Main Road, Kalk Bay Station, Kalk Bay 7990, South Africa
Cuisine:
Burgers, Pizza, Seafood
Good for:
Breakfast/Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Reservations
Brass Bell
9 Visitor Photos +
REVIEWS
2 Reviews
Expert Review
There's nothing more romantic for a date night than driving from Cape Town out to Kalk Bay in time for...
There’s nothing more romantic for a date night than driving from Cape Town out to Kalk Bay in time for the sunset. Not only is the drive gorgeous, but upon arrival at this fishing village on the False Bay coast, you’ll have a number of dining choices including the Brass Bell.
My date and I chose this place because we liked the tables pushed up against the giant windows that were practically in the ocean – we could watch the surfers playing in the crashing waves from our seat. The Brass Bell is a large and casual place where people dine at a number of glassed in patio terraces that either front the seawall or the tidal pools to the side – the building dates back to the 1930s.
The menu is of the surf and turf variety, and quite varied. Service was efficient and the staff not only knew the menu, they were also okay with substitutions – I ordered the crispy sole with the lemon butter sauce and peas but asked for mashed potatoes over fries and was indulged without any sort of up-charge. The food was also tasty – I ate my entire plate, which is rare for me. Beyond the sole, they have a variety of line fish options that are excellent. My date ordered from the turn side of the menu, opting for a steak. His fillet was cooked to order and he had his pick of the traditional South African steak sauces. Beyond steak and fish they also offer pizzas and do a full breakfast menu.
After dark, the Brass Bell doubles as a pub with theme nights including Karaoke on Wednesday nights. It can be a fun scene if you’re in town and looking to mingle with a mix of locals and tourists. Numerous TVs also keep you entertained with the latest sport should this be your thing – or maybe your dates.
Expert Review
The Brass Bell is one of those legendary places that everyone needs to visit, especially on a beautiful hot summer’s...
The Brass Bell is one of those legendary places that everyone needs to visit, especially on a beautiful hot summer’s day. We decided to catch the train instead of taking our car which ended up being the perfect option because the restaurant is literally a few steps from the train station. Perfect for if you want to go for some late cocktails and not worry about driving. What makes this place so special? The view. Oh the view. It’s a view you can get lost in for hours. With the restaurant overlooking the sea, it’s one of those places that you could go to alone and not feel bored for a minute. There’s even the option of going into the sea (which is well cornered off and safe) so it’s a great place to go as a family.
We went for cocktails, which they offer in abundance, from choices such as Boodles Blood Orange Fizz (Boodles British Gin shaken with lemon juice, sugar cane, blood orange extracts and charged with soda water) to the Man Up Mojito (Bacardi Superior Rum muddled with fresh lime, mint and pure sugar cane. Topped with crushed ice and drizzled with The Kraken Black Spiced). Some are not for the faint hearted. We chose the Passoa Latina Jug, which was a Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur built tall over cubed ice with The Pink Pigeon Premium Vanilla Rum, pineapple and orange juice. It was delicious and went down beautifully.
The food I personally found to be quite expensive, so we ended up choosing some small burger sliders (from the kids menu, shh don’t tell anyone), but from the looks of the meals around us I thought they looked very big and delicious.
To me though, you just can’t go wrong with the view, and I would go back a hundred times purely on that reason.
Just don’t order the coffee. Especially if you like great coffee. Stick to the cocktails, they’re good at that.