Mama Africa

Mama Africa is a restaurant at 178 Long Street in the City Bowl of Cape Town, South Africa, serving African dishes and game meats with live marimba and band music most nights. Long Street is the city's best-known strip of Victorian buildings, bars and backpacker hostels, and Mama Africa has been one of its recognisable dining venues, often visited by first-time travellers wanting an introduction to southern African flavours.

The menu leans on game and traditional dishes. Ostrich fillet, kudu and crocodile are the dishes most associated with the restaurant, alongside boerewors and malva pudding, the baked sponge dessert that is a staple of South African cooking. Portions are generous and prices are moderate, at roughly R250 to R550 per person. A bar serves cocktails, beer and South African wines.

The dining room is lively and openly touristy, with colourful decor, several rooms and a balcony bar overlooking the street. Live music, usually marimba and a band, runs in the evenings, so the noise level is high and the setting suits groups more than quiet conversation. The mood is festive and informal, with no dress code beyond smart casual.

The restaurant is open for dinner daily. Reservations are recommended for dinner, particularly on Friday and Saturday and during the summer season, and can be arranged by phone on +27 21 424 8634. Long Street is easy to reach from most City Bowl hotels, and the area becomes busy and rowdy late at night, so visitors usually leave by ride-hail rather than walking elsewhere afterward.