When you think of a place to go out for dinner, you seldom think of a hotel unless you happen to be staying there, but this could have you missing out on a great meal. Once such example is On19, the restaurant at the Westin Cape Town. This monolith glass building stands watch over the entrance to the CBD and is not only a place to stay, but also a great place to eat.

On19 is located on the 19^th floor and the views over the CBD are unrivalled. To the one side is Table Mountain and to the other the lit up Wheel of Excellence at the V&A Waterfront, and in-between these vistas twinkle the lights of the inner city.

For those who travel and stay overnight for work often, one of the toughest things is the feeling like you are out of your routine – whether that be a routine of eating well, exercising or sleeping, it can be very disruptive. One of the aims of the Westin brand is to minimise this feeling and to make your travel feel a part of your everyday, rather than an interference. They believe in a healthy lifestyle and this is a cornerstone of their food philosophy. They want guests to feel better when leaving the Westin and excited to return.

The food at On19 is contemporary comfort food and is a long way from the generic hotel food you may have come to expect. We dined at On19 recently and our expectations were really exceeded, not only by the food but by the friendly staff.

The menu starts off with a selection of delicious salads such as a Caesar with crisp fried Whiting and wafer thin crispbread or Bagna Cauda, a baby vegetable salad with garlic fondue and pistachio. We absolutely loved the started of Rooibos infused beef tartar and the ‘blackened’ tuna with popped rice and miso ginger dressing, was both dishes were layered with punchy flavours. For mains we sampled small portions of a number of the dishes on offer – the standouts for us were the beef fillet with burnt onion and parsnip puree and delicate pommes Anna. The Happy Hog – verjuice and honey glazed belly with bitterballen and pork popcorn – was utterly melt-in-the-mouth and something we would absolutely go back for.

We loved the idea that for dessert you can mix and match from the menu – who wants to choose just one after all? The oozy chocolate fondant was sublime, and the ice cream filled macaroon an unusual taste sensation.

The menu is well thought out and executed with care and attention. The combination of delicious food with spectacular views over the city make On19 a great place to have a business lunch, a romantic dinner or even just a place to enjoy a quality meal when travelling. It is not easy to tick all of these diverse boxes, but somehow On19 manages to do just that. Next time you are looking for a unique spot for a city meal, make sure On19 is on your list.

Enjoy views of the Mother City and a menu that is modern and packed with flavourful dishes.