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Tristan du Plessis is a South African interior architect and designer best known for high-impact hospitality settings that combine theatrical glamour with meticulous detail. If you’ve eaten at Cape Town’s FYN, stayed at Gorgeous George, or stepped into the beautiful new Amura at the Mount Nelson, you’ll have enjoyed your dinner beneath Tristan’s work.
Though Johannesburg-born he now calls Cape Town home, and his eponymous design studio has been setting the bar from the Mother City since 2015, specialising in hospitality and luxury residential work across local and international markets. Hello Miami!
While his spaces are deeply conceptual, they are also human-centric, filled with du Plessis’s uncanny understanding of how people move, gather and inhabit a space. If there’s a thread tying his spaces together, it’s a sense of refined maximalism, with layers of texture, form and colour. That approach has earned him plenty of plaudits, including being named Decorex Africa’s Designer of the Year for 2024. In 2026, his body of work will be presented in Design Narratives, published by ACC Art Books, featuring ten projects from the first decade of his studio and placing his work within the global context of contemporary hospitality design.
In short, what does that mean? Quite simply, he brings the wow factor. When you step inside a space designed by Tristan du Plessis, chances are you’ll stop in your tracks to admire it all. So, where does Tristan du Plessis go to fill his own creative cup in Cape Town? He shared his favourite corners with Time Out Cape Town.
MORE CELEBS SHARE THEIR LOCAL SECRETS
A timeless Cape Town classic, with layered, richly detailed interiors that create one of the city’s most atmospheric dining settings. At night, the space becomes effortlessly sexy, complemented by consistently excellent food and cocktails.
30 Kloof Street, Gardens
I may be biased [Du Plessis did the gorgeous interiors], but FYN captures a rare balance of precision, refinement, and emotional warmth. Every detail, from plating to service, reflects the care and passion behind one of the country’s most compelling culinary experiences.
37 Parliament Street, City Centre
A true Green Point institution, Giovanni’s remains the benchmark for deli culture in Cape Town. Its unbeatable international grocery selection, relaxed energy, and unwavering consistency make it a daily essential for locals, myself included.
103 Main Road, Green Point
As a committed sushi nerd, I can confidently say Hōseki delivers world-class Japanese cuisine. The immaculate setting, meticulous craft, and unforgettable drive through the winelands elevate the entire experience.
R310 Helshoogte Road, Stellenbosch
I’m not a beach person (too much sand) , but the pool at Morea House offers the sensation of being suspended above the ocean, all the drama of the coastline without the sand. It’s one of the most cinematic sunset viewpoints in the city.
35 Victoria Road, Camps Bay
My go-to destination in South Africa for contemporary luxury menswear. The tailoring is exceptional, and the store receives global collections in real time, keeping Cape Town firmly connected to the international fashion circuit.
V&A Waterfront
A beautifully considered gallery space known for its sharp curatorial vision and representation of leading contemporary South African artists. It’s consistently one of the most inspiring cultural stops in the city.
1 Argyle Street, Woodstock
Few places slow down time like the Mount Nelson. Afternoon tea here is less a ritual and more a transportive experience, a moment of calm set behind the iconic palm-lined driveway.
76 Orange Street, Gardens
As my surname suggests, I appreciate a great steak, and The Fat Butcher delivers with exceptional consistency. Quality cuts, generous choice, and classic steakhouse confidence make it a perennial favourite.
1 Van Riebeeck Street, Stellenbosch
A striking addition to the city’s dining scene, Arlecchino blends Tashas’ signature polish with Italian flair, standout carpaccio, authentic pastas, and tableside tiramisu set within a painfully stylish interior.
16 Regent Road, Sea Point
Again, I am biased [Amura is another project by Tristan!], but it's not often that a three-Michelin-starred chef opens a restaurant in Cape Town. Chef Angel Leon's commitment to marine life, innovation and experimentation is something to behold. This should be a place everyone visits at least once.
76 Orange Street, Gardens
I would be lying if I didn't include this. It's an old-school neighbourhood pharmacy that feels refreshingly unchanged by time. Its nostalgic character, warm service, and local familiarity make it one of those understated places that quietly anchors a community and a place that I visit embarrassingly often.
11 Kloof Road, Sea Point
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