8 Best Restaurants in Cape Peninsula, South Africa

Between the sound of the sea just a few feet from your table, the grandeur of the location at the foot of Chapman's Peak, and the genius of the persistently delicious dishes, this is hands down one of the most unique and memorable places to dine anywhere in or near Cape Town. Diners are treated to a five-course lineup of dishes in a tapas-for-two format (you typically have a choice of two for each course), which feels like a spoiling feast from beginning to end; each serving brings together often unexpected ingredients in service of rare, intricate, quite captivating flavors. That might involve combining sour curry and ponzu with seared tuna, or serving roasted duck with a beetroot, pistachio, and halva tuile. The results tend to be bold, rich, deep tastes that are expertly paired with a dedicated wine service that explores a few unusual vintages. The vegan and vegetarian dishes are just as immaculately thought through, inventive, and delicious as those found on the seafood-focused omnivore menu, so everyone leaves satisfied. And usually quite full.

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.

Owned by the Deus Ex Machina moto, surf, and clothing brand, this gorgeous 17th-century Cape Dutch homestead is handsomely tailored, inviting, and a little bit out of the ordinary. There's a retail space and vinyl room, as well as a selection of tasty meals, some of them a slight nod to the rock-and-roll biker culture that infuses the space—a Bikers Blue Burger, a vegan burger named for Mick Jagger, and prego rolls (a Portuguese steak sandwich), pizzas, tacos, salads, crowd-pleasers like beer-battered hake-and-chips and peri-peri chicken, and several options for children. There is indoor and outdoor seating, and lots to take in while you wait, maybe browsing the clothing and accessories range in the shop, or listening to DJs or live music several nights a week. When you first step inside the farmhouse, you may notice the untouched meal-for-one on a small table in the corner of the entry hall. The story goes that there's a resident ghost and it's a long-standing tradition to put something out for her, lest breaking the cycle should upset her and unleash the unknown.

This gem not only serves excellent coffee and all kinds of tasty treats and sinfully good baked goods to nibble and snack on, but it also has an extensive menu featuring breakfasts, pizzas (not as good as the Pizza Shed across the road) and burgers, small plates (think fish tacos and chicken wings), and a range of full meals. Supporting local producers where possible, they source their ingredients with care, using free-range eggs and chicken, grass-fed beef, and eco-conscious packaging. With lots of indoor and outdoor seating, this café becomes a lively spot during the summer, with occasional live music; note the passing trains along the very close track.

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.

Simon's Town's best restaurant is often packed with regulars who come for good food that's decidedly a few notches above regular café fare. Diners tuck into great breakfasts and a variety of healthy vegan and vegetarian dishes, but there's also a choice of pastas and pizzas, seafood dishes prepared with whatever's fresh off the boat, and a small wine list. Plus, there are coffee drinks, cakes, and assorted light meals if you've got time restraints.

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.

This Kalk Bay institution with its mismatched tables and open kitchen is so much more than a bakery that happens to do a roaring breakfast and lunchtime trade. Check out the blackboard for listings of full-scale meals, including a regularly changing roster of delectable and sophisticated seafood dishes, steaks, pork belly, pasta, and soups, all made with the same flair as those scrumptious breakfasts that have been luring hungry mouths since 1997 when this place went from being a greasy fish-and-bait shop to a deli-style café serving a decent cup of coffee.