Sun-drenched beaches, swaying palms, dreamy turquoise water and sunset views…
Overlooking a palm-fringed sandy beach and an ever-buzzing promenade, Camps Bay overflows with South Beach-style sex appeal. By day, alfresco cafés overflow onto the pavements as Vespas and convertibles glide by – the vibe is hot and sexy but oh-so chilled.
If the pavement scene feels too buzzy, pick an upstairs eatery that floats above street level and watch as locals go about their day – swimming, surfing and cycling – all against a glorious backdrop of Lion’s Head and the Twelve Apostles.
At night, Camps Bay’s laidback persona is washed away by the tide and the suburb transforms itself into a glam cosmopolitan hub. Party-seekers flock to restaurants and bars on the famous strip to get a slice of the action, while dedicated diners seek out eateries with ocean views.
Salsify at the Roundhouse
On a nature-drenched mountainside high above Camps Bay, Salsify is right out of the beachside buzz but remains the foodie jewel in the crown. Glorious views of the Atlantic and Lion’s Head compete with the beauty on the plates, together creating something sublime. Chef Ryan Cole is quietly pushing the boundaries and creating a new, modern South African cuisine, inspired by nature, ocean and seasons. The 10-course chef’s menu (a reduced 5-course menu is also available for lunch) tugs the nostalgia strings with its local flavours (amasi, perlemoen, samp, fynbos, chakalaka), while still delivering surprising and brilliant culinary twists. Enhancing the experience is excellent service, top-tier wine-pairing options and edgy, chic interiors in the two dining rooms and the graffiti-lined Preservation Chamber, where a welcome drink starts off your meal. Just as the menu up-ends tradition, uber-contemporary decor and art (including an origami ceiling installation made from old Salsify menus) cleverly brings a dynamic and youthful energy to the historic building, with a raft of stories to tell.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 12.30pm – 3pm; 6pm – 9pm
Sunday, 12.30pm – 3pm
Contact 021 010 6444, reservations@salsify.co.za
Where to find it Roundhouse Road, off Kloof Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Mantra Café
Beautiful views, beautiful decor, beautiful people; Mantra Café epitomises the spirit of Camps Bay with a vibe that manages to be both chilled and happening. For the best views of palm trees, beach and ocean (people-watching, too) grab a table on the open wooden deck, or enjoy the gloriously plant-swathed interior, all upstairs at the heart of the Camps Bay strip. The café menu comes in generous portions – think smoked yellowtail crudo, butter-basted ribeye steak, slow-roast lamb rib, or grilled prawns – with an extensive wine list and excellent cocktails, and there’s an enticing breakfast menu too. A fantastic spot for brunch, sunset cocktails, date night or dinner with friends.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 8.30am – 10pm
Contact 065 823 3901, info@mantracafe.co.za
Where to find it 1st Floor, 43 Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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The Bungalow
It’s officially Clifton, but within a stone’s throw (literally) of Camps Bay, and with its position looking out over the ocean and Clifton 4th Beach, The Bungalow has the barefoot luxury beach vibes down to the max. For sundowners with the ultimate sunset views, this is the place to be, with DJs hotting up the beat on the weekends from 4pm – 8pm. But you can equally chill over lazy post-beach lunches of relaxed Mediterranean-style cuisine. Think seafood platters, butterflied prawns, sushi, champagne, cocktails. The always buzzy atmosphere makes it a popular place to soak up the stunning views and feel part of the beach-beautiful scene.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 11pm
Contact 021 438 2018, reservations@thebungalow.co.za
Where to find it Glen Country Club, 3 Victoria Road, Clifton, Cape Town
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Bilboa
Grab a table on the gorgeous deck at Bilboa under striped umbrellas and you’re in prime Camps Bay country, elevated above the road for uninterrupted views over the beach and Lion’s Head. The sophisticated interior with slick lighting and gold accents provides an escape from the weather, while keeping the views centrestage. The varied menu bursts with Eastern Mediterranean flavours, from burrata with grapefruit ezme (a spicy Turkish salad) to lamb belly ribs with date molasses and sumac, but seafood is really their speciality. Try the chargrilled baby squid with harissa or the chermoula-marinated seabass, perhaps with a crisp glass of bubbly to match the mood.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 11pm
Contact 021 286 5155, managers@bilboa.co.za
Where to find it Shop 120, First Floor, The Promenade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Azure Restaurant
The stunning views from The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa (just along the scenic coast road from Camps Bay) whisk you away from the city bustle into a world that is ocean, mountain and pure luxury. Where else in the world can you sit on the terrace of a restaurant with the majestic Twelve Apostles as a backdrop, picture-perfect Lion’s Head in the distance, poised above a bright blue sea as you dine? The hotel’s flagship restaurant, Azure, does things in style with linen tablecloths, silver cutlery and carpets you sink into. Chef Christo Pretorius’ elegant menus celebrate local flavours and sustainable seafood with deft and delicious expertise, supported by a fabulous wine list. A sumptuous setting for a special occasion or date night with a difference.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 7am – 10pm
Contact 021 437 9029, azure@12apostles.co.za
Where to find it Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Bo-Vine Wine and Grill House
When you come off the beach with a hearty appetite for a straightforward steak and a glass of wine, and a patina of Camps Bay cool, Bo-Vine is where you’ll find it. Amid moody, edgy, graffitied decor (or at a pavement table for that sundowner view), sip on a glass from the hand-picked winelist that covers all the bases, while you decide on your cut of meat from the grill. From Karoo wagyu, dry-aged tomahawk and T-bone, to wet-aged picanha, ribeye and hangar steak (all grain-fed South African beef), there’s almost too much choice… and an array of delicious sauces, butters and sides to decide on too. And you’ll find a classic grillhouse array of starters, burgers, salads and desserts, so there’s something for all the family.
Good to know The Attic by Bo-Vine upstairs is an intimate cocktail lounge with even better sundowner views.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 12pm – 11pm
Sunday, 12pm – 10pm
Contact 063 712 6310, bovine@cbkitchens.com
Where to find it The Promenade, 85 Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Café Caprice
An institution of the Camps Bay strip, Café Caprice has been rocking the beach bar and café vibes since it opened in 1999. With pavement tables to soak up the beachside buzz, an insta-worthy arched verandah framing the view, the Veuve Cliquot champagne bar, not to mention laidback lounges, it covers every Camps Bay mood. Pop by for breakfast after cycling or a morning swim, or for lazy lunches, sultry sundowners and weekend cocktails, with resident DJs setting the beat. A crowd-pleasing café menu moves from all-day breakfasts (eggs bennie et al) through burgers and sushi to steaks, salads, club sandwiches and calamari, and whether you’re after bubbly or a pornstar martini, the bartenders shake or stir the perfect pour for every occasion.
Good to know No children after 6pm on weekends. Live music Thursday to Sunday evenings when there is more of a club vibe and it gets packed.
Opening times Monday, 12pm – 12am
Tuesday – Thursday, 9am – 12am
Friday – Sunday, 9am – 1am
Contact 021 438 8315, reservations@cafecaprice.co.za
Where to find it 37 Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Surfshack
A trendy buzz and stunning sea views, Surfshack captures the laidback spirit of its beachside location. The view-drenched terrace offers front-row seats to the Atlantic Ocean (it’s upstairs at The Promenade so no traffic cluttering up your zen ocean-gazing), while inside the stylish interior lends itself to sitting back and soaking up the scene. A hit parade of delicious diner-style dishes starts with “sharables” and includes seared Ahi (yellowfin) tuna and bourbon sticky chicken wings. For mains opt for a bucket of shellfish, a poor man’s lobster roll (with prawns), bacon beer cheese burger, steaks or the ultimate crowd-pleaser… wood-fired pizzas. The drinks menu is extensive, including cocktails, mocktails and champagne.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 12pm –11pm
Contact 021 437 1802, info@surfshackdiner.co.za
Where to find it 201 The Promenade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Hussar Grill
There’s a reason that Hussar Grill is something of an institution for Camps Bay locals, despite (or perhaps because of) it being set up the hill away from the beach buzz with only a glimpse of a sea view (you do get a generous slice of Lion’s Head and mountain views to compensate). The top-quality aged beef, skilled grillers, excellent service and a no-corkage policy are consistent with all the branches of this well-known steakhouse. You can’t go wrong with the Madagascan pepper fillet served with a cream-and-green-peppercorn reduction (the peppercorns are soaked in brine before cooking, giving them a soft and smooth texture). Or go for fillet or sirloin on the bone. Then there’s a broad menu of other meats, chicken and seafood to cover all bases. The divine cheesecake for dessert is a must, then finish off with their complimentary signature chocolate-vodka martini.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 5.30pm – 11pm
Sunday, 12pm – 11pm
Contact 021 438 0151, campsbay@hussargrill.com
Where to find it Shop 2, 108 Camps Bay Drive, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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Victoria
An ode to all things cap classique, Victoria is a (best-kept secret) new addition to the Camps Bay scene, hidden away upstairs above Café Caprice, with high-beamed ceilings, arched windows looking over the beach and an elegant ambience. Dividing cap classique into six categories: vintage, nature, blanc de blancs, rosé, demi sec and private cuvée, it’s an opportunity to delve deep into the best bubbles in the Cape. The perfect pairing for bubbly, they reckon, is a specialised menu of sushi, and perhaps a trio of oysters (topped with watermelon-jalapeno cap classique granita) or some truffle shoestring fries, served along with chic Camps Bay vibes and glorious sunset ocean views.
Opening times Monday + Tuesday, 5pm – 10pm
Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 10pm
Contact 082 312 5611, hello@victoriaroadbeachclub.co.za
Where to find it 2 Van Kamp Street, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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The Codfather
If a Camps Bay restaurant not only survives but thrives this long without the blessing of a beachfront location, it’s got to be doing something right. Camps Bay’s OG of seafood has been doing things the unconventional way since its inception in 1998. With no menus (you read right), you can be sure that what’s on offer was still swimming a few hours earlier. The sushi conveyor belt is always rammed with locals and tourists, providing a buzzy vibe day and night. Just up the road from the seafront, the upstairs restaurant has glimpses of the ocean over trees and views of Lion’s Head, but it’s the huge selection of seafood you’ll be feasting your eyes on: yellowfin tuna, Norwegian salmon, wild-caught prawns, Mozambican langoustines, deep-sea south coast crayfish, scallops, smoked salmon and salmon roe, as well as butterfish, kingklip, yellowtail, swordfish, marlin, sea bass, east coast sole and sardines (depending on availability). Get plenty of help in making your decision from knowledgeable and friendly staff (and if you’re on a budget note the prices as your catch is weighed for you – it’s easy to get carried away with the cornucopia of abundance on display).
Good to know Vegetarian sushi is also on offer.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 10.30pm
Contact 021 438 0782/3, codfather@mweb.co.za
Where to find it 37 The Drive, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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The Pottery
The Pottery is an appealing place to chill that locals and families love, just up from the Camps Bay strip (in the same block as The Codfather). The laidback Wonki Ware ceramic-painting creative vibe is layered with warm and friendly service and easy café food. Pedro’s pizzas are a highlight: chewy, Neapolitan-style with the (IYKYK) leopard prints on the crust; then there are fresh salads, wraps, smoothies and milkshakes – a real hit with the kids. It’s a great place to head to for a post-beach toastie or waffle with the family. And it dials up its own brand of Camps Bay nightlife with happy hour cocktails and late opening on the weekends.
Good to know The First Thursday Sip and Paint sessions (with cocktail specials, Aperol spritzes and draught beers) are a vibe.
Opening times Monday – Wednesday, 9am – 5pm
Thursday – Saturday, 9am – 9pm
Sunday, 9am – 7pm
Contact 087 470 0743, campsbay@thepottery.co.za
Where to find it 41 The Drive, Camps Bay, Cape Town
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