Review Aubergine - Cape Town Central

Amazing dinner service and fantastic chefs menu. Our waiter gave wine pairings for each dish and even came up with a custom mocktail. We would definitely go back for another great meal!

Had an incredible dining experience at Aubergine Restaurant! The restaurant has a rich history and contemporary flair that creates an intimate and sophisticated atmosphere. German chef Harald Bresselschmidt's innovative cuisine and classic service blew me away.

Every year on our wedding anniversary, my wife and I treat ourselves to a 4 course dinner at the Aubergine. It is,in our opinion,one of Cape Towns' top three restaurants. The dishes are well crafted and beautifully plated and presented. The wine selection compromises all of the best wines that SA has to offer,plus a huge selection of international wines. I can highly recommend the Aubergine to any lover of good food.

The staff’s service, friendliness and attention to detail was such a hit! This was an amazing fine dining experience with fresh, tasty dishes and amazingly paired wines. My partner and I were celebrating our anniversary and the restaurant was an excellent choice, very intimate and fitting for a special occasion or as a great experience for a wine-loving foodie. We also especially enjoyed the sommelier, his knowledge and personality made each course a unique experience and it worked well the intimate ambiance of the restaurant 🙌🏾

The absolutely wonderful team at Aubergine made our Wedding Lunch unforgettable. Vows in the beautiful courtyard with canapés and Mimosas with a twist. Five course lunch; the food! The FOOD! We were all in culinary heaven! The superb wines, including sublime non-alcoholic champagne and dessert wines!! were out of this world, a big thank you to the uber talented Somelier! I never knew non-alcoholic wines like this existed! Kaitlyn is a star organiser, and her menu design to suit our flowers was incredibly gorgeous. A wonderful, friendly team of staff who are clearly well loved and are excellent at their work! Thank you for making us feel so special throughout! To Chef, We can't thank you enough for your brilliance and passion... your restaurant is pure gold! Over all these years, Aubergine has remained one of Cape Towns' most unique top restaurants for good reason... We had guests telling us they wished they could redo their weddings and host them at Aubergine! We will be back for every special occasion. Thank you Tyger & Ughetta

Excellent! We went for lunch and it was relaxed and welcoming atmosphere! - The sommelier was really friendly, knowledgeable and helpful - the wine that he recommended was delicious and went really well with the food - we had the lunch small place menu, which was tasty, interesting and perfectly presented - cherry empanadas were unique and very moorish - we will definitely go back!

My new favourite restaurant, the head Michelin star chef came out to ensure that his guests were all enjoying the delicious and beautiful plated food. 5 stars for me. From wine service to the food to the atmosphere, You don’t get better than this.

Wonderful food, well balanced with delicate flavours not overpowered, seasoning was on point for us. The stand out was the wine pairing with the food. Both complemented each other and enhanced the whole experience. The "Happy Birthday" plate just made it extra special

Great food and wine, brilliant service, fantastic location, couldn't recommend highly enough. At lunch they were very accommodating to our 11 month old baby. The sommelier was amazing, pointed us in the right direction for wine and was a fountain of knowledge for our travels through South Africa.

The food is amazingly greatly. The menu has variety of food and drinks to choose from. The service is spot on, you can choose whether to dine inside or outside and the atmosphere is very cosy especially for couples or friends.

Be aware that this is fine dining so don't expect large portions, Albeit a lovely meal. Wine list is very extensive but again word of caution this time on the very pricey side. Possibly the most dear wine list I've seen in Cape Town. Divine the sommelier does his best though to find value...

Want to talk about an excellent dinning experience with exquisite meals that are as beautiful to the palate than they ate to the eye? Well, this is the place to go. Don't let the house fool you, once inside you'll feel at home & be ready to delight yourself with delicious & unique meals, wine pairings, a la carte or fixed menu. Even if you are vegetarian, Aubergine is ready for you. Great intimate ambiance. The decor could be much better , warmer & cozy, but the dinning takes the lack of design out of the window. Highly highly recommend it!

We had dinner here for three people and everything was excellent! From service to food and the wine pairings. Really worth it.

Warm atmosphere and extra politeness: this is the first impression you’ll get from Aubergine. The attention to details in the menu is very high. The portions are small so I strongly recommend the tasting menu that will be good value for money.

Coming to Aubergine was one of the most wonderful experiences I've had. It is a superb treat with fine dining food. Inside is smart, yet cosy at the same time, they worked at not having a restaurant with lots of noise and echo's which is so rare these days. The food is phenomenal! Dishes that have had alot of thought put into local produce, taste as well as presentation. The chocolate fondant is simply to die for! The Sommelier is an absolute gem. His knowledge is out of this world and we had such a good time talking to him and having him help choose the perfect bottle of wine for the evening. This is where you come to spoil yourself and have a culinary journey for the evening 🤗

What a Gastronomic explosion! Well done Chef Patron, Sommelier and staff! You have satisfied us spirit, soul and body. We are beyond happy and will be back with many friends. Thank you so much for a memorable evening!

Wow! What a poor experience we had at this award winning restaurant and an even more disappointing response from owner Harald after a formal complaint! My wife and I visited Aubergine for our anniversary as it cam so highly recommended. Upon arrival we had a friendly greeting from staff, however everything changes when the food arrived. We each ordered a starter, both of which were entirely unsatisfying in terms of flavour. The calamari was nearly raw and tasted of nothing in particular. The crayfish soup which was supposed to be creamy was sadly an orange foam bath of water and broth. For mains we had the pork belly and the springbok medallions. The pork belly was 80% fat and to top it off, had a piece of half cooked liver on the plate (not expected or wanted). The sprinkbok was also tasteless. My wife being very shy in nature asked that we rather not confront anyone in the restaurant and rather leave the half eaten plates behind. That evening I wrote to the restaurant with a formal complaint of dissatisfaction only to receive a response from Harald that my complaint was not valid, the food is not supposed to be spiced and that I am happy to come back for a free snack. When requesting my money back for the meal, I have since been ignored. Hope no one else experiences this kind of treatment, and hope I get my money back as requested.

Owned and run by German chef Harald Bresselschmidt, Aubergine is a sophisticated, romantic restaurant in Cape Town which combines a rich history with contemporary style, innovative food and classic service – whether you’re joining us for lunch or dinner.

This place has been on my bucket list of restaurants to visit. I had the chance of dining here last night and I walked away thoroughly impressed by their food, service and setting. We tried the Autumn Bistro menu which offered food choices for my dietary requirements. Speaking of the food, it was all really delicious, with some dishes and flavours that I’ve never tried before. The sommelier was also really friendly, informative and helpful in finding a bottle of wine that would pair suitably with our meal choices. Aubergine is now one of my favourite places and I look forward to going back!

Arriving at a secure gated and closed door venue may not be the perfectly welcoming and warm start of a special evening for everyone. Once through and into the heart, it “warmed” up. However, I couldn’t escape the slightly clinical feeling. Servers were very well trained and an excellent wine list followed. Our starters were well presented and the care and attention paid to each plate was obvious. My daughter had excellent chorizo and calamari and I had VERY fresh oysters. For the price and stature of the place all I can say is: disappointing! The calamari was tasty if rubbery and my oysters were delicious but not washed so battled with gritty particles throughout the dish. The accompanying vinaigrette was spectacular!!!<br/>Our mains were both duck and were hugely redeeming. I had the roasted duck breast and my daughter the leg and thigh. Both were excellent, full of flavor, great texture and the whole plate came together superbly. If we had only eaten mains this would have been a 5/5.

On the occasion I visited we had the set menu, I loved the different kinds go infused butters, gourmet dishes, plated and served with elegance and the finest taste! It was really enjoyable and very romantic

One of our favourite restaurants. Excellent food, very good wine selection. Very attentive waiters and sommelier. No background music to interfere with conversation. It is expensive, but very much worth it.

Amazing food - especially the raw yellowtail which I rate everyone should try out at least once. The service is very friendly and personal and the decor is understated luxury. A yes from me.

Aubergine, or in America as we know it, an eggplant, is a unique name for a restaurant as there are so few with that name, but my god, the food was wonderful, and the atmosphere was even better. This was my first dinner meal after arriving in South Africa, and the restaurant was recommended to me by a friend that lives in Cape Town. Also the fact that they were on the top 100 restaurants of the world list in 2009 made it very attractive. The Chef is German, but the food is South Africa / Cape Malay with an international twist, that will twist your taste buds to a phenomenal gastric extreme. This is Aubergine Restaurant, and I am so glad that while visiting, I was able to stop here and eat. Here are my thoughts on the total experience.

Joined a mate to celebrate his latest deal, and was treated to a superb tasting menu with excellent accompanying wines. It was a fantastic lunch - with service, food, and wines all top notch. <br/><br/>From a glass of Charles Fox bubbly at the bar, to the sommelier’s insights, to a discussion with Harald about US vs Canadian scallops, and getting alikreukel to the right tenderness, before finishing with a fantastic semillon dessert wine - it made for a timeless meal. <br/><br/>We had springbok tartare, white asparagus, scallops, swordfish, beef, cheese ice cream - and an amazing selection of wines, including the standout Warwick Trilogy 2005.<br/><br/>One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time

This restaurant came highly recommended but my experience of it was average. The food, service and ambience was good but not exceptional. Wine list and cocktails are available.

Great evening....food paring.....starter ...main course and desert with the appropriate wines....very knowledgeable staff that explained the paring....and wines....

A humble, quaint atmosphere where quality marries genuine food. I have read some reviews, and they predominantly complain about the cost, but if you want quality it comes at a price tag.<br/>Last time we were seated in the main dinning area, however this time we got to be seated in the front section, it's less glamorous but still intimate none the less. We were welcomed by the chef, to a fish and fennel soup which was to die for. If it was optional on the menu we would have ordered a bigger portion. For starters we opted for the abalone shavings, which was paired with asparagus, lettuce and artichoke with a phenomenal flavor and touch of lime. 100% on presentation and execution. Mains, we ordered the tuna which was served with the most amazing blend of artichoke I have ever tasted, and asparagus combined with the fresh beetroot bulb sweetened the bitterness. The the perfect infusion,the right portion and perfect quality of product, this is what separates restaurants such as aubergine, miles apart. The sweet gesture of chocolates and biscuits which came with our espresso, is a small touch which has a big impact.<br/>Lastly the support to the children's foundation where R5 is added onto every bill is a noble and good cause, more restaurants could joint the fight. We were pleased as usual, and shall return.

I visited Aubergine this week for the first time and I could honestly say that the food was excellent! All the way from the starter to the succulent dessert. The asparagus was missing a bit of seasoning however the smocked salmon trout was divine. <br/>We were a large table and I really appreciated that the chef came to check up on us. This shows respect and adds to human relations. The service was good. I would definitely recommend this to my friends and family and will certainly go again.

Don't have time to write a detailed review at this point. The main criticism is value. Three course meal for five people was R3400 ex tip. None of the meals was anything particularly special. They were pretty good. But that's not what you expect or are paying for. It also really sticks in the throat that many desserts cost the same as main courses (eg a standard chocolate fondant will set you back R155) , which is outrageous.

What a fantastic restaurant! The atmosphere is very pleasant and the staff are extremely helpful👍🏻 while the food was not necessarily my cup of tea, it was extremely tasty and wonderfully presented📷 All considered it was an extremely enjoyable evening 😊

The service is a tad too leisurely at Aubergine, but the food almost always makes up for the wait. The staff is very accommodating of different dietary preferences and this is one of the few fine dine restaurants in Cape Town where the vegetarian dishes stand on par with their non-vegetarian counterparts. The carrot and mandarin soup was an unusual yet surprisingly refreshing soup. The mushroom tagliatelle was perfectly and delicately flavored. The standout dish on the degustation menu was the ostrich eye fillet - it was cooked perfectly though it is very easy to overcook the meat and dry it out. The only disappointment was the overtly sour prawn and aubergine curry.

Amazing experience! Birthday dinner. We got a tasting menu, the wine pairing was superb and so was the food. This was an epic fine dining experience, the service, the food, the wine, the ambience, the everything. The decor was timeless and well balanced. Aubergine is one of the best restaurant's I've been to and I wouldn't mind going again.

Amazing well presented meal. The atmospher was a bit dull and the waiter and manager suggesting the wines were a bit pretentious especially when we asked about the prices. Our guests were from Switzerland and rather than suggesting a good local wine they offered the most expensive wines from all over the world. We settled for a local Wine at R450 a bottle.<br/>Did not like that you need to put a R150 deposit for a booking of 6! At about 10.30 they kinda started rushing us to finish and did not want to serve kalua coffee's but did in the end. Can't stand it when you ask for water and they open a bottle all the way from Italy - what is wrong with keeping it local!

Absolutely outstanding dining experience! Excellent service, fantastic menu and memorable food. Sommelier and waitrons all excellent. The cuisinier was kind enough to bake gluten free bread for me upon discovering my allergy. Remarkable!

We were pleasantly surprised by your hospitality, warm ambient atmosphere, attention to detail and superb quality of food and wine! Thank you for a great evening, I would highly recommend them if you're looking for fine dining experience.

Overpriced!! Recently went to Aubergine for a work dinner and was almost embarrassed by the extortionate prices! Whilst the food was good, a great wine selection and the service too, it was in no way good enough to justify those prices.

I accidentally came here for a date one time, because I was worried that the Maria's down the way was getting overused, and because I thought that with a name like Aubergine they'd probably have some vegan or vegetarian options. Then I realised that it was the kind of restaurant that had a gate and a bell and would probably charge me in first-born-children, but by then I had already hit the doorbell. And then my dinner date said "Hey this place is probably going to be really expensive, don't you want to go somewhere else?" And because I am an ingrate, that made me dig my heels in and insist on trying the fancy place with the eggplant name.<br/><br/>I had the tomato soup, she the avocado mousse, we both had a glass of wine. On the one hand, this cost about R800; on the other, it was the best tomato soup I have ever had, the only avocado mousse I have ever tasted. (Wine was so-so.) On the other other, this means that both avocado creations and tomato soups have been ruined for me forever. And still on that other, it meant that my date was that much closer to realising that I was a person who made fairly reckless choices fairly impulsively. In the relatively short term, though, it was a lovely night, would totes recommend.<br/>

Had the degustation menu last night with wine pairing and the food was really good. I must complain of the portion sizes though. At R1050 pp you would expect a bigger main course and my latte came in a wine glass where 1 third was mostly froth. My husband was still hungry when we left. Service was good and friendly and i think we will be back for another visit. Christian Hasselbach

I had the amazing opportunity to have dinner at Aubergine as a birthday present from my boyfriend. And what a present it was! This cozy little restaurant is really a hidden gem nestled in the middle of a busy city. You feel as if you've travelled back in time to enjoy fine dining at its best.<br/><br/>What really makes Aubergine stand out is their freshly baled bread. Perhaps it's just because I'm a huge fan of freshly baked foods, but this was really delicious! Together with homemade butters, it's absolute heaven before dinner has even started!<br/><br/>For starters, we had the Aubergine soufflé and the trio of fish. Both dishes were delicious and amazingly presented. The soufflé was soft and fluffy - very light and with a stunning sauce to go with it. The fish was also fantastic with each being cooked to perfection!<br/><br/>Seafood being my favorite, I couldn't resist ordering the Cape sea harvest. The line fish for the night was angelfish - one of my all time favorites! It worked perfectly with the other elements of the dish. Definitely one of the best fish dishes I've ever had! My boyfriend had the ravioli, which looked devine and I'm sure tasted spectacular too.<br/><br/>Finally, we finished off with the creme brûlée. Very smooth and sweet, but not too sweet as a creme brûlée can so often be. The dish was also beautifully presented and the sorbet that it came with complimented it nicely.<br/><br/>The service was also fantastic! The staff are very friendly and helpful. I love how they explain each dish to you. They also have a wine expert who really is very knowledgeable and helped us to select a wine that went absolutely perfectly with our food. The waiter also gave us exactly the right amount of time between courses - never did I feel that the food was taking too long or coming too fast. <br/><br/>I feel that they're quite overpriced when compared to restaurants of similar quality, coming to about R600 per person for 2 course and a shared dessert. For the price you pay, the portions are quite small, so definitely a restaurant reserved for a special occasion. Furthermore, I think they could create a bit more atmosphere, especially upstairs where it gets a bit noisy as the night goes on.<br/><br/>Whether it's worthwhile to fork out that amount of money depends - but I really enjoyed the evening and would love to go again in the future! <br/><br/>

I don’t know how I have been living in Gardens for so long but never set my foot at aubergine before. I guess it’s a little harder to find a gem like aubergine. I called three days in advance to book a table and I was told that they were fully booked. After the call I wanted to have dinner there more than ever. I figured if it was fully booked three days in advance, they must be doing something right. So, I put my name on the guest list and prayed for a cancellation.<br/><br/>A day before my dinner my answers were answered. Not knowing what to expect I decided against wearing jeans and chose a dress instead. As soon as I walked in I realised that I made the right choice. Everything looked so elegant inside and warm. We were shown to our table and the menu was explained to us. We had a choice of a set menu with wine pairing or we could just order our own meals. I already had my glass of wine so I wasn’t interested in wine pairing and I liked the freedom to choose whatever I wanted. So I had Wagyu beef capriccio. Was the best I ever had. The staff is very friendly and attentive.<br/><br/>For main I had more meat, beef Wellington and as tempting as the dessert menu was, I simply couldn’t indulge. But a tray of chocolates arrived, compliments of the chef. I was in heaven. It’s not cheap but you get what you pay for.

Was fortunate to get a booking at one of South Africa's best restaurant. We got welcomed by a waiter named Chris who was just fantastic. Location and setting is very sassy and the service we got was top class. The wine collection is brilliant and the food is very good. But budget R650 for 1, not for 2 as advised on their Zomato profile page.

Fine dining at its best! Exquisite dishes and superb service makes for a special dinner out. Wonderful, romantic atmosphere, but cheeky corkage fee of R80. Will definitely be back for more special occasions :)

Went to try out their new winter menu and it didn't disappoint. Had a risotto starter with the ostrich fillet main, pairing each one with an appropriate wine. Each course was a unique tasting experience and it is clear that these guys are professionals in their field.

Food average for the price tag. Overpriced wine list, not one bottle of cap classique under R350, even local options far too pricey. Compared to other restaurants in this class, big let down.

Fabulous place! Presentation was breathtaking! What a taste sensation! Well worth the price tag! Will certainly recommend to anyone without hesitation!

Priceless food, everything is severed in an orderly manner, you can see the chef put thought in everything that was on the plate. There is quality in everything, right down to the pea, literally!

I had an incredible dinner two weeks ago. Ill be honest the menu scared me so many options and flavours I had no idea what to select . The waiter was amazing , i settled with Burrato for starters and asked the kitchen to make up what I wanted ...Venison  but with sides normally served with the Rabbit [ I liked Rodger rabbit as a child, Ive tried I just cant do it :-( ] . WOW the barley risotto was devine, the venison beautiful. Ive been waiting to enjoy a meal here for a while so 3 courses had to be enjoyed! The Iced mandarin soup was my final course and i have no idea how to explain it ... it was different i didn't love the gelee the texture was grainy but the MCC ice cream made up for it. I was lucky enough to chat to the sommelier who went and found a special chardonnay just for us, I think my poor date held his breath when we asked what the price was but a 2007 ( cant remember the name oops) wooded chardonnay for under R400 .... well priced and so yummy. It lived up to every expectation and the cherry on the cake was getting to smell the delicious tea selection. Cant wait to go back. Thank you

((Dinner - 23 March 2015) During our last week in Cape Town we treated ourselves - plus there was a recent birthday to celebrate. Aubergine was a perfect choice to spoil ourselves. Once the taxi found it, we were greeted at the door, shown straight to our table despite being early and then treated to some of the best service I have experienced. The food was exquisite - particularly the yellow tail curry - a delicious starter for the perfectly cooked Chalmer Beef. I finished with the fondant - a dessert that takes skill to do properly but creativity and art to perfect. It was sublime! All topped off with a wonderful suggestion from the excellent sommelier (we found a bottle at the airport for when we got home) and a delish straw wine (a recent discovery on a side trip to Franschhoek). <br/><br/>I would whole-heartedly recommend to friends and fully intend to return the next time I am in the Mother City (which I hope is soon). Granted this is not typical Cape Town prices but if you are after top end cuisine, very drinkable wines and comforting service treat yourself. I usually pay the same or more in London for a decidedly worse experience!