housed Active Sushi, so the new owners changed their name to avoid confusion with another sushi place, but have continued to deliver the same great food with their positive smiling attitude. Aiko Sushi offers its guests a simple and elegant decor to enjoy delicious morsels of fresh seafood and other Asian delicacies.

This eatery customizes its sushi and other dishes to suit all kinds of diets, such as zero rice options for banting, the Cry Roll (smoked salmon, wasabi, rice, seaweed) for pescatarians, and Tona crunchy roll made of tofu, sweet chill, and mayonnaise for vegans. Aiko Sushi was also voted the Best Vegan Sushi Restaurant in Cape Town by Leaf Eaters. With its talented team of cooks and professional service staff, this Asian delight is a must-visit location for all sushi lovers to indulge in a healthy and wholesome meal.

Homespun is a fusion restaurant combining French cooking techniques with Asian and South African flavors. The visionary of the restaurant is its owner and Chef Matt Schreuder. He has worked extensively in restaurants all over Europe and Asia to hone his knowledge of Eastern and Western cooking. Using his expertise and experience, he created Homespun by Matt in 2015. A rustic and unique establishment that welcomes its guests with warm and homely aesthetics.

All the dishes have been carefully created using homemade techniques with local ingredients to awe the senses and transport you on a journey of delectable flavors. Make a reservation to sample their three- or five-course meal or order from their a la carte menu. We recommend their Angus beef tartare brioche – made with chimichurri sauce, prawn dumpling – with corn, togarashi (Japanese chili) and katsuobushi (dried cured fish), line fish squid – made with yuzu, avocado, cucumber, and dashi. For desserts, you can order creme brûlée, panna cotta with apple and tonka beans, and house-made chocolate mousse. For a homely and comforting meal on your vacation, do visit Homespun by Matt in Cape Town.

The Foodbarn is an intimate restaurant that works as a cafe during the day and a tapas bar at night. The owner and chef, Franck, has trained under world-renowned chef Roger Verge and has also worked in two Michelin 3-star restaurants in Paris. He is also acclaimed in South Africa as the culinary genius behind La Colombe, a restaurant that was ranked 28th in the top 50 restaurants in the world. In 2006, he partnered with Pete De Bruin to open The Foodbarn, an elegantly casual restaurant in Noordhoek’s Farm Village, Cape Town.

You can expect to try seven-course meals at their monthly Chef’s lunches where you will sample creative dishes such as quail salad with wilted frisée (type of salad leaf), grilled oysters with yuzu, truffle, and parmesan in little wild mushroom parfait served with pecorino cream and thyme brioche. If you are unable to try the Chef’s Table lunches, the a la carte menu offers French classics such as steak tartare, bouillabaisse, baked fish Grenoboloise served with caper cream, and many wonderful vegetarian dishes like roasted butternut flatbread with cashew, or raw breakfast with avocado and tomato which highlight the local produce. All the meals are paired with featured cellar wines. Visit this incredible fine-dining establishment for an experience of a lifetime.

Belly of the Beast is one of the first crowdfunded restaurants in Cape Town. The owners, Chef Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart, are friends from culinary school and believe in organic cooking. They complement each other, as Anoushka is a pastry chef, and Neil specializes in meats. At Belly of the Beast, they offer a nose-to-tail principle of sustainable cooking, which means nothing goes to waste at their dinner parties. There is no set course menu or menu options to choose from; you just book a seat at the table, and they serve you whatever has been freshly sourced for the day.

The chefs also interact with the guests while preparing the dishes, like at a workshop, and explain more about their passion for sustainable cooking. The wine pairing is also done on the very day to help complement the meal. As the name suggests, Belly of the Beast is a carnivore-friendly restaurant, with all foods sourced from sustainable farmers. You can enjoy dishes such as pumpkin risotto, cured red stumpnose fish, antelope tataki (pounded), and desserts such as baked Alaska with hazelnut praline, and freshly made ice creams. Come to Belly of the Beast for a truly unique dining adventure in Cape Town.

Cape Town offers world-class dining and is arguably the most iconic and idyllic place in the world to sample outstanding wines and food. It is also a dream destination to enjoy a lot of bucket list adventures such as whale watching, shark diving, mountain climbing, riding an ostrich, and enjoying a wildlife safari. With its azure summer skies flecked with white clouds, golden beaches giving you glimpses of the sea, and the iconic mountains as a beautiful backdrop, Cape Town is a magical destination that needs to be visited once in your life.

Have you been to Cape Town? What is your most memorable dining experience? Share with other foodies in the comment section below.