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Cape Town’s restaurant scene is an ephemeral thing, and no sooner has a new entrant become the most talked about place in town than another bright and shiny new eatery pops up to take its place. As the saying goes, the only constant on Cape Town’s menu of restaurants is change.
But this latest change is going to hurt anyone who’s fallen in love with the small plates, wood-fired pizzas and superb wine offering at ëlgr.
More than five years after the doors opened at 75 Kloof Street, ëlgr will serve its final dinner on Saturday, 30 May 2026. The restaurant, led by Swedish-born chef Jesper Nilsson, opened in December 2020 in the former Janse & Co space, bringing a quietly confident, Nordic-leaning take on modern Cape Town dining to one of the city’s busiest restaurant strips.
Since then, ëlgr – which means ‘moose’ in Old Norse – has become one of Kloof Street’s most distinctive dining rooms: all charcoal tones, sage green accents, forest-inspired details and a leafy courtyard that felt far removed from the traffic and bustle of Kloof Street.
Over the years, Nilsson built a loyal following with his menu of globally inspired shared plates, seasonal cooking, house-made charcuterie and wood-fired pizzas. ëlgr’s bar programme was part of the appeal too, with wine and cocktails given their due.
“We’re proud of everything this restaurant has been – the food, the people, the evenings that turned into late nights,” said Nilsson. “Thank you to every person who has been part of it. We’re not done. Watch this space.”
The restaurant has also earned its share of recognition. Over the years, ëlgr has collected consecutive Eat Out Star Awards, and Time Out rated it amongst the city’s best pizza restaurants, as well as one of the best restaurants in Cape Town!
Before the final service, Nilsson and the ëlgr team are inviting guests back for one last meal, with favourite dishes and long-time signatures expected to appear on the menu. Reservations are open now, with dinner service running Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm.
While ëlgr’s Kloof Street chapter is closing, Nilsson is already working on new projects, with details of his next move to be announced in the weeks ahead.
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