Restaurants and Delis in South Peninsula

Sucumb to temptation at The Sweetest Thing, the best coffee and patisserie shop in Simon's Town. Choose from a selection of delectable cakes and pastries including cheesecake, lemon meringue and chocolate éclair. The patisserie also offers excellent coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, delicious pies and quiche, all made daily on the premises by Doreen and her friendly team.

Doreen Alcock won the Diners Club National 2008 Dine Award for the Most Promising Pastry Chef Newcomer. The Sweetest Thing has been open for two years and is co-owned by Doreen and her husband Keith. Patrons can enjoy a selection of delectable pastries including, cheesecake, lemon meringue and chocolate éclair. The patisserie also offers excellent coffee, breakfast, delicious pies and quiche.

Rioja offers really exceptional cuisine - experience first class fine dining with Simon, charming proprietor and highly qualified master-chef, in an African game lodge ambiance. Rioja is situated at Solole Game Reserve and is just five minutes from Kommetjie along Kommetjie Road. Definitely a favourite with locals!

This is a truly delightful deli where you can buy a wide selection of freshly baked croissants, breads and rolls every day. The Deli stocks a variety of cheeses, cold meats, pesto, spices, seafood, free-range chicken, tasty steaks and a very wide variety of locally produced wines at good prices! This is a shopping experience not to be missed!

Flip over to Flukes for a whale of a time with a couple of friends. Overlooking Glencairn Beach and situated between Simon’s Town and Fish Hoek, Flukes Restaurant has become a social hub for locals and visitors alike. The terrace encourages lingering over tuna steaks, chilled wine and the mesmerising views of the bay with a gathering of friends. Flukes' indoor restaurant has a cosy 'olde worlde' feel with wooden floors and Victorian fireplaces – perfect for an intimate fine dining evening.

Named after the famed whale tail, Flukes is a year round gourmet sensation for diners to sink their teeth into. Whale-sized portions are served for regular-sized prices. The choices range from hearty meat dishes to fresh seafood, with an assortment of vegetarian fare and a bewildering array of daily specials.

"Jist get to the old salty sea deawg there!" If your tummy is rumbling and all that penguin gazing in the fresh air has given you an appetite for seafood then this is the place. Here you can get value-for-money seafood and good old fish and chips, even with mushy peas if you like! It has a great view of the harbour and relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere. 

“…experience Luminous Lunar mist on the Cape to Cuba Riviera..."  Saints and savages alike love this quirky restaurant set on the beach with unsurpassed views of the harbour and the Hottentots Holland mountains. Don’t be surprised to see Ché passing through while you puff on a cigar sipping one of the best cocktails in Cape Town. Filled with understated surprises real and fake – Cape to Cuba is a veritable feast, a siesta, a carnival. Chill in this Bohemian Cuba carved by the tides. Everything in the restaurant is for sale including the decor which has become a popular concept with diners!

In the heart of Simon's Town, located on the waters edge, you'll find Bertha's Restaurant and Coffee House. A charming restaurant in a quaint village, Bertha's is relaxed and informal with a cosmopolitan appeal, a favourite place for visitors to pass a few leisurely hours or a long lazy afternoon. The restaurant fronts the old Town Pier and boasts picturesque views across the yacht harbour and over False Bay.

Bertha's extensive menu features fine South African fare, fresh seafood and great Cape Wines. Their selection of auction wines is impressive, with some of them not available elsewhere. The service is professional, the staff fast, efficient and unobtrusive. Bertha's team of skilled chefs, headed by Laurence Burgess and Rachmat Botha use only the freshest and finest ingredients to prepare their delectable dishes. The emphasis is on flavour and presentation, and you're never left disappointed.

Enjoy the relaxed, breezy ambience combined with the bustle of a busy establishment. Spend a few hours in cheerful company, enjoy cocktails at sunset out on the terrace or be swept away by the sheer romance of this upmarket restaurant at night.

Need to know? Bertha's is open for breakfast, lunch (full or light) and dinner - also wickedly delicious tea-time treats, or just drinks. Whatever your taste, Bertha's is diverse enough to cater for just about everyone.

Nestled unobtrusively on one of the most scenic coastlines in the Cape, conveniently just outside Simon's Town and en-route to Cape Point, this historical building, once a whaling station, ensures the perfect setting for an idyllic lunch or evening experience. During "whale season", guests often enjoy their meal whilst watching whales cruising along the coastline. Established as a restaurant for 27 years, the Black Marlin has earned a reputation for its stunning seafood, award-winning wine list, attentive service and incredible views.

The garden, with its 100-year-old Camellia Japonica tree and unparalleled ocean views, offers "al fresco dining" or, one may choose to dine within the restaurant. There is also the option to dine within our large glass enclosed function room which offers spectacular views and a huge open grill, where one can watch the vast array of seafood being cooked to perfection.

The Black Marlin offers an extensive menu with the main emphasis on seafood, complimented by the other choices of fine contemporary cuisine. House specialities include Cape Rock Lobster, Kingklip Spit (grilled kingklip wrapped in bacon and served on skewers), Sesame Prawns served with peanut satay sauce, seafood platters, oysters and mussels. Through the many years of providing top quality fresh seafood and impeccable service to the locals and foreign tourists, this restaurant has become world famous. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable and highly trained.

Situated in a sheltered valley and surrounded by old oak trees, the 250 year old farmhouse offers relaxing al fresco dining - or if the weather is unpleasant, indoors in the historic old farm building. The Cape Farmhouse Restaurant is a family run concern on route to the Cape Point Nature Reserve.

The lunchtime menu is African inspired and redolent of the tastes, spices and herbs of Morocco through to the Cape itself. Breakfasts are farm-style, with home-made bread and real free-range eggs. As much of the produce as possible is gathered from their own organic vegetable gardens.

Rock with your tot at Farmhouse Rocks! Take your little one to the Cape Farmhouse on a breezy Summer afternoon where he can shake his tush and get rid of excess energy to the tunes of a live band. The Cape Farmhouse hosts Saturday concerts showcasing South African musicians. These are outdoor events with food from the fire and a cash bar. So, slap on some sunscreen, throw a blanket on the grass, grab a frosty and groove to your favourite band!.

Need to know? Open seven days a week from 9.30 till 5pm. There is plenty of safe space for kids to play.

"I'd like to be, under the sea in an Octopus' Garden with you" Wacky, eclectic, vibrant, sexy and funky, stepping into the Octopus Garden Restaurant feels like entering into a shimmering Aladdin’s cave.

Think Alice in Wonderland; think Under the Sea; think a mad collection of knick knacks filling a brightly painted and fairy lit intimate little living room complete with wooden floors and a piano - that's The Octopus' Garden in St James (between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay). Inspired by the Beatles song, this historic old post office building has been transformed through much love into a cosy, happy and romantic venue for breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

Situated right next to the St James train station and with a super view of the whales, waves, the St James swimming pool and the brightly painted original 'bathing huts', this gem of a venue invites customers to laze around tables or in a hammock in the shaded garden (dogs and toddlers very welcome), in amongst the restaurant's organic herb garden.

The music drifts between Frank Sinatra and upbeat African drumming and the service always arrives with a smile. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will delight in the culinary treats on offer. A great venue for birthdays, kitchen teas and engagement do's. Look out for the quotes in the loo and perhaps add your own. "We await you with tentacles wide open!"

Need to know? Average main course: R60 Licensed: yes, corkage: R20 Open: Lunch , Dinner Monday closed (all tentacles must rest!) Tuesday - Sunday: 10:30 - late

The menu boldly warns"If you feel a wee bit amorous or oddly captivated by your dining partner during or after a meal with us , we do apologise but our cooking incorporates the odd aphrodisiac and HUGE quantities of love" The coffee is Italian and "The best in the Southern Seas" and the desserts are decadently delicious (be sure to sample the infamous chocolate orgasm!).