3 Best Restaurants in Noordhoek, South Africa

Not so much a restaurant as a once-in-a-lifetime immersive dining experience during which you sit down with the legendarily masterful chef Nicky Gibbs at her kitchen table for a superlative six-course meal. Menus are inspired by ingredients found in Nicky's garden as well as from local suppliers and farmers and knowledge of food's healing benefits. Each course is paired with a floral or herbal tea, and you'll hear about the medicinal properties of what you're drinking as well as stories behind some of the other produce and dishes. Expect surprising and adventurous flavors, unexpected combinations, and tremendous attention to detail, plus wonderful conversation, enchanting views, and an all-round fairytale setting. That's if you can score a reservation since it's quite understandably frequently booked out.

Probably the best restaurant anywhere this side of Chapman's Peak, here's where culinary legend and Gallic chef Franck Dangereux (the creator of the original La Colombe in 1996) has perfected the art of serving delicious, unpretentious French-influenced cuisine. He and his team work their "cafe by day, tapas bar by night" magic in a relaxed, renovated barn setting where there's a strong focus on sustainable seafood, ethical meat, and otherwise seasonal and always excellent produce. These ingredients and polished kitchen techniques are channeled into exquisite breakfasts, a creative lunch menu, and wonderful dinnertime tapas that change regularly but are always delicious no matter how simple (chorizo, red onion, and mature cheddar spring rolls with chipotle dip) or decadent (slow-roasted pork belly with Medjool date–and–butternut purée) they might seem. Completing the picture is a selection of excellent and reasonably priced wine pairings and service that's pretty good considering the borderline rural location.   Just a stone's throw away, the Foodbarn Deli sells fantastic pre-made meals, plus fresh baked goods, and a vast array of foodstuffs for the pantry.

Neopolitan chef Luca Castiglione and his South African wife Cecilia offer what is probably the most authentic, unadorned, and delectable Italian cuisine served on the peninsula, if not the entire Cape region, in a friendly space that's as uncluttered as the cuisine. Flavorsome seafood pasta, beautiful Neapolitan-style pizzas, a handful of classic Italian meat dishes, plus a chalkboard listing daily specials round out the menu, and everything is prepared fresh and served with warmth and energy. There's a children's playground just outside—useful when you find yourself settling in for the afternoon.