Summer is here! It’s the perfect time to be out and about. Here are some great local hotspots you can visit whether you’re keen for a quick drink, a fun night out with your friends, a fine-dining experience or just a lovely Saturday brunch outing.
Western Cape
Perfect for: Fine dining
FYN Restaurant
Dining at FYN Restaurant in Cape Town’s city centre is a culinary experience like no other. This food marvel was recently ranked at number 37 on the World Top 50 list of restaurants. The restaurant uses Japanese cooking techniques to prepare South African indigenous fynbos ingredients. FYN was opened in 2018 by chef Peter Tempelhoff and his partners Jennifer Hugé and Ashley Moss and has been on the radar ever since. The menu consists of five-course kaiseki-style menus for lunch and dinner. Those with specific dietary requirements are considered as well, with plant-based and pescatarian menus on offer. The dinner menu is more in demand, but if you go for lunch, you are rewarded with beautiful views of Lion’s Head and Table Mountain. FYN Restaurant offers food and service any foodie should be excited about.
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Perfect for: A delicious brunch spot
Pyjamas + Jam
Pyjamas and Jam is a fantastic hidden gem in Somerset-West in the Helderberg valley (about 50 km from Cape Town). If you are looking for a laid-back, scrumptious brunch on a Saturday morning, this is your spot.
This charming and trendy eatery offers hearty food, good music, great coffee, eclectic décor, treasured antiques and a buzzing vibe – the perfect combination for any escape from busy city life. The menu includes breakfast, lunch and drinks, and good news – breakfast is served till 16:00, so no need to rush out of bed for the delicious poached egg green toast or chicken livers and mosbolletjies.
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Gauteng
Perfect for: A chic lunch outing
GRK by Ethos
Do you have a craving for Greek street food? Look no further – GRK by Ethos in Sandton will hit the spot. The Greek eatery opened in July and has been a local favourite, featuring Greek showstoppers like vaflaki and gyro. The gyro is made from a selection of thinly sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served wrapped in pita bread. With a selection of meats ranging from chicken to lamb, and four different types of imported Greek pita bread – carob, corn, choriatiki and wholegrain – there is a gyro for everyone! This relaxed space is well worth the outing for both the food and the chic setting.
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Perfect for: Drinks and dinner with friends
Ukkō Restaurant
Ukkō restaurant situated in Bryanston, Sandton is one of Jozi’s chicest hot spots right now. The Mediterranean–Asian restaurant specialises in tapas and small plates, ideal for sharing, and is the perfect meeting place for young professionals looking for a fun dinner and drinks over the weekend. Ukkō’s signature sushi is a menu highlight, especially the Ukkō roll with salmon, chives, avo and chilli. The décor and the buzzing vibe are any avid Instagrammer’s dream, so get dressed in your weekend’s best and enjoy a night out with your friends while you eat, sip, and snap the beautiful dishes and colourful cocktails.
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Durban
Perfect for: A coffee date
Bard & Minstrel (Umhlanga)
In the picturesque coastal town of Umhlanga in Durban, you’ll find this French brasserie-inspired café. Bard & Minstrel is ideal for a quiet coffee date, a catch-up with a friend or after-work drinks. The café serves small dishes and is the perfect spot to blow off some steam with friends as they serve the finest quality cocktails and Champagne. A great addition to the café is access to their contemporary library of Assouline coffee table books. Enjoy light meals such as the salmon tartare and a variety of delicious and eclectic sandwiches.
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