Cape Town is constantly re-inventing itself and it is hard to keep up with what is new in town, especially on the restaurant scene. Here is our pick of the six most interesting new eateries and taste sensations in and around Cape Town in 2023.
NEW TASTE IN TOWN
Signal Restaurant’s Taste the Veld Menu
Signal Restaurant at Cape Grace recently launched a brand new menu; offering a “Taste the Veld” dining experience like no other, with a menu inspired by the indigenous fynbos of the Cape and some well-known local food heroes.
Designed for sharing, each dish is a celebration of savoury or sweet veld and flower sensations and offers diners an adventurous culinary journey through the Cape’s botanical heritage and abundant, evocative mountain and ocean landscapes.
Warm and attentive staff ensure personable service and a knowledgeable sommelier is always available to suggest superb wine pairings.
Booking is essential.
Contact: +27 (21) 410 7080
E-mail: capegrace.signal@accor.com
www.capegrace.com/culinary-delights/signal-restaurant
Where to find it: Cape Grace, West Quay Road, V&A Waterfront
NEW IN THE WATERFRONT
Seven Colours Eatery
We think you are going to love this one! Seven Colours Eatery is situated in Battery Park in the V&A Waterfront, a short stroll from Cape Grace. And here is where you can taste and experience home-cooked, South African food culture. It is not fancy; it is the kind of food South Africans eat at home. Seven Colours is the passion project of Chef Nolu Dube-Cele who celebrates her culture through food. Most of the traditional dishes she prepares are inspired by her upbringing in rural Eastern Cape.
What does Seven Colours mean? It’s a nickname for the traditional meal served on Sundays and special occasions, which consists of red beetroot, yellow rice, multi-coloured vegetable dishes and browned meat, served on one delicious plate.
Opening times: Monday – Sunday, 9 am – 6 pm
Contact: 083 729 7816.
sevencolourseatery.co.za
Where to find it: Battery Park in the V&A Waterfront
NEW IN TOWN
Ëlgr
Positioned in the fashionable Kloof Street, this eatery is getting rave reviews. Cape Town is a super-casual city but for this one, you can dress up a little. Their interiors are stylish and the menu is inspired. Designed for small plate dining and sharing, you can keep it that way or opt for the Chef’s tasting menu, which is so interesting and offers incredible value. It is not often you can find fancy and budget-friendly in one beautiful setting. Chef Jesper Nilsson hails from Sweden and you will clearly see this influence on your plate. However, he has not limited himself to Nordic cuisine alone. “I take inspiration from my Nordic background and combine it with my culinary experience from South Africa. I take pride in craftsmanship and strive to create dishes that are authentic, trying to understand not only the flavours but also the cultural background of each component in the dish. Limiting yourself to one particular style means you are defining the outcome before you go through the process.”
Opening times: Tuesday to Wednesday 5 pm – 11; Thursday to Saturday 12 pm – 3/5 pm – 11 pm
Contact: +27 21 422 0384
Email: reservations@elgr.co.za
Where to find it: 75 Kloof Street, Cape Town – book early so you can get a seat in the courtyard.
NEW ON THE CAFÉ SCENE
Sonny & Irene
Touted as ‘not-your-average-neighbourhood-café-bakery’ Sonny & Irene is a Paris-pretty café in the heart of Sea Point. It only opened late last year but is fast becoming everyone’s favourite. That is hardly surprising as Sonny & Irene is open every day from 8 till late and offers something for everyone – from signature egg dishes to French-inspired café meals, cocktails and incredible, baked-fresh, pastries. Did we mention how pretty it is? With Instagram-worthy backgrounds wherever you look, Sonny & Irene is perfectly positioned to elevate your holiday snaps.
Opening times: Monday – Sunday, 8 am – 10 pm
Contact: 021 745 6600, reservations@sonnyandirene.co.za
Where to find it: Station House, 19 Kloof Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
NEW IN THE WINELANDS
JAN Franschhoek
Have you ever wanted to dine on the most delicious food and sip on the finest wines, hosted by a Michelin-starred chef, in a tiny-cosy cottage in the middle of lavender-infused summer fields? Of course you have. It is the dream. Now you can. Set inside the Veepos cottage, on the La Motte wine farm, JAN Franschhoek is the latest brainchild of acclaimed Michelin-starred chef, Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen. A pop-up seasonal restaurant offers guests a culinary journey centred on nostalgic foods and memories. Limited to 16 people per evening, with whom you share a table, the adventure kicks off at 6.30 pm.
Visit JAN Franschhoek for more information and reservations.
https://www.la-motte.com/pages/jan-franschhoek
Cost: R2500 per person
Contact: +27 (0)21 876 9115
Email: jan.franschhoek@la-motte.co.za
Where to find it: La Motte Wine Farm, R45, Franschhoek
NEW OUT OF TOWN
Perlemoen
If the views, setting, history and unique menu are not enough to convince you to take the 2-hour drive to Hermanus, then here is another great reason. This humble little eatery, which only opened last year, recently scooped up a prestigious international award as the World’s Best Hidden Gem at the La Liste gala event in Paris. What is more, it is the only restaurant on the African continent to ever make this World’s Best list.
As the name suggests, it specialises in the local delicacy, abalone, affectionately known as perlemoen in the Cape, sourced from a nearby sea farm. It only seats 30 people but you will have crashing waves for company as it is in the original Hermanus fishing harbour, declared a national monument in 1970. It is a true hidden gem, nestled into the rocky coastline that, be warned, can only be reached via steep steps.
Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday, 9.30 am – 4 pm
Contact: 082 841 3547,
Email: oldharbourperlemoen@gmail.com
Where to find it: Old Harbour, 64 Marine Drive, Hermanus
