Baia is a huge upscale restaurant somewhat hidden in the upper floor of the Victoria Wharf mall in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Despite its location in the mall, it doesn’t really feel like a “mall restaurant”. When you’re inside, there’s no sign of the mall, and you have panoramic views of the harbor, the sea, and the mountains that make the Waterfront, one of the most beautiful places in the country. It also doesn’t feel like you’re in such a huge restaurant—the seating areas are broken up into several different rooms, so it feels pretty cozy, but in fact, Baia has seating for 380 people!

The menu specializes in seafood from around southern Africa, and they offer prawns, calamari, mussels, crayfish, langoustines, oysters, scallops, and a variety of fish. Baia also has some poultry, beef, and venison options for those not keen on seafood. There are so many seafood options on offer that it is really difficult to make a decision. There are also many more different preparations than I’m used to seeing on the menu in most restaurants around Cape Town. You’re likely going to have a difficult choice, and as if the main menu weren’t enough, there’s also a whole list of specials.

I wanted to try out the shellfish and opted to try the famous rock lobster. After some confusion between my waitress and me regarding price, baby versus large, East Coast versus West Coast, and special versus normal meal, I just took what I was served because it looked amazing—four baby East Coast rock lobsters (more commonly called crayfish). They were served with rice and some very rich and delicious dipping sauces—a creamy lemon butter and a spicy but rich and buttery peri peri, all for quite a reasonable price. If you’re in the mood for seafood in the waterfront and don’t mind spending, Baia is a good option to try out. I would recommend reservations for dinner time though.