Eating Out in Hout Bay

Hout Bay is a top tourist destination for so many reasons. It has a bustling harbour area, which sees fishing trawlers departing daily, a vastly popular weekend market, embracing mountains criss-crossed with hiking trails culminating in spectacular views, and the world famous Chapman’s Peak with its scenic drive that competes, and possibly beats, the world’s best. In short, Hout Bay makes for an enchanting getaway for any visitor to the Cape or even for locals looking for a little change of scenery. But amongst the top reasons to visit this enchanting valley is its eclectic and seafood-focused dining scene! Here are some of our favourite restaurants to visits in Hout Bay….

Chapman’s Peak Restaurant

T: +27 (0) 21 790 1036

Opened over 25 years ago, the Chapman’s Peak Restaurant (and hotel) is considered the grand old lady of outdoor seafood restaurants in Cape Town, with a formidable reputation for fresh seafood, from calamari and West Coast crayfish to prawns and fresh-caught linefish. There are also grilled steaks and delicious salads to choose from. The sun-bathed terrace boasts spectacular beach, harbour, and ocean views and is ideal for hot summer days and lingering sunsets, while the romantic, fire-lit interiors caters for those cooler days.

Address: Chapman’s Peak Drive, Hout Bay

Cheyne’s

T: +27 (0) 66 412 3289

Cheyne’s is known and loved for its fresh approach to cooking and a cuisine focus on Pacific Rim dining inspired by flavours from South East Asia and Japan. The trendy, modern, and artsy décor compose an atmospheric and chic venue in which to enjoy a menu of dishes that are inventive and packed with intriguing, exotic ingredients. The menu itself is creatively divided into tapas portions of sea, land, earth, and happy endings (desserts), making a meal here an engaging experience.

Address: Main Road, Scott Estate, Hout Bay

Dunes Beach Restaurant & Bar

T: +27 (0) 21 790 1876

Located right across the road from Hout Bay beach – and with an outdoor seating area right on the sand – Dunes Beach Restaurant & Bar has long been the go-to spot for fresh seafood lunches and dinners, and sundowner cocktails. The vibe is casual, yet you can also dress up and enjoy a sophisticated evening out if you want to, and the uninterrupted views of sea, sky, and mountain are as welcome an accompaniment to the food as the varied wine list. For families with children, there’s a popular playground adjacent to the terrace.

Address: 1 Beach Road, Hout Bay

Fish on the Rocks

T: +27 (0) 21 790 0001

For decades, this tiny ramshackle fish and chips shop perched on a jettison of rocks at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean has served delicious, steaming takeaway and eat-in seafood caught fresh that very morning. Today, the aptly named Fish on the Rocks is a veritable institution and no visit to Hout Bay is complete without fresh hake and chips or calamari enjoyed here.

Address: 1 Harbour Road, Hout Bay

La Colombe

T: +27 (0) 21 795 0125

Considered one of the top restaurants in the world, La Colombe delivers a multi-sensory, multi-course fine dining experience you’ll never forget. This Cape Town icon treats guests to a truly epic food experience that lasts several hours and is unrelenting in its perfection. Locally, La Colombe consistently blows the competition out of the water, routinely appearing in Eat Out Awards’ Top 10 Restaurants list. It may cost a pretty penny, but it’s wholly worth every cent!

Address: Silvermist Wine Estate, Main Road, Constantia Nek

The Lookout Deck

T: +27 (0) 76 172 7765

Perched right on the water’s edge in Hout Bay Harbour, The Lookout Deck is a restaurant adored for its harbour atmosphere, fresh sea air, views of the bay and Chapman’s Peak, and delicious menu of grilled seafood, sushi, oysters, wood-fired pizzas, and ice-cold beer, wine, cocktails, and beverages. With its location in the heart of the harbour, you can watch the fishermen in action; loading or unloading their trawlers, or you can even hop on a Seal Island sightseeing cruise before your meal!

Address: 65 Harbour Road, Hout Bay Harbour

Massimo’s

T: +27 (0) 21 790 5648

Massimo’s is an Italian restaurant in the truest sense of the concept. Owned and run by an Italian husband-and-wife team (and voted “Best Pizzeria in Africa” by 50TopPizza), Massimo’s serves fresh, delicious, authentic Italian pizzas, pastas, and salads, with plenty of vegan options too. The restaurant is located at the Oakhurst Farm and offers a charming, rustic ambiance with historical photos of the owners’ folks back home. At dinner, there are even silent old school movies projected on the walls!

Address: Oakhurst Farm Park, Main Road, Hout Bay

Quentin at Oakhurst

T: +27 (0) 21 790 4888

Also located at Oakhurst, one of Hout Bay’s original farmsteads, Quentin at Oakhurst serves a mix of traditional and modern cuisine with a focus on sweeping, mouth-watering buffet-style lunches and dinners. The restaurant and cellar follows in the footsteps of generations of family food farming and cooking traditions, delivered in a beautiful, classic setting with warm hospitality.

Address: Oakhurst Farm, Dorman Way, Hout Bay

Suikerbossie Restaurant

T: +27 (0) 21 790 1450

Established in 1937, Suikerbossie Restaurant in Hout Bay has, for more than 70 years, has enamored visitors with its unparalleled views of Hout Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and the dramatic peninsula mountains. Today, it is a vastly popular family-friendly restaurant for weekend breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, delivering a feast for both the stomach and the eyes.

Address: 1 Victoria Drive, Hout Bay