Review Mzansi - Cape Town Central

We loved our night out at Mzansi! It’s a real cultural hub in Langa, with local musicians, delicious and authentic South African food, and a painting demonstration by a local artist. The staff were all wonderful and their cooks, “the Mommas,” are amazing. The entire restaurant was up dancing by the end of the night. It is a real local neighbourhood, so staff met us outside as we got out of the car and waited with us at the end of the night to see us off safely, as well. Highly recommend making this a must-visit in your Cape Town travels.

Amazing food, everything was to die for and the staff and music so lovely. Best experience of Cape Town! There is nothing like having local food from “the momma’s” of the community!

This is not your run-of-the-mill place to visit. Nestled deep in the heart of Langa, a couple kilometers off downtown Cape Town, Mzansi Restaurant is a definite stop for everyone visiting the city. You will be met by the owner of the place, a very warm hearted woman entrepreneur, who will share with you the entire history and background of the restaurant along with her success and struggles of running the place. One has to make a prior booking before going there. Don't miss visiting this place to get a real glimpse of life as a black person in Cape Town. The food is great and so is the live music and dancing.

This is a must do in Cape Town. Mike was amazing and made me feel like I was at home. There is no better place to eat authentic local cuisine than here. Say hi to the mamas and keep making such amazing nights.

This is a MUST-VISIT on your Cape Town and South African Trip, regardless of how long you’re visiting or the purpose of your trip. We simply can’t say enough about how much we loved spending Christmas Day/Dinner at Mzansi. If you like getting to know the actual people and culture of your trips, then joining Mama Nomonde and her family for dinner is an absolute must. They treat you like family, and bring to life the history of Cape Town, the country and the people of South Africa. Given they are #1 on TripAdvisor, there is much to read and see from the thousands of people that have made Mzansi part of their trips, so here are a few top things to know about this truly unique find: 1) Don’t listen to your concierge, Uber driver, etc. about being scared to go to the Langa Township for this dinner. They will try to talk you out of going there, but it’s unlikely that they have even been to any of the Townships, which means that they haven’t experienced the joy and warmth of Mzansi. Let’s be clear: you’re probably not going to want to walk around the restaurant or neighborhood, as this is not the shiny, protected area of Cape Town that is made for Tourists. 2) The residents of Langa have not had a fair shake, but they are resilient, hopeful people who are trying to make their community a better place. Unemployment is close to 30%, so supporting this restaurant helps to raise up the entire community. We were there on Christmas Day and they welcomed us into their home with open arms, big smiles and love. The entire neighborhood was celebrating, singing and enjoying life. 3) Reserve your place ahead of time, and please, if anything comes up, be sure to let them know as soon as possible if you need to cancel or postpone. They make all of the food to order in anticipation of the reservations for that night (there are no walk-ups), so if something comes up, let them know so that they don’t waste any food. (We had some folks that were running late, so don’t be ashamed to come late - it’s way better to be late than to stiff them!) The food was fantastic. It was real, it was really tasty and there’s no chance that anyone went home hungry. (I’m still dreaming of the chicken and the dessert pudding!) The families, band and service are unreal - they make you feel at home right from the start, and they will do anything to make your visit and night better. It’s a fun night and it will not be just another dinner on your trip. There was NEVER a moment where we felt unsafe. The restaurant isn’t too deep into the Township and they make sure that everyone feels like a welcomed and special guest to the entire neighborhood. Plan your visit around when you can get a table here, and get ready for an unforgettable night!

Had a beautiful reception from Mama, She welcomed us with so much love and warmth. The food was 5 Star, she is the best African restaurant I have ever been. Great food, entertainment and hospitality.

An amazing place to go. They have delicious food that is made from scratch and is used from local ingredients. The desert there is so good. The whole environment is family friendly, with a local band playing for your entertainment. Despite the location being in Langa, the area is friendly and have people around the area watching your car. Highly recommend to visit.

Lovely food. Such a homely place and definitely going to take my friends and family there once I return to visit Cape Town.

Our evening at Mzansi was magical, full of love and filled with great authentic food. We listened to live music, heard the story of how the restaurant came to be and many of us shed some tears of joy to see how far this township restaurant has come! A place you must visit if you would like to really experience the townships of South Africa.

First time and it was spectacular! I enjoy jazz music and this is just the place to be for old school jazz and the perfect place to enjoy a real township vibe. I am a tour guide and my American guests asked that I take them to this awesome venue. We booked for dinner and we received such warm hospitality from the amazing family that own the restaurant. You are not only invited into their restaurant, but a home in which you learn more about the family and all that inspires them. I will most definitely take my guests there again for a real township experience and authentic, traditional Xhosa dishes.

Highly recommend this home (restaurant). Located in a township, but do not pay attention to those who say this area is dangerous. The owner (Mama) will make sure you feel safe and welcome. If you are looking for a place that is authentic and great this is the place. The seating is a family style table, so you can expect to converse with the person to your left, right and front. You will also be introduced to the live band players and receive a heart warming story of how the restaurant came to be. Calling in advanced is recommended.

This is a wonderful place. "You are home." The host proclaims. He explains that everyone is free to pour their own wine, grab their own beer. The local "moms" cook a very delicious authentic African meal filled with great chicken, rice, vegetables and more. A local band plays a wonderful combination of jazz, local African music and the host tells the entrepreneurial adventure of creating an experience restaurant. One of the best experiences I have had in Cape Town. Do not miss.

This restaurant was amazing. The food was so good and the people were all very nice. Thanks for a great meal.

I've been to Cape Town twice, and I'm so glad I found out about Mzansi Restaurant this time. I don't even know where to begin, but let me assure you this is the best restaurant experience I've had anywhere in my travels around the world, because the food is THE BEST, then ambiance is authentic, and the owner and staff are so genuine and welcoming. Let's begin with the food. I'm a VERY picky eater and am known amongst my family and friends as being an extremely tough food critic. When we got out our tour van and walked across the street in the Langa district, you could smell the food and spice emanating from the restaurant. Once inside, you can see a vast array of different local and traditional African fare. Each dish has it's own style, colors, and flavor which compliment each other so well. You can see what I'm talking about from the pictures below. But hands down, the food here is so amazing because you can tell not a single dish was made from frozen ingredients. Everything was completely fresh. Even the woman in our group who barely ate anything on her plates at other restaurants, completely cleaned her plate at Mzansi. If you want REALLY FANTASTIC and FRESH, AUTHENTIC, TRADITIONALLY AFRICAN food, in a cozy down to earth atmosphere that's not on the tourist path, then MZANSI is a must!!!! Secondly, let's discuss the ambiance and service, which are equally phenomenal and heart-warming. As you can see from the video below, Nomonde is the graceful and honorable owner of the establishment. In my video, she is introducing the very talented Marimba band. She took the time to explain how the Mzansi restaurant started from humble beginnings as an idea to make a difference in her community and obtain more financial freedom, whilst providing a service that allows tourists to experience the true local culture and give back to the community while indulging in the what I can only call foodie perfection. Anyway, if you really want to experience South Africa in it's purest and most delicious form, then Mzansi is truly what you seek. It's off the beaten path, and going there to eat truly supports the community there by giving locals jobs that they need to support their families. Ms. Nomonde, we LOVE your spirit and hope you have much much success!!!

Great place to eat - but it's so much more than that. Mzansi is a great place to learn about hope, respect and love and to get a glimpse of how life in a township is. You'll leave Mzansi with your heart filled with wonderful impressions and your stomach filled with great "mama style" food. Oh, and yes, it's absolutely safe to go there.

Words cannot describe e just how awesome this experience is. Whether you are a local or international visitor you have to do this. It's perfectly safe to go there as it's at the entrance to Langa. Nomonde the òwner takes care of you from the time you arrive in your car and park to when you leave. She is car guard, cook, manager, entertainment and everything else, a sheer joy to be around. After supper she shares her journey with you in such a fun and inspiring way. She cooks as well and it's lime eating a home cooked meal. YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!!!!!!

Amazing dining experience! I did not know what I was going into, as another person had made the booking in my party; and on the way, the Uber driver was hesitant to take us to this "dangerous" neighbourhood. I'm so glad we went! We were welcomed into a small restaurant/ home, where we enjoyed an evening that felt truly special, as the family and band shared their stories and their beautiful craft. Strongly recommended!

We went to have a dinner at Mzantsi Restaurant after my brother's graduation on Friday, 9 April. We didn't know what to expect, because none of us visited the place before. I can tell you that we had a ball, we filled our stomachs with the diverse menu provided by the buffet, we had a moment to share gifts for the graduate and then we were up & dancing with the Marimba band. The service level is excellent, the food is divine. Go visit this place when you visit CT. Well done Mzantsi Restaurant Team!!

We felt looked after from the moment we entered Langa until the end of our wonderful evening. Mzansi has amazing home-cooked food and the most wonderful vibe with fantastic music. One of our group was vegetarian and had plenty of tasty food. We drove there ourselves and could park securely. We had the restaurant to ourselves as an 8 person group and this was the highlight of the trip for the family members who visited us from abroad.