Here’s exactly where we went, what we ordered, and what I’d actually recommend.

Kloof Street House

We made a reservation at Kloof Street House early because I had heard it books up fast and it absolutely does. Kloof Street itself is full of bars and restaurants, so the whole area feels lively at night.

The restaurant has this eclectic, moody vibe. It feels special without feeling overly formal. We sat inside because it was chilly, but they have heat lamps outside so either would’ve worked.

The arancini was easily the highlight of the meal. We also tried a burrata special for an appetizer that was fine, just not memorable. I ordered the steak with mashed potatoes and the potatoes were great, but my “medium” steak came out completely rare. I probably should’ve spoken up, but that may just be preference. My fiancé ordered the ostrich and really enjoyed it!

Dessert was a cheesecake with popcorn on top. It looked cool (and they wrote happy birthday on my plate which was such a sweet touch), but truthfully it did look better than it tasted. That said, we still ate the whole slice!

We had a couple of cocktails between the two of us, and they were all really good! Most notably the mojito and the espresso martini!

If I went back, it would be for the ambiance and I would think a bit more carefully about what I ordered.

Three Wise Monkeys

Three Wise Monkeys was near our hotel and such an easy, good dinner after a long day.

It’s small, no reservation needed, very relaxed. My fiancé ordered the ramen and loved it. I rarely eat ramen but took a few bites and we still talk about it, it was that good!

We also ordered sushi and bao buns. The sushi was solid. The bao buns were not bad, however they weren’t anything to talk about either. If you go, definitely get what they are known for - the ramen.

The Codfather

Dinner at The Codfather in the Camps Bay neighborhood was one of our favorites! If we could only go back to one spot from our time in Cape Town it would definitely be here.

First of all, I wish we had more time in Sea Point. It’s known for sunsets along the water and has a cool, laid back energy. Unfortunately we didn’t have a ton of time here so we only experience Sea Point during the night for dinner. If you want to watch the sunset before dinner however, people recommend drinks at The Bungalow (reservations recommended) though we didn’t make it there ourselves.

The Codfather is such a unique experience. There’s no menu. You start with some sushi that comes around on a conveyor belt. You grab what you want and plates are priced by color (there’s a sign explaining the prices).

Then your waiter brings you to the front where all the fresh fish is laid out and quickly walks you through your options. It’s a little overwhelming, but also really cool! You pick which fish and how much of each fish you would want right then and there! I ended up telling our waiter what fish I usually like and he was able to guide me in what to pick based on my usual preferences. All the fish was so good! You can also get a few sides, however those were a bit lack luster and I will skip those in the future.

We brought our own bottle of wine that we had purchased in the Franschhoek area. There’s was a corkage fee, however it was super reasonable! They put the bottle on ice for us. The staff couldn’t have been nicer!

Oranjezicht City Farm Market

If you’re in Cape Town over the weekend, go to Oranjezicht City Farm Market.

It’s such a fun way to try multiple food vendors at once. My fiancé got a bao bun from Bao Down, which was already on my list to try in Green Point — so it felt like a win that we still got to try it without having time to visit the stand alone location.

I had pizza and a cocktail that were both great! There were also smoothie stands, sandwiches, pastries, coffee and even clothing vendors if you want a souvenir!

It was very busy when we were there, however there is a ton of seating options. It seemed like even locals enjoyed hanging out there which is always a good sign! It’s lively, casual, and just feels like a good weekend activity!

Jarryds

We had breakfast at Jarryds, which was close to our hotel in Sea Point.

It’s a popular brunch spot and always seems busy. My fiancé got pancakes, I got a smoothie bowl, and we split the banana bread as an appetizer.

It was somewhat under construction when we were there, so maybe we didn’t see it at its best. The food was good, but it didn’t quite live up to expectations for us.

Still a solid, easy brunch option.

Shackleton Brewing Company

One rainy, windy day we had to cancel going up Table Mountain, so we ended up at Shackleton Brewing Company.

It’s small and kind of tucked away in an industrial area — not walkable, definitely drive or Uber. The staff was incredibly kind and it was fun trying different beers and spending a relaxed afternoon waiting out the weather. Just as an FYI - We didn’t have food there and I don’t believe they serve any.

Tiger’s Milk (V&A Waterfront)

We grabbed a drink at Tiger's Milk at the V&A Waterfront. The views were beautiful. The service… not so much.

It wasn’t crowded, but drinks took a long time (over 20 min) and we had to wave someone down for the check more than once. . We were not the only ones having issue with the wait times. Many times groups sat down and left because it took too long for someone to even take their order. The whole area felt very tourist-heavy. It worked for a drink with a view, but I wouldn’t personally prioritize dinner there

There’s also a Tiger’s Milk on Kloof Street that’s suppose to be popular at night. We did walk by it one night and it didn’t seem busy, however we could have walked by too early (~9pm).

Places on My List I Didn’t Get To

Maggy Lou's – Always busy near our hotel in Sea Point
Zuney Burgers – Lively on Kloof Street when we walked by, suppose to have Wagyu burgers
The Pot Luck Club – Very popular. Make a reservation well in advance!

If you want to know more about what I did on my South Africa trip, try my Cape Town Travel Guide

Where to eat in Cape Town, South Africa