MUST-VISIT new additions to the SA foodie scene

Must visit

Indulge in our selection of South Africa’s newest and best restaurants. Here are this season’s must-visit restaurants to explore. BY THEA BECKMAN

Sometimes, we find ourselves wondering where the South African restaurant industry gets its unending inspiration from. Every year, a bevy of new cafés, restaurants, bars and lounges opens their doors – or undergoes a design reinvention – to cater to the seemingly insatiable dietary and liquid appetites of locals and visitors. It’s an incredibly dynamic industry that keeps us enthralled with a constantly improving standard of innovation, and this summer is no different. So, here is our selection of new restaurants you just have to try!

SONNY & IRENE CAFÉ BAKERY CAPE TOWN

Whether you’re serious about healthy eating or hunger for an indulgent brunch, Sonny & Irene – the “not-your-average” neighbourhood café bakery – caters to all tastes. Located on Kloof Road in Sea Point, this stylish retro café has an onsite bakery and pastry bar, delivering sweet and savoury café-style classics with a contemporary twist. The pastry bar opens at 7 a.m. for that onthe-go co ee and breakfast, while the main café is open from 8 a.m. right through lunch to dinner. Then, the cocktail menu comes out to play.

Sea Point, Cape Town www.sonnyandirene.co.za

YORI ŌKĪ SUSHI & GRILL, KZN

The new Yori Ōkī Sushi & Grill at the Ballito Lifestyle Centre represents the time-honoured art of sushi and the distinctive flavours of contemporary Japanese fusion. But beneath that layer is an embodiment of the ‘greater than’ philosophy that Yori Ōkī actually translates to: it’s taking a small, intimate space and creating a wholly beguiling atmosphere; it’s taking a cuisine that is simple at its heart and delivering a unique sensory experience that showcases immense flavours; and it’s making sure everything they do – from sushi to service – is done with enormous generosity of spirit. Ballito, KZN | www.yorioki.co.za

ONE&ONLY VISTA BAR & LOUNGE V&A WATERFRONT

As a stomping ground for A-list celebrities – the likes of Leonardo di Caprio – the One&Only at the V&A Waterfront needs no introduction. This is arguably Cape Town’s most glamorous hotel, and the strikingly reimagined Vista Bar & Lounge certainly upholds this reputation. In an elegant and contemporary double-volume space, floorto-ceiling windows afford uncompromised views of Table Mountain. In the kitchen, internationally acclaimed local chef Karen Dudley has teamed up with resort executive chef Jacques Swart to create a bespoke menu that centres on fresh, local ingredients. V&A Waterfront, Cape Town www.oneandonlyresorts.com/cape-town

SCALA PASTA CAPE TOWN

While pasta dishes are traditionally served as stand-alone meals at restaurants, which you have to then guard with knife and fork against order-envious family members, at Scala Pasta, dinner is different. Here, the emphasis is on sharing, and sharing means variety. So, after some delicious antipasti – like a great glob of creamy burrata cheese, Piemontese tartare with black truffle, and bruschetta potato focaccia – the recommendation is to order three to five eye-closingly delicious pasta plates. Make sure you try the Signature Carbonara by Michelin-star chef Luciano Monosilio! He is, after all, “The King of Carbonara”. Church Street, Cape Town www.scalapasta.co.za

DUSK, STELLENBOSCH

“At Dusk, we Dine!” is the motto of chefs Darren Badenhorst and Callan Austin’s new thought-provoking restaurant on Plein Street, Stellenbosch. And with a philosophy rooted in restaurant psychology and employee mental health, you can’t help but like Dusk before you’ve even stepped foot inside. To approach the guest mind-first and then through the senses with its immersive and captivating multi-course dining experience is unique. Guests can choose between the tasting menu (R995) and the premium tasting menu (R1 590), the latter of which has more courses and more opulent ingredients. Both have a beverage pairing option. Plein Street, Stellenbosch | www.duskrestaurant.co.za

DEUX LIONS, LA BOURGOGNE FARM, FRANSCHHOEK

Set in the resplendent Franschhoek Valley at La Bourgogne Farm, Deux Lions o ers an exquisite culinary complement to the estate’s already divine repertoire of wines. Under the stewardship of head chef Nanda Cardoso, the kitchen transforms homegrown gifts from the farm into honest yet delicious seasonal dishes that are a feast for all the senses. From cheese and charcuterie boards and freshlybaked brioche to Franschhoek confit trout, lamb rump and pork belly, if there’s wine to be soaked up – and there will be because it’s Franschhoek – then let Deux Lions’ menu do the soaking.

Franschhoek www.deuxlions.za.com

MODERN TAILORS RESTAURANT & GIN BAR, JOHANNESBURG

“To think of Indian cuisine, to most, invokes a delicious assault on the senses,” says somebody smart at Modern Tailors Restaurant & Gin Bar in Rosebank, Johannesburg. And they’re totally right; it’s why Indian eateries are ubiquitous, no matter where in the world you travel to. But here, at Modern Tailors, the vivacious colours, eye-watering aromatics and kaleidoscopic flavours of authentic Indian street food are delivered particularly masterfully. When the food is made with this much love and reverence for its provenance, as humble as those origins may be, it couldn’t be anything but great. Rosebank, Johannesburg | www.moderntailors.co.za

THE NINES, CAPE TOWN

Just chillin’ on the ninth floor of the newly developed Station House at Nineteen Kloof Road, The Nines is the go-to rooftop restaurant and cocktail lounge this summer. From this lofty vantage point – with floorto-ceiling glass and a 200-square-metre deck – guests are a orded pretty much panoramic views over upper Sea Point and the glittering Atlantic Ocean. The Nines’ menu is all about “classics done right” with every dish a carefully considered standout, like the Seafood Risotto, the Lezena Spatchcock Roast Chicken, or the Lates Seabass. This isn’t even to mention the warm, inviting ambience, the exquisite lounge, and the cocktails. Sea Point, Cape Town | www.thenines.co.za

WIN A CASE

OF WINE Endura Chenin and Cape Blend wine! Win a mixed case of Perdeberg’s super-premium

With the festive season a Bing Crosby album away, there’s no time better than the present to start stocking your cellars with the kind of quality, versatile wines that pair beautifully with your favourite Christmas indulgences. Here’s a great way to win a mixed case of Perdeberg Cellar’s two brand new Iconic range wines: the 2018 award-winning Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc and Pinotage-led red blend, the Endura Winemaker’s Selection Cape Blend 2017.

ENDURA SINGLE VINEYARD CHENIN BLANC 2018

With a bouquet of ripe stone fruit, citrus and lemon leading into a rich palate, fresh acidity and mineral fi nish, the Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2018 is a true embodiment of Paarl’s loving reputation as ‘The Home of Chenin Blanc’. The Endura Chenin Blanc pairs well with most poultry (think roast chicken and turkey) and fi sh dishes and is an ideal match for spicy curries when served slightly chilled.

ENDURA WINEMAKER’S SELECTION CAPE BLEND 2017

The Winemaker’s Selection Cape Blend is a marriage of 69% Pinotage, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Malbec, all hand selected as the fi nest wines from French oak barrels. The toptier limited release is structured and elegant with a fi ne tannin structure, intense purple-red colour, and fruit-forward fl avours of blueberries, cherries and chocolate, borne aloft on a delicious bouquet of dark berries, blackcurrant, vanilla fl avours and spice. This wine pairs well with rich dishes such as Cape Malay curry, red meat and wild game.

ENTER NOW!

Subscribe to our newsletter on www.aspirelifestyle.co.za to win a mixed case of Perdeberg’s Endura Chenin Blanc and Cape Blend wine.

The competition ends 28 February 2023. T+C’s apply.