They say that you first feast with your eyes before you take a bite, and in some cases that starts before you’re served any food. Once you walk into a beautiful restaurant you’re immediately excited for your meal. A stylish interior can heighten your meal tenfold. In Cape Town, we’re spoiled for pretty restaurants, so here are our favourite restaurant to look (and eat) at.
Hallelujah
Look, let’s be upfront here, even if Hallelujah’s interior wasn’t great we’d still be queuing for those lobster rolls and poké. Luckily, it’s styled like a surfer’s tropical paradise with hypnotic flamingo wallpaper, a surfboard and kitsch neon lights. Just walking into the restaurant makes you feel cool. The food drives all these good looks home too, as chef Emma Hofmans serves up some of the best fare in the city.
Equus Dine at Cavalli
If you’re into clean, minimalist lines and dramatic artwork, then Equus is the restaurant for you. With a menu set around their stunning vegetable garden, their food is wonderfully representative of the surroundings. And those surroundings extend to the gorgeous interiors, complete with a gilded bar, retro light fittings and striking art installations. Oh, and the views aren’t bad either.
Shortmarket Club
Luke Dale-Roberts’ newest endeavour is turning out some exciting food but at the moment we’re crushing on the interior. Raspberry walls, vintage fittings and lush, rich woods all meld together to create a classy, old-world feel.The biggest calling card of the space however is a wall of framed, paper cut out butterflies using old Test Kitchen floor plans, photos and mementos from Luke’s older restaurants. Luke’s wife Sandalene took creative control of Shortmarket and we have to say, she’s done a cracking job.
Mulberry & Prince
The first thing that most people mention when they speak about Mulberry and Prince is the decor. It really is a sight to behold. We love the cool clash of pinks, metallics and rough concrete. The restaurant was designed with local artist Kurt Pio’s works in mind, and there are a number of his impressive pieces dotted around. When it comes to this newbie, you come for the delicious food but stay for the sumptuous interior.
Idiom Restaurant and Wine Tasting Room
Collaboratively designed by architect Thomas Leach and the Bottega family, the recently built restaurant and wine tasting room at Idiom is a beautiful, clean space that makes the most of its incredible surroundings. The winery is set high in the Helderberg Mountains and has been built using rocks quarried from the surroundings. Inside the restaurant and tasting room boasts an incredible view over the valley; the light and airy space is framed by textured beams that have been created out of single Bluegum trees. Sculptures by artist father-son duo Anton and Lionel Smit are dotted around the garden and interior and complete the look of this contemporary Italian-inspired space.
