Over the years, Cape Town has asserted itself as a world-class dining city. It’s a city known for its buzzy restaurants and critically acclaimed tasting menus. But sometimes, you simply want a blowout meal worth dropping a pretty penny on. An experience that floods your senses, fills your soul and leaves you with a lifelong memory. We’ve scoured the city for restaurants that transcend mere sustenance, offering a world of culinary fantasy and luxury.
Luxe for less
In winter, we’re looking to dip in to fine-diners a little more lightly. Traditionally, devoted foodies and restaurant newbies (and a few lucky tourists) clear their dining schedules and make reservations at the city’s best special occasion spots for deals unseen the rest of the year.
Editor’s pick: PIER Restaurant
What goes on Instagram first: The peerless V&A Waterfront views, or the artful plates coming from head chef John Norris-Rodgers’ kitchen? However you play it, lunch – and life – is good at this fine-dining restaurant overlooking the ocean. It shouldn’t be so surprising that the food in PIER Restaurant’s dining room is this good. But a position as glorious as this one can breed suspicion that the views might get dragooned into doing most of the heavy lifting. Bite into the superbly crisp salmon cone made luxurious with horseradish and dill, and it’s quickly apparent that flavour here is the equal of the ocean view. Don’t hesitate in ordering the Chef’s Experience with the Iconic Pairing led by a skilled sommelier. The Reduced Menu has its riches, of course. The Szechuan tuna with tamarind, ponzu and basil, for instance, is certainly one of the dishes of the year. But something about this food suits the grand gastronomic journey to the ground. Of the 12 dishes, seven were superb, eliciting oohs and ahhs, and five were outright conversation-stoppers. Oysters make gripping counterparts for a hypnotic MCC foam and diced apple. Scallops, each as sweet and soft as custard, could be its own dish – but splashed with bacon dashi and sunchoke for textural interest, it all becomes a dissertation on intensity and richness. Course after course, colours pop against handmade ceramics. There’s a cheese trolley, too, naturally – another good argument for indulgence done right. Here, too much of a good thing never seems to be enough. It pairs perfectly with the deeply expressive wines. As for the setting, it’s classic fine dining; white-clothed tables for two and low-level lighting, backed by enthusiastic and engaged service. PIER is a bravura performance, worthy of sustained applause.
Winter special: Reduced Menu at R995 per person or Chef’s Experience at R1,495 per person (available for lunch only)
Pierhead Building, V&A Waterfront, Dock Road, Cape Town
021 879 6328
Le coin Français
There’s no shortage of charm at Le coin Français, chef-owner Darren Badenhorst’s minimalist 26-seater fine-dining restaurant. First impression? ‘Eating elegance’ encapsulates the mood. Soft, warm lighting complements a neutral palette and layered textures. The smooth sound of French café music winds its way past your eardrums like silk. But what strikes you almost immediately is the rare sense of subtle luxury, which percolates through the entire dining experience that follows. Despite being somewhere luxurious, you immediately feel at ease. The longer you stay, the more you come to understand that this is a restaurant that effortlessly exceeds expectations. It’s there in the thin stems of the glassware; the scrupulously ironed linen; the quality of the sparkling wine in the trolley that’s wheeled to each new table; the solicitousness of the waitstaff who top waters up at the slightest of sips. Yes, even in the treasures that come from the kitchen. The slow reveal is delightful. The ten-course Chef’s Journey menu lists big-ticket ingredients – venison, langoustine, duck, sea bass – in combinations that blend classic French and modern cooking. Cured venison loin collides with venison tartare and grilled baby beetroot. It’s given crunch and complexity from cinnamon and buchu crumble, blueberry and beetroot emulsion, and foraged herbs. Corn and duck prosciutto maize risotto lends depth of flavour to a flawless sous vide duck breast dressed with smoked corn and plum purée, duck jus and microgreens. The pristine butter-poached and BBQ North Coast langoustine is the real draw, though. It makes a strong case for over-the-top indulgence with aerated Gruberg, West Coast snoek brandade velouté, and textbook pea and pancetta risotto.
Winter special: Seven-course menu at R595 per person (available for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday and for lunch on Saturday and Sunday)
17 Huguenot Street, Franschhoek
074 126 0022
