#HighburyHearsYou – we at Cape Town Etc are passionate about getting local restaurants back and booming in business. As part of our #HighburyHearsYou initiative, we’re dishing out the deets on some incredible restaurants in and around town.
Capetonians are spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting a restaurant to eat at, with options like Bootleggers, Tigers Milk and Rocomamas all offering great meals at even better prices. These restaurants and ones similar to them have, however, become quite mainstream over recent years, and are often filled to the brim with patrons waiting to get in, which is less than ideal in a COVID-19 world.
To shed some light on the lesser-known restaurants, cafes, and delis around Cape Town, we have gathered a list of some of the best hidden gems out there for you to explore!
Four and Twenty Cafe
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Four & Twenty Café & Pantry is located in the charming Chelsea Village area, bringing a slice of Parisian pie to the neighbourhood. Patrons visiting Four & Twenty Cafe can expect delicious all-day breakfasts, hearty lunches, pastries that are sure to get your mouth watering, and a pantry stocked with sweet and savoury delights. The cafe prides itself on only using fresh, seasonal produce that has been sourced locally.
Operating hours:
Monday to Saturday from 8am – 5pm
Sunday: 9am – 4pm
Location: 23 Wolfe Street, Chelsea Village, Wynberg.
Ground Art Cafe
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Fine art lovers, this one is for you. Ground Art Caffe offers the perfect combination of artistic endeavours of Barista, Chef and Art Curator. The restaurant takes great pride in treating its coffee, food and art with equal respect.
Situated in the quaint, yet vibrant area of De Waterkant in Cape Town, Ground Art Caffe provides its customers with stunning views of Table Mountain, more natural light than they could ever need and of course the all-important free wi-fi. The menu is simple and focuses on fresh, healthy ingredients of local and European origin.
Guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to menu options, which include Ground’s own unique African Arabica coffee, panini’s, antipasti, freshly squeezed health juices, designer cakes, edibles and the best of Cape Town’s woodfire baked pastries. Once guests get tired of the spectacular views – if that is even possible- Ground’s has a dedicated wall for the art they exhibit which is a focal point in the space.
Operating hours:
Mon – Fri 7am – 4pm
Saturday 7am – 2pm
Sunday – 7am – 12pm
Location: 160 Strand Str, Cape Town.
Dolce Bakery
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Dolce Bakery was founded back in 2009 by Moshe Soffer, who had had a great love for both food and people. Moshe kept the business in the family, spreading happiness with no regrets and after a few years. It was taken over by his son, Russell Soffer, who shares that same passion for food and people.
As the name suggests, Dolce Bakery specialises in making some of the Cape’s most scrumptious pastries and cakes. These include celebration, vegan, and sugar and gluten-free cakes. For those looking for a more hearty meal, Dolce Bakery has you covered. The restaurant also offers both regular and vegan breakfast specials and delicious vegan and regular wraps, and of course open sandwiches that will keep you coming back for more.
Operating hours:
Mon – Fri 7:30 am – 5 pm
Saturdays 8:00 am – 2 pm
Location: 239C Lower Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town
Ons Huisie
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Ons Huisie, which directly translates to “Our Small Home”, is an internationally recognised heritage site in Bloubergstrand that features a world-renowned and recognised traditional restaurant. Patrons visiting this restaurant will be treated to spectacular views, delicious, traditional West Coast cuisine, dog-friendly facilities and picture-perfect views of the Atlantic Ocean and Robben Island.
Ons Huisie offers an extensive breakfast menu that runs from 09h00 – 12h00 every day, along with a lunch and dinner menu that features pretty much any heal your heart desires. From the classic fish and chips that Capetonians love so much, to mouth-watering lamb bridie, to everything in between, Ons Huisie has it all. In terms of what you’ll be washing your meal down with, Ons Huisie also has an impressive wine collection from some of the Cape’s best wine farms.
Operating hours: 9am to 10pm every day.
Location: 18 Generaal Jansen Road, Bloubergstrand.
Bombay Bicycle Club
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Bombay Bicycle Club is arguably one of the most unique restaurants on this list. “Headed up by Madame Zingara, The Bombay is a representation of our colourful history and an expression of our eclectic past; a venue where you are encouraged to let your hair down and expected to stay up way past your bedtime,” explains the restaurant on its website.
The menu caters to people from all walks of life. From a delicious ‘Vegan Buddha Bowl’, which includes the option of broccoli, brinjal, butternut, baby spinach sweet potato, chickpeas, or tahini & maple dressing, to hearty 300g grass-fed sirloin steak, no matter your craving, Bombay Bicycle Club has you covered.
While the food will certainly leave you wanting more, its unique atmosphere and aesthetic that will keep you coming back time after time!
Operating Hours:
Mon-Sat 4pm – 10pm
Closed on Sundays.
Location: 158 Kloof St, Gardens, Cape Town.
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Picture: Bombay Bicycle Club Cape Town