Visiting Cape Town: Food Experiences
Travelling to the Mother City and want to have a fantastic food experience? Read on for some insights on where to eat in the culinary capital of South Africa
South Africa is known for having a diverse and evolving food culture. Each city has its own special foods one should eat when visiting (Gatsbys in Cape Town, Bunny Chows in Durban) and South African chefs enjoy mixing different food cultures from other countries with our own to create new and innovative styles of delicious food. Cape Town was even named "Best Food City in the World" by CN Traveler.
Cape Town itself has so many recommendations, it can be overwhelming. If you happen to be enjoying tandem paragliding or be on a City or City Cycle tour, it is worth choosing one of these restaurants to give you a taste of what Cape Town has to offer:
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Addis in Cape Ethiopian Restaurant: I personally did not know a thing about Ethiopian cuisine before I stepped into this restaurant. Situated in the iconic Long Street, Addis hearkens back to its namesake, the capital of Ethiopia. You will have a fantastic view of Long Street from its upstairs dining area. Patrons sit around a large round table on stools. The food, every bite delicious, is shared from this table by the patrons. They offer gluten free and vegetarian options too and the servers are more than happy to assist you with the dishes you select. After eating, I would really recommend the coffee ceremony. This is genuine Ethiopian coffee served and comes with some crunchy fresh popcorn.
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Cheyne's: If you happen to be in or near the Hout Bay area, this would make an interesting food spot. These are a few different aspects to Cheyne's. The dining is casual and this could be said to be an asian fusion tapa-style of food. The menu itself is divided into: sea, land, earth and happy endings. Each section has 8 to 10 options to pick. This leaves you the control of how many of their lovely dishes to sample while enjoy the vibe of Hout Bay itself.
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The Pot Luck Club: In a similar fashion to Cheyne's, the Pot Luck Club relies on the idea of sharing, with a tapa-style of serving. Located in the Old Biscuit Mill at the top of the Silo, the views are quite incredible. A sister of the famous number 1 restaurant, The Test Kitchen, this is definitely a place to make a booking (this is highly recommended) and try. The menu is divided into 6 taste categories: salty, umami, sweet, bitter, sour and sweet ending and patrons are given a sheet of paper to tick off which dishes they prefer. They also have fabulous cocktails.
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Eastern Food Bazaar: Although this is pretty much halfway between a restaurant and takeaway spot where you can get curries, samoosas, breyanis and tandoor dishes and all sorts of delectable eastern food at quite affordable prices. The venue is quite large but can be very busy at lunch time (you could be waiting in a long line with other hungry patrons). But do no let this discourage you. The naan is fluffy and the kebab (or Shwarma if you're South African) is carved on hand. The aroma of spices will make your mouth water! This would be a great stop for a quick bite to eat.
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Honest Chocolate Cafe: One of the most unique dessert cafes that I've been to, this place blew my mind. I know the brand, Honest Chocolate, from various markets but have visited their little shop in Woodstock as well. They specialise in making chocolate that is not over-flavoured or overly sweet and that is handcrafted with old school methods. I love their chocolate. The cafe, though, take their ideas of using raw, natural ingredients to the next level. I will never forget the tart I ate because is was rich and sweet with no actual sugar in it. I was a sceptic converted.
So these are my picks! If you are in Cape Town and want to have some fantastic food. Give one of them a try...you won't regret it!
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Francine Simon
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