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Southern Africa

The Southern African hot list
July 2025

Southern Africa • Insider guides • The Southern African hot list July 2025

What we’re loving in July 2025 (and you will too)

Stay informed and stay inspired! The Southern African hot list is your monthly dossier of what’s shaping the cultural and creative landscape across Southern Africa. From smart new openings and design-forward projects to events worth pencilling into your diary, we spotlight the ideas and initiatives that matter. Whether you’re a local with a keen eye on your surroundings or a traveller seeking authentic inspiration, this is your curated guide to the things that are getting our attention (and deserve your’s, too).

Top photography courtesy of Wilde Vy Bistro

Curate at Ellerman: fine art meets fine dining in Cape Town

Ellerman House has always been the grande dame of Cape Town hospitality – now it’s adding a gallery-worthy new chapter. Enter Curate, an immersive, ultra-intimate chef’s table experience that fuses art and gastronomy in the mansion’s atmospheric wine gallery. This eight-course tasting menu is put together by Head Chef Kieran Whyte, with a focus on hyper‑seasonal South African fare like amagwinya served with caviar and Cape mushroom melktert – perfectly paired with rare bottlings from their 10,000-strong cellar. The space, designed in collaboration with sculptor Angus Taylor, melds stone, steel and light for a serene, art-driven dining chamber.

Ellerman House
180 Kloof Rd
Bantry Bay
Cape Town
South Africa

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Photography courtesy of Ellerman House

Chingada’s: bringing some spice to Cape Town’s Kloof Street

Kloof Street’s latest addition, 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 interiors bring a lively mix of textures and bright colours, with a mural that draws the eye and gives the space a sense of personality. Behind the bar, tequila and mezcal aren’t just an afterthought – there’s an entire wall dedicated to small-batch bottles straight from small producers in Mexico that you’ll want to sample. 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.

Chingada’s
50 Orange St
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Chingada’s

Wesli Jacobs at Heirloom: new chef, new flavour at this Cape Town restaurant

Cape Grace’s much-loved restaurant, Heirloom, is turning a fresh page under chef Wesli Jacobs. Jacobs, a Durban native with roots at Flames (Four Seasons Westcliff) and Table Bay, brings punchy, heritage-rich reworkings like springbok potjie, Cape Malay mussel pot, rock lobster bisque – all matched with local wines and overseen alongside top sommelier Alvezo Abrahams. Jacobs’ background fuses fine dining discipline with a genuine love for South African comfort food and every plate tells a story from his own culinary journey. A new menu will be launched in July, with a five-course menu reflecting family traditions, innovatively plated.

Heirloom
Cape Grace Hotel
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Heirloom

Aruba: a slice of Caribbean sunshine lands in Cape Town

Kloof Street is buzzing with the arrival of Aruba – a playful, Caribbean-inspired eatery and bar that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Daniel Kruger & Murray Hunter‑Smith have transformed the space into a riot of tropical textures – think leafy prints, rattan and a laidback surfboard centrepiece above the bar. Aruba offers a tapas-style menu with a fusion of Mediterranean and Caribbean dishes. Jerk chicken with local slaw, rum cocktails muddled with fresh fruit and plantain fries you’ll order twice. On Sundays, Aruba’s brunch offers bottomless mimosas and a soundtrack that keeps the mood buoyant. The whole place is designed for kicking back, with sunny corners and a sense of easy-going fun.

Aruba
108 Kloof St
Gardens
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Aruba

Fields: where fashion, art and espresso collide in Stellenbosch

In the heart of Stellenbosch, Fields is redefining what a concept store can be. This fashion boutique offers a full sensory experience, combining contemporary South African clothing, art and a new in-house café that feels more like a gallery than a coffee stop. With interiors by Lei Lester, the design-forward space is built with local wood, cork, vintage rugs and industrial pieces by WiiD, Pedersen & Lennard and Arkivio. Founder Mikael Hanan has a strong eye for curation, inviting top designers, potters and artists to showcase their work in a light-filled space that feels equal parts café and exhibition.

Fields
Cnr Bird and Church
5B De Wet Square
Stellenbosch
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Fields

Harbour House: a fresh take on the classic in Camps Bay

Harbour House has long been a must-visit seafood destination in Kalk Bay and V&A Waterfront, but now this hotspot is also on the shores of Camps Bay. Coming from their roots in Kalk Bay’s iconic Harbour House, where dining is literally at sea’s edge with floor‑to‑ceiling windows and crashing waves, this new spot carries that dramatic coastal vibe into the Camps Bay setting. The location is unbeatable – right on the main strip, with huge glass windows framing the Atlantic. Designed by KT-Interior, the interiors strike a balance between contemporary coastal cool – pale woods, ocean tones and sweeping glass – and that classic Camps Bay glamour. The menu is rooted in fresh, Mediterranean‑inspired seafood, with standout dishes like Miso Mirin Seabass and Spicy Laksa featuring sustainably sourced, traceable ingredients from local suppliers like Fish With A Story.

Harbour House
87 Victoria Rd
Camps Bay
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Harbour House

Una Más: tacos with soul at Time Out Market in Cape Town

If you’ve been waiting for a proper taqueria at Time Out Market, your patience is rewarded with Una Más. Una Más was founded by three restaurateurs – brothers Gavin and Sean Binder and Ricky Simon from Three Wise Monkeys. With a shared passion for the spirit and flavours of Mexico, they opened the flagship spot in Sea Point and now they bring that same flavour to Time Out Market. Una Más has taken the Mexican street‑food crown with lamb al pastor tacos, charred gem lettuce, nachos and churros with house‑made chocolate molé. Una Más feels like a little slice of Mexico in the middle of Cape Town’s buzziest food market.

Una Más
Time Out Market
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Una Más

Wilde Vy Bistro: Durbanville’s newest design bistro

Set under a 300‑year‑old wild fig tree on Hooggelegen Farm, home of Signal Gun Wines, Wilde Vy Bistro is the talk of the Durbanville wine route this winter. Wilde Vy Bistro is the creation of chef Jürgen Snyman (formerly at Asoka, Egghead) and Accra-based Ghanaian entrepreneurs Kwasi Osei-Kusi and Charles Bucknor. The space is chic but inviting, with a dark and moody colour palette, timber accents and artwork by local artists lining the walls. On the menu you’ll find small plates, fire-grilled locally sourced meats, a raw bar and an impressive list of vegetarian dishes. They also offer a Sunday roast, paired with Signal Gun wines – a great spot for a relaxed Sunday under the fig tree.

Wilde Vy Bistro
Hooggelegen Farm
Durbanville
Cape Town
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Wilde Vy Bistro

Habibi: Middle Eastern feasts in Johannesburg

Habibi is a new Lebanese restaurant in Johannesburg that is a must if you are on the hunt for a Middle Eastern meal packed with flavour. The dining room is a feast for the eyes – terracotta tiles, archways and textiles in bold, geometric patterns. The menu here is designed for sharing. Start with their mezze selection, such as eggplant dip, aioli labneh or maybe raw kibbeh (ground beef and bulgur wheat). Next up, try a tender roasted lamb, chicken or falafel rolled with pickles, tahini and fresh vegetables in their menu of wraps. If you prefer to sit back and get a broader taste of Lebanese grilling, gear up for the sharing platter with a mix of meat cuts from the grill, mezze sides and rice.

Habibi
Nelson Mandela Square
Maude St
Sandton
South Africa

Photography courtesy of Habibi

Craig Cupido at Mount Nelson: reinventing Cape Town’s tea traditions

Afternoon tea at Mount Nelson has always been an occasion, but with tea sommelier Craig Cupido on board, the experience has reached a whole new level. Cupido’s approach is part ceremony, part sensory exploration – he’s introduced new blends inspired by the Cape floral kingdom, paired with a refreshed patisserie menu that leans seasonal and local. Cupido and pastry chef Matthew Paulsen truly harmonise flavour profiles. The menu now offers 75 global teas, including 14 newly introduced blends, among them are the Kenyan purple tea, South American mesquite tea and the celebratory 125-year Mount Nelson Blend, celebrating local botanicals and adorned with rose petals. The tea lounge itself is pure classic Mount Nelson – blush-pink, airy and flooded with soft light. If you’re curious, ask Craig for a tea and food pairing – you’ll leave with a whole new appreciation for what a cup can be.