New Restaurants in Cape Town
Ongetem
NEW WINTER 2025 –
Ongetem! Wow! Chef Bertus Basson has burst in to the Cape Town dining scene with an absolutely brilliant concept with his ONGETEM (means “untamed” in Afrikaans). The concept and the menu are quite simply brilliant.
Prices and value for money – 10/10 – so very well priced!!!
Food – They have a braai in the open plan kitchen!!! Great flavours! Creative menu with lots of options. Perfect to share. Great team in the kitchen. Blew my socks off. Food ranges from a burger through to shared plates and big plates. 9/10.
Decor – Wow!!!!! 10/10 I would describe it as contemporary African. Buzzy. Vibey. Fun. Love it. Nguni cow skins on tables!
Cocktails – 8/10. Great!! Very well priced. Loved that they are using our local gin producer – Pienaar & Son Distilling Co.
Wine list – 8/10. I love that all of Bertus’s restaurants have great wine lists. As a local I would love to have the entry level wine in each category at a maximum of R250 a bottle. That would change me from an occasional diner to a regular diner.
Service – warm, down to earth and super friendly. Naturally there are teething problems as they get their systems set up.
Ongetem is located inside the new Hilton Hotel at the Longkloof studios development – 24 Park Rd, Gardens (just off Kloof Street). This is a great vibey new “hood”. Pauline’s has opened there (great coffees & baked goods) & there is a new wine bar there as well.
ONGETEM is open 7 days a week!!! Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Extra X-factor for me is that we will have a fun vibey spot in our hood for dinners on a Sunday and Monday night!!!
Bookings open on Dineplan
https://www.dineplan.com/restaurants/ongetem or check out the menu here
Scala Pasta
NOT YOUR MAMA’S PASTA!! The concept is a small plate pasta sharing menu. It is great fun to work your way through as many of the dishes as you can! Scala pasta’s menu has been developed by a collab between Italian Chef Luciano Monosilio and executive Chef Justin Barker. Chef Luciano was the youngest chef ever to win a Michelin star in Italy at age 27! The star was awarded for his incredible carbonara!!!
One of the newest food trends overseas is pasta bars! What gal does not love pasta??? What foodie does not have dreams about tasting the most incredible carbonara? Who does not love pasta with shavings of real truffle??
I was incredibly blessed to be invited to the launch dinner of Scala Pasta Bar. We were treated to a sit down dinner with multiple courses. It was a dinner that dreams are made of. The chef came out to introduce each course. I would happily return for each of these dishes! My taste buds were rocked to heaven and back on every dish. Shall we just call this my idea of foodie heaven.
TIP – they are now open for aperitivo drinks and snacks from early evening on their terrace! Perfect timing for summer in Cape Town!
Find them – 81 Church Street. Between Bree and Buitengracht. (next to the Heritage Square Parking lot!)
Hours – Open Monday to Saturday for lunch & dinner. Likely to open on Sundays from November.
Sonny and Irene
“Not-your-average neighbourhood cafe bakery, Sonny and Irene was designed to celebrate cafe-style classics with a contemporary twist.”
This restaurant reminded me of all the stories I had heard about Sea Point in its hey day. It was the posh upmarket area where locals would head to for the dinner dances and to celebrate a special occasion. Quite simply it is “GLAM” with its pink decor, beautiful bar area and retro chandeliers. The restaurant is owned by the Kove Collection and was affectionately named after Paul Kovensky’s grandparents.
They have considered all the details from all angles to make sure that they become a favourite of the Sea Point locals, the Capetonians and the visitors to our city. At the heart of the restaurant is the bakery, led by Pastry Chef, Chris Morrison. His baked goods are available in the main restaurant as well as in the more casual bakery which is located next door. The menu has been created by executive chef Amber Deetlefs and they have also added in one of our city’s most well known mixologist’s – Marshall Behaein!
We headed to try them out for brunch with my team for a farewell. My verdict – they are in the best brunch/breakfast spot in Cape Town. The menu of options for breakfast is vast. It ranges from healthy, to classics through to innovative. I loved the creativity of their breakfast menu! To add to the offering you have the fantastic baked goods from their own bakery! Thank goodness we were 8 people – we could taste some of the pastries and tarts while we waited for breakfast! Verdict – stalk them for the pastries and tarts! Delicious!
Location: 19 Kloof Road, Sea Point
Open daily for breakfast, lunch & dinner. No bookings taken for breakfast.
CULTURE WINE BAR
Culture Wine Bar is an awesome addition to Bree Street. It is the new baby of Chef Matt Manning of Grub & Vine. Matt Manning is a hugely talented chef and is an inspirational entrepreneur. Along with Grubb & Vine and the Chefs Studio has has always had a talented sommelier by his side since he launched. As a result the wine list has always been exceptional at his restaurant. His relationship with the wine estates led to them running regular wine events at the restaurant and the cooking school. As such it was a natural evolution to take over the wine bar next door when it closed down. Decor is super stylish in the Culture Wine Bar. I love it as it still has a down to earth feel. The food is “posh” British pub food in style in the wine bar. Snacks include scotch eggs and pork pies………….definitely a tribute to the Chefs roots! They also have arancini balls, charcuterie and cheese platters ……and naturally an amazing wine list. This is a great spot to meet up with a mate for a glass of wine or bubbles and a catch up! They may be indoors – but note that they have a lovely huge window that allows a great through draft of air!
NEED MORE INSPIRATION:
THE WORLD MOVES TOO FAST FOR ME NOW DAYS! Somehow the luxury of having time to update my website regularly does not happen. For current inspiration check the food group I started to support the food industry of Cape Town called THE CAPE TOWN EATS GROUP on Facebook. Here you will find where I am eating and which spots I am discovering – you will also get lots of inspiration from others who are sharing what is new and what they are offering in Cape Town. Look out for my posts under PAMELA MCONIE. Click here to join our Cape Town Eats Food Group on Facebook. MAKE SURE YOU AGREE TO THE RULES and answer the question or you wont be allowed in!
For more inspiration – check out my top rated restaurants in Cape Town here.
To learn more about the cuisine of Cape Town – join us on a foodie walking tour of the city.