Fresh flavours and a neighbourhood vibe.
Thirty years after starting Bellagio in Joburg (where it’s become a well-loved name), chef-owner Louise Castle has brought her classic Mediterranean dining to the Mother City. The new Cape Town Bellagio is hidden away at The Foundry in Green Point (where Beluga used to be) and has quickly become a neighbourhood favourite. The peaceful pergola-shaded courtyard is ideal for summer lunches (and pets are welcome), while the elegant interior is designed for cosy and convivial evenings. Wherever you sit you’ll find white tablecloths, fresh flowers, excellent service and a freshly seasonal menu of upmarket comfort food.
Mediterranean flavours
From her classical training in Italy, Louise has an affinity for seasonal ingredients that transport your tastebuds to a piazza in Rome or a lakeside trattoria table in Como. Think artichokes or asparagus in season, Caprese salads that feature blistered tomatoes and lush burrata, piled-high seafood salads adorned with slivers of fresh fennel and wafts of basil.
Her soufflés are famous, puffy and light as air… the three-cheese one comes with a delicious pear, walnut and spinach salad on the side. A pear-and-Parmesan salad with roasted hazelnuts, and the veal schnitzel with roast artichokes come highly recommended, as do the spaghettini aglio e olio or al salmone e vodka. Then there’s comfort food such as hake and chips, a creamy fish pie, chicken schnitzel with parmesan crust, a rump steak and chips, and a whole lot more.
In the mood for pizzas…? The wood-fired pizza oven does a fine line in Neapolitan-style puffy-crusted pizzas adorned perhaps with prosciutto and basil, or thin-crust Roman-style pizzas lavishly topped with butterflied prawns and mussels.
A sweet finale
Don’t let the generous portions and freshly cooked zing on the varied menu derail you from saving space for dessert. The towering mille-feuille layered with berries and pistachios is a thing of beauty, the affogato is made with homemade ice cream and Truth coffee, and the chocolate souffle is a chocoholic’s dream come true.
A warm welcome, a comfortable yet chic neighbourhood vibe, and uncomplicated zesty Mediterranean flavours, this is a Green Point gem worth seeking out.
Good to know There is plenty of free underground parking at The Foundry
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 11am – 9pm
Sunday, 11am – 9pm (summer)
Sunday,11am – 4pm (winter)
Contact 021 879 1999, bellagiocpt@outlook.com
Where to find it The Foundry Courtyard, 74 Prestwich Street, Green Point, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan
Discover all of the Cape’s hidden gems – subscribe to our weekly newsletter.