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On our radar: New restaurants showing off Cape Town’s culinary culture

May 7, 2023 (Last Updated: June 19, 2023)

Eating out at a new restaurant turns any evening, lunch or brunch into a special occasion. It’s like meeting someone for the first time. You get butterflies in your stomach and you can’t stop thinking about the details and all the little things you’ve heard about the new acquaintance. Also, you can dress up, if it’s that kind of place, and share in the experience with friends or a special human.

As luck would have it, Cape Town has a thriving food scene that churns out trendy new places and spaces regularly. This list of new restaurants in Cape Town will keep you up to date with the City’s culinary newbies.

Ariel Modern Italian

Ariel Modern Italian is all about ‘friends, togetherness, celebration, and joy.’ It’s no secret that the restaurant is the darling of Sea Point’s dining scene. It meets all the criteria without question: a good-time vibe, a great address and, most importantly, elegant but easy Italian food that is chef’s-kiss wonderful. Neapolitan pizza, authentic pastas and an antipasto menu that is criminally good – need we elaborate?

Please note: No pets allowed. No children under 12 allowed after 5pm.

Location: 90 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 8005
Times: Monday to Sunday, 12pm to 10pm
Contact: [email protected] | 021 023 3643
Bookings: dineplan.com
Website: nonamehg.com/arielcapetown

Be sure to check out The 20 Best Restaurants in Midrand.

Club Kloof

The interior of this Kloof Street stunner is like something out of an Italian art cinema – bold colours, mirrored walls, lavish banquette seating – it’s beautiful. Club Kloof has all the swag, but it’s not just a pretty face, its Italian-ish menu is also a work of art – pillowy sourdough pizza with creative toppings and small-plates meant for languid lunches sharing a few things with good company.

Location: 84 Kloof Street, Cape Town
Times: Tuesday to Sunday, 8am until late
Contact: 072 415 3752 | [email protected]
Website: clubkloof.com

The Red Room

Restaurateur rockstars Liam Tomlin and David Schneider team up to create yet another much-talked-about Cape Town dining experience. This time, in the form of an underground Pan-Asian restaurant at the Belmont’s iconic Mount Nelson Hotel in Gardens.

Think velvet curtains, a glimmering bar and old-world opulence. The food at The Red Room, as with all Chefs Warehouse establishments, is destined to be revolutionary.

Location: The Mount Nelson | 76 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Times: Restaurant: Monday to Saturday: 6pm to 9:15pm | Bar: Monday to Saturday: 4pm until late.
Website: chefswarehouse.co.za/the-red-room
Bookings: Dineplan
Contact: 021 483 1516 | [email protected]

DROOM @ Die Meul

Opening its doors in March 2023, DROOM celebrates South African farm-style cuisine with thoughtful dishes conjured up by Chef Anna Stofberg. Its location – a restored 100-year old flour mill in the quaint country town of Philadelphia – is just as emblematic as the food and underscores the restaurant’s commitment to preserving local heritage and culture. On Sundays, DROOM prepares a traditional roast, featuring slow-cooked meats, gravy and all the extra sides you could dream of.

Location: 1 Main Street, Philadelphia, Cape Town
Times: Friday and Saturday: 9am to 3pm | Sunday Lunch: 12pm to 4pm (bookings essential)
Book: 079 306 7315 | [email protected]
Website: diemeul.co.za
Instagram: @droom_diemeul

Jenna’s

Jenna’s in Sea Point serves dishes that are nourishing and delicious. The café-style eatery is dedicated to making dining out a happy, healthy experience, and focuses on plant-based, vegan and gluten-free cuisine. The interior is light and earthy, and the menu features super salads, veg-heavy pastas, fresh juices, health-conscious wraps, bowls of goodness and more. And Jenna’s does bottomless mimosas all day, every day – win, win!

Location: 85 Regent Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Times: Monday to Friday: 7am to 10pm | Saturday to Sunday: 7am to 11pm
Instagram: @jennas_capetown

How’s Your Oni?

Question: What is onigiri? A traditional Japanese cuisine made up of triangular parcels of rice stuffed with a pickled or salty filling and wrapped up in nori (dried seaweed). And thankfully, Cape Town can now get its supply of these delicious morsels of hand-held heaven from How’s Your Oni – a funky, hole-in-the-wall hub of vintage Japanese pop culture in Gardens.

While the restaurant specialises in gourmet onigiri, you’ve got to sample everything on the menu – dig into the gyozas, udon noodles, ramen and other delicious Japanese treats. That’s the good news. The even better news is you can also order the chow directly from Uber Eats.