Top 10 Italian Restaurants In Cape Town

Picture this: it’s a sunny Saturday afternoon. You have an Aperol Spritz in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other. The smell of melted cheese and a wood-fired pizza oven fills the air. It feels like you’re sitting at a pizzeria in Rome. Instead, you’re in Cape Town, South Africa. In my opinion, this is the next best thing when it comes to great Italian food!

Now, I’m sure you know Italian cuisine is more than just pizza and pasta. From tiramisu to seafood, the Italians really know what they’re doing. I know how tricky it can be to find restaurants that can prepare each of these dishes well, so I’ve found a restaurant for each of your Italian cravings to make picking a spot for dinner or an espresso pick-me-up that much easier.

The Top 10 Italian Restaurants In Cape Town

Having a dislike for olives and tomatoes, two ingredients that Italian dishes always seem to have sprinkled over them, I’m probably not any Italian restaurant’s favourite customer. But, I can still appreciate the Italian cooking culture and the overall freshness of the cuisine.

Even though I’m no connoisseur, I have been to Italy, so I like to think I know how to spot a good Italian restaurant amongst all the knock-offs. Let’s take a look at the best of the best!

1. Best for homemade pasta: Villa 47

• Address: 47 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon-Fri: 07:00 – 22:00 | Sat: 08:30 – 22:00

This vibey pasta spot on Bree Street is a great place to bring a group of friends for dinner. I was especially impressed to learn that they even make their own pasta from scratch for certain dishes, so you know you’re eating some high-quality carbs.

The restaurant is run by people who really have a passion for the cuisine, and each mouthful during my time here was heavenly. I had the Conchiglioni al Norma, which is a large, shell-type pasta filled with aubergine, basil, ricotta, garlic and chilli. The hit of chilli was just the right amount!

And what is an Italian dinner without a shot of Limoncello to end a perfect meal? Or if limoncello is not for you, they make a great espresso too.

Villa 47, with its classic Italian food served with a South African twist, is hands down one of the best Italian restaurants in the city!

2. Best for carbonara: SCALA

• Address: 81 Church St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon-Sun: 12:00 – 22:30

Carbonara is such a simple dish, yet it can be really tricky to find a restaurant that does it well. I’ve noticed that a lot of Italian restaurants in South Africa just pour cream into all of their pasta sauces – something that would make any Italian gasp with utter disbelief. A good carbonara needs to be creamy and only use simple ingredients. You don’t want your spaghetti swimming in the sauce.

Luckily, SCALA has managed to get it right! Among other amazing creations (like tonnarelli duck ragu and pici cacio e pepe), the carbonara created by Luciano Monosilio really stood out to me!

I’ll definitely be coming back here regularly as the lively but elegant atmosphere makes it an excellent spot for date night. The set menus are also quite reasonably priced considering the delicious food, at R999 per couple.

Italian is known as one of the most romantic languages, so does that make pasta the most romantic meal?

3. Best for Neapolitan base pizza: Pizza Vesuvio

• Address: Waterfront Rd, Fountain Rd, Bellville Park, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon-Sat: 12:00 – 21:00

Craving a Neapoliton-styled pizza but not in the mood to fly all the way to Naples for it? I’ve got the perfect solution for you. You’ll find this slice of Italian heaven at Tyger Waterfront. Pizza Vesuvio is a rustic restaurant with a wonderful atmosphere.

Not only does the food taste like it’s straight out of Italy, but you’ll also feel like you’re a part of the Italian family.

I decided to try one of their calzones with a whole lot of cheese, ham and mushrooms – the flavours were fantastic! I could almost taste the love that it was prepared with, or perhaps that was just the smokey taste from the woodfire oven.

4. Best for thin base pizza: Nonna Lina

• Address: 64 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon: 16:45–22:00 | Tues-Thurs: 12:50–22:15 | Fri-Sat: 12:00–22:30 | Sun: 12:00 – 22:00

I dare you to ask any Cape Town local where you can find the best pizza, and I’m sure they’ll tell you to go to Nonna Lina. My friends had been raving about their pizzas for so long that I eventually had to try them for myself.

This hip Italian restaurant, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Orange Street, was a bit busy for my liking so I got my prosciutto e funghi to go – I did go on a Saturday night, though. However, I did regret my decision almost immediately when I noticed all the tables received a complimentary bruschetta starter. So, next time, I’ll opt to dine in to try one of those!

Overall, I’m happy to report that my thin-base pizza did live up to the hype.

5. Best for Italian seafood: Riva Italian Fish Restaurant

• Address: 24/4 Napier St, De Waterkant, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon-Sat: 18:00 – 22:30

I’m a fan of quirky interiors, so this little Italian gem close to the V&A Waterfront ticks quite a few boxes for me! It even has a fireplace for those chilly winter months.

Riva Italian might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like simplicity and good old-fashioned seafood you have to give it a visit.

The first time I came here I was a bit taken aback by the limited options on the paper menu they placed in front of me. Only after the friendly waiter explained to me that the dishes change almost daily depending on what fresh seafood they have available that I truly came to appreciate the restaurant’s approach.

Traditionally, Italian cooking is kept simple and fresh. I think Riva Italian captures that perfectly. The yellowfin tuna carpaccio practically melted in my mouth and was the perfect starter to an even more perfect meal.

6. Best for variety: Woodlands Eatery

• Address: 8 Breda St, Oranjezicht, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon-Sun: 12:00 – 22:00

The owners of this Italian restaurant are actually from Italy! And, luckily for us, they have decided to share some of their culture and Nonna’s recipes with Cape Town.

I absolutely loved the homey feeling I got when stepping into this place, with its rustic charm that’s just a stone’s throw away from De Waal Park.

I wanted to try something a little different and ordered the lamb-and-crème-fraîche pizza. The portions at this restaurant are very generous but they definitely didn’t slack on the quality for quantity.

I was drooling the second my pizza got placed in front of me and it tasted as good as it looked. The lamb on the pizza was easily some of the best-tasting and softest I’ve had at a restaurant.

7. Best for vegans: Ferdinando’s Pizza

• Address: 205 Lower Main Rd, Observatory, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon-Sun: 12:00 – 21:00 | Fri-Sat: 12:00 – 22:00

Personally, I prefer having a few slithers of salami on my pizza. So, when I got invited out for dinner to Ferdinando’s by a vegan friend I was a bit sceptical. Thankfully (for my sake at least), this restaurant caters for everyone – vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and meat lovers.

So, I’ll admit that I didn’t order a vegan pizza myself. However, I did try a slice of the Vegana pizza and it was pretty good. In fact, I might even consider getting it next time.

The extensive menu is a highlight, so I’d definitely recommend this Observatory spot, especially if you have a friend group with a variety of dietary requirements. They even have some great specials, like two-for-one Tuesdays on selected pizzas!

On top of that, the restaurant has a really cool look and seems to be filled with artistic people and good vibes.

8. Best for wine: Il Leone Mastrantonio

• Address: Corner of Prestwich, 22 Cobern St, Green Point, Cape Town
• Hours: Tues-Sun: 12:30 – 16:00 & 18:30 – 21:30

I’m not much of a wine drinker myself, but I couldn’t miss the opportunity of the excellent Italian wine this restaurant had to offer. So, I decided to take my gorgeous partner out to wine and dine the Italian way.

You’ll find this Italian wonderland in Green Point. Before we got there, we did a little romantic walk up Signal Hill to watch the sunset and work up an appetite. My first impression of the place was positive as the staff were all welcoming and the decor was very tasteful.

We both had Tagliatelle Pescatore seafood pasta with a beautiful Italian white wine that our server recommended. Overall, it was a pretty successful evening out in Cape Town, if I do say so myself.

9. Best for tiramisu: The Cousins Trattoria

• Address: 3b Barrack St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
• Hours: Sun-Mon: 17:00 – 22:00

I don’t consider myself a Tiramisu connoisseur, but I’d have to give The Cousins Trattoria a 12/10 for this marvellous creation.

This Italian gem lives in the heart of the city centre. When we arrived, we were greeted by a smiling hostess and shown to our table.

Normally, I wouldn’t order dessert, but our waiter managed to convince me to split the tiramisu with my partner. And the only regret I have is not ordering my own one.

Apart from the delicious dessert, the pasta, atmosphere and staff were incredible as well! It’s one of the best Italian restaurants in Cape Town that I’ve had the pleasure of dining at.

10. Best for Italian coffee: Lello’s Caffè Espresso Bar

• Address: 5 Jarvis Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town
• Hours: Mon. – Fri. 08:30 – 17:00 | Sat. 08:30 – 16:00

I like my coffee strong and usually start my day with a black americano. This is why I appreciate the rich flavour of a good Italian coffee blend. The coffee aromas when you step inside this little espresso bar were intense enough to wake me up before I even had the chance to order a cup.

Lello’s actually has two locations; one is a deli and the other is the espresso bar (which is the one I visited in the De Waterkant area). The cafe has a selection of yummy treats that you can enjoy with your beautiful cup of coffee. I tried my best to resist the pistachio cream-filled croissants but failed. I can confirm that they’re out of this world.

FAQs

Which Italian cuisine is the best?

The type of Italian cuisine that is the best will depend on personal taste! But here is a list of a few very popular dishes:

• Margarita pizza
• Caprese salad
• Trofie with basil pesto
• Tagliatelle with ragù

And there are many more!

Do you seat yourself at an Italian restaurant?

Most of the time there will be a host/hostess at the restaurant who’ll show you to your seat. Every place is different though and if you’re going to a more casual, budget-friendly place, the servers will greet you at the door and show you to your table. It’s best to scope out the scene first as it might be perceived as a little rude if you seat yourself.

How do I choose a good Italian restaurant?

Here are a few steps that you can follow to ensure you make the right decision when choosing an Italian restaurant:

1. Do your research by checking out some recent reviews of the restaurant online.
2. The menu should only include Italian cuisine and not a mix of different things (there’s no place for sushi here).
3. Lastly, ensure that the restaurant uses fresh ingredients.