Ticking off 92 global cities (and counting), Shan has lived in Southeast Asia for six years, including Vietnam and Thailand. She has previously called New York and Durban home. A traveling creative soul, Shan has a serious penchant for delicious words.
Seafood lovers: If you’re en route to Cape Town and are in the mood for a pescatarian feast, you’ve arrived in the right city. King-sized prawns grilled to melt-in-your-mouth perfection, the freshest oysters, seared buttery scallops, succulent crayfish tails, and lobster tartare. And lest we forget about the Cape’s iconic salty West Coast snoek. If you’re anything like me, I always go for seafood over meat-heavy dishes.
The seafood sailing its way out of the waters around South Africa is internationally famous. Like the rest of the country’s fresh produce (always globally exported), the array of oceanic varieties is top class.
What better way to experience the best seafood restaurants in Cape Town than with jaw-dropping views to boot, from beachfront settings to backdrops of Table Mountain in all its glory?! Because let’s be real, an incredible dining viewdoes make all the difference.
Fine-dining establishments, more casual eateries offering seafood platters, oyster bars, and even sushi options. Here are some of my favorite spots in the Mother City for a seafood extravaganza. Lekker!
1. PIER – Imaginative and contemporary with V&A Waterfront views
Where does one even begin with PIER. Headed up by the same team behind La Colombe, PIER is an experience, from the iconic on-the-waterfront setting to the intricate plating design, all inspired by the ocean, duh. Think coral-shaped cutlery rests and courses that arrive on seashells.
The set menu changes seasonally, and the flavors are seafood stars influenced by classic South African ingredients. My favorite course from their springtime menu is the tuna dish, and of course, the dessert. And get this, PIER first designed its honeycomb-shaped plates used for its sweet endings and then concocted the dessert around this! How epic – and talk about creativity?!
(Credit: Shan Osztonits)
Expect exceptional service — for someone with food intolerances, it was one of the few times I’ve visited a fine dining restaurant and been asked such specifics regarding intolerances (Little Miss Lactose Intolerant over here). Our waiter asked if I could eat cultured butters, no full dairy, or both. Impressed is an understatement.
2. Salsify at The Roundhouse – Out-of-this-world food presentation
If you can nab a booking (months in advance is usually required), the famed Salsify at The Roundhouse is the type of seafood restaurant you’ll remember forever. I should also mention that it’s not just a great seafood restaurant, this is one of the best restaurants in Cape Town, all things considered.
Nestled between the trees in the Camps Bay area, the rounded restaurant building dates to the 18th century. You’re treated to mesmerizing vistas of Lion’s Head mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, and, of course, the plates of art exiting the kitchen.
(Source: Salsify at The Roundhouse)
Seafood-driven, the seasonal 10-course Chef’s Menu loves local ingredients like abalone, yellowfin, and spekboom. Let’s just say that if the Michelin Guide did make its way to South Africa, Salsify would be at the top of the list.
3. FYN – Fine dining inner city vibes
Cape Town isn’t just all ocean; the inner city bowl boasts some seriously stunning old-school buildings! Found in the heart of it all, FYN welcomes you for an extravagance of South African/Japanese fusion delights. It’s my personal favorite seafood restaurant in Cape Town, offering something a little different than the typical seafood platters. It also happens to be one of our favorite restaurants in Cape Town – across all categories.
Arriving here, you’re first greeted downstairs next door to an art gallery, and then take a vintage elevator upstairs to where the magic happens. Another spot that’s crazy about local ingredients, things get super creative in this kitchen, switching out quintessential Japanese elements such as wakame seaweed for locally harvested kelp.
(Credit: Shan Osztonits)
The interiors are incredible — don’t forget to look up — and so is the customer service, epitomizing the minimalist essence of Japanese cuisine. Keep the funky cocktails flowing and they also stock premium sake (naturally).
P.S. Their usual 10-course menu has loads of seafood throughout, but they also have a pescatarian-only menu.
P.P.S. Their famous Burnt Mushroom Custard Hokkaido Milk Bun is NEXT LEVEL and never leaves the menu for good reason.
4. Harbour House – All the best of South African seafood
There’s something about feasting on seafood that’s just that much more authentic when you can actually see and smell the ocean. Harbour House Kalk Bay is just that, with nautical design and interiors to amp the ambiance just that little bit extra.
Listen to the sound of the waves crashing beneath you whether you’re sitting outside or indoors. Start with appetizers of oysters or spicy Mozambican butter prawns, and sweet grilled crayfish for mains. There’s also a sushi bar if you’re feeling something extra fresh.
(Source: Harbour House)
Harbour House actually has two locations in Cape Town. One in Kalk Bay (which has so much to do on its own) and another right on the V&A Waterfront. Both are beautiful, and especially lovely for date night with a view!
5. The Mussel Monger & Oyster Bar – For Saldanha Bay mollusks
A little local secret in case you didn’t know: South African oysters and mussels are off the charts! Farmed fresh off the coastlines, I highly recommend ordering a round if you get the chance. Plus, when converting the Rand to other currencies, you’ll be flabbergasted as to how “cheap” oysters are in South Africa compared to other countries, such as France.
Down at Sea Point’s Mojo Market, there’s the super fresh Mussel Monger & Oyster Bar. Offering premium oysters harvested straight off the rocks every Friday, slurp ‘em back fresh, with a side of Tabasco and a glass of bubbles.
(Source: The Mussel Monger & Oyster Bar)
If you love your mussels, they do a few variations, including a tempura Japanese-inspired number. Grab a chair around the enclosed market, and check out the scenes happening along the Sea Point Promenade a few streets down.
6. Codfather Seafood & Sushi – Table Mountain backdrop; Camps Bay Beach in front
Whenever you stumble upon a restaurant with fresh displays of seafood on ice, you know they mean business. With the option to select your own crustaceans, fish, squid, and more, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to underwater treasures at Codfather Seafood & Sushi, one of the best seafood restaurants in Cape Town.
We’re talking lobster, crayfish (that’s yabbies if you’re from the USA or Australia), langoustines, prawns, and and and! The food here is fuss-free, focusing on making the seafood itself the hero of every dish. Dishes are served in hot cast-iron pans, with a side selection of chips (French fries), rice, fresh vegetables, or salad.
(Source: Codfather Seafood & Sushi)
The shellfish sizes are impressive and great value for money, and you’ll find proteins like salmon, sardines, kingklip, dorado, yellowfin tuna, swordfish, and sole (a must-try when in the Cape) on the menu, too. Or, enquire about the fresh catch of the day — they have a wide selection, including scallops.
If you’re after an extra-special setting, reserve a table in the downstairs wine cellar.
7. Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic – A Hout Bay gem
With a waiting list that’s months long, it’s the combination of this Hout Bay setting (further out from the heave of the city), Michelin-worthy food, and special touches like a “chauffeur service” to reach the restaurant itself that make up its charm.
Local tip: If you want to get a reservation, try for an earlier lunch seating on the day you want to go – or the day before. You might just get lucky.
Right on the seaside, this is another fine-dining establishment to add to your list, offering guests a five-course set tasting menu. I would without hesitation recommend booking a table on the outdoor patio resting on the ocean.
Even if you’ve eaten at Chefs Warehouse Tintswalo before, the menu never stays the same for too long, regularly updated with the change of seasons. Mouths water over dishes such as Linefish Sashimi with kumquat dressing, yuzu jelly, and abalone XO or their famous Togarashi Squid served with charred jalapeno mayo and buttermilk mousse. It’s considered one of the best seafood restaurants in Cape Town time and time again.
8. On the Rocks – THEE place for sunset panoramas
Well, with a name like On the Rocks, go figure! Set up on the rocky shores of Bloubergstrand, cheers to views of Table Mountain to one side and the famous Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned) on the other over a glass of crisp Western Cape vino.
Considered one of Cape Town’s top beaches because of its views and setting, this Cape Town seafood restaurant is the perfect place to wine and dine before or after a blissful beach day or sunset session — so don’t leave your cameras behind.
(Source: On The Rocks)
What’s on the menu? It’s a celebration of West Coast seafood and traditional SAFFA dishes. Try the Cape Malay seafood curry or the On the Rocks Trio of the Sea. The atmosphere is laid-back yet refined, so feel free to keep your Birkenstocks on or dress up. But no matter how you turn up, On the Rocks always turns up, which is why it’s one of the best seafood restaurants in Cape Town.
9. Café Orca – An affordable on-the-beach setting
If you’ve decided to explore or stay around the south side of Cape Town, I’d suggest booking a table at Café Orca for their Seafood Platter dripping in lemon butter and garlicky goodness (they also do one up, adding crayfish to the mix).
It’s got an unpretentious vibe, and the menu is really well-priced in comparison to some of the other seafood jaunts around Cape Town. I also love this spot for its variety of cooking styles and flavors, from Alaska to Thai-style.
(Source: Cafe Orca)
Just down the road from Blouberg, Melkbosstrand is about a 15-minute drive, and the restaurant is a stone’s throw from the sands.
Special Mention: Riva Italian Fish Restaurant – For authentic Italian
If you’re as in love with Italian cuisine as I am, then look no further than Riva Italian Fish Restaurant.
While this spot may not have the same WOW views as the above selections, it’s the whole pukka Italiano experience and flavors that do it for me. After all, it was opened up by two born-and-bred Italians. Plus, it is situated down at Die Waterkant (V&A Waterfront). Everything screams authenticity down to the last bite of al dente homemade pasta strand — Sicilian style.
(Source: Riva Italian Fish Restaurant)
Slow-cooked octopus, icean carbonara (with semola squid ink spaghetti, marinated egg yolks, and crunchy fish skin), fish paper bombs, seafood tartares, and fritto misto paranza are just some of the mouth-watering delights you’ll catch them serving up at this ristorante.
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