Neighborhoods

City Bowl

There is simply not enough space to cover the many superb restaurants concentrated in this area, so in some cases a simple mention will have to suffice.

Casual -- If you're doing the shops on Long Street, stop in and sample a few of the wonderful tapas plates at Fork, 84 Long St., near the African Market (tel. 021/424-6334) -- kick off with puff pastry stuffed with oven-roasted peppers, asparagus, and caprino; slices of tuna on cannellini beans; slightly overdone but extremely tender lamb cutlets . . . or, if you're into novelty cuisine, keep heading down Long to Addis in Cape, 41 Church St. (tel. 021/424-5722), for authentic Ethiopian fare. Imported spices make the Doro Wot (spicy chicken) a hit with locals. Caveau (tel. 021/422-1367), within strolling distance of Long (on Heritage Sq.), is a wonderful, warm, informal venue that spills out onto the street, personably run by the French co-owner Jean Muller, with excellent wines by the glass to accompany a range of tapas and more filling meals -- this is a hugely popular after-hours watering hole, and you'll struggle to get a table here after 5pm. In and around Mandela Rhodes Place, Riboville (tel. 021/426-0341; accessed via St Georges Mall or Adderley, near the Slave Museum and Company Gardens) deserves a visit for the venue alone. Built in 1893 by the African Bank Corporation, it features lovely original fittings and finishes (lead crystal glass, marble and granite inlay, wood and brass lifts), but decor and lighting are sadly not on a par, and the 220-seater space is pretty cavernous when empty, and noisy even when half full. That said, food and service are good. Closer to the suburb of Gardens is the new Wembley Square -- a mixed-use development that features a residential and business component on the ground floor, with five restaurants/cafes centered on a central glassed "courtyard," overlooked by a busy gym. It's sort of an indoor Cape Quarter, but the big draw card here is Sinn's (tel. 021/465-0967), particularly at night when clever lighting creates a wonderfully cosmopolitan, 21st-century urban vibe (and you're less likely to notice the sloping floor). Sinn's is the latest venture from Thomas Sinn of Blue Danube fame. Once one of Cape Town's most haute chefs, Thomas has changed tack, opting for an easier-to-prepare menu of simple but delicious food.

Fine Dining -- On the other side of town, closer to the Waterfront, is the much vaunted Ginja, 121 Castle St. (tel. 021/426-2368), a Cape Town fine-dining stalwart that continues to earn rave reviews. It's a charming venue -- a carefully renovated semi-dilapidated double-volume space, but the "fine fusion" strikes me as a tad too fussy, and chocolate features predominantly. Bolder combinations (how else to describe a spider crab "broth" made with miso, oysters, crème fraîche won ton, and bubbly jelly?) can be found at The Showroom, 10 Hospital St. (tel. 021/421-4682), which Bruce Robertson (formerly of one.waterfront) opened to huge applause in 2006. Attached to the luxury-car showroom of Bloomsbury's, it's a little contrived as a venue, but if you're into haute cuisine (and don't mind paying for it), you won't be disappointed. It was a close call, but Bruce was beaten out in 2007 by George Jardine, another hotel chef (formerly of The Greenhouse) who opted to start his own restaurant in 2006, and was voted Chef of the Year in the annual Eat Out awards. Jardine, 185 Bree St. (tel. 021/424-5640), is only open for dinner; just as well as the decor is uninspired. If you're overwhelmed by the choices, opt for his signature dishes: beetroot carpaccio on horseradish pastry and baby asparagus, followed by crayfish (lobster) risotto. And if you want to see the coolest cats in town get down, wander over the road to Club Roosevelt. All three of these restaurants deserve full reviews and are certainly worth booking if you are a gourmand, but if you have time for only one special meal, make it Aubergine .

Waterfront

Because of space constraints and the strength of the competition in the City Bowl, I have included no full reviews of restaurants on the Waterfront. This is not to say that there aren't a few restaurants you should consider visiting, regardless of the fact that they are located in one of the city's biggest and busiest tourist attractions. First among the recommended choices is Den Anker, Pierhead (tel. 021/419-0249; ask for a map at one of the information desks in Victoria Wharf), which warrants a trip just to wolf down a pot of the freshest West Coast mussels, accompanied by Belgian beer, in a casual atmosphere with great harbor and mountain views. Rabbit, simmered in Belgian beer and served with applesauce and potato croquettes, is another specialty, and the steaks are out of this world.

In the Victoria Wharf shopping center proper is Willoughby & Co, lower level (tel. 021/418-6116), arguably the best place in town for fresh, unpretentious seafood dishes and voted the top sushi option in town; certainly, it doesn't get any fresher. Note: If Willoughby's is too busy, an alternative venue in the same mall, also with very good sushi and slightly cheaper, is Cape Town's Fish Market (tel. 021/418-5977).

If eating in a mall in the most beautiful city in the world depresses you, head upstairs to the terrace at Baia Seafood Restaurant (tel. 021/421-0935) for linen tablecloths and picture-perfect harbor and mountain views; the seafood's excellent too but caters predominantly to a foreign market, as most rand-wielding locals think it's overpriced.

If you're simply looking for a break from shopping, grab a deep leather sofa at Caffe Balducci, Quay 6, Victoria Wharf (tel. 021/421-6002). With the exception of the carpaccio, the Italian/Californian-inspired food isn't that great, but the cappuccinos, cakes, and atmosphere make up for it -- this is the most elegant cafe in the Waterfront, and great for people- (and fashion-TV-) watching.

Another Victoria Wharf option that cooks all day is Primi Piatti (tel. 021/419-8750), offering unbelievably good-value pasta dishes, equally good thin-crust pizzas, and faster-than-lightning service.

For a more refined atmosphere, one.waterfront (tel. 021/410-7100) in the Cape Grace is the best hotel restaurant in the Waterfront. Almost totally surrounded by water, with tranquil views across the marina, this is an elegant choice, but not the place to come for plain cooking. Chef Craig Patterson delights in complex flavors, hence favorites like smoked duck and foie gras pizza topped with caramelized berries and a petit bocconcini salad, for mains a confit of duck bobotie, and to end a mocha semi fredo served with espresso syrup and homemade chocolate truffle.

Finally, no review of Waterfront restaurants would be complete without a mention of Panama Jacks, Quay 500 (tel. 021/448-1080; www.panamajacks.net), the celebrated seafood restaurant that predates the Waterfront development (and is still in the old working harbor section -- that is, a long walk from the mall and tower precinct). Head for the Royal Cape Yacht Club and take the second road left -- it has no view or elegance, but serves superb, simple seafood dishes steamed, grilled, or flambéed (fresh crayfish [lobster] is the specialty). Globetrotters tired of overattentive service and fusion-fussy meals love it.

De Waterkant -- It has always enjoyed a reputation as a Cape Town nightlife hot spot and center of the gay scene, but De Waterkant has in the past 2 years also developed into the city's most exciting shopping precinct. But one needs sustenance to plunder, and the restaurants and eateries in and around the new Cape Quarter don't disappoint. Around the central cobbled courtyard are four options, all with tables spilling out around the central fountain: Tank (tel. 021/419-0007), with its oversize fish tank and ego, is great for sushi (they're very proud of the fact that their sushi master, Arata Koga, is rated seventh in the world) and for people-watching -- if you can get a table outside. Indoors, the acoustics can be a problem, but head right to the back room and grab the banquette seats with views of the city skyline. Equally popular but more casual is Andiamo (tel. 021/421-3687), which has a small but good Italian menu and a testosterone-strong staff pumping up the action. Food is good, but when it's packed, tables are a little too close together and the vibe is frenetic. Inside the actual deli-shop, you'll find the greatest selection of edible items this side of the equator -- this is a good place to stock up for a picnic or gifts for foodie friends. Across the tiny piazza is the Nose Restaurant and Wine Bar (tel. 021/425-2200), which serves superb wines by the glass, with personal write-ups by the owner to ease the selection process. Food is perfectly serviceable too, and the atmosphere is a great deal more laid-back than Andiamo, which you can watch buzzing from your table. These are all good, but if it's a delicious light meal you're after, the pick of the bunch is La Petite Tart, on the "outside" of the Quarter, on Dixon Street (tel. 021/425-9077). Owned and run by Jessica, a French model who has successfully re-created her own little bit of the Left Bank here, it has the longest "tea list" in town and the most wonderful tart selection (apricot and almond is a big favorite); if you're in the mood for savory, try a traditional croque-monsieur or quiche (such as the blue cheese, butternut, and beetroot option). These are fresh-baked daily, and you can virtually follow your nose to find this tiny restaurant. A stroll away from the Cape Quarter along Jarvis Street, another good shopping street, is another personal favorite: Dutch (tel. 021/425-0157) was here long before the rest, and continues to serve up delicious light meals (try the smoked salmon served on hot potatoes with a saffron sauce) to a largely local neighborhood clientele (though plans are afoot to demolish the building opposite, so dust and noise may soon be the order of the day).

Mouille, Sea & Green Points

Even without the proposed 2010 World Cup stadium, Green Point (which borders De Waterkant) and neighboring Mouille Point have experienced an explosion in growth, with new restaurants and retail outlets along their respective main roads opening monthly, while the modern apartment blocks that rise above them are completed faster than they can cater for. Green Point has a number of fashionable and good-value restaurants. Besides Anatoli, Mano's, 39 Main Rd. (tel. 021/434-1090), and Beluga's, Prestwich Street (tel. 021/418-2948) are the top restaurant options, while Giovanni's and Melissa's (both on Main Rd.) are the best coffee shops. But if the idea of working up an appetite with a fresh sea breeze appeals, Mouille Point's Beach Road is the place to be. If you're looking for something really casual (and inexpensive), don't bother with Wakame; just grab a table on the sea-facing deck at Caffé Neo, 129 Beach Rd. (tel. 021/433-0849) -- a bizarre mix of modern decor peppered with family photographs, this is a daytime venue run by a charming Greek family -- if youvetsi (lamb rice-pasta and tomato stew) is on the menu, don't think twice. Alternatively there's nearby Bravo, 121 Beach Rd. (tel. 021/439-5260), a small Italian joint with an equally good location and with the added benefit of being open at night.

If the buzzing vibe of these popular strips is too much, two old-fashioned establishments in Sea Point deserve a mention, both Italian: Not much has changed at La Perla, Beach Road (tel. 021/434-2471), the Italian restaurant that opened on the Sea Point promenade in the 1960s, with waiters who have made a career of dishing up the excellent pasta dishes with traditional toppings and seafood. Equally unchanged is Mario's, 89 Main Rd., Green Point (tel. 021/439-6644). Mario passed away back in the early 1980s, but his widow, Pina, kept the family business growing, now assisted by her daughter Marlena and taciturn son Marco. The menu features everything you'd expect from an Italian restaurant (pasta is homemade and delicious), but the unlisted specials are usually the deal -- you name it, Pina cooks it, so ask to see her before you order.

Atlantic Seaboard: The Sunset Strip

When the summer sun starts its slow descent into the ocean, most Capetonians feel compelled to head over to the Atlantic seaboard to soak up the last of its pink rays and watch the kaleidoscope unfold. Victoria Road, the street that hugs Camps Bay's palm-fringed beachfront, is where you'll find the most options, all with good-to-glorious views of the ocean and white-sand beach.

A general note of caution: In summer the atmosphere on this strip can be a bit too frenzied, and any genuine desire to service needs or produce noteworthy food takes a backseat to trying to turn over as many tables as possible (Blues and Sandbar being the notable exceptions); if you're looking for a more laid-back seaside alternative, where views are not tainted by brash or low-level aggressive staff, head for Salt or Café Neo or Wakame on Mouille Point's Beach Road (Though do note that, despite the name, there is no real beach along Beach Rd.).

Starting on the northern edge of Camps Bay beach is La Med, part of the Glen Country Club, and clearly signposted off Victoria (tel. 021/438-5600). It's a rather tacky indoor/outdoor bar in a sublime location, with lawns that run into the ocean. The standard pub grub, beer garden, and sheer size (it seats over 500) can attract a rowdy crowd; for better-looking drinking partners, keep south down Victoria Road into Camps Bay proper. First up is the newly enlarged and revamped Sandbar (tel. 021/438-8336): One of Camps Bay's oldest sidewalk bistros, this is right on the edge of the strip, so it's usually more laid-back and friendly and is known to serve a mean strawberry and mango daiquiri. Great salads, but people don't come here for the food.

Even better views are to be had from the elevated options housed in the Promenade Centre, which enjoys the choicest position on the Atlantic seaboard. Best dressed is Paranga (tel. 021/438-0404), on the first floor, with great cushy banquette seating along the walls (book seats 35-38 for the best views); food is nothing to write home about and quite pricey, but during late summer evenings, the venue is pretty unbeatable. Above is Summerville (tel. 021/438-3174), which again rests on its laurels (or more precisely, the view), but if it's only a cocktail you're after, served up with the best view in Cape Town, climb one more flight of steps to reach Ignite. Furnished with couches (on which you'll find Pamela Anderson look-alikes lounging about), it offers a surreally beautiful view to contend with all that flesh. Alongside the Promenade, on the first floor, is Blues (tel. 021/438-2040), also with great views and -- having just celebrated its 20th birthday -- the most old-fashioned (read: grownup) establishment on the Promenade. You often need to book a dinner table days before, proof that with a sublime location, you can get away with inconsistent cuisine standards. Yet another new chef is in residence: 26-year-old Lorenzo Schiattini, who trained at London's River Café. Adjacent to Blues is Baraza (tel. 021/438-1758), finished in muted earth tones and furnished with comfortable sofas, with a counter that runs the length of the window to offer more elevated views of the sunset strip. Below is Café del Mar (tel. 021/438-0156), which serves light meals all day and well into the night. Farther along you'll find another Primi Piatti (tel. 021/438-2923); like its sister establishment in the Waterfront, this casual eatery offers excellent thin-based pizzas and delicious pastas (veal's not bad, either), lightning-fast service, and very good value.

Constantia Wine Route

The Constantia wine estate, Uitsig, is fortunate enough to house three fabulous dining options: The first, Constantia Uitsig, is reviewed in full below because the venue -- an old Cape Dutch farm that dinner guests have the run of -- is simply the best, but some prefer the food at La Colombe (tel. 021/794-2390). New chef Luke Dale Roberts has placed his stamp on a menu that includes mouthwatering offerings like warm beetroot tart with goat-cheese mousse or grilled linefish served with a tomato, artichoke, basil, olive, and pine-nut stew. Book here, but bear in mind you'll have to forfeit the sublime view Constantia Uitsig offers. Best-case scenario: Sample both! If you're in the mood for more casual fare, at friendlier prices, Constantia Uitsig's Spaanschemat River Café (tel. 021/794-3010) is where Brad Ball is dishing up cafe-style delights (as well as more substantial items such as Karoo-lamb burger with cucumber/mint relish) in a cottage garden setting. His smoked salmon and scrambled eggs crepe, topped with chives and hollandaise sauce, is one of the best breakfasts in town.

The biggest tourism drawing card in this area -- with a gracious manor house museum and lovely grounds -- is Groot Constantia, and the relaxed Jonkershuis restaurant, also in a historic building, is another wonderful venue. If it's a nice day, grab a table under the oaks.

Another Constantia option worth considering, with a lovely garden setting but a great deal more formal, is The Greenhouse (tel. 021/794-2137) at the Cellars-Hohenort hotel, where chef Lionel Lavat offers a seasonal menu; on the same property is the Cape Malay Kitchen, which sets a similarly high standard, and virtually the only place in Cape Town to experience traditional Cape cuisine in a fine-dining atmosphere.

False Bay: Traveling to Cape Point

Kalk Bay You'll find the most atmospheric False Bay restaurants in the charming and increasingly trendy fishing village of Kalk Bay. In the small fishing harbor, where fishermen still hawk their hand-caught fish directly to the public and surrounding restaurants, are three options, all right on the water. The best venue is the breezy Harbour House (tel. 021/788-4133) -- book a table by the window and you sit with the ocean crashing on the rocks just below. Linefish are listed in chalk on the board and scratched off as they disappear down the hungry maws of patrons. Downstairs is the Polana, which some prefer.

If you feel like something other than seafood, Olympia Cafe & Deli, Main Road, diagonally opposite the turnoff to the harbor (tel. 021/788-6396), is an excellent deli-restaurant serving light meals to the hippies and trendy bohemians that now frequent this side of the mountain. Sirocco, an alfresco and very laid back restaurant right next to the station is another good choice, with great food (but slow service). Cape to Cuba, Main Road (tel. 021/788-1566), is a truly fabulous place to pop into for a cocktail -- eclectically decorated with mismatched chairs, numerous chandeliers, and Catholic kitsch on rich, saturated-color walls, it's extremely comfortable, and the mojitos are drop-dead delicious; pity the food isn't up to snuff.

Muizenberg & Simons Town North of Kalk Bay, in the slowly revitalizing suburb of Muizenberg, the places to book a table are Railway House, 177 Main Rd. (tel. 021/788-3251), above the station, with great sea views and a good, unfussy menu, or Il Postino, 152 Main Rd. (tel. 021/788-6776), in the old post office, where the food is better and a good value, but there are no views. South of Kalk Bay, in Simons Town, Appetit (tel. 021/786-2412), a small, unprepossessing French restaurant on the main road running through Simons Town, is considered one of the best restaurants in the city. Leaving Simons Town to approach Cape Point, you'll see the Black Marlin, Main Road (tel. 021/786-1621), a venue that enjoys one of the best sea views in the Cape, making it a popular tourist spot; seafood is the specialty, so order the linefish -- and ask for all three butters (lemon, garlic, and chile) on the side.

Note that if your timing is such that you don't feel like eating while traversing the False Bay side of the mountain, and hunger strikes while traveling along the Atlantic seaboard, there are two excellent options worth stopping for, both right on route (and signposted). Chapman's Peak Restaurant, Main Road, at the base of the Peak on the Hout Bay side (tel. 021/790-1036), is famous for its fresh calamari and fish -- served still sizzling in the pan with fat fries -- and wide veranda with views of the small fishing harbor. It's a jolly, unpretentious place that long predates Cape Town's burgeoning restaurant scene yet still pulls in the punters from all over the city. On the southern side of Chapman's Peak Drive, the new place that has everyone talking is The Food Barn (tel. 021/789-1390), in Noordhoek Farm Village. It is co-owned by Frank Dangereux, the celebrated French chef, who, after putting La Colombe on the map, opted for a more laid-back lifestyle (and cuisine style) and relocated here in 2007. The food is simple, ingredients are predominantly organic, and the vibe is comfortable and family-friendly.