Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa, a coastal city beneath Table Mountain known for dramatic scenery, beaches, the Cape Winelands, the Cape Peninsula, a Cape Malay food heritage and the history of Robben Island and apartheid-era District Six.
Cape Town's food is built on several layers. Cape Malay cooking, brought by enslaved and exiled people from Indonesia, Malaysia and India, is centred on the Bo-Kaap and gives bobotie, breyani, sweet-spiced curries, samoosas and koesisters. Seafood from the Atlantic and False Bay is eaten at Kalk Bay, Hout Bay and Camps Bay, with snoek, hake, calamari, kingklip and West Coast rock lobster in season. Braai (barbecue) is a social ritual, from township braai houses such as Mzoli's in Gugulethu to boerewors and Karoo lamb at steakhouses. Game meats, including ostrich, springbok and kudu, appear on tourist-facing menus. Nearby Winelands estates anchor a fine-dining scene, and weekend markets in Woodstock, Granger Bay and Hout Bay carry street food and local produce.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Cape Town.
Bobotie
Spiced minced meat baked with an egg custard topping, served with yellow rice and chutney
Where to try: Jonkershuis; Africa Cafe; Biesmiellah
Price: R150-300 (approx $9.09-18.18 USD)
Cape Malay curry and breyani
Mildly sweet-spiced chicken or lamb curry and layered rice with meat
Where to try: Biesmiellah; Jonkershuis
Price: R120-250 (approx $7.27-15.15 USD)
Koesisters
Spiced, syrup-soaked and coconut-rolled doughnuts, a Cape Malay Saturday-morning treat
Where to try: Bo-Kaap bakeries; Neighbourgoods Market
Price: R10-25 each (approx $0.61-1.52 USD)
Snoek
Cape fish braaied or fried, often glazed with apricot jam
Where to try: Kalky's; Harbour House; Live Bait
Price: R90-250 (approx $5.45-15.15 USD)
Fish and chips
Hake or snoek and chips eaten at the harbour
Where to try: Kalky's, Kalk Bay Harbour
Price: R100-180 (approx $6.06-10.91 USD)
Boerewors roll
Coiled spiced beef sausage in a bread roll
Where to try: Markets; Mzoli's Place
Price: R50-90 (approx $3.03-5.45 USD)
Gatsby
A foot-long bread roll stuffed with chips, meat and sauce, a Cape Flats classic for sharing
Where to try: Takeaways across the Cape Flats and Salt River
Price: R90-180 (approx $5.45-10.91 USD)
Malva pudding
Warm sponge pudding soaked in apricot-caramel sauce, served with custard
Where to try: Mama Africa; Jonkershuis
Price: R70-110 (approx $4.24-6.67 USD)
Karoo lamb
Free-range lamb from the Karoo, grilled or slow-roasted
Where to try: Carne SA; Kloof Street House
Price: R250-450 (approx $15.15-27.27 USD)
West Coast rock lobster
Local crayfish served grilled with garlic butter, in season
Where to try: The Codfather; Harbour House
Price: R500-1,200 (approx $30.30-72.73 USD)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Seafood
Coffee And Light Meals
Contemporary Shared Plates
European
Fish And Chips
French
Food tours & tastings in Cape Town
Eat your way through Cape Town with a guide.
Browse food experiences in Cape TownWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Kalk Bay Harbour fish and chips
Fried or grilled hake and chips from the harbour counters, eaten on the harbour wall
Find it at: Kalk Bay Harbour, Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town 7990
Bo-Kaap koesisters
Cape Malay spiced doughnuts sold from Bo-Kaap bakeries and street stands, mostly on Saturday mornings
Find it at: Wale Street and surrounding lanes, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town 8001
Gatsby takeaways
Large stuffed bread rolls sold at Cape Flats and Salt River takeaways, designed to be shared
Find it at: Main Road, Salt River, Cape Town 7925
Boerewors rolls at markets
Grilled sausage rolls sold at weekend markets
Find it at: Old Biscuit Mill, 373-375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town 7925
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Neighbourgoods Market
Saturday market at the Old Biscuit Mill with prepared food, bakeries, oysters and local produce
Hours: Saturday approx 9AM-3PM; confirm before going
Oranjezicht City Farm Market
Weekend market with local produce, baked goods and food stalls at the V&A Waterfront's Granger Bay area
Hours: Saturday and Sunday mornings approx 9AM-2PM; confirm before going
Bay Harbour Market
Hout Bay harbour market with global food stalls, craft and live music
Hours: Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday approx; confirm before going
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Book fine-dining restaurants such as FYN, La Colombe and The Pot Luck Club weeks ahead, particularly from December to February.
A tip of 10-15 percent is customary in South Africa; check whether a service charge is already on the bill for large groups.
Use Uber or Bolt to reach restaurants after dark; avoid walking between the CBD and Woodstock at night.
Load-shedding (scheduled power cuts) may close kitchens or shorten hours; check the EskomSePush app and confirm by phone.
Seafood is best at Kalk Bay and Hout Bay; ask which fish is line-caught and in season using the SASSI list.
Tap water is safe to drink in Cape Town.
Biesmiellah and other Bo-Kaap restaurants are halal and do not serve alcohol; many are closed or quieter on Sundays.
Many Winelands restaurants open for lunch only; plan to drive or use a ride-hail with a return booking.
- Vegetarian
- Good in the city centre and Gardens; most restaurants have vegetarian dishes, but traditional braai and Cape Malay menus are meat-led.
- Vegan
- Growing; cafes on Kloof Street and Bree Street carry vegan options, and tasting menus at fine-dining restaurants usually accommodate vegan requests with notice.
- Halal
- Widely available in the Bo-Kaap, where Biesmiellah and other Cape Malay restaurants are halal.
- Gluten free
- Rice and braaied meat are naturally gluten-free; bread, pies and battered fish are not. Fine-dining restaurants handle gluten-free requests with notice.
- Allergies
- Seafood, nuts and wheat are common. Staff in most mid-range and upscale restaurants speak English; state allergies clearly when booking.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | R250-450 per day (approx $15.15-27.27 USD) | Market snacks, fish and chips at Kalky's, a Gatsby or a Cape Malay lunch at Biesmiellah |
| Mid-range | R700-1,400 per day (approx $42-85 USD) | Cafe breakfast, a seafood lunch at Kalk Bay and dinner at Kloof Street House or Mama Africa |
| Upscale | R2,500-6,000 per day (approx $152-364 USD) | Tasting menus at La Colombe, FYN or The Pot Luck Club, with wine pairings |