UPPER UNION RESTAURANT

Best for: Truly flavour-packed small plates complete with creative cocktails

Ultra-modern, technically excellent sharing plates are the lure at this swanky new restaurant next door to Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel. One step into its space, one drink from its cellar and one bite of its menu, we were hooked on MORE Family Collection and chef Amori Burger’s latest project. Upper Union Restaurant is the perfect example of a restaurant that lets the ingredients speak for themselves –from the blackened beetroot and green falafel right down to the yellowtail crudo and hearty rib-eye steak. The beautiful interior here is a definite plus to boot. If you’re yet to see the reimagined heritage building with Victorian-inspired stainedglass windows in person, you’ve likely seen it on Instagram. A jazzy soundtrack hums gently over a palette of emerald green, black and white with textures of oak, marble, slate and brass. During the day, the restaurant is bathed in natural light, while at night the mood shifts to sultry. We like Upper

Union Restaurant even more for dreaming up the best outdoor dining spot imaginable. No matter the choice off the menu, every morsel is treated with an expert hand. Highlights include the fig and red onion bhaji fried to crispy perfection, served alongside tamarind chutney and raita; the creamy burrata cheese and prosciutto that’s ideal for dipping the seeded flatbread into; and the most tender, fall-apart lamb made with baharat sauce, rose and curry leaf. Dishes get even tastier as you move down the menu. Dig into the Southern-fried chicken piled up with a garnish of mango, or the vodka tempura kingklip that’s given a cleverly light and fresh touch with green apple. Be sure to order one of the cocktails here, too – either to start while getting stuck into the bread, or to end. The espresso martini with Absolut Vanilia Vodka hits the sweet spot.

3 Upper Union Street, Gardens

021 891 0360 www.upperunion.co.za