Seebamboes

Seebamboes sits somewhat hidden above sister restaurant Galjoen, on Harrington Street. But make no mistake, this 16-seat restaurant has staked its claim by taking the familiar idea of surf and turf and seriously turning it on its head. There are unexpected flavour combos, with seaweed served alongside meaty flavours that leave a lingering richness on your lips.

Named after Ecklonia maxima - the giant indigenous kelp lining the Western Cape coastline - Seebamboes translates to “sea bamboo.” This restaurant feels entirely connected to the ocean landscapes that have inspired its creative culinary team. The result is a striking menu of small plates that doesn't lose sight of being nourishing, while establishing it as one of the city's most distinctive dining experiences.

The Backstory

Seebamboes forms part of The Belly Restaurant Group, the hospitality collective founded by Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart - the duo behind Belly of the Beast and Galjoen.  

What makes the group particularly interesting is its deliberate resistance to scale. None of their restaurants seats more than 35 guests, and all sit within two city blocks in Cape Town’s East City Precinct. Together, they’ve helped transform Harrington Street into an exciting culinary hub.  

At Seebamboes, chef Adèl Hughes - who previously cooked at Galjoen and alongside Kobus van der Merwe of Wolfgat fame - leads the kitchen with confidence. Sustainability underpins everything both at Seebamboes and Galjoen, from locally foraged sea plants and whole-animal cooking to relationships with a select group of local suppliers.

The Vibe

The first thing that strikes you about Seebamboes is how intimate it feels.

Sitting above Galjoen, the mezzanine space almost resembles a private invite-only supper club, rather than a restaurant. The experience is pared back in a minimalist way that feels almost contradictory to its utter richness in flavour. During my visit, service unfolded with Hughes (Front-of-House Manager Liebet Jooste was off sick that evening), guiding us through the new winter menu with genuine warmth.

The space mirrors the food philosophy: understated but layered with detail to focus squarely on sharing the story behind the dishes.

It's not hard to imagine Chef Hughes out on the rocks, doing her thing, as she enthusiastically shared advice on how best to enjoy the dishes she placed before us.

The Food

This is where Seebamboes rises to the occasion of separating itself from Cape Town’s tasting-menu crowd. 

The menu explores the meeting point between land and sea in unexpected ways. The dishes meld texture and flavour into a storied plate. An example being The Lichen dish: seven-day-aged tuna with coconut, lime, crispy curry leaf, crunchy crackling and Klipkombers seaweed. It looks fresh off the strand, effectively mirroring the dried-out moss peeling off sundried kelp. And the flavour delivers a salty ocean tang, together with coconut milkiness, that's pure genius - as are most of the dishes on this thoughtfully put-together winter menu.  

Seaweed takes centre stage throughout, with ribbon sea lettuce, klipkombers and seebamboes shifting from delicate saline to smoky savoury. Foraged from the coastal towns of Betty’s Bay, Scarborough and Paternoster, dune spinach and confetti bush add to the taste and textures. 

Like the elegant yet hearty flame-cooked Argentinian-style picanha, served alongside a seebamboes salad, where strands of kelp are cooked al dente and sliced into noodle-like ribbons. Cucumber, fresh herbs and smoked mussels are tossed with an Asian-inspired dressing, while warm pita, slicked with rich oils and coriander seed mayo, makes it quite moreish.

Another standout is the tagine dish, where a crispy snoek croquette sits in a smoky arrabbiata sauce threaded with seebamboes, together with a slow-braised takbok shank served with creamy samp and spinach purée, and a roti to roll it up in. It all sounds like a lot, but the sharing portions hit the spot perfectly.

The Drinks

The wine programme is every bit as adventurous as the food, with a strong sense of personality running through the list. Small-batch producers and unconventional winemakers take centre stage, from Northern Cape label Die Verlore Bokooi to Swartland-based wines like Vine Venom Serenade and Testalonga Mielie Green. The selection is a surprise and makes the wine experience feel like half the evening’s pleasure in itself.e

Importantly, the wines never overpower the food. In fact, these aren’t rigid pairings at all, but thoughtful recommendations woven into the menu’s storytelling.

There’s also a playful drinks offering that includes a Hout en Coke (if you know, you know), and the delightfully fizzy Bobejaan, made with a herbal liqueur, memorable enough for the picture on the bottle alone.

Why Go

For anyone wanting to experience Cape Town’s dining scene beyond the obvious, Seebamboes offers one of the city’s most original and emotionally resonant meals. It's intimate, with a sense of deep personal approach to sustainability. The food is grounded in the South African landscape and ingredients, but interpreted imaginatively.

Need to know: 

Lunch: Saturdays | 12:30 @ R550 per person
Dinner: Tuesday – Saturday | 18:45 @ R1000 per person 

Seebamboes Winter special runs until 31 July. Lunch and dinner have single seatins, so don't be late.