Arugula Bistro sits on the hills of Welgemoed, overlooking a vast are of the Northern Suburbs. I’d visited Arugula before during the day and was interested in seeing what the atmosphere is like during the evening. I was lucky enough to get a table as this place gets pretty packed, and no wonder with that amazing view. They do bistro food done right, as well as a lot of great homemade items like breads, ice creams and banting-friendly tartar sauce.

It’s service with a smile and a great wine selection. For starters, I couldn’t wait to try the Beer Battered Onion Rings. I have to say, these are the best onion rings I have ever tasted. Crispy, thick cut onion rings, packed with flavour and delicious batter. They were served with a homemade garlic mayo that is simply mind-blowing. Must-try for onion and fried food lovers!
It’s great to see a restaurant catering to the health-conscious banting crowd, so I decided to try the Pan Fried Hake with pan fried veggies and homemade banting tartar sauce. I was interested to get stuck into that tartar sauce when it arrived and it was absolutely amazing as a lighter, healthier condiment. Onions, gherkin and tomato in a light tartar sauce made a great accompaniment for my flaky, golden brown hake. Great ingredients and a lot of love make all the difference, and you can definitely taste it at Arugula and especially in their creative and delicious creations.

For dessert, I had to try the Chocolate Torte served with homemade ice cream. If you’re an ice cream lover, this is the spot to be. Arugula makes the most delicious and decadent ice creams that I’ve tasted in Cape Town and you can’t visit them without trying a sugar cone full of salted caramel or caramel vodka. Beside the ice cream, my Chocolate Torte was like a religious experience. Also on the plate was coffee cream, caramel vodka custard and hazel nuts. This is everything you want out of a dessert and comes with a great vibe and rustic, at home feeling. Arugula may just be the best restaurant in the whole of the Northern Suburbs.