We just returned from a nearly three-week honeymoon in South Africa where we did the best of the best, and that includes food and drink. We were blown away by the food in South Africa and we ate very well (so well that I am afraid to step on a scale). Read on for our guide of everywhere we ate and drank while we were in Cape Town, and don’t forget to read our other South African Travel Guides!
Our Favorite Restaurants in Cape Town:
Manna Epicure: We so loved this Long Street restaurant which had the vibe of a restaurant in the French Riviera. I swear, you walk in and you immediately want a glass of Rose and some cheese.
We had the pleasure of eating lunch here and the menu – which has wonderful dishes and also serves brunch all day, which is a huge plus – is so vast that we asked our waiter to choose for us. He didn’t fail in his task, because everything he brought out was absolutely delicious.
We started with a few glasses of South African rose, which we adored, while freshly baked bread, olive oil and butter was brought out. When you walk into the restaurant, the first thing that hits you is an amazing aroma of baking, so we were excited to try the bread.
Next, we had their steak tartare, which I have been replicating at home ever since. It was seriously the best steak tartare I ever had and prepared in a different manner than I am used to. They used mustard, onions, pickles and other accoutrements that were truly out of this world good. It was topped with an egg yolk for good measure. The final piece de resistance was a tuna tartare sandwich with a poached egg on a bed of arugula which was so innovative and delicious.
Then, we shared seared steak on fried mushrooms on top of a decadent aioli and topped with fried onion. This was just delectable and we finished it all despite fullness creeping on.
Asoka: We had an amazing dinner at Asoka, a Kloof Street restaurant with a fun vibe, beautiful decor and outstanding food. Asoka has a sexy feel to it and is perfect for date night. It has dark lighting, a DJ spinning during dinner and creative cocktails. We ordered a number of dishes to share and were so impressed with everything the kitchen turned out.
Some of our favorite dishes were the tuna tacos, duck spring rolls with hoisin sauce (my favorite dish of the night), butter curry chicken, beef sliders and grilled ribeye with chimichurri.
We loved that the small plates allowed us to really eat our way through Asoka’s menu and try many of their culinary highlights. We also loved Asoka’s cocktails. We had a concoction of gin with lime and cucumber that was super refreshing.
Test Kitchen: This Cape Town restaurant is the hardest reservation to get in South Africa and with good cause. (Want a reservation? Read how we got ours here). We were delighted to snag an 8:00pm Saturday night reservation to experience Taste Kitchen’s famous tasting menu, which is inspired by their chef’s travels around the world. The dinner is amazing in equal parts because of both the culinary experience and the experiential nature of dining at Test Kitchen, whose service is just impeccable.
You start the journey in their front room, which is dimly lit and feels like you are stepping into n eclectic old man’s sitting room. There, you will choose a cocktail from the bar, which is set up on a vintage bicycle bar cart, before being presented a menu that spans the globe. These delicacies included pork scratching with a beer dipping sauce (symbolizing the U.K.) and the most elaborately presented tuna. Each bite was packed with flavor and decadent, and when we’d tell the waiter how much we loved it, he just kept replying with every course “it only gets better from here.” That was true. Test Kitchen does a lovely job creating a culinary experience that builds on itself and gets better and better as the night progresses.
After a handful of plated in the front room, we were brought into the main dining room and presented with an envelope with a wax seal that was our menu. Our tasting menu consisted of dishes such as smoked scallop with pea and lemon balm dressing, Bibimbap, beef tartare with red wine and onion dressing and rabbit two ways. There were a number of other courses as well and each was beautifully presented.
Test Kitchen is expensive, even by New York standards. So, we registered our dinner there as one of our wedding gifts since we wanted a highly experiential honeymoon and this was the meal we were most excited about. (You can read about the wedding registry we used here). We did a wine tasting pairing along with our meal which was truly extraordinary and they were very generous with their pours. It made for a really great date night.
Neighbourgoods: Every Saturday at the Old Biscuit Mill is a vibrant food market called. Neighbourgoods. This is an experience that is not to be missed. Set in a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, Neighbourgoods reminded me of Brooklyn’s amazing Smorgasburg weekend market in a lot of ways, but with an African vibe.
Each Saturday, Cape Town’s food purveyors and restaurants set up stalls here selling their best dishes, ranging from fried mac and cheese balls to ostrich empanadas and paella. You can walk the market picking up lots of dishes to try and share and then sitting at picnic tables to enjoy while a local band plays.
There is also a bar and wine store for a proper picnic in the sun. We enjoyed this immensely and highly recommend checking it out if you are in town on a Saturday. We ate: chicken wings, empanadas, Israeli salad, spanakopita, and more. We suggest skipping breakfast whichever morning you head there in order to save some space in your tummy, since you’ll want to sample lots of different stalls. Pro tip: bring cash as most of the stalls do not accept credit cards. And, if you’re into fashion, there are some great boutiques in the Old Biscuit Mill where I bought a beautiful ring and there were also beautiful leather goods.
Afternoon Tea at Belmond Mount Nelson: Next, we walked down the block to the Belmond Mount Nelson for some cocktails and Afternoon Tea. You’ll know if you read this blog that I am a HUGE afternoon tea fan (Read our London Travel guide to get all of our favorite British afternoon teas), and the Belmond’s patio facing table mountain and ensconsed in palm trees is just the place to indulge yourself in some fancy cakes and gin cocktails. Highly, highly recommend. Also, the entire yard and restaurant area is insanely Instagrammable. You’re basically in a Slim Aaron’s photo. Even if you skip desserts, we do recommend getting a cocktail on their patio and taking in the scene.
Our Favorite Places for Cocktails in Cape Town:
Sundowners at Leopard Lounge: For sunset, we headed to the 12 Apostles Hotel’s Leopard Lounge and grabbed a table on their terrace for cocktails, sunset and unobscured views of Table Mountain. We posted up at one of the best tables in the bar’s terrace and ordered some bubbly and a delicious cheese board as the sky changed colors and we snapped copious photos. We ended the session with a delicious piece of cheesecake and decided we were too full to go to dinner for the night!
Chinchilla: Head to the beach town of Camp’s Bay for a walk along the coastline and drinks at sunset. Just at the edge of Table Mountain, this vibrant beach has loads of restaurants, bars, volleyball players and epic views. We posted up at the bar at Chinchilla for sunset drinks and soaked in the atmosphere. We highly recommend an afternoon at Camp’s Bay.
Kloof Street House: This old mansion turned restaurant and lounge is my spirit animal. The decor of Kloof Street House is so artfully done, making you feel like you are stepping back into time into the home of an imperial baronness. For us, the aesthetic and cocktails outshone the food.
Read More Of Our Africa Travel Guides:
The Ultimate Cape Town Travel Guide
Where To Eat & Drink in Cape Town
How To Get A Reservation At Test Kitchen In Cape Town
Where To Say In Cape Town: The Twelve Apostles Hotel
Safari Fashion: How To Look Chic on Safari
Where To Stay In Hermanus: One Marine Drive Hotel
Hermanus, South Africa Travel Guide
Franschhoek & Stellenbosch Travel Guide
Our Safari In Sabi Sands