Why Cape Town is a bargain for world-class fine dining

Cape Town, South Africa

R2395 per person

Set on the slopes above Camps Bay, Salsify at the Roundhouse boasts one of Cape Town's most spectacular restaurant settings. Housed in an 18th-century hunting lodge, it combines sweeping Atlantic views with the inventive cooking of executive chef Ryan Cole and head chef Nina du Toit. The ten-course Chef's Menu celebrates South African produce, with dishes such as yellowtail with mebos, globe artichoke with crispy pap, and Karoo lamb with sour fig. 

How does Salsify compare?

#70: KOL, London

£145. Approximately R3220

Just one place ahead of Salsify, KOL is a Michelin-starred restaurant where chef Santiago Lastra brings the flavours of Mexico to London using almost exclusively British ingredients. The inventive tasting menu includes dishes such as langoustine tacos with smoked chilli. It’s about R1000 more expensive than Salsify, drinks and tip excluded.

#72: Eatanic Garden, Seoul

₩370 000. Approximately R4550

One place below Salsify, Eatanic Garden occupies the 36th floor of Seoul's luxurious Josun Palace hotel. Chef Son Jong-won reimagines Korean ingredients and traditions in an elegant 11-course dinner that’s also way more spendy than Salsify! In fact, two people could (almost) dine at Salsify for less than the price of a single dinner at Eatanic Garden!

Cape Town

R2475 per person

In the heart of the Cape Town city centre, FYN brings together South African ingredients and Japanese culinary traditions. Chef-patron Peter Tempelhoff, alongside culinary director Ashley Moss, has created one of the country's most distinctive fine-dining experiences. The Experience Menu showcases ingredients such as Cape Point tuna, abalone, KZN langoustines and Karoo lamb, served in a dramatic contemporary dining room with mountain views.

How does FYN compare?

#64: Seroja, Singapore

S$288. Approximately R3740

Just one place ahead of FYN, Seroja celebrates the ingredients and culinary traditions of the Malay Archipelago. Its Nusantara dinner menu features dishes such as mangrove-wood-charred lobster and duck percik. At S$288 before taxes and service, it's around 50 percent more expensive than FYN. 

#66: Willem Hiele, Oudenburg, Belgium

€235. Approximately R4330

On Belgium's North Sea coast, chef Willem Hiele takes inspiration from local fishermen, farmers and the surrounding landscape. His Michelin-starred restaurant serves a highly seasonal menu in a striking Brutalist building. But, it’s not cheap! Although it’s one notch down the list from FYN, it’s about 75% more expensive!

Cape Town

R2595 per person 

The highest-ranked restaurant in Africa, La Colombe climbed an impressive 20 places in the 2026 rankings. Set high on Constantia Nek, the restaurant combines valley views with the playful, technically accomplished cooking of executive chef James Gaag. French techniques meet Asian influences and South African ingredients on the Chef's Menu that includes signature dishes including Tuna 'La Colombe' and the nostalgic 'Childhood Memories of Frozen Yoghurt'.

How does La Colombe compare?

#34: Le Coquillage, Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, France

€290. Approximately R5380

Wow, brace yourselves and warn your credit card! Just one place ahead of La Colombe, Le Coquillage is chef Hugo Roellinger's three-Michelin-starred restaurant on the Brittany coast. Overlooking the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, its seafood-focused menus celebrate the region's maritime heritage with an imaginative use of spices. And it should, costing twice as much as La Colombe!

#36: Ru Yuan, Hangzhou, China

¥1488. Approximately R3650

One place below La Colombe, Ru Yuan is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant set among Hangzhou's botanical gardens. Chef Fu Yueliang offers refined interpretations of traditional Zhejiang cuisine, including river prawns with Longjing tea and yellow-wine-braised pork belly. Delicious, but still more expensive than La Colombe one notch above it.