The 10 Best Restaurants in Durbanville

Famous for its cool-climate sauvignon blanc, the best views of Table Mountain, and wine farm mountain-biking trails that stretch for miles, this suburb and wine valley on the northern outskirts of the city has a laidback charm and surprises around every fold of its rolling hills. From fine dining to farm fare, there’s food and wine for every occasion.

You might also be interested in The Best Wine Farms in Durbanville.

The Farm Eatery at Diemersdal

The restored stable at this historic, family-owned farm is the domain of chef Martin de Kock, who worked with George Jardine at Jordan Restaurant before starting The Farm Eatery here in 2014. His frequently changing tapas menu is the best way to experience his classic French style overlaid with hints of Asian, Provençal and Spanish influences. We highly recommend going for the chef’s menu: six plates over three courses (plus snacks and palate cleanser), which include spontaneous seasonal creations not on the main menu. Highlights when we visited were a double-baked Gruyère soufflé with broccoli; Cape salmon in a sweet potato Thai curry velouté; and roast duck with baby beetroot. But do keep space for desserts that really are to die for. Not in the mood for tapas? Tuck into the simple bistro menu of Chalmar beef or Abalobi linefish with chips and béarnaise, and a choice of sides.
Good to know  The terrace looks out over hills and vines and opens onto a lawn with lots of space to play, plus there’s a separate kids’ menu. On Thursday evenings there’s a very popular steak special. And Sunday lunch is a set menu of shared plates.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 12pm – 3pm
Thursday – Saturday, 6pm – 9pm
Sunday, 12pm – 3pm (set menu, reservations only)
Contact 021 976 1810, restaurant@diemersdal.co.za
Where to find it Diemersdal Wine Farm, Koeberg Road, Durbanville
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De Grendel (Panorama)

With its awe-inspiring views of Table Mountain looking over a dam, vines and farmlands, De Grendel is an instant escape from the city despite being only 20 minutes from the CBD. Forget for a minute, if you can, the spectacular location… the estate’s award-winning wines and classic fine-dining from chef Ian Bergh (a passionate locavore who previously worked with Franck Dangereux at La Colombe) are already a winning recipe for celebratory date nights and lunches. Menu descriptions simply list the ingredients (including organic produce from De Grendel farm and garden) without any verbal flourishes, leaving it to the plate itself to wow you, with the beautifully executed flair and flavours that have put the restaurant on the must-dine list since 2012.
Opening times Wednesday – Sunday, 11.30am – 1.30pm (last seating)
Tuesday – Saturday, 6pm – 8pm (last seating)
Contact 021 558 7035, restaurant@degrendel.co.za
Where to find it Plattekloof Road (M14), Durbanville, Cape Town
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Annapurna

Tucked away at the back of Durbanville’s Heritage Square centre, this cosy family-run eatery, named after the Hindu goddess of the harvest, looks relatively ordinary from the outside, but the food, the food! Passionate owner Ricky Poovan has run Annapurna since 2002, and continues to serve up rich, delicious, traditional North Indian cuisine prepared from scratch – chicken, lamb, seafood and fish curries (in “mild”, “medium” or “hot”), as well as a satisfying range of vegetarian, vegan and low-carb options – to a steady stream of appreciative locals. There are more than a dozen kinds of bread to mop up the sauces (and the moreish banana, apple and pineapple raitas), the butter chicken is to die for, and the pathia (lamb, chicken, prawns or fish in a sweet-sour-hot brown onion sauce) is worth the drive.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 4pm – 9pm
Contact 021 976 2046
Where to find it Heritage Square, corner of Vrede & Gladstone Streets, Durbanville, Cape Town
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Jéan Restaurant at Klein Roosboom

This boutique winery is one of the Cape’s true hidden gems, the restaurant windows opening straight onto the vines. Chef Loríanne Heyns takes an uncomplicated approach, balancing seasonal flavours and putting a spin on SA food heritage. Famous for the breakfast bagels, you could also start the day with Turkish eggs, feta whipped yoghurt, spicy zough sauce, za’atar-spiced herb and cucumber salad and butter-toasted flatbread. Menus change with the seasons but lunch might include smoked brisket bitterballen served with pickled jalapeno aioli, roasted pork belly with pear and parsnip, or fire-grilled chalmar sirloin steak.
Good to know Jéan Restaurant hosts live music events, grape stomping, and the fun ‘Tux & Tekkies’. The latter sees you dress up for a sunset or full-moon walk, which starts at the tasting room, takes you through the vineyards to canapés atop a hill, and ends with dinner in the restaurant.
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, 9am – 4pm
Contact 086 057 2572, bookings@kleinroosboom.co.za
Where to find it Tygerberg Valley Road (M13), Durbanville, Cape Town
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Chocolat Bistro

You had us at “chocolat”… Lovers of cakes and vintage bric-a-brac meet under the chandeliers in the resoundingly OTT baroque interior of this house-turned-restaurant, where even the flower vases are repurposed silver teapots. (There is also seating on the fairy-lit back porch or in the gorgeous garden, with a children’s play area.) The extensive menu covers all the bases – breakfasts, light lunches, mezze plates, pizzas and classic, crowd-pleasing mains (garlic snails, phyllo-wrapped fig-stuffed brie, chicken schnitzel, lamb shank, oxtail and pork belly). But it’s the sweet stuff you’ll probably be lured in by: all-day desserts and a range of cakes, red velvet, carrot cake, fig-and-pecan baked cheesecake and scones.
Good to know Poke your head into Petit Chocolat, the cubbyhole-sized shop, bakery and deli out back. The on-site Duchess Bar does cocktails, and a high tea menu is available. They opened a dedicated events space called The Birdcage in 2023.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 7am – 10pm
Sunday, 8am – 3pm
Monday 7am – 5pm
Contact 021 975 2426, bookings@chocolatbistro.co.za
Where to find it 46 Oxford Street, Durbanville, Cape Town
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The Tangram Restaurant at Durbanville Hills

Stunning views from the double-volume, glass-walled Tangram restaurant take in Table Mountain and the sweep of the bay. It’s a dramatic contemporary setting for a menu that chef Tamzyn Ehlers describes as “unpretentious yet sophisticated”, exactly the food you want to eat for a relaxed spoil. Expect approachable flavours and generous portions, with creative twists on old favourites to keep the palate entertained – a rich and savoury outsized oxtail raviolo, piping hot prawn arancini served with pumpkin-seed pesto, zesty spekboom and a creamy salmon mousse. Perennially popular, the pork belly is a fixture on the mains menu, and a grilled-to-perfection Chalmar beef fillet steak is accompanied with corn purée. In the evenings, each dish on the menu comes with a suggested complementary Durbanville Hills’ Collectors Reserve wine pairing in tasting quantities… and they actually are complimentary! Desserts are a standout too, Tamzyn’s pastry chef and baking background coming through strongly.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 8.30am – 11am; 12pm – 3pm
Tuesday – Saturday, 6pm – 10pm
Contact 021 558 1300, info@durbanvillehills.co.za
Where to find it Tygerberg Valley Road (M13), Durbanville, Cape Town
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Starke Brews at Contermanskloof

Hidden deep in Durbanville’s bucolic backcountry, Contermanskloof Farm is well-known to mountain bikers – after pounding its rugged trails, they gather in the walled courtyard, where you’ll find an artisanal microbrewery, Starke Brews. Grab a table to imbibe the dappled sunshine, and feast on pizzas prepared in the open-air kitchen. Pop into the taproom to order beer-on-tap and tasting flights (including one-off speciality brews such as a Japanese-inspired rice lager). Or choose from the wine and MCC selection. There is a huge enclosed children’s play area with a jungle gym, sand pit, slides and monkey bars.
Good to know The historic 1706 Dairy Shed serves as a winter beer garden on rainy days when the outdoor section can’t be used. The coffee shop (which has been operating on a takeaway-only basis since 2020), will be re-opening as a sit down café again in time for winter.
Opening times Starke Brews: Friday, 12pm – 7pm; Saturday, 11am – 6pm; Sunday, 11am – 4pm
Coffee shop: Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm; Saturday + Sunday, 8am – 2pm
Contact 082 588 6933 (WhatsApp), margauxstarke@gmail.com
Where to find it Contermanskloof Road (off the M13), Durbanville, Cape Town
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D’Aria Winery

Whatever your dining mood, the Copper Collection restaurants at D’Aria have it covered. The light, airy glasshouse of The Terrace is the place for lazy light-filled lunches: with a sushi-making station and dedicated pizza oven, plus seafood, steak, burgers and salads. It’s ideal for everyday meet-ups with a Mediterranean feel and lots of open-air tables. If a perfectly grilled succulent steak with tasty and creative sides and starters is your deal, head to Patina Steak & Wine. Leather booths, smooth walnut tables and touches of copper create a refined, moody and cosy fireside setting in the Old Stone House, with a few tables on the verandah for sunny summer evenings. Or settle in for the evening next door at the plush Botany Lounge, sipping sophisticated cocktails and snacking on the nicely balanced small plates.
Opening times Monday – Thursday, 12pm – 11pm
Friday + Saturday, 11am – 11pm
Sunday, 11am – 5.30pm
Contact 021 205 0572, info@coppercollection.co.za
Where to find it Tygerberg Valley Road (M13), Durbanville, Cape Town
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Saltwater Grill

A dedicated seafood restaurant in the northern suburbs? Saltwater Grill is proof that with passion, great ingredients and a dedicated team, the restaurant odds can fall in one’s favour, as owner and restaurateur Dylan Paioni demonstrates here. Light and elegantly decorated (the acoustics can get a touch loud, the price for its popularity), it’s conveniently located in the centre of Durbanville to the joy of locals. The well-priced menu offers fish in all its myriad forms – from sushi and poké bowls, oysters and mussels, to ramen, pasta, curry, tempura and classic grilled or fried options, not to mention decadent platters. The signature Spanish seafood stew is a standout, and your vegan dining companions will be happy, too. The winelist gives a lovely nod to local Durbanville estates.
Good to know Booking essential. There’s a bar on-site, and a cosy fireplace. Find parking in the Post Office parking lot, or in the nearby Village Square centre.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 11.30am – 10pm
Sunday, 11.30am – 5pm
Contact 021 224 0063, swgrillsa@gmail.com
Where to find it 33 Oxford Street, Durbanville, Cape Town
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Hussar Grill Durbanville

Hussar Grill’s reputation for consistent excellence extends to its Durbanville branch, conveniently placed in the upmarket Village Square centre with safe underground parking. The traditional ambience of green-leather booths, walls filled with vintage photos and memorabilia, and shelves crammed with books and bottles, gives it an immediately familiar timeless feel. You can rely on carefully aged, grilled-to-perfection steaks, luscious gourmet burgers, spare ribs that fall off the bone, as well as a host of chicken, seafood, salad and vegetarian options, plus an award-winning winelist. The chocolate vodka martinis from the beautifully appointed bar come highly recommended, or finish off in style with an after-dinner cognac.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 12pm – 10pm
Sunday, 12pm – 4pm
Contact 087 809 3885, durbanville@hussargrill.com
Where to find it The Village Square, Oxford Street, Durbanville
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Which are your favourites? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

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