Pizza Vesuvio is a great Italian restaurant located at the scenic Tyger Waterfront in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town. They serve romantic Italian cuisine with a special focus on delicious, authentic pizza. They also serve fresh seafood, pastas and lunch paninos. I visited the restaurant on a Wednesday evening and was greeted with great, fast service, big portions and amazing flavour. The casual setting is rustic, homely and all the family photos on the walls make you really feel like you’re dining in an Italian family kitchen.

For starters, I had the Melenzane Griglia, which is grilled eggplant in basil pesto with pecorino shavings. The waiter warned me that everything they serve at Pizza Vesuvio comes in huge portions and he wasn’t joking. This cold salad of eggplant was a delicious way to kick off a truly Italian meal and I was very impressed with the presentation and balsamic reduction which made the whole dish really come together. The thick-cut eggplant was fresh and filling and I would definitely recommend sharing this starter between two or taking some home for lunch the next day.

For mains, I thought I’d try their namesake pizza, the Pizza Vesuvio, with roasted cherry tomatoes, feta, bacon, parmesan, roasted onion and rocket. It wasn’t too long after I ordered that I received my yummy-looking pizza. What a portion! The pizza base was soft yet crispy with plenty of beautifully fresh toppings. They make their pizzas the same way they make them in Naples, Italy, so you know they’re going to be delicious, simple and a big jump up from your usual Friday night pizza place.

Pizza Vesuvio is busy during weeknights, but you should be able to walk in and find a table if you come early enough. The staff was polite and friendly and they also do takeaways which is great news for any pizza lovers in the area!