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Cape Town is the culinary capital of South Africa and quite possibly the continent. It certainly has the best restaurants in southern Africa. Nowhere else in the country is the populace so discerning about food, and nowhere else is there such a wide selection of high-quality restaurants. Western culinary history here dates back to the 17th century—Cape Town was founded specifically to grow food—and that heritage is reflected in the city's cuisine and the fact that a number of restaurants operate in historic town houses and 18th-century wine estates.
Cape Town dining today offers a global culinary experience, with Cape chefs showing the same enthusiasm for international food trends as their counterparts worldwide. French and Italian fare has long been available, but with Thai, Japanese, and Pan-Asian influences flooding in, accents of lemongrass, miso, and yuzu have become de rigueur in fine-dining kitchens. Middle Eastern cuisine is finally making some headway, and the Americas have also come to the fore, with plenty of burgers and ribs, and even chicken and waffles popping up on menus these days, not to mention a few South American and passable Mexican eateries. Ubiquitous pan-Asian fare is probably not as good as what you might be used to in major American cities; sushi is also easily found, though largely limited to tuna and salmon, and often prepared with lots of drizzled mayo and sauces. The locavore trend toward organic produce and healthful dishes is also gaining popularity, though attitudes toward vegetarianism in this meat-happy land remain somewhat backward.
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.
Both Cyprus and Greece have a fondness for local tavernas known as ouzeri, where people hang out over plates of meze and drink barrel wine in tumblers. Close to the very heart of the city, this Greek-Cypriot restaurant established by the young, brilliant chef Nic Charalambous pays tribute not only to his upbringing in a traditional, Orthodox Cypriot household, but also to the many sociable eating-and-drinking-and-schmoozing experiences he’s had on Cyprus and across the Greek isles. The atmosphere, mood, and charm are straight from another world, and the food's unlike anything else in the city. Each dish beautifully showcases Nic's special way of taking genuinely home-style, traditional dishes and giving them a contemporary, highly creative twist, with a firm focus on utilizing local ingredients. The feasting might include warm green olives (a standard at any Cypriot mealtime), taramasalata in which to dip homemade chickpea fries, eliopita (olive bread) stuffed with butter-soft roasted garlic, and Macedonian lamb manti or braised lentils with squid and youvetsi (a dish from Corfu) made with beef shin.
This Greek taverna has been a Sea Point classic since the 1980s, and although it has been refurbished with modern Greek decor and bright-white interiors, it's still a great, down-to-earth place to watch the comings and goings on busy Main Road. The extensive menu features mezzes, souvlaki, dolmades, teropita, seafood, and hearty traditional main dishes like moussaka and kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb).
