Best restaurants and what to eat
South Africa
Cape Town sits at the meeting point of Atlantic and Indian Ocean influences, and its food culture is shaped by the Cape Malay, Dutch, Afrikaans, and coastal fishing traditions of the Western Cape. The region is especially known for aromatic curries and sambals, fresh seafood, artisanal breads and rusks, fruit preserves, and some of South Africa’s most distinctive wines and fortified wines.
A coiled farmer’s sausage made with beef and spices, boerewors is juicy, coarse-textured, and strongly perfumed with coriander, cloves, and nutmeg. In Cape Town it is a staple of braais, where its savory fat and peppery aroma pair well with pap, relish, or crusty bread.
Air-dried cured meat with a concentrated beef flavor, biltong has a chewy yet tender bite and a tang from vinegar and coriander seasoning. It is one of the Cape’s most iconic snacks, often enjoyed on its own, with beer, or sliced over salads and sandwiches.
Thin dried sausage made from spiced minced meat, droëwors is firmer and more intensely seasoned than boerewors. Its deep savory flavor and portable texture make it a classic Cape snack for travel, hikes, and casual grazing.
A prized local fish of the Cape coast, snoek is oily, flaky, and robustly flavored, well suited to grilling, smoking, or baking. It is often brushed with apricot glaze or paired with chutney, making it a hallmark of Cape Town fish culture.
Kingklip is a firm white fish with large flakes and a mild, clean flavor that adapts well to pan-frying or oven roasting. In Cape Town it is a favorite restaurant fish, often served with lemon butter, herbs, or Cape-style sauces.
Cape pilchards are small oily fish with rich flavor, commonly canned, curried, or cooked with tomato and onion. They are an affordable and deeply local pantry staple, appreciated for their savory depth and versatility.
A broad family of wines from the Cape Winelands around Cape Town, spanning crisp Sauvignon Blanc, elegant Chenin Blanc, and structured Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines are known for their freshness, fruit clarity, and excellent pairing with seafood, curries, and grilled meats.
South Africa’s traditional bottle-fermented sparkling wine, often made in and around the Cape. It is lively, fine-boned, and citrusy, usually served chilled as an aperitif or with oysters and seafood.
A historic Cape sweet wine style associated with Constantia, just outside Cape Town, known for its honeyed richness and refined acidity. Served well chilled, it is a classic dessert wine with a long and storied reputation.
A fortified wine style made in the Cape, typically rich, warming, and plum-scented, with a velvety finish. It is traditionally sipped after dinner and pairs well with chocolate desserts or aged cheeses.
A nutty, amber-toned fortified wine from the Cape with flavors of caramel, dried fruit, and toasted spice. It is usually served as a digestif and is especially appealing in cooler weather.
Cape-made fortified wine in a dry to off-dry style, often used as an aperitif or in cooking. Its savory, slightly oxidative character works well with nuts, charcuterie, and Cape Malay snacks.
A fragrant Cape Town curry blending sweet spices, turmeric, cloves, and often dried fruit for a rounded, aromatic profile. It is usually served with rice, sambals, and chutney, and reflects the city’s Cape Malay heritage.
A baked spiced mince dish with a softly set egg topping, bobotie balances savory meat, gentle curry spice, and a touch of sweetness from fruit and chutney. It is one of Cape Town’s most emblematic dishes, often paired with yellow rice and sambals.
A slow-cooked Cape stew, usually made with lamb or mutton and vegetables, bredie is thick, aromatic, and deeply comforting. Tomato and spices give it body and warmth, making it a classic home-style dish in the region.
Marinated skewers of meat, often with dried fruit or apricot in the Cape Malay style, sosaties are sweet, tangy, and lightly charred. They are a favorite at braais and festive gatherings.
Crisp pastries filled with bobotie-inspired spiced mince, these savory snacks combine flaky texture with aromatic curry flavor. They are popular as finger food and showcase the Cape’s habit of folding traditional dishes into portable bites.
Fish cakes made from local fish and seasoning, viskoekies are crisp outside and tender inside, with a salty, savory flavor. They are commonly served with tartar-style sauces or chutney and reflect the Cape’s coastal pantry.