The 27 best spots on and around Cape Town’s Kloof Street

Making your way to the table through the buzzy space, Black Sheep is like coming home – the same look, the same chalkboard menu and the same lively vibe, year after year. Since opening in 2013, this Kloof Street fixture has been serving unpretentious, hearty food with global flavours. Run by the Japha and Silva families, the restaurant offers an ever-changing menu, with dishes like Burmese pork curry, kingklip fillet with garam masala and lentil coconut curry. Desserts like sticky toffee pudding and lemon cheesecake add a sweet finish. With its laidback atmosphere and loyal following, booking is a must to secure a spot at this beloved local gem.

Off Kloof Street, Café Sofi lands with the kind of confidence you can’t fake. Stripes, soft yellows, deep manganese blues – a room that reads eccentric but pulled together properly. The story is Sophia Electra, mother of Natasha and Savva Sideris of Tashas fame, and the menu mirrors her style: honest food with a wink. Mornings start with the city’s most talked-about croissant with honey and crème fraîche. Lunch moves to coronation chicken, tuna on sourdough, and salads with bite. Evenings lean into pasta, grilled fish and a perfectly judged tiramisu. Order a Sofi Spritz, find a corner and let the room do the rest. Longkloof just got a new default meeting point.

Chingada’s is putting authentic Mexican cooking centre stage with a brash, no-rules approach that’s a breath of fresh air. The owners are determined to keep things lively, unpretentious and, above all, authentic – tacos hit the table overflowing with braised short rib, grilled fish or house-pickled veg and the tortillas are made fresh each morning. The interior comes alive with textures and bright colours, with a mural that draws the eye and gives the space a sense of personality. Step up to the bar and you’ll find an entire wall devoted to small-batch tequilas and mezcals sourced directly from independent producers in Mexico. The selection goes deep, with rare bottles that highlight the earthy, smoky, and sometimes wild side of agave spirits. If you’re craving that fiesta spirit, layered flavours and a setting that’s anything but shy, Chingada’s is the place to be right now.

Low light and a lived-in Victorian mood set the tone in Cape Town neighbourhood Gardens. Kloof Street House spreads across rooms dressed with pressed-metal ceilings, fringed chandeliers, brick shelves and stacks of books, then spills into a garden when the evening is warm. Start at the bar, then move to dinner for the grilled ostrich: wholegrain mustard, sweet potato mash, smoked paprika, brandy and green peppercorn cream, green beans and crisp Parma ham. Dessert is sticky malva pudding with crème anglaise, vanilla pod ice cream, grilled pineapple and pistachio. Book ahead for weekends.

Ongetem is chef Bertus Basson’s first City Bowl venture (inside Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof) and it’s defiantly down-to-earth. Basson says he’s not trying to be a hotel restaurant – instead, he built Ongetem as a welcoming neighbourhood spot. The interior feels homey with dark timber, open fires, vintage posters and Edison bulbs under a high ceiling. The menu is equally straightforward – no pea shoots, no foam, no drama – just seasonal cooking and Cape classics given a fresh edge. Some dishes that steal the show are flame-grilled steaks, open-fire breads, local mussels and a traditional lamb stew. We love the little details like the neon logo sign, which proudly reads – Butcher, Baker, Cocktail Maker. Ongetem delivers what Basson promised – a bold, wild and untamed counterpoint to Cape Town’s fancier tables.

True to its name, Our Local celebrates local flavours and community spirit. Located inside an antique store and nursery on the trendy Kloof street, this café is a favourite among locals for its welcoming atmosphere and hearty breakfast options. With a focus on locally sourced ingredients, the dishes here are fresh, flavorful and beautifully presented. The Arnold Bennett is worth the hype, it’s an unusual breakfast but trust us when we say it’s worth a try! If you like a more traditional breakfast, the Smashed Avo Toast and Creme Bru Lee French Toast is a hit.

In Cape Town neighbourhood Tamboerskloof, this corner shop-café pulls double duty as a speciality grocer, deli, café and wine bar. Tamboerswinkel is for last-minute fixes: a flat white, fresh bakes, pantry bits, something decent to take home. The shelves lean hard on wine and staff push weekly line-ups with tastings and small events. Pizza Party nights are a local ritual, usually midweek, with Neapolitan-style pies from Pizza Proper and a simple pairing deal with draught beer or house wine. The vibe is help-yourself and unforced: grab a stool, browse, leave with olives, charcuterie and a bottle you did not plan on buying. It works for solo drop-ins and low-key meet-ups.

Upper Union is the restaurant at Cape Cadogan boutique hotel, run by More Family Collection. Chef Amori Burger builds a seasonal menu of bold share plates with global cues, designed for passing round and talking over. Breakfast is made to order, mornings run unhurried. The room carries that same charge: a lunchtime hum, then a shift into cocktails and wine as the evening tightens. Mixologists run bespoke drinks and a sommelier steers pairings across South African bottles and international picks. There is also a private dining room for birthdays and small takeovers. In 2025 it earned an Eat Out Woolworths One Star.