From family-friendly burger joints to fine-dining restaurants with a celebrity chef’s name emblazoned above the door, there is no shortage of places to eat at the ever-popular V&A Waterfront. And that is, perhaps, part of the problem: too many choices, too many chances for a bad experience. So, my advice? Go to Belthazar.
Belthazar
With its deep wooden bar, starched white tablecloths and crystal wine glasses it’s a distinctly upmarket experience yet remains a few notches below fine dining. It has the stylish yet lived-in feel of a New York steakhouse, but with sea views – and seafood menu – to match its waterfront setting where tables spill out onto a wide terrace.
Seafood options range from fresh line fish to local lobster, but honestly, it’s the steaks you should be looking at. Fillet, rump, sirloin and T-bones can be ordered in portions to suit your appetite, while the daily selection of game meats will surely tempt the curious tourist. The spare ribs and mixed grill kebabs are also house specialities.
All of which go rather nicely with a glass of red wine, and Belthazar has one of the best wine lists in the city. Even more impressive is their selection of wines by the glass: around 250 at last count, so there’ll be no more fights over a big Cabernet versus a floral Merlot.
If there’s a downside, it’s that there’s little on offer for vegetarians besides the salads, and the prices for both food and wine aren’t shy. But then, that’s fairly standard for the tourist-oriented waterfront. However, if you’re going to soak up the buzz of this world-class shopping and entertainment precinct on the fringes of Cape Town harbour then there are few better places to spend your holiday cash than Belthazar.
