Food Trends

Cape Town's defining street food: a foot-long roll split and crammed with hot slap chips, salad, and a filling like masala steak, peri-peri chicken, calamari, or polony, then drenched in spicy sauce. Born on the Cape Flats, it's sliced to share among friends.

The Cape Malay classic often called South Africa's national dish: curried, lightly sweetened minced beef studded with raisins and almonds, baked under a golden savoury egg custard with bay leaves. Served with fragrant yellow turmeric rice, chutney, and sliced banana.

A coastal Cape ritual: line-caught snoek, a firm Atlantic game fish, butterflied and grilled whole over open coals while basted with sweet apricot jam, butter, and garlic. The smoky, flaky flesh is pulled apart by hand and paired with sweet potato and konfyt.

The ultimate braai-side bite: a thick coil of coriander-spiced farmer's sausage grilled over coals until charred and juicy, tucked into a soft roll and topped with caramelised onions, tomato relish, and a squeeze of mustard. Cheap, smoky, and everywhere.

Harbourside perfection from Kalk Bay and Hout Bay: fresh hake or yellowtail in crisp golden batter with thick-cut slap chips doused in vinegar. Locals add masala salt or homemade peri-peri mayo, eaten straight from the paper as the fishing boats bob nearby.

Crisp triangular pastries from the city's Cape Malay and Indian kitchens, deep-fried until shatteringly golden and packed with curried mince, chicken, or spiced vegetables and cheese. Sold by the dozen at markets and corner shops, best dipped in tangy chutney.

A hollowed quarter-loaf of white bread filled to the brim with rich, spicy curry, usually lamb, chicken, or beans, the soft torn bread acting as the only utensil. A Durban import now devoured citywide, soaking up every drop of fiery, fragrant gravy.

South Africa's prized air-dried, spiced cured meat, usually beef or game, seasoned with coriander, salt, and vinegar before slow-drying. Sliced thin and chewy or fatty and tender, it's the snack of choice at markets, sports days, and every Capetonian pantry.

The Cape's most-loved dessert: a sticky, caramelised apricot-jam sponge baked spongy then soaked in a hot buttery cream-and-sugar sauce until lusciously moist. Served warm with custard or ice cream, it's a sweet, gooey finish to any Sunday table.

Two distinct treats share the name: the plaited Afrikaner version, deep-fried then dunked in ice-cold syrup for a crackly-crisp shell, and the spiced, coconut-dusted Cape Malay koesister flavoured with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Both are gloriously sweet and sticky.