273 Long Street, Cape Town Central, South Africa
Cuisine:
Hamburgers
Good for:
Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
Royale Eatery
18 Visitor Photos +
REVIEWS
4 Reviews
273 Long Street, Cape Town Central, South Africa
Expert Review
Royale Eatery is Cape Town’s favourite burger place, located on the trendy Long Street in the CBD. The restaurant is...
Royale Eatery is Cape Town’s favourite burger place, located on the trendy Long Street in the CBD. The restaurant is packed every night and you’ll be lucky to get a table during the day too. I mean, even Selma Hayek once said that Royale is her favourite burger place in the whole world! What I really like about Royale are the little things – the art on the walls, the few times when you walk in and you somehow get a table just like that (it happens very rarely), the complimentary glass of water on arrival and of course, the sweet potato fries. This was one of those times where I was lucky enough to get a table during lunchtime. Royale is definitely a burger place, but they also serve pizzas and salads as well as offering great chicken, fish and vegetarian burgers. You can also get an amazing milkshake or cocktail here as well as craft beer and wine. It really is the whole package!
To drink, I ordered the homemade lemonade which you can spike with a shot of vodka if you’re in the mood. The lemonade was like a refreshing, zingy slushie and absolutely perfect on a hot day. It was great value for money too as it lasted throughout my whole meal. The balance between sweet and sour was perfect and I can’t wait to go back for this one!
For lunch, I ordered the Uncle Morris burger with sweet potato fries. The Uncle Morris is a classic New York style burger, with a 250g beef patty, bacon, cheese, tomato sauce and a lettuce leaf. I got mine with extra avocado as recommended. The sweet potato fries are the best in Cape Town. Served with sour cream and tomato sauce, you’ll never want to eat normal fries again after these orange beauties! As for the burger, YUM! The patty was delicious and juicy and the bun was great. The toppings were a great quality and the tomato sauce is to-die-for!
Expert Review
The burgers at Royale Eatery have long been regarded by locals as being the best in the city - but...
The burgers at Royale Eatery have long been regarded by locals as being the best in the city – but are they?
With the temperature outside hovering around 28℃, I stepped into Royale because I was craving icy fruit juice. I chose strawberry. I am still not sure why strawberry, as it is something I seldom go for, but it was good, really good.
Whilst guzzling down the juice I went back and forth through the menu, eventually deciding on the classic Royale Burger with Swiss cheese.
My meal arrived. The burger, average in both size and appearance, came with a generous helping of fries, but that burger, it seemed to be playing “hide the cheese”. My knife, despite its formidable appearance, was no match for the bun – barely able to cut it. Relying on sheer force also failed to achieve the desired result. I figured the best course of action was to haul the top of the bun right off the burger.
The patty was done medium. With the top half of the bun tossed aside and patty exposed, it was plain sailing. The patty was tender, juicy and succulent, the cheese (what there was of it) had a great contrasting tang, and the tomato and lettuce lazing about under the patty were perfect. The fries seemed of typical catering stock, but were just fine, no matter where they originated. As a whole, the burger seemed a little dry, but I think I’m going to blame the bun for that.
In all, it was a slightly underwhelming experience. Could Royale be dropping the ball, or did I land a not-so-great burger? Somebody has to get one — nothing is perfect all the time.
The really good service and great ambiance was lessened a little by what should have been the star of the show. For the price, one can do better in Cape Town.
Expert Review
Loved by most and heralded as the best burgers in Cape Town, Royal Eatery is a well-known establishment situated in...
Loved by most and heralded as the best burgers in Cape Town, Royal Eatery is a well-known establishment situated in the popular Long Street. It’s always busy, so I’d either get in early or make a booking, otherwise you’re left to go somewhere else or wait for a table while watching burgers waft straight past you. Is it really the best burger in Cape Town? No, I don’t think so. I think they’re amazing, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve had just as good elsewhere. I’m being picky here, so ignore me. I would still recommend it and I’ve personally been back a few times myself. It’s a very cool looking place, with lots of interesting and unique elements dotted around, so your eyes have something to feast upon as well as your mouth!
My favourite part of the whole place is by far their menu, which is made to look like an old fairy tale book. It’s very cute and memorable. I often like to go for the Googamooly Burger, partly because of it’s awesome name, and also because it’s vegetarian and it’s sometimes nice to have a change. This one offers a 160g soya, chickpea, lentil and sunflower seed patty with hummus, guacamole and feta. Whereas the husband went for the Uncle Morris, a classic style New York burger, offering a 250g beef patty with bacon, cedar, tomato sauce and lettuce. All of them come with sweet potato fries which in my opinion are far superior to normal potato fries.
They are also known for their milkshakes, with their Jack Daniels & Peanut Butter Milkshake being their most popular. I’m normally too full to end off with a milkshake, but I’ve shared the Chocolate Brownie before and it was amazing. Actual chunks of brownie floating around!
A legend in Cape Town so definitely worth a visit.
Expert Review
Royale Eatery has been open for more than 10 years on famous and busy Long Street in central Cape Town....
Royale Eatery has been open for more than 10 years on famous and busy Long Street in central Cape Town. Their claim to fame is great burgers and shakes and they serve little else. They are open for lunch and dinner, and while the menu is the same at both meals, the vibe is very different. Long Street at lunch time is a nice place for a stroll and some shopping, while at night it becomes party central and crowded with bar hoppers.
The shakes are truly amazing and there is a long list of interesting combinations available. Anything with fresh banana is a winner. I’ve sampled the Jack Daniels and peanut butter, the maple syrup and praline pecan, and the chai and fresh banana. The latter was actually the best.
While Royale Eatery is famous and beloved for its burgers, a lot of competition for best burger in town has sprung up over the past decade, and I think the food at Royale is a little overrated. I’ve had their famous Wagyu burger, made from Japanese Wagyu beef, with bacon and Swiss and was not blown away. More recently I tried the house favorite “El Burro”, a beef patty blended with chorizo, chilies, and cilantro and topped with mozzarella, smoked jalapenos, roast tomato salsa, and guacamole. I thought it was pretty average. Burgers come with choice of normal fries, sweet potato fries, or onion rings. Both times I opted for the sweet potato fries, usually my favorite, but I don’t care for the ones at Royale. They are soggy and taste burnt. Give the sweet potato fries a skip. There is a good selection of vegetarian burgers which are rumored to be quite good if that’s your thing.
There are better burgers in Cape Town, but stop by for a delicious shake if you’re browsing the shops of Long Street. The atmosphere is interesting and the service is alright.