A LIST OF WHERE THE 'REAL' CAPE TOWN PEOPLE EAT OUT

17th of November 2011

1)   The Test Kitchen – located in a converted old biscuit mill building about 15 min from the Waterfront by car, this is probably the most highly rated restaurant in SA at the moment. Very difficult to get a dinner reservation, booked months in advance. Lunch menu is light bistro style, dinner more ‘Michelin Star’ style.

2)   San Julian – real Mexican restaurant (not TexMex!) run by a real Mexican family who moved to Cape Town in 2010 (the last time I was there the Mexican waiter could hardly speak English!) Located at 3 Rose street only 5 mins from the Waterfront. Proper homemade corn tortillas.

3)   Constantia Uitsig – a great venue for lunch with views of the Constantia winelands. Excellent uncomplicated food – salads, veal cutlets, seafood.

4)   Jewel of India – Indian curries in the Waterfront. This restaurant is frequented by Cape Town’s Indian residents – always a good sign!

5)   Bizerca Bistro – in the city centre. Some say the best in Cape Town – it has 35 reviews on TripAdvisor of which all are either “excellent” or “very good”. Food described as “French fusion in a bistro style”.

6)   Magica Roma – the best Italian in CT. Located in Pinelands a bit out of town (15 min). Owned and run by Ezio, Marco and Franco who serve good Italian food, great winelist of local and Italian wines, large Grappa selection and good value for money.

7)   Bread and Wine – located outside Franchhoek, this is a nice lunch venue when touring the winelands. They make their own chartecurie and lunch is served out on a courtyard under the vines.

I hope this helps to give some more varied and interesting choices outside the rather ‘touristy’ waterfront area! They are all restaurants that are visited regularly and are consistent in their quality. A few of them are not in prime view positions but then, sadly, isn’t that so often a truth of restaurants all over the world – the quality of the food is inversely proportional to the position of the restaurant?

Oh and one more .....

Il Leone – upmarket Italian in a cosy venue just a few mins from the Waterfront. Excellent pasta dishes – the signature dish; pasta with prawns, rosa tomatoes, rocket, pine nuts, parmesan shavings and basil is legendary!  

Mark