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The local restaurant scene is buzzing with activity, showing no signs of slowing down! With new spots popping up in the Cape and Gauteng, the list of must-have reservations in March includes wine tastings both in the Winelands and city, restaurants boasting seaside views, convenient access to padel courts, and much more! Read on to see where you should be making your reservations this month.
Cape Town and the Winelands
Savora Camps Bay
(Camps Bay, Cape Town)
The next time you’re headed towards the Atlantic Seaboard, pre-book a table on the patio at Savora in Camps Bay. With stunning views of the beach, creative cocktails mixed up by expert mixologists, and friendly, on-the-ball staff, it’s a fantastic new spot to try out this summer. On the food menu, you’ll find a mix of small plates, separated into “sweet”, “salty” and “umami” sections, as well as a selection of big plates, including ribeye steak and a mouthwatering lamb burger. Don’t miss their daily two-for-one happy hour on all cocktails from 3 pm to 7 pm – just another reason to drop by!
What a wonderful evening we had! The staff are delightful and so on the ball. The food and cocktails are outstanding in presentation, flavours and execution. You definitely want to come here!
Pink Valley Wines
(Helderberg Rural, Stellenbosch)
Pink Valley estate sits on the slopes of Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch and is owned by the Oddo Family of France. They produce a single French-style rosé, featuring fun and colourful label artwork inspired by South African abstract painter Walter Battiss. In addition to the rosé, the restaurant at Pink Valley makes the farm well-worth a visit. Take in the beautiful scenery, enjoy a glass of rosé, and explore the menu by sharing a bit of everything with your group. The menu includes breads with an assortment of dips, sharing plates with flavours from around the world, and “somethin’ sweet” to end your meal. Pro tip: Don’t miss the spinach and mozzarella balls.
Excellent as usual. Delicious food, excellent service and a lovely, peaceful setting.
Vrymansfontein
(Suid-Agter-Paarl Road, Paarl)
Vrymansfontein, which is part of the Vondeling Wines family, is a stylish, new food and wine destination out in Paarl. This working almond farm sits on Paarl Mountain’s southern slopes, offering stunning views of Simonsberg and Table Mountain. Here, you’ll find two restaurants – Scape and the Tree Bar – both of which serve simple and clean Mediterranean-inspired dishes and champion local, seasonal produce. Scape is a sophisticated fine-dining restaurant where you can mix and match any of the plates on the menu, while the Tree Bar is a more casual spot for alfresco dining and is perfect for families and larger groups. The menu offers a tasty selection of simple dips, appetisers, and platters. Before your meal, make sure to swing by the Vondeling Tasting Bar to sample their wines before deciding which you’ll order with your meal.
Please note: Vrymansfontein is a cashless property.
Fantastic afternoon, really impressed all around. Food is delicious and bubbly too. Appreciated the little extras to make my birthday special. Can’t wait to go back!
Johannesburg and Pretoria
Livy’s
(Randburg, Johannesburg)
There’s been yet another exciting restaurant opening in Dunkeld! This time, it’s Livy’s – a vibrant, pop art-inspired all-day social club. They serve “love on every plate” with a menu full of tasty options: small plates, fresh salads, filling sandos, and signature grills, including top-quality cuts of beef, chicken, fish, and veggies. After your next game of padel, grab a spot on the colourful and sunny patio, order a round of spritzes and enjoy a meal overlooking the courts. As they say themselves, it’s the perfect place to “sip, savour, and socialise.”
Loved this spot. Perfect for a girls’ lunch or first date.
Gigi Restaurant – Waterfall
(Midrand, Gauteng)
With a background working in some of South Africa’s top kitchens, including Zioux, FYN, the Saxon Hotel and Greenhouse, Chef Moses Moloi has just opened his own restaurant, Gigi, in Waterfall. The menu blends inspiration from Chef Moses’ global travels with modern South African flavours. Despite their recent opening, the service is seamless and friendly. As for the restaurant itself, it’s beautiful. With bold floral prints, a mix of textures, natural materials, and soft lighting, the space feels open and welcoming. Join them Monday to Sunday, for brunch, lunch and dinner.
What a lovely dinner! I met one of the chefs, Wesley, in the morning walking past the newly opened restaurant and he was so passionate and enthusiastic that I decided to visit that same evening with hubby in tow. We had 5 of their Small Plates. There is more than enough on each plate for 2 to share. Hence no menu envy… We will definitely be back.
WineDown Boutique Bar
(Centurion, Gauteng)
This new wine bar in Centurion was created to bring a slice of the Cape Winelands to Gauteng. With a selection of standard and premium wine tastings to choose from, as well as cheese and charcuterie platters to share, this is a great little inner-city “winelands getaway”. And, if wine isn’t your thing, you can opt for a gin tasting instead. WineDown is open from Tuesday to Saturday, and bookings are recommended to secure your seat and avoid missing out.
“Being in Centurion, we longed for a place where we could have a great glass of wine with friends, with the feeling you get when you’re in the Cape Winelands being hosted by the winemaker on the farm.” – Sannel and Monique (WineDown founders)
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