8 Cape Town Restaurants With Fireplaces
Winter rolled into the Mother City last weekend with its first spell of icy rain and chilly winds. As the temperature dropped, so did the appetite for light fare and open-air dining.
In its place: a return to boldly flavoured dishes, and the familiar crackle of a well-lit fireplace.
It’s the perfect time to explore Cape Town restaurants with fireplaces, where the food is hearty, the atmosphere warm, and the fires do more than set the mood.
If you’re looking for warmth beyond a jacket, here’s where to find it.
Fine Dining and Family Friendly Cape Town Restaurants with Fireplaces
From elegant dining rooms to laid-back spots perfect for families, we’ve rounded up a selection of Cape Town restaurants with fireplaces—chosen especially with our guests in mind.
While the city has no shortage of options, we’ve focused on a handful close to The Oyster Collection’s Cape Town stays. These are consistently praised by locals and visitors. A few have even earned a place in the latest Eat Out awards.
1. Salsify at The Roundhouse, Camps Bay
Salsify at The Roundhouse is a fine dining restaurant above Camps Bay, set in a building that dates back to 1786. Originally a guardhouse and later a hunting lodge for the Governor of the Cape, it’s now home to one of South Africa’s most celebrated kitchens, led by chef Ryan Cole.
Voted Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year 2025, Salsify was recognised for its seasonal, locally focused menu, connection to the surrounding environment, and its high standard of service.
The menu reflects a modern, produce-led approach, with dishes like coal-roasted oysters with spekboom and ginger, Simon’s Town chokka with amasi curd, and Karoo Wagyu with jollof rice and chakalaka. Wine pairings—both alcoholic and non-alcoholic—are available to match each course.
Dining at Salsify is detailed and thoughtful, from the food to the setting. Request the Seasonal Room if you want the fireplace; the space also features a striking origami floral installation made from thousands of past menus—an ongoing symbol of the restaurant’s journey and commitment to sustainability.
Location: The Roundhouse, Roundhouse Road, Camps Bay
Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday, 12.30 pm – 3 pm; 6 pm – 9 pm Sunday, 12.30 pm – 3 pm
Contact: https://salsify.co.za/reservations/
2. The Strangers Club, Green Point
Housed in a restored 1828 farmhouse just off Green Point’s Main Road, The Stranger’s Club feels like a secret waiting to be discovered. It’s laid-back but polished, with wooden floors, high ceilings, and just enough exposed brick to remind you this place has history.
This popular breakfast and lunch spot draws a steady crowd year-round. In winter, the indoor fireplace is a highlight—book ahead if you want one of the coveted tables nearby.
The menu focuses on simple, seasonal food made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, emphasising simplicity and quality. Meals range from delicious breakfasts to easy-going brunch and lunch choices, along with cold-pressed juices that taste like the fruit they’re made from.
The coffee is noteworthy, and their freshly baked treats are not to be missed—especially the Basque cheesecake, which is smooth, rich, and gluten-free.
The Stranger’s Club is more than just a café. It’s a lifestyle store with a series of interleading rooms, each filled with carefully chosen merchandise. Move from space to space, discovering locally made clothing, skincare, ceramics, books, and home goods. Out back, there’s a second shop full of African art, jewellery, and homeware worth a proper browse.
Service is warm, the vibe is easy, and the place fills up quickly—especially in colder months when the fire is going. A reservation is a smart move.
Location: 1 Braemar Road, Green Point
Opening Times: Mon-Fri 9 am-4 pm Sat & public holidays 9 am-2 pm
3. The Greek Fisherman, Sea Point
The Greek Fisherman is a relaxed, family-friendly restaurant in Sea Point, known for its warm atmosphere and authentic Greek and Mediterranean dishes. Originally established in 1992 at the V&A Waterfront, it’s one of Cape Town’s oldest Greek restaurants and is still run by the same owners. Now located in a cosy, character-filled space just off Regent Road, it offers several intimate dining rooms, each with a working Victorian fireplace.
Inspired by the Greek tradition of sharing meals, The Greek Fisherman encourages gathering around the table with family and friends. The menu features over 20 meze, starters, and tapas, alongside signature dishes like slow-cooked lamb, seafood straight off the grill, moussaka, and their popular souvla (spit roast). Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are also available.
Walk-ins are welcome, but it’s a good idea to book ahead, especially in high season.
Location: 78 Regent Rd, Sea Point
Opening Times: Open daily from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm.
Contact: https://greekfisherman.co.za/
3. ëlgr Restaurant, Gardens
ëlgr, recognised in the 2025 Eat Out Best Restaurants Awards, brings a confident, relaxed approach to fine dining on Kloof Street. Swedish-born chef Jesper Nilsson combines Nordic precision with bold South African flavours in a menu designed for sharing. It’s refined, without the fuss.
The space is modern and understated — forest tones, natural textures, and clean lines create a sense of calm. The menu changes with the seasons and highlights clean, expressive dishes like lamb shoulder with fig and turnip purée, or line fish with mussels and white wine. The signature toast with nduja, boquerones, and ricotta is a standout.
Dining is available indoors or in the leafy courtyard, with a double-sided fireplace for cooler evenings and a private room for small groups.
Location: 75 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Opening Times: Tuesday – Friday, 6 pm – 11 pm, Saturday, 12 pm – 3 pm, 6 pm – 11 pm
Contact: https://elgr.co.za/
4. Kloof Street House, Gardens
Kloof Street House sits in a grand Victorian house on one of Cape Town’s liveliest streets. Inside, it’s a series of richly styled rooms. Velvet seating, dim lighting, bookshelves, and crackling fireplaces give it the atmosphere of an eclectic private residence. Each space offers a slightly different mood, from cosy corners perfect for winter evenings to tables beside roaring fires.
The menu is built around crowd-pleasers and bold flavours. Start with the wild mushroom and gorgonzola arancini, followed by mains like South African Karoo wagyu with lemon and truffle wild mushrooms, or chalmar beef with charred spring onion–miso butter.
The sticky malva pudding with grilled pineapple and pistachio is a warm finish, though the salted caramel cheesecake is equally popular. There’s a strong wine list and skilled bartenders if you’re there for drinks before or after dinner.
Kloof Street House is always busy for a reason—it’s consistent, comfortable, and ideal for everything from a Sunday jazz brunch to a candlelit dinner.
Booking is essential, especially in colder months when everyone wants a seat by the fire.
Location: 30 Kloof Street, Gardens,
Opening Times: Monday, noon till late, Tuesday to Sunday 10 am till late. Kitchen closes at 00:00
5. Upper union
Upper Union, named one of South Africa’s best restaurants by Eat Out in 2025, is set in a beautifully reworked heritage building just off Kloof Street. The emerald walls, stained glass details, and low, golden light give it a sense of depth. There’s a lounge upstairs, a few tucked-away tables with balcony views, but in winter, the best seat is near the fireplace.
Chef Amori Burger leads the kitchen with a menu that changes regularly, shaped by global inspiration and local ingredients. Plates are served family-style and designed for sharing.
Current standouts include snoek with smoked mussel and grana shortbread; dry-aged rump with crimson grapes and a punchy nam jim jaew and charred crimson grapes. Even the sides are memorable—sweet potato with shiso and marigold mustard, and beetroot sabzi layered with stone fruit and spring leaves.
There’s no set path—you can build your meal your way or go for the shared menu. Either way, the service is sharp, the space is full of atmosphere, and the food always feels like it’s been thought through, not just plated up. Upper Union earned its reputation, and it’s easy to see why.
Location: 3 Upper Union Street, Cape Town
Opening Times: Mon – Sunday: noon–4 pm / 6 pm – 10 pm
Contact: https://www.upperunion.co.za/
6. Foxcroft, Constantia
Foxcroft is a fine-dining favourite that hits a rare sweet spot: polished and precise cuisine in a space that feels relaxed and unpretentious. Set in Constantia’s leafy High Constantia Centre, the restaurant pairs the pedigree of La Colombe with a more accessible, wine-forward setting. Chef Glen Williams brings intensity and refinement to every plate, drawing on his fine-dining background to deliver flavour-driven dishes.
The interiors echo this balance. Industrial chic finishes—screed floors, copper touches, and clean lines—create a warm, contemporary atmosphere. The open kitchen adds a buzz of energy, while a large four-sided fireplace anchors the dining room and turns it into a winter haven.
The menu is served over multiple courses and changes with the seasons. It’s thoughtful and beautifully presented, yet unfussy. Expect dishes like heirloom tomato with whipped goat’s cheese and basil oil; wagyu beef with fermented garlic and wild mushrooms; and a standout dessert of miso caramel with milk chocolate and sesame.
The wine list, built around South African producers, is as refined as the food and well worth exploring.
Foxcroft’s approach is soigné in the truest sense: every detail is considered, but never showy.
Location: Groot Constantia Road, Shop 8, High Constantia Centre, Constantia
Opening times: noon -2 pm, 6 pm–8:30 pm
7. beyond at Buitenverwachting, Constantia
Located on the historic Buitenverwachting wine estate in Constantia, beyond lives up to its name—both in setting and in execution. This is fine dining rooted in classic French technique, brought to life with local ingredients and thoughtful seasonal twists. Under the direction of acclaimed chef Peter Tempelhoff and head chef Sebastian Stehr, every dish is a study in balance, precision, and elegance.
The space is defined by clean architectural lines, warm lighting, and towering windows that look out over the vineyards and up to the Silvermine Mountains. In winter, the centrepiece of the dining room is a grand marble fireplace, roaring with life and lending the space a deeply comforting atmosphere.
The à la carte menu opens with an amuse-bouche and bread course that immediately signals what’s to come: attention to detail, beautifully presented plates, and carefully thought-through flavour combinations. A winter meal might begin with Cape Malay-spiced gamefish tartare, move to dry-aged Brangus rump with pomme purée and bone marrow jus, and end with warm brandy pudding and spiced pumpkin ice cream.
Awarded two stars in the 2025 Eat Out Restaurant Awards, beyond is a destination in its own right, offering world-class dining in one of the Cape’s most beautiful wine valley settings.
Location: Buitenverwachting, Klein Constantia Rd, Constantia
Opening Times: Monday & Tuesday: Closed Lunch – noon to 2.30 pm Wednesday to Sunday Dinner – 6 pm to 8.30 pm Wednesday to Saturday
8. Chef’s Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic, Hout Bay
There are few restaurants where the setting alone could carry the experience—Chef’s Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic is one of them. A stone’s throw from the rugged shoreline at the foot of Chapman’s Peak Drive, this is coastal dining at its most cinematic.
Every table offers a front-row seat to the Atlantic, where waves crash below and sunsets turn the entire restaurant gold, and the food more than matches the view.
This is the culinary playground of Liam Tomlin and chef Braam Beyers, where their signature four-course shared tapas-style menu takes inspiration directly from the ocean at their doorstep. Expect a focus on sustainably sourced marine produce, but with just as much care given to meat, game, and imaginative vegetarian dishes.
Plates arrive as edible art: Patagonian squid with amasi atchar mousse and lime escabeche, or roasted duck with beetroot, pistachio, and halva tuile. A velvety risotto follows, and then a lemon poppy-seed sponge layered with white chocolate ganache and olive oil ice cream.
Each dish is a masterclass in balance—layered flavours, and a clear respect for the ingredients.
The restaurant atmosphere is intimate and refined, with a natural palette of wood, stone, and glass framing the beauty outside. When the ocean mist rolls in and temperatures drop, the glow of the indoor fireplace fills the space with a welcome warmth.
Chef’s Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a sensorial experience where ocean, earth, and kitchen come together.
Location: Chapman’s Peak Drive, Hout Bay
Opening Times: Monday to Sunday lunch 12 pm – 4:30 pm dinner 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Dine, Then Unwind with The Oyster Collection
Cape Town’s food scene has never burned brighter — and when the temperatures drop, its warm, firelit restaurants offer even more reason to indulge. Named the Best City in the World for Food in 2024 by Condé Nast Traveller, and with 46 of this year’s Eat Out-awarded restaurants calling it home, Cape Town proves again and again that it’s a culinary capital worth exploring.
Winter brings with it a perfect excuse: rainy days, crackling fireplaces, and a melting pot of global flavours rooted in local culture. Winter sets the stage beautifully: rainy days, roaring fireplaces, and a melting pot of bold flavours shaped by the city’s rich cultural mix.
Whether you’re after elevated fine dining or soulful, seasonal cooking, there’s no better time — or place — to eat your way through the Mother City.
To round off your food-focused escape, check in at one of The Oyster Collection’s Cape Town stays. Known for their warm, attentive hospitality and carefully considered spaces, they offer a comfortable base to return to after long, delicious lunches and fireside dinners.