Local Favorites

The Dining Mile

If you like looking at venues before deciding where to eat, take a stroll down Kloof Street. This is the road that runs parallel to Kloof Nek, which takes you up the saddle of the mountain and over into Camps Bay.

Start at the top, where Bacini's (tel. 021/423-6668; ask for a table outside, next to the faux waterfall) serves up great pizzas in a family-oriented atmosphere, then stroll down the hill to Cafe Paradiso, 110 Kloof St. (tel. 021/423-8653), a sprawling terra-cotta villa with Italian-style decor and Mediterranean-style food that will delight those bored with modern haute cuisine. This is an ideal all-day or balmy-evening venue: Book a table under a tree or umbrella on the terrace outside -- the interior is dull and you'll miss the view of the city -- and peruse the no-nonsense menu, which features plenty of vegetarian options. A personal favorite is the tender Greek lamb, served warm on a cold shredded-spinach salad and topped with homemade mayo. Diagonally opposite is the all-white Manna, attracting an altogether more chichi crowd.

Next, a block down from Melissa's, is Saigon, corner of Kloof and Camp (tel. 021/424-7669), an elevated venue with great views that specializes in Vietnamese cuisine (don't miss the crystal prawn spring rolls: steamed prawns, carrots, cucumber, noodles, basil, mint, and a peanut sauce). Asoka "Son of Dharma," 68 Kloof St. (tel. 021/422-0909), next door, doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's a great spot -- an open-plan house artfully renovated around a central courtyard and tree, with soothing lighting and groovy music -- highly recommended for a pre- or postdinner drink. The vibe, fed by Cape Town's happening, young (mid-20s and up) crowd, is great, but you'll find much better food across the road at Yindee's (tel. 021/422-1012), Cape Town's best Thai restaurant (at least, according to its loyal following).

A little farther down is Cafe Gainsborough, 64 Kloof St. (tel. 021/422-1780), a casual bistro-type restaurant built around an open-plan kitchen. Get there early (no reservations) to grab a table on the sidewalk and enjoy the view of Table Mountain. The small menu has Flemish overtones.

Numerous takeout joints and casual eateries follow, but the next good cluster occurs at the junction of Kloof with Park Road, like 5 Park Road (tel. 021/422-5022), Rick's Café Americain (tel. 021/424-1100), and the novel Pasta Factory (tel. 021/423-3003). Back on Kloof, just a little farther down, is the unbelievably good value Ocean Basket, 75 Kloof St. (tel. 021/422-0322), with a charming patio-style back garden and excellent waitstaff -- the plainly prepared fish is super-fresh (hardly surprising considering the volumes they move), perfectly cooked, and cheap (where else can you get a plate of 12 prince prawns for R49/$7/£3.5)?! If you're a vegetarian, keep heading down Kloof, passing Vida e Caffé, 34 Kloof St. (tel. 021/426-0627), where the city's trendiest media types come to quell their addiction to the best coffee in town, to get to Lola's, 228 Long St. (tel. 021/423-0885). This is where, in their words, "faggy Afro-trash meet to slip-sexy music," and vegetarian-only fare is served in the heart of the Long Street stretch (Kloof merges with Long). This backpacker-filled area offers the city's most vibrant nightlife, particularly in summer.

Going Local

If ever there was a queue worth watching, the early-morning caffeine addicts at Vida e Caffé, 34 Kloof St. (tel. 021/426-0627), is it. From those carefully created don't-care student coiffures and film-crew crops to queens sporting impeccable labels and girls in micro-minis, a table -- armed with a cappuccino and a quattro (four-cheese) muffin -- is the place from which to watch the city's producers, photographers, students, designers, and edgy housewives hard at (net)work. To view the more laid-back Capetonian in his natural lair, grab a pavement table at super-friendly Daily Deli, 13 Brownlow Rd., Tamboerskloof (tel. 021/426-0250), and order the aubergine bake, followed by a piece of cheesecake. Both are open daily, but not at night. If you like the idea of pizza but could do without the cheese, the best ever is to be found at Limoncello, 8 Breda St. (tel. 021/461-5100), a tiny restaurant in Gardens frequented by locals who love the ultrathin, crispy pizza base (tomato-free), topped with smoked salmon (or aubergine), lemon juice, and fresh rocket (arugula). Equally good is the tender baby squid, flash-fried with chile and garlic, and their risotto of the day is usually out of this world. But when it comes to Italian (and Capetonians will curse me for sharing this), you'd be hard-pressed to beat Magica Roma, 8 Central Sq. (tel. 021/531-1489), in the unassuming suburb of Pinelands, not far from the city center (15 min.), but way off the tourist track. It's jammed full night after night with a (mostly suburban) clientele who know and appreciate that excellent service and superb northern Italian fare (everything on the menu is recommended) don't come at this price anywhere else. Reservations are very much advised.

Where Are the Africans? -- Although recommended, Africa Café and Moyo (at Spier) essentially cater to the well-heeled Western traveler, and many visitors come away nonplussed at how European the Cape Town dining options (and diners) are. If you'd like to sample South African cuisine along with other Africans (for considerably less money), head for the balcony of the Pan African Market, Long Street (tel. 021/426-4478), for lunch with the traders, or Marco's Place, 15 Rose St. (tel. 021/423-5412). Out of town, in Gugulethu, is Mzoli's (tel. 021/638-1355), where you choose your meat and it is then barbecued outside -- the place rocks on the weekends, and as you're likely to be one of the few white faces, this is by far the most authentic experience to be had in Cape Town. More touristy, but a very authentic "nonrestaurant" experience, is a meal arranged at Lelapa (The Home; tel. 021/694-2681) in Langa -- best to arrange this along with a township tour. Another venue worth considering is Ikhaya Xhosa Restaurant in the Waterfront Clock Tower (tel. 021/418-3728), not least because almost every element, from staff recruitment to the wine choices on offer, is linked to an empowerment initiative, though you're still likely to find the majority of black faces on the side that's doing the serving. When it comes to social transformation, Cape Town is taking its time.

Fish & Chips with Real Cape Locals -- Diagonally across from Harbour House is Kalky's, the most unpretentious "restaurant" in Cape Town, attracting a diverse cross section -- from flat-capped and tattooed coloured men with foulmouthed wives to Constantia types twirling their wineglasses and tittering at the large ladies who dispense plates with a great running commentary on patrons. There's a large seafood menu, but everyone is here for the succulent fish and chips -- superbly battered, absurdly large portions -- for a paltry R25 ($3.50/£1.80) per portion (note that you order at the till).