In the right hands, food becomes more than a combination of ingredients served on a plate. It tells a story, is an expression of culture and in some cases, it’s a full-blown journey. All around Cape Town, chefs go above and beyond to curate gastronomic offerings that create lasting memories. Some will awaken all your senses, not just your taste; others will take you through a showcase of local goods, while a few even come with deep wine experiences that open your eyes to the Cape’s finest. Follow this ultimate foodie guide, whether you’re wanting to dine like a local or go all out.
Editor’s pick: La Colombe – still Cape Town’s most influential restaurant
La Colombe has come a long way since opening on Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate in 1996. Relocating to Silvermist Organic Wine Estate in 2014, James Gaag took over from founding chef Franck Dangereux and has since stamped his own classical style on the menu. At just 27 years old, this milestone marked the beginning of a remarkable journey for La Colombe – one that would firmly establish its place at the forefront of South Africa’s fine-dining scene. Today, La Colombe is a celebrated restaurant group with a collection of award-winning venues, yet the flagship continues to set the standard. La Colombe is, according to the 2025 World’s 50 Best restaurant rankings, not just South Africa’s best restaurant – but also 55th in the world. If you have a chance to eat anywhere in Cape Town, it should be at La Colombe in Constantia.
La Colombe is invisible as you arrive after a winding drive up the steep approach road. But walk down the path – through a bright and airy entry foyer adorned with forest wallpaper, pale woods, rich greens and subtle touches of gold – and you’ll realise that this treehouse-like building is a canvas for the most memorable meal of your life. The restaurant is perched above a small working vineyard. Keep an eye out – you might just catch a pot-bellied pig dozing among the vines. Wide windows have perfect mountain views; shimmering in summer, mist-wreathed in winter. As we sip our spicy Margaritas – a biting twist on the Mexican tequila-and-lime-based classic with a little chilli kick – there’s a real buzz as couples lean in to chat across the crisp white tablecloths. This place is polished with a capital P, energised by talk and movement. The convivial setting encourages diners to ask questions and engage with the team for a truly interactive experience of high-level cookery, smartly matched wines and interesting conversation.
The tasting menus (nine-course lunch, 10-course dinner) are culinary haikus, hardly hinting at the evocative journey. Head chef James Gaag is a forward-thinking young chef with all the classic training, but also one who’s well-travelled and constantly in dialogue with his peers around the world. He’s interested in the techniques and refinement of French cooking and not afraid of big-ticket ingredients. You get some idea of this approach early on. Having the presentation trolley wheeled up to your table at the start of the meal is a great form of drumroll, building anticipation for what’s to come. The dapper sommelier will escort you through the wine list, which can elicit feelings of delight or dismay, depending on your wine expertise and how many times you’ve stared into space while a wine-buff companion loses themselves in page after page of benchmark labels. The good news is that the wine service is excellent. Enthusiasm. Deep wells of knowledge. An innate ability to read diners’ needs. La Colombe’s sommeliers have all these qualities and more. La Colombe now offers three distinct wine pairing tiers – Boutique, Heritage and Iconic – for a more enriched dining experience. The Heritage Pairing showcases rare and unusual gems, like a beautifully aged 1999 Neil Ellis Shiraz. Sipping such a mature wine is a privilege. Go for it – this could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
It’s likely that you’ll be introduced to at least a few new flavours. Each course arrives on custom ceramic plates and bowls, some evoking the texture of a sea urchin shell, others resembling a rugged mountain. For starters, an ultra-luxe take on everyday eggs and soldiers with rich buttery brioche fingers, wild mushrooms and celeriac is presented atop a bird’s nest. It does its job – setting the tone and stimulating the appetite – admirably. An ethereal celebration of Jerusalem artichoke sees truffle folded through a whipped butter prepared at the table, topped with earthy artichoke and served with warm sourdough. The signature Tuna La Colombe – a play on a tin can filled with Asian-style yellowfin tuna studded with avocado, chipotle, bluish-purple flowers and micro-herbs – is delicious escapism at its best. The crab comes from Namibia and is used in another dish as the central ingredient, a delicate wafer shell concealed under startlingly fresh game fish with nahm jim for an intriguing backbeat. A considered dish that sums up the chef’s intent here. Another highlight is the take on surf and turf. Korean pork belly is joined by sweet and succulent crayfish, corn and edamame. The Korean barbecue allows all the ingredients to make their presences felt, in both flavour and texture. Blood orange sorbet in a hollowed rind, which acts as a palate-cleanser, is both pretty and punchy. And it gets better from there.
As is the nature of such restaurants, the menu changes regularly, but a showstopper for us included the Karoo wagyu. This is possibly the best steak in the country – complete with extensive ageing, a marble score of nine-plus and round, fatty umami fullness. It arrives perfectly pink in the middle and daintily plated alongside the vibrance of vegetables and dombolo (a traditional South African steamed bread). This is food that stays in the mind a long time. There’s certainly a lot of technique on display here, but there’s never the feeling that the ideas are overloaded. Plating-wise particularly, the food mostly sticks to neat and artful arrangements, favouring the ingredients rather than any garnishing. If you opt for the Heritage Pairing, this dish comes with a glass of Hartenberg’s prestigious The Stork Shiraz – poured from a towering 12-litre bottle ceremoniously wheeled to your table. Eyes from nearby tables follow as the sommelier tilts it with theatrical precision. It’s as much a performance as it is a pour.
Before the cheese course, phones are tucked into a box and left at the table as the sommelier invites you into La Colombe’s new wine cellar. The hum of the restaurant fades with each step until you’re standing in cool, candlelit silence underground. Here, you’re served cheese with a glass of Klein Constantia Vin de Constance – but not just any glass. La Colombe now has its own barrel of what’s affectionately known as VDC, topped up by the winemaker himself, making it a house-exclusive blend poured straight from the source. Just another reason to choose the Heritage Pairing. Closing off the meal, pink ‘rose petals’ are made even more gorgeous when pistachio pearls are spooned onto the dish at the table. As the final course arrives, the petit four chest offers a selection of treats to accompany your double espresso. Take it from us: The peanut confections are a must. This latest version of La Colombe has already exceeded raised expectations, and it’s exciting to imagine what might come next. Long may the winning streak continue.
Silvermist Organic Wine Estate, Hout Bay Main Road, Constantia Nek, Constantia
021 794 2390
reservations@lacolombe.co.za
Take your bottomless brunch to new heights at The Pot Luck Club
Boozy brunch is our favourite weekend pastime, and luckily for us, The Pot Luck Club goes bottomless on Sundays from 11h00 to 15h30. Free-flowing Graham Beck bubbles and spicy Bloody Marys plus a 10-course menu? We’re there. On the sixth floor of an old flour silo in the Old Biscuit Mill complex, The Pot Luck Club has a New York loft feel about it, created by an open kitchen, a small bar and the clever placing of lots of little tables. Dimly lit with an industrial vibe featuring black walls, leather hides and brass (this is Woodstock after all), there are nooks aplenty to dally in. Expansive windows throughout the dining room translate to epic views of the city, harbour and Table Mountain – book ahead for a window seat. Live music keeps the energy high. If you’re into punchy flavours, you’ll go mad for the insane globally-inspired brunch dishes on offer. Head chef Jason Kosmas kicks things off with smoked oysters. These sea-salty bivalves make good friends with passion fruit nước chấm – a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce. Several items are contenders for the latest-cult-snack title. Topping that list, a feisty lobster slider on a soft cornbread bun with pico de gallo and chipotle. Then there’s the bite-sized brioche layered with mushroom duxelle, a poached quail egg, buttery hollandaise sauce and black truffle shavings. Venison tartare, raisin and hazelnut XO sauce add up to a sophisticated crowd-pleaser. Come hungry, because the food is abundant – and at R1,250 a head, you’ll want to make the most of it. The omelette is inspired by the Savoy Grill’s famous creation for novelist Arnold Bennett in 1929. Grilled to bubbling, caramelised perfection, it’s a rich, cheesy indulgence studded with smoked haddock. Carrot risotto is lighter, topped with walnuts, miso and pumpkin seed pesto. The roast lamb with Yorkshire pudding is certainly the fanciest Sunday roast we’ve ever seen. Sweet things are another strength, from strawberries and cream to chamomile madeleines and ‘PLC sweets’. If visiting in high season, you’ll need to book well in advance.
The Old Biscuit Mill, 373-375 Albert Road, Woodstock
021 447 0804
reservations@thepotluckclub.co.za
Joburg’s Marble Restaurant fires up Cape Town
One of Cape Town’s new premier dining experiences can be found on the top floor of the Union Castle Building at the V&A Waterfront – welcome to Marble Restaurant. With its rooftop setting and chef David Higgs at the helm, this urban oasis is worth checking out. Marble is at least three places in one: A favourite of the long-lunch and night-time crowd, thanks to its wraparound terrace; an open-fire cooking restaurant serving everyone from quiet couples to family birthday groups; and a glamorous, popular cocktail bar. This expansive restaurant is among the most luxurious in town, managing to remain decidedly upscale without becoming ostentatious. Think: Blue swirly carpets, a water ripple effect ceiling, custom furniture pieces, handbag hooks and designer bathrooms. Marble surfaces, polished metals, contemporary art, gold table lamps and blue-and-white tableware all add depth to the exquisite interiors. A night tucked away in the confines of this venue resplendent with glittering views is an evening you won’t forget in a hurry. Pre-dinner drinks is a must – try the Cake by the Ocean (Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Aperol, lime juice, and coconut and litchi syrup) or the Fynbos Spritz (Bombay Sapphire Gin, Martini Bianco, Loxton Lager, lemon juice, honey syrup, grapefruit and soda water). Dining might start with an invigorating prawn salad with a kaleidoscope of heirloom tomatoes, red onion, salsa macha and basil leaves, before heading into meatier territory. The tomatoes give the dish a clean acidity, while the prawns pack a smoky-spicy punch. See also the flame-kissed tuna – magenta-coloured slivers sit pretty waiting to be enveloped by a soft egg, avocado and chilli crisp. If you’re after the full five-star experience, the signature steaks are non-negotiable. Choose from Chalmar Beef, Silent Valley Wagyu or grass-fed beef from South Africa, or splash out on Snake River Farms Wagyu from Idaho, USA, known for its USDA Prime Gold grade. The prime rib is a 30-day wet-aged showstopper. Sign off with the pecan nut brownie served with popcorn ice cream.
Union Castle Building, V&A Waterfront, Dock Road, Cape Town
021 002 8484
Prepare to sniff, swirl and sip at Tannin
Former UK restaurateur Dominic Wood and his wife Lisa, owners of this spring’s buzziest hotspot Tannin, know exactly what they’re doing. This is apparent from the moment you step through the burgundy façade into a thoroughly classy, extravagant and curious ground-floor bar. The sound of a barman shaking a New York sour to a tinkling soundtrack might draw your attention first; equally, your gaze might be caught by the colourful art-covered wall. A cultured crowd (think of the people-watching!) roots you firmly on Bree Street. From here, warm, earthy colours, rich fabrics, gentle lighting and an overall cocoon-like feeling permeate every last corner of this three-storey establishment. The name is a good place to start – fitting for a restaurant and wine bar pouring 430 South African wines strong. The result is an unparalleled wine list served by knowledgeable staff. Spend some time with it. Besides more unknown wines with exquisite expressions that will challenge your taste buds, the list contains magnums and other large-format bottles. Hungry? To line your bellies, wine-conscious tapas and sharing plates do well to impress. They say, come for the wine and stay for the food. They’re not wrong. Tannin’s menu offers crowd-pleasing choice – positively sinful beef ragù spring rolls topped with shavings of parmesan, perhaps, or clean West Coast oysters boosted with pickled red onion and their secret hot sauce recipe – but is also compact enough to eliminate any decision-making quandaries. Skilled simplicity abounds. Mushroom risotto – an earthy, textural triumph – doubles down on the mushrooms with porcini butter plus pickled shimeji. Glistening yellowfin tuna is perfectly complemented by cucumber, mustard seeds, black bean chilli and yuzu mayo. Homemade potato gnocchi gets a welcome upgrade with umami-rich miso cream and a scattering of guanciale and semi-dried tomatoes. It’s high-end feasting with heart-warming delivery just as comfortable for solo dining as it is for a group of pals. Regulars imminent.
86 Bree Street, Cape Town
010 825 6086
