11 Best Restaurants in Gardens, Tamboerskloof, and Oranjezicht, Cape Town

An utterly unpretentious yet elegant restaurant with a select seasonal menu posted on a chalkboard, Black Sheep features food inspired by all of the Cape’s culinary influences: indigenous, North African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and more. Ingredients are locally and ethically sourced, and the restaurant has a nose-to-tail food philosophy with a focus on ensuring that nothing's wasted. Expect dishes like seared marlin, crispy pork trotters, rabbit puff pastries, Vietnamese style chicken, and grilled kudu. Typically, what appears on the blackboard depends on what meat's available, what produce is at market, and what's in season and freshest. Come early or make a booking, as the restaurant gets full quickly in the evenings.

From late afternoon through midnight you can follow your ears to find the party at this hipsterish hangout, but come here for lunch, and you'll discover some of the most addictive Mediterranean- and Middle Eastern-inspired food in the city. The unusual menu items—wood-fired lettuce, beef and lamb baked into a pita, eggplant done on the coals and smothered with tahini and other goodies, and cured yellowtail on challah toast that you will dream about for weeks—are full of flavor and everything is scrumptious, simple, and served with a smile. And while there's a bar full of everything (at very reasonable prices, much like the food), you can order filtered water, still or sparkling, served from a specialized tap and free of charge. Just be warned that if you're not up for a slice of pandemonium, you'll want to make your exit before the late-afternoon partiers begin to descend, it will gradually begin to throb with young people out for a good time.

Arguably the best dining establishment on all of Kloof Street, this always delicious, always fun restaurant is helmed by Swedish-born, South Africa–raised chef Jesper Nilsson, who does everything from gourmet pizzas to line fish with baba ganoush or lamb ribs with butter bean pilaki. His menus are a bit of a puzzle, listing the chief ingredients and making no attempt to name the dish nor describe how the ingredients will be combined. The puzzle is solved by Jesper and his chefs and the reward will be all yours: he manages to coax miraculous flavors onto every plate, and somehow achieves that "OMG" reaction every time.

Located on vibey Dunkley Square, this lovely restaurant is one of Cape Town's oldest dining establishments, initially started to provide traditional dishes to Greek immigrants. Its owners, one of whom dined here as a boy, continue that tradition, serving all kinds of mezzes which can be ordered as a platter, as well as traditional dishes like moussaka, calamari, lamb chops, pitas, souvlaki, and even burgers, plus new recipes and ideas to keep things interesting.

A surprise repurposing of a former auto repair shop, this vast warehouse-like space is full of mix-and-match furniture and packed to the rafters with plants—whether it's a nursery with a restaurant or a restaurant with a nursery is beside the point—and has become a true neighborhood gathering spot. You come here for the personality of the waitstaff, the comforting food (breakfasts, lunches, toasted sandwiches, and dinners, plus all manner of baked goods, and no expectation that you sit down for anything more than tea or coffee), the buzz, and the marvelous assortment of people, many of them strangers sharing tables. There's a separate room at the back where free-roaming laptop workers are often connected to the outside world via free-flowing Wi-Fi.

At this restaurant—part of Cape Cadogan, the boutique hotel next door—chef Amori Burger's (who has done time on TV food shows and worked in the bush cooking at safari lodges) concept revolves around the idea of a family feast. Menus change with the seasons and gravitate around a theme Amori and her squad of chefs are exploring, but guests can choose between a couple of tasting menus or dip into the à la carte selection of small plates, all of it made to be shared. Think of it as food cooked by your (South African) grandmother if she were a world-class professional chef with a contemporary outlook: sharing plates of tasty vegetables, mains with hints of nostalgia, everyone reaching across the table, and lots of fine wine. Just off Kloof Street, the venue is a double-story colonial-era manor house that's been jazzed up and turned into a seriously eye-catching space, decorated in green and white, with tables that spill onto the outside terrace. 

A true survivor, this authentic Thai restaurant on a busy Kloof Street intersection has been around for what seems like forever. Barely a thing has changed, and it still entices its regulars with fragrant curries, delectable stir-fries with cashews or roasted chili, and of course, the spicy tom yum soup. The menu is extensive without being overwhelming, and you can mix and match your choice of meats, vegetables and tofu, or prawns with a choice of curries (their red curry is a favorite), or pick a straightforward rice or noodle dish.

In this warm space of yellowwood tables, sash windows, and reed ceilings, chef-owner Harald Bresselschmidt has served classic European-with-a-twist cuisine since 1996 at one of the city’s oldest fine-dining establishments. Using the freshest South African produce prepared with classical European methods, the chef cooks with wine in mind, and Aubergine's cellar and pairings are unsurprisingly superb. Seafood options are excellent, as are meat dishes like the gemsbok sirloin with chestnut puree. In summer, the garden seating of this historic 1830s home is recommended. Lunch and winter specials are more affordable ways of enjoying this classic restaurant, and apart from its à la carte options, there are degustation menus available.

Don't miss Mount Nelson's legendary high tea, which has been offered since the hotel was erected in 1899 to welcome the then Prince of Wales on his visit to the Cape. Served from noon to 3 pm, afternoon tea offers sweet and savory treats and more than 40 tea varieties, which an expertly trained tea sommelier can guide you through. You should most definitely book in advance. 

Cute, sassy and retro-themed, this eggceptionally handsome diner has established itself as a reliable purveyor of tasty comfort food, specializing in anything and everything related to eggs. Foodwise, the focus is on dishes that transport you back to simpler times––steak and eggs; adventurous-sounding egg-themed sandwiches; or a soft brioche bun burger with an egg in there for that extra bit of taste bud–pleasing protein. If eggs aren't your thing, they have wagyu beef burgers, perfectly grilled cheese sandwiches, and tortillas with vegan fillings. What's ineggscapable, though, is the eggy-color scheme: the deep-yellow banquettes; light fittings resembling eggs; adorable yolk-hued outfits worn by on-the-ball waitstaff; the central bar area, adorned with vintage radios and ancient TVs, is infiltrated with golden glass panels; and even the coffee machine is yellow. 

So much German is spoken by patrons here that it's easy to forget you're in Cape Town. People come to this pristine deli for the largest selection of raw sausages and authentic German breads in town and also for the great-value ready-made lunches. Expect pea or potato-and-leek soups as standards and entrees like farmer's omelets or smoked pork chops. It's easy to get carried away and ratchet up the bill while selecting cheeses and imported meats, so beware. Ask the helpful servers to slice your bread, cut a selection of cheese or meat, and package some salads for an impromptu picnic in the Company Gardens nearby. Another option is to grab a coffee and ready-made salami and mozzarella roll. Don't miss the great barrel sauerkraut and pickled gherkins.