TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in South Africa - Updated November 2024

Magica Roma Restaurant

89/100 (2721 ratings)

Restaurants

Italian

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Romana

Pizza

Mediterranean

European

Mediterranean

Italian

Central-Italian

Lazio

Gluten Free Options

Pizza

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

After-hours

Dinner

Lunch

Tapas Platter

Fried calamari

Ravioli Alfredo

Beef

Tiramisú

Crème Brûlée

Tiramisu

Pasta

Fish

Carbonara

Osso Buco

Salad

Schnitzel

Saltimbocca

Chili

Osso Buco

Calamari

Sole Meunier

Lamb

Risotto

Ribeye Steak Served on a Bed of Spinach

Pesto

Mussels

Fresh Wild Oysters

Quattro Formaggi

Fish

Tuna

Oldenburg Syrah

Antipasto Italiano

Shrimp Cocktail

Antipasti

Calamares

Brownie and Ice Cream

Ossobuco

Ham and Mushroom Pizza

Panzerotti

Mixed Seafood Platter

Carpaccio

Sit down

Mediterranean

Pizza

Central-Italian

Romana

Lazio

European

Italian

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Parking Available

Full Bar

Accepts Credit Cards

Takeout

After-hours

Dinner

Lunch

Mid-range

"If you are looking for an authentic Italian restaurant, look no further than Magica Roma. Situated in Pinelands, there is limited parking close by...."

Tandy Sinclair

"Quality Italian hospitality, atmosphere and most importantly..."

Warren De Vos

"I booked a table here for my anniversary. We we greeted with enthusiasm and seated in the "special section" at the back where the chef continuously..."

Yajna Gold

"Magica Roma is one of the old Cape Town institutions and it feels like it - stepping into the restaurant feels like a time warp back to the 90s...."

Bryan Vally

"Have been going to Magica Roma for close on 25 Years. This Resturant offers the most amazing authentic and fresh Italian food anywhere. The food is..."

Foodie From All Over

"This is the best Italian restaurant in Cape Town without a doubt! The atmosphere is truly authentic and the service is impeccable. You feel like you..."

Imogen Searra

"This resturant has an authentic feel and it shines through in the food. The portions are generous and the flavours bouyant. I've yet to be..."

Jaryd Kay

"Magica Roma has an excellent feel to it: really authentic and intimate experience. Service is exceptionally friendly and quick. I was only..."

Marcio Lopes

"After living in Cape Town for about 15 years, we finally decided to give this place a try. I've always heard mixed reviews but wanted to try it out..."

Simone Izzard

"If you haven't been in Italy and you want to feel the vibe if an Italian restaurant , this is the right place. It's decorated like a country side..."

Pusm

"Ventured out to pinelands to come to an old favorite.The atmosphere in the place was warm and welcoming, the waiters provided top notch..."

Natalie

"One of my favourite italian restaurants. Low ceilings and heavy wooden furniture set close together provide a warm homely feel. Etzio and his staff..."

Ryan Goodman

"Great meal - yet again!We love that Magica is open on a Monday, and popped in at 7pm. The place was packed, lots of staff, none of them..."

Andrew Campbell

"A nice homely Italian feel , started with the asparagus and artichoke covered in cheese , was tasty but didn't seem home made. The sole we had came..."

Russel Roth

"Plan in advance and make a booking I got lucky with a cancellation. I've heard so much about Magica Roma so I had to give it a try, it was so worth..."

Jessy Da Silva

"Book way in advance ! It's a family style honest Italian Restuarant. All the classic Italian dishes and delicious oyster starters. The hot..."

Andrew Raeburn

"This place makes you feel like you're sitting in a mountain hut somewhere in the Alps. I don't think the restaurant has been upgraded since 1920,..."

Marcus Christiansen

"First time having dinner here, apparently it is a household name among Italians in Cape Town. Dario and I started off by sharing the Ravioli Alfredo...."

Nicol Miller

"It's been a while since I've actually eaten at this Pinelands institution, but we are regular orderers of their take-away pizzas. The time they give..."

Catherine

"Second time we've been here and still blown away by the explosion of flavours in each dish. Service is excellent even when they are full house. ..."

Lucinda Villain

"Remember that scene in Lady & the Tramp where the Italian chef is hanging out in his alley and serves a tray of spaghetti to a pair of dogs and plays..."

Ben Rhys

"Such a treat! Magica Roma has become sort of a celebration hang out for us! Fantastic homely food with a refined twist. I have to say I've enjoyed it..."

Sumendra Chetty

"Enjoyed having dinner here. The veal is really good and my other half loved his steak. The waiters are extremely well trained pleasant and have a..."

Kerry Garden

"I have never had a bad meal here! That said, we don't go very often because it's a bit more than the average student budget will allow. The food and..."

Ruby Bunjun

"We used to frequent Magica Roma quite often when we my husband stayed out in Pinelands. Sadly we have but fond memories as we havent had a chance to..."

Simone Hasselbach

"Italian cuisine at its finest. The first time I went to this restaurant a vegetarian meal was made for me using the tastiest black mushrooms. I often..."

Pree

"By far the best Italian restaurant ever!! Wonderful service. I wanted a specific pasta that was not on the menu on request. EXACTLY what I wanted...."

Callan Gallacher

"A hidden gem in a spot that most people would just pass by. The food is fantastic and is the real Italian deal. A wide selection of..."

Capt Cape Town

"Magica Roma is unquestionably in my Top 3 favourite restaurants and, I would say, probably one of the most underrated and lesser-known dining spots..."

Jana Lorraine Pretorius

"Seriously authentic Italian. A family favorite, Magica Roma always serves up delicious, quality food. The signature veal is perfect and you can't go..."

Jessica Stromin

"Italian at it's best! Magica Roma has been around for many many years. A traditional Italian restaurant in all aspects from decor, music, ambiance..."

Elaine Lahoud

"Authentic Italian food and excellent service. This charming restaurant has wonderful ambience and offers a variety of traditional Italian fare. ..."

Kimala Ross

"Faultless. Experienced, professional, passionate owners keep the regulars coming back for years. Very authentic Italian food, decent specials and..."

Bernard

"This is really a forgotten gem. Classic Italian food and atmosphere. It's a local eatery and sadly it's been forgotten by us snobs on the Atlantic..."

Mikey Nathan

"In my opinion it's the best Italian in Cape Town, I have been going there what seems like my entire life and have never had a bad meal, everything..."

Romi Diamond

"Pizza was delicious, calamari was amazing, dessert was the perfect end to a great meal. Atmosphere is cosy with people from all parts of the world....."

Rashmi Gosai

"Unbelievable Food and awesome service. Treated like family, made to feel at home and always as good as the last time ! Will definitely be back !..."

Kyle Winik

"Possibly one of the best meals I've ever had in my life! This restaurant is brilliant, o had the carbonara and could've eaten another 2 portions it..."

Pen Trevena

"Finally I can rave over a meal!!! Great Penne Arabiatta 😀 - absolutely fabulous in fact. I can not say anything less. Do not bother ordering the..."

Ross Morrison

"Could not have asked for a more fantastic meal! The service was speedy, the stuff friendly and the atmosphere was great! In all a great night out!..."

Dylan Craig Boyes

"Veal Hawaii Medallions was absolutely define. Best I ever had. My wife had Pettit di Polo alla Fiorentina. It was melt in your mouth tender.The..."

Sam Coetzee

"This place is magic! The BEST Italian restaurant in Cape Town! We always go here for family celebrations as it has a variety of Italian food for..."

Emma Bowen

"This is like eating in Italy! Authentic Italian food with the warm hospitality of the owners. We were served a plate of different antipasta prepared..."

Christine Du Toit

"Best food ever!!!! Just love the Ravioli, it's to die for! I could easily sell my soul for it. Nice welcoming atmosphere as well, recommended for..."

Zelme Swart

"One of my favorite spots. From the food to the wine, you cannot go wrong. They are quite busy, so I suggest making a booking. You can order..."

Donald Stockhall

"Wow! This place is an institution in the Mother City. 5 minutes out of town (for those of you who panic when you have to leave Sea Point), this is..."

Cape Town Diva

"An iconic and authentic Italian restaurant I had never eaten in until this week. Location is "interesting", between a park and small shopping complex..."

Dale Bedford

"Easily one of the most popular Italian spots in Cape Town - Magica Roma has been around for yonks and they have an impressive following because they..."

MelbourneLops

"I just love the family atmosphere here and the fact that there aren't really any menus, it's more of a "tell them your feelings and they'll find you..."

Shante H Hutton

"Simply put this is the best restaurant in Cape Town maybe even South Africa. You won't be disappointed but don't forget to book. Excellent service,..."

Graham McKinon

"Scrumptious food, good service and wonderful ambience. Several visits and always the same experience. I can recommend this restaurant to anyone..."

Joseph Neethling

"Definitely one of the best service I've experienced. We were a large group, waitress was prompt efficient and friendly. Loved the atmosphere and the..."

Lesley Marks

"Magica Roma is a good ol' faithful in Cape Town. Not many people know about it because it's tucked away in Pinelands but the locals and regulars..."

Samantha Sampson

"Excellent service on a busy night!* Very warm and welcoming atmosphere! Truly Italian!!!!Food was exquisite! Compliments to the..."

Jomari Steyn

"We were doing business in Pinelands and asked where we should go, there was a resounding chorus for Magica Roma and a very lucky booking made. It..."

Debbie Bergmann-harris

"You certainly do have to look quite hard for this little Italian gem but once you find it, you'll struggle to find anything better! It has been..."

Allan Moita

"Magica Roma never dissapoints. Walking in you can feel the Italian ancestry and there is always a warm welcome with extremely knowlegable staff...."

Ian Burrows

"The best food with the best people...a must !!The suggestions from the pleasant people serving you is much better than the menu and the food..."

Johan Schoeman

"I've been to this restaurant about 10 times and always make a beeline for it whenever i go to Cape Town ..even if it is a bit out of the way for me..."

Martini

"Magica Roma is this unassuming little restaurant which you walk into with low expectations and leave with the highest praise.It's a traditional..."

David Greenway

"My best place to eat in Cape Town for the past 20 years. Great food, extensive menu, each meal prepared fresh. Very friendly owners. You MUST book...."

Alan Tucker

"In my view, probably the best Italian restaurant in Cape Town. Friendly staff, energetic owners and unbeatable food. Favourite dishes include the..."

Ryan G

"excellent food....competent service. feels like you are eating in a neighbourhood restaurant in a village in Italy. Always busy...always on..."

Sherri-Lyn Corbello

"My favorite Italian restaurant in Cape Town. In my opinion, it is one of the best Italian restaurants. Good value for money, good service. The food..."

Craig Ian Lester

"It’s been around for years and years and remains a great place to eat. I have always enjoyed my meal. Another great owner run..."

James Hickman

"I used to work in Pinelands, not exactly a suburb known for its restaurants, the exception it seems being Magica Roma. So I was in for quite a..."

Anita Shapiro

"One of the best pizza spots in Cape Town! They have a variety of different pizzas, as well as sea food like muscles, oysters and shrimp. They also..."

ThePigThing

"Loveliest dinner experience in this cozy Italian restaurant thats been open for decades. Had the penne al forno and it was delicious! Also had the..."

Vicki Boyes

"What a fabulous little hidden gem! The whole restaurant was buzzing with happy patrons. We had the friendliest, most charming waitress who made my..."

Chelsie Rowbotham

"The food is absolutely deliciously out of this world amazing Michael is so professional and he definitely made us feel at..."

Nina

"I don't know where to start... A friend of mine from Brighton has recommended that this place is a must on your list if you love italian food and he..."

Steven Belucz

"Went for dinner with friends this evening, what a special place. You are made to feel so welcome. I love rissoto and when I didnt see it on the menu..."

lynne klein

"Step back in time to this charming traditional and authentic Italian restaurant, something very different from the usual trendy / chic Cape Town..."

Sher Brüssow

"What a delightful italian restaurant to relax with great company, great wine and quality italian cuisine. Food was served promptly following our..."

Tanya Faber

"An absolute authentic Italian cuisine awaits you when you enter Magica Roma. I was thrillingly surprised when the chef himself came to my table to..."

Bea Mostert

"Loved the vibe. Food was amazing. Authentic Italian cuisine. Staff were happy and amazing. Restaurant was full…and I can definitely understand why!..."

Aruna Lakhan

Saltwater Grill

88/100 (1551 ratings)

Restaurants

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Seafood

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Brunch

Dinner

Lunch

Calamari Rings and Chips

Deep Fried Calamari Rings

Grilled Hake and Salad

Hake

8 Queen Prawns and Chips

Paella

Smoked Salmon and Avo

Cakes

Pasta

Mussels with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Pesto

Fish

Salad

S&L Garden Salad

Panna Cotta

Fettuccini Marinara

Thai curry

Calamari

8 King Prawns with Lemon Butter Sauce Peri Peri Sauce on the Side

sole

Mussels

Signature Spanish Seafood Stew

White wine

Tuna

chicken caesar salad

Calamares

Salt & Pepper Calamari

Thai green curry

Prawn Balti

Spanish Seafood Stew

Seafood Platters

Seafood Platter for 1

Prawns

Sit down

Seafood

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Parking Available

Accepts Credit Cards

Serves Alcohol

Outdoor Seating

Takeout

Accepts Visa

Street Parking

Reservations

Dinner

Lunch

Brunch

Mid-range

"Totally a must experience. Staff excellent and the food I am going back...."

Beate Tunstall

"I have now been to Salt Water Grill 5 times and have yet to be disappointed in any way. The service is excellent, the atmosphere friendly , Claudio..."

Ashish Sharma

"Very impressed with the food!! Highly recommend.. the seared tuna was delicious and most likely the best veggies I've ever had while eating..."

Talitha Van Der Westhuizen

"I attended this restaurant on the 16/11/2018 with my sister. Overall it was a yummy super. For starters we had drunken local mussels to..."

Gabriella De Souza

"Saltwater Grill is extremely popular and serves of the best seafood around. It was packed this evening which is obviously a good sign for the..."

Chris Crous

"Not your run of the mill seafood restaurant. Each dish has great, fresh flavour and is not overpowered by sauce.We had the mussels &..."

Janita Naidoo

"After reading all the good reviews we decided to go. The food was very tasty and the service was very good. We will definitely go back..."

Lara Kleinman Rozowsky

"After reading rave reviews for months we finally made our way to The Saltwater Grill. The place was packed with locals which I always take as a good..."

Michelle Sampson

"What a gem. There must have been a @masterchef in the kitchen. Food was well prepared and the presentation superb. Will definitely come..."

Beverley Silkstone

"A lovely, cosy setting, with friendly waitering staff and a wide variety of seafood dishes to choose from. I had the mussel and hake combo - I was..."

Sarah Herrington

"A small seafood restaurant situated at the Howard Centre in Pinelands. Though some reviews are mixed, I've only ever had good food and service when..."

Clare Ford

"Excellent dining experience. Very unassuming but will beat all your expectations. Love how attention is given to detail and presentation is brought..."

Suhail Bham

"Fantastic, fresh seafood and excellent service. Highly recommended the grilled calamari and cob special if you're lucky enough to to catch it on the..."

Jessica Miller

"This is always my fallback restaurant when dining with my dad. The restaurant is off the side of a shopping centre, but still has a classy feel if..."

Jaclyn Woods

"Tucked away at the Howard Centre in Pinelands, Saltwater Grill is a slice of ocean heaven. Open plan kitchen, minimalistic, deli-style and outdoor..."

Ryan Goodman

"Small and cosy setting. Excellent food. Very tasty and well presented. Worth the trip. Seafood platter, Paella and also burgers was..."

Werner Barnard

"Social media has been buzzing with rave reviews about the saltwater grill, and the rumours of its greatness are not over exaggerated!I..."

Francesca Favero

"✔️ Beautiful quaint restaurant with tasteful decor, outfits and styling ✔️ Happy and helpful waiters ✔️ Grilled Hake and..."

Lauren Kim

"This place is so refreshing. It is unpretentious and affordable with great food! I had the grilled prawns to start which were amazing. The..."

Candice Linde

"Wow that's all I can say. Best seafood platter I've had in Cape Town. Everything was cooked to absolute perfection. Most definitely worth a..."

Christopher Elliot

"With such a shortage of, basic seaside fish restaurants, Saltwater Grill is a top 10 little gems in Cape Town!It's not fancy, certainly not..."

Allan Moita

"Wishes came true yesterday lunchtime when we finally got to give Saltwater Grill a whirl to find out what all the fuss is about. I could just say the..."

Christina Pretorius

"Another great evening at this awesome establishment. Yummy smoked snoek chowder and west coast sole. You guys have outdone yourselves once again...."

Lauren Thorne

"Different Taste☺. Loved their prawns and especially their presentation. Even left some for my FAM. Definitely coming back again.Thank..."

Lungelwa Hada Bhelekazi

"Since my first review of this lovely local eatery in September 2016, Saltwater Grill has continued to grow in popularity with locals and visitors..."

Living It Up CT

"From the starters to the mains & deserts absolutely fabulous!! Service was very good too. A must visit. Most delicious fresh seafood and excellent..."

Basil Klavas

"Lovely cosy little seafood restaurant. Had the kingklip as this came highly recommended. The rice, chips and veggies are divine- so do yourself a..."

Kristen George

"Wow! Saltwater grill. An absolute gem in the Howard Centre in Pinelands. Dylan runs a tight ship and the food represents that. It's all in the little..."

Warren Ambler

"Consistently excellent food, amazing presentation and service and great prices! What more can you ask for? We are regulars and will keep going..."

Tay

"Popped in after work. Pleasantly surprised. I had the Hake grilled with lemon butter and chips. A good thick piece of hake which was perfectly done..."

Food Ninja

"We popped in to the Salt Water Grill on a Monday night to take advamtage of one of their specials - R100 for a two course meal. Being rather hungry,..."

Catherine

"Well this evening the food was absolutely superb! Our fish and calamari was tender, the salad and vegetables were full of flavour but in a way that..."

Charne

"This little gem has a great variety of fresh seafood, with a menu that is always changing (be sure to ask about the specials) - Served by passionate..."

Ashley Foot

"This restaurant serves wonderfully fresh, well prepared seafood. Everything I have eaten there on 6 or 7 occasions has always been spot on. We..."

Joan Colgate

"I ordered the Smoked Norwegian Salmon Salad which was fresh and had a lovely crunchy texture. I also ordered the starter Tempura Prawns which where..."

Andre Santos Ferreira

"Had a fantastic meal at Saltwater Grill. The seafood was fresh and cooked to perfection. Ambiance relaxed and friendly, helpful staff. The mussels..."

Marina Paioni

"What a great little seafood restaurant! I was there with quite a large group so I ended up tasting most things from the Starter and Main course..."

Arthur Hewett

"The best fish and chips! Hake melts in your mouth with a light crispy batter. Absolutely delicious! HAND CUT CHIPS! Very crispy and tasty. We were a..."

Andalene Salvesen

"We tried this Restaraunt 11 days after it opened. What a find. Lovely fresh seafood. We all had some combination of prawns and calamari and all were..."

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