Dinner at Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia feels like a special occasion.
Whether it's a date night or an actual celebration, Constantia Valley’s elegance, mixed with executive chef and co-owner Ivor Jones’s playful and sometimes irreverent food philosophy, makes for the perfect setting.
The launch of a new five-course set menu marks a shift in rhythm for the restaurant that's more structured but no less surprising.
In fact, this menu feels considered in every aspect for Jones, building layers of flavour across the evening while still leaving space for detours, personal choice and the odd left-field pairing.
It's clear why the dining room is abuzz throughout the service, as Jones and his team make it all about enjoying the food at your own pace.
It helps, of course, that the setting is as dramatic as ever.
Perched high on the slopes of Constantia Nek, Beau’s glass-walled dining room is a front-row seat to one of the Cape’s most beautiful valleys, while the open kitchen pulls you straight into service.
As the evening unfolds, the sparkling city lights below are quite something, naturally enhancing the restaurant's appeal.
What’s on the menu?
The new pairing menu offers quite the selection. The freshest West Coast Saldanha oysters with a kick of nam jim (a signature Asian move for Jones) are worth the supplement, and I could have happily feasted on that all evening.
The braaied linefish, with champagne cream, is absolute perfection. Adding prawn and scallop sui mai (traditional dumpling) again hints at Jones's creative infusion of local flavours with Asian inspiration from his recent travels to Hong Kong.
Desserts range from sticky rice pudding with spicy pineapple tepache sorbet to a housemade “Papa Jones Bar" filled with milk chocolate and manjari ganache, which is a hat tip to Jones' father. Beau's wild honey and lavender crème dessert is also a mainstay for lunchtime guests.
Jones has also invested energy into training the whole team instead of just having a single sommelier. He believes this allows everyone to make recommendations with a less intimidating approach to the pairings.
These lean heavily into the surrounding Cape terroir, with bottles from Groote Post, Raats, Miles Mossop and beyond, poured not by a single sommelier but by a team trained to share their depth and perspectives.
It’s fine dining without the fuss, grounded in flavour and a touch of fun.
Is there outdoor seating?
The expansive terrace offers a casual vibe, sometimes with resident food trucks serving pizzas and bites. As availability is weather-dependent, plan ahead and confirm beforehand.
Why go?
Few restaurants balance refinement and warm, uncomplicated service quite like this. The wow factor is split between the view over one of the Cape’s most dramatic vineyard outlooks and the food. Jones and his team keep fine dining fun, unpretentious, and creative. You won't be disappointed.