We visited Africa Cafe by chance on a google search when visitors from overseas wanted a local dining experience and I must say it was an absolute treat! Being local we don't really think about eating African food often but this experience has definitely changed that. The food was absolutely incredible! The atmosphere and decor are perfect for the type of restaurant and the service was great.
Overall I would say this restaurant is a must for locals and visitors to experience.
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Absolutely loved the experience and the food!
Decided to make a reservation after seeing all the positive reviews and hearing good things from a friend. I also heard they were fairly accommodating (my friend had been having some difficulty finding vegan-friendly dinner places). We called in the day before and although it was a bit hard to hear over the phone we were assured there would be vegan-friendly options.
Basically the restaurant operates as an all-you-can-eat for approximately R290 a head. They present you with a tasting menu of 16 dishes from across Africa, after which you can order more of your favourites. (Although honestly we were too full to even finish!) They also have several dancers and singers who sang several songs for us near the end of the meal.
Our server, Christopher, was very attentive and explained each dish as he brought it out (he was also careful to specify which dishes my friend could eat). He was also very knowledgeable of the local dessert wines and spirits, bringing out a basketful and explaining each to us after the meal. (Feel like an after-dinner aperitif? R60)
The food was all delicious. We agreed that our favorites were the vetkoeks (a deep fried bread) and the broccoli salad with honey and mayo (light and refreshing). My personal favourites also included the casava bread with cheese and a sweet potato ball rolled in sesame seeds. The chefs were extremely accommodating and made a vegan friendly version of the broccoli salad for my friend and even came to our table to check in on her and and ensure she had enough to eat (not a problem) and was enjoying herself.
We also helped ourselves to some refreshing tropical mocktails for R40 (R60 if you like your booze). The Mala Mala was light and tart (thanks for the recommendation, Christopher).
The only reason this isn't a 5 is because it does give off a bit of a touristy vibe and with three floors, I imagine the service drops a bit during peak season (although our service was 11/10 so I wouldn't be too concerned in that aspect). Regardless I loved the experience and would definitely recommend it to anyone planning a visit to Capetown.
Whew that was long... In short: a bit touristy, but the staff are super accommodating and friendly and the food is delicious and plentiful.
I love this place. Family style meal with interesting flavours. You don't get to pick what you're having but you don't need to. There is so much food you're bound to like something. 😉 The chicken was a bit bland for me (and was oddly chinese) but the curry was delicious. Having papaya as a savoury dish was a treat for me. Live music provided for an authentic feel.
The Africa Cafe was such an amazing experience for our last night in Cape Town. From the moment we arrived we were welcomed into an incredibly friendly and colorful space. The dining rooms were so exciting to walk through, each decorated to represent different places in Africa. Luckily we were all very hungry because there was an abundance of food. Everything was so good, I really enjoyed the sweet potato balls and macadamia nut chicken stew. While we were eating the waitresses came to sing and play the drum which was fun. We also had some lovely shopping in the gift shop downstairs; I got some really nice presents for my family back home.
Well dressed traditional dancers come to entertain diners with singing, dancing and beating of cultural drums. Cheese, chick peas, sauces, cassavas, beans, breads and more. The promise of a menu that stretches from Morocco to Malawi and the Transvaal. Maybe too idealistic, perhaps a brilliant idea. It is not just a food experience. The Africa Cafe wants you to also soak in the culture in a fun and relaxing way. And so they did pull it off. On a Wednesday evening mid week, my group was provided a sumptuous banquet, had our ears open to rhythm, given an chance to dwell in the strong colours of costumes - and each of us realised that the continent is truly large in geographical spread.
Africa Cafe is run on a great concept. The table is served dish after dish of fragrant, traditional African dishes which are shared between the group. Everything was delicious, but my favourites were the lamb (SO TENDER) and, interestingly, the broccoli salad (I need the recipe!). I definitely filled up on way too much vetkoek and couldn't quite get through my dessert, but overall it was a fantastic meal. Plus, you get your face painted and there's some dancing and drumming for the tourists (which is equally enjoyed by the locals).
The africa cafe is a good place to try african food. Just make sure you go with a big appetite because they serve a LOT of yummy food. The lamb and chicken were the stand out dishes for me. Its a fixed menu restaurant so no special orders. Good place as a tourist
The Africa Café was an absolute treat to visit. From the beautiful decor to the delicious food, everything made me feel right at home.
I recently attended my first Zomato meet-up at The Africa Café, and I was blown away by the hospitality of the staff. We were greeted by delicious pineapple cocktails, and were then escorted to our table which would later be filled with everything from Karoo lamb stew, to vetkoek.
Eating at The Africa Café was a magical experience, because everytime I finished a dish, another one appeared out of thin air.
I also loved the entertainment - I got awesome African face paint and later on in the evening the waitrons sang traditional songs for us.
This was a unique African experience, and I would highly recommend it to South Africans and tourists alike.
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Aah Mother Africa! How I love thee. For myself African cuisine was a boerie roll and some pap. How ignorant of me. I attended the Zomato foodie meet up (damn i love these things) and it was fantastic! I have a whole new perspective on African food. You pay a set fee and course after course of delicious chow is laid upon your table. Furthermore you can order extra of your favored dishes. My favourites were the cassava bread (baked tapioca and cheese flat bread), the channa fish, the Mwana wa Nkhosa (karoo lamb stew), the chicken macadamia, the broccoli salad (how did you taste wizards make raw broccoli taste like this!?), the roti's and the piece de resistance, the Ethiopian lab (white curd cheese with home grown herbs) which was greedily applied to the aforementioned karoo lamb. My mouth is watering just at the thought! To end he evening off the lovely staff engaged in some vigorous drumming and singing. While this spot is frequented by tourists it should see alot more action from the locals. Special thanks to our most professional waitress who was a pleasure. Thank you Africa Cafe!
Dinner at The Africa Café was an incredible experience, they serve a feast of foods from all over Africa. It is part of the African culture to not let their guest go home hungry, you can eat as much as you like and request more of your favorite dish. I loved the sharing style menu and can't wait to go back with a big group of friends! The whole experience was spectacular- From the hand crafted esthetic of the restaurant which you can't help but notice when you walk in, to the washing of your hands, singing, dancing and face painting.A true African experience, you do not have to be a tourist to go.... #ZomatoMeetUp **Live video over on Instagram: @MelissaLouiseN
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