Chapter 1: Our Favourites - Updated 2022
On the hunt for the perfect, last-minute lunch or dinner spot? Or just plain curious about where we like to stuff our faces? These A-listers all carry the ‘Rhino Recommends’ stamp of approval.
Bouchon Wine Bar & Bistro
Set in a charming urban winery, Bouchon Wine Bar & Bistro is a meeting place for like-minded people who love flavoursome, down-to-earth food and are curious about the world of wine.
Why go?
The wine list embraces both local and international gems and is accompanied by a weekly “Travel Through Your Glass” selection, to discover and enjoy spectacular wines from around the world.
Flavoursome, down-to-earth food, Image Credit: Bouchon Wine Bar & Bistro
Details
a: 95 Hout St, Cape Town
t: +27 21 422 0695
w: www.bouchon.co.za
h: Monday—Saturday: 18h00‒23h00
Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia
Lingering and leisurely dining combine with small-plate sensationalism to make for an elite tapas-for-two experience that’s staunchly seasonal, ensuring things are always kept fresh and trendy.
Why go?
Chef Ivor Jones and Liam Tomlin’s love for what they do, paired with jaw-dropping views of Constantia valley, sets the stage for a memorable meal.
Small-plate sensationalism, Image Credit: Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia
Details
a: Beau Constantia Wine Estate, Constantia
t: +27 21 794 8632
w: www.beauconstantia.com/eat
h: Lunch: Tuesday—Sunday, 12h00 - 14h00. (last orders 14:30)
h: Dinner: Tuesday—Saturday, 18h00 - 20h00. (last orders 20:30)
*The restaurant closes at 11 pm. Booking is advised.
Kloof Street House
Equal parts dolled-up Victorian courtyard and stripped-down Parisian café, trendy Kloof Street House serves up delicious Mediterranean fare smothered in South African finesse.
Why go?
This grand old dame boasts a collection of interesting spaces, each bursting with a character of its own. Enjoy lounge music, jazz-filled lunches, decadent décor and a long, long wine list.
Romantic candle-lit dinners, Image Credit: Kloof Street House
Details
a: 30 Kloof Street, Cape Town
t: +27 21 423 4413
w: www.kloofstreethouse.co.za
h: Lunch: Monday—Sunday: 12h00‒22h30, Tuesday—Saturday: 10h00–22h30
Salsify
Tradition and history are interpreted with an irreverent but affectionate graffiti-art twist at Salsify, reinvigorating the old Roundhouse building and its storied past into a menu that pushes gastronomical boundaries with delicately intense seasonal flavours.
Why go?
Chef Ryan Cole, Executive Chef and co-owner, takes inspiration from the seasons, land and the sea when developing dishes, his ever-evolving menu aptly reflecting these elements in every course.
Pushing gastronomical boundaries, Image Credit: Salsify
Details
a: The Roundhouse, Roundhouse Rd, Camps Bay
t: +27 21 010 6444
w: https://salsify.co.za
h: Tuesday—Saturday: 12h30‒14h00, 18h00‒20h00. Sunday Lunch: 12h30-15h00
Skotnes Restaurant & Bar at Norval Foundation
Fittingly named after the legendary artist Cecil Skotnes, the menu boasts a broad South African palette, with contemporary bistro fare that is both sustaining and creative.
Why go?
It’s all about the art of eating in this suburban hideaway, which forms the culinary arm of the Norval Foundation’s centre for cultural expression.
Distilling its ingredients to their simplest possible presentation, Image Credit: Skotnes Restaurant & Bar at Norval Foundation
Details
a: 1 Ou Kaapse Rd, Tokai
t: +27 87 654 5902
w: https://www.norvalfoundation.org/skotnes-restaurant
h: Monday—Friday: 08h00‒17h00, Closed on Tuesdays, Saturday–Sunday: 08h00‒16h00
FYN
Discoveries are made when boundaries are crossed. At FYN, South Africa’s wild freedom is tempered by the rigours of contemporary cuisine to create a restaurant at the edge.
Why go?
FYN’s design challenges the separation of kitchen and dining room, so each becomes part of the other. Enjoy comfort over formality, collaboration over individual feats, and its depth, complexity and deliciousness lead the way.
Tuna sashimi, hamachi tataki, binchotan grilled blue prawn, ikura and chirizu sauce, Image Credit: FYN
Details
a: 5th Floor, Speakers Corner, 37 Parliament Str, Cape Town, 8001
t: +27 21 286 2733
w: https://fynrestaurant.com/
h: Lunch: Monday to Saturday, 12h00-14h00
h: Dinner: Monday to Saturday, 18h00-20h30
PIER
Offering an intimate, multi-course fine-dining experience at the V&A Waterfront, PIER offers diners an opportunity to escape to the tranquillity of waterside dining – with the iconic views that have made this location famous worldwide.
Why go?
With Norris-Rogers as Head chef, diners can expect the finest local produce to take centre stage, with a special emphasis on inspiration from the ocean – and, the table-side theatrics guests have come to expect from the team.
Offering an intimate, multi-course fine-dining experience, Image Credit: PIER
Details
a: V&A Waterfront, 9 Breakwater Blvd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 7764
t: +27 21 879 6329
w: https://pier.restaurant/food
h: Monday to Sunday, 12h00-20h00
La Colombe
At each bend, as the city tilts away beneath you, you rise to new heights of quiet anticipation. There’s a reason you feel this way – you’re on top of a mountain and about to dine at the new incarnation of La Colombe.
Why go?
Look forward to contemporary French-meets-Asian fine dining. La Colombe is one of Cape Town’s most well-loved and awarded restaurants and is no stranger to S.Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Contemporary French-meets-Asian fine dining, Image Credit: La Colombe
Details
a: Silvermist Wine Estate, Main Road, Constantia Nek, Cape Town, 7806
t: +27 21 794 2390
w: https://lacolombe.restaurant/
h: Lunch: Monday to Sunday, 12h00-13h30 (last seating)
h: Dinner: Monday to Sunday, 18h00-19h30 (last seating)
ëlgr
At ëlgr the food, drinks, music and hospitality all work holistically to create the perfect ambiance in an inspiring setting. Subtle forest elements are reflected in calm sage green and charcoal tones with abundant indoor foliage.
Why go?
Fine food, great wine and inspiring cocktails, all served in a relaxed environment. Menus are seasonal and change often, with exceptional, original, yet uncomplicated flavours.
Delivering unexpected tastes and a memorable dining experience, Image Credit: ëlgr
Details
a: 75 Kloof St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001
t: +27 21 422 0384
w: https://elgr.co.za/
h: Tuesday to Friday, Dinner Only, 17h00-23h00
The Waterside Restaurant
Tempting guests for a spot of ocean-side dining on the ground floor of the Pierhead Building is The Waterside Restaurant – offering a sophisticated, but more casual menu.
Why go?
Guests can enjoy both indoors, and on the outdoor deck – perfect for sumptuous summer lunches after an eventful day in the V&A Waterfront. Taking a peek at The Waterside’s menu, guests can look forward to Cape Malay crayfish salad or Asian pork belly with scallops.
Perfect for sumptuous summer lunches and seafood, Image Credit: The Waterside Restaurant
Details
a: Pierhead Building (next to the NSRI, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001
t: +27 21 879 6329
w: https://thewaterside.restaurant/about
h: Monday to Sunday, 12h00-20h30
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