I’ve been living in the heart of Cape Town for six months now and have discovered a thing or two about the city. Besides realizing the fact that you will be charged a fortune by people in luminous orange uniforms anytime you park anywhere in the CBD, I have stumbled across some golden spots in my ventures around the city. For this article, I will simply be discussing my favorite restaurants and cafés, to keep things brief (as there are so many wonderful things about this town). Without further ado, here are a few special locations that every Cape-Tonian (and of course every traveler) should try at least once in their lifetime.
- The Blue Café
13 Brownlow Rd, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town.
This historical location has been in operation since the early 1900s – a century old yet delightful café with a vibrant atmosphere that is as good as new.
Nestled in the peaceful suburbs of upper Tamboerskloof, this place is a well-hidden gem – I live five minutes away and only recently discovered it! Operating as a deli and café, customers can buy fresh produce, home-made cookies, delicacies like fudge and Turkish delight, soul-warming soup and so much more. And that’s not even considering their sit-down menu. If you have the time, taking a seat at one of their outdoor tables will give you the most exquisite view of Lion’s Head, especially serene when sunset arrives (did I mention the café is open every day until 10pm!). Order from a selection of sandwiches, pastas, boboties, pies and end off with a delectable slice of carrot cake. The staff are friendly and welcoming, the manager always ensures your comfort, and you’ll leave Blue Café with a full belly and a smile on your face.
2. Frankie’s Burgers (inside House of Machines)
84 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town
When I say that this restaurant serves the top-rated burgers in the city, I am speaking with empirical evidence. After debating with friends, my roommate underwent an intense Instagram poll of where to find the best burgers in town, and House of Machines was the top dog by far. Now, of course, we couldn’t take online evidence without personally experiencing this phenomenon (we are invested in true scientific research) and so we had to taste for ourselves.
It is safe to say that we (the entire table of about 10 people) cannot name another restaurant that serves burgers this good. I’m talking ‘can’t speak for five whole minutes while I devour this juicy meal’ kind of good. The kind of delicious where your only response is ‘MMMM’ every few seconds, with closed eyes and the appreciative head nod.
Our personal favorites were Frankie’s Fried Chicken Burger (no words, just wow…), closely followed by the original Frankie’s Burger, whose crispy onions left our mouths watering.
This is a place you can enjoy a proper, juicy burger for lunch, dinner or a drunken snack, and each time will leave you wanting more.
3. Nish Nush
100 Bree Street, Cape Town.
Guys. These pita breads. I cannot fully explain how good they are. Crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, it’s like some secret magic formula that no other place has gotten right. I refuse to eat pita anywhere else after going here, and I live by that.
Choose to fill your pita with crispy aubergine, the finest falafel I’ve ever had, beef shawarma or lamb and beef mince (each accompanied by an array of salad and sauces). You can also try their flavourful hummus pots with mushrooms, chickpeas or shawarma too if you’d like (these come with pitas too, so I definitely recommend). End off with a unique Mediterranean dessert of Malabi (similar to Pana Cotta but this one is vegan), or frozen chocolate tahini fudge!
4. Egghead Diner
24 Kloof Street, Cape Town.
Decorated with the vibrant colour of sunshine and happiness, this yellow café serves just that – happiness on a plate (and in a mug). Cute, quaint, and aesthetically pleasing, this café serves great food specials for those on a budget (I’m looking at you fellow students) such as their current two-for-one weekday burger special (you can’t really turn that one down, not when they look this good). Of course, their main star of the show are their egg rolls (a whole variety of eggs on warm brioche buns), but they serve everything from avocado toast to granola bowls and even have gluten free options for those in need. For a diner style restaurant, they serve exceedingly good coffee as well, along with a tasty biscuit on the side (it’s the small details that matter guys). We came here for Father’s Day just recently, and the whole family was impressed. It looks good, tastes even better and won’t cost you an arm and a leg in the process.
Give these places a try, you won’t be dissapointed!