South Africa’s love affair with meat means you'll find a steak featured on almost any restaurant menu across the city, from fast-food to fine-dining.
Whether you love to tuck into a T-bone or would rather roast a rib-eye, we've updated our guide to the best steak in Cape Town.
Top Steak Restaurants in Cape Town
Many of Cape Town’s best steakhouses have been in business for decades; a testament to their quality and, often, personality. In recent years many have also honed in on what really matters: serving the best cuts sourced from local farmers, and grilled to perfection. Rump or sirloin, T-bone or hangar...
1. Marble Cape Town
There are so many good reasons to go to Marble Cape Town, and it all begins with a great glass elevator that whisks you skyward. Step outside onto a balcony (the best seats, if it’s not too hot) and the world - well, the V&A Waterfront - is at your feet.
Look up and you’re spoiled with panoramic views: Table Bay, the city, Table Mountain, Signal Hill. Step indoors and the décor will steal your gaze: shimmering ceilings reminiscent of the Atlantic Ocean.
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The Cape Town outpost of David Higgs’ acclaimed Johannesburg eatery may be leaning into more seafood and Mediterranean-inspired plates, but it certainly hasn’t lost the core offering that made the original such a Johannesburg favourite: a slab of meat, a lick of flame and some of the best fries in town.
So while there’s plenty of creativity on the menu, keep it simple: you’ll never go wrong with their coal-fired ribeye and Hasselback potatoes. There’s a bourbon-butter pepper cream on the side, but the meat here hardly needs it. If you’re feeling especially flush, Marble’s imported Wagyu and signature cuts will tempt your palate.
Location: V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
2. Iron Steak and Bar
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Cape Town’s steakhouse scene may be dominated by a handful of OG establishments boasting decades of experience, but if you prefer your decor fresh and energy high, head to Bree Street’s Iron Steak and Bar. This isn’t your everyday stuffy steakhouse: meals begin with wagyu-flavored popcorn, and the atmosphere from the vintage-inspired bar spills over into the dining room.
The menu reflects this vibrancy with a few unique options, from enormous tomahawks to an impressive range of wagyu cuts. But, really, there’s only one choice… the flagship: an eponymous flat iron steak that’s marbled to perfection, tender, and loaded with flavor.
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Iron Steak and Bar is not your everyday South African steakhouse. Your experience at Iron Steak and Bar starts with a complimentary serving of popcorn cooked with delicious Wagyu beef drippings. You can enjoy the lively atmosphere while our beautiful 1920’s inspired bar churns out delicious classic cocktails and our attentive waiters serve you a variety of scrumptious dishes.
The perfect steak: Juices locked, flavors sealed. And all that on top of the finest grass-fed boutique beef with nothing but organic goodness.
Location: 114 Bree Street, Cape Town City Centre
Rated The Best Wagyu Burger in Cape Town, Iron Steak & Bar’s signature burger has been named the #1 burger to have in Cape Town by Time Out. We were featured among the city’s top picks in their roundup of The Best Wagyu Burgers in Cape Town.
We boast a great selection of wine, beer and classic cocktails that we take pride in preparing the good-old way!
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Come and indulge in our flagship steak which dates back to the 2008/2009 UK recession. The Flat Iron steak was the cheaper and less popular cut of beef but was filled with exceptional flavours and tenderness.
Iron Steak and Bar is Cape Town’s favourite steakhouse, where you can enjoy a range of world class dishes including mouth-watering steaks flame grilled to perfection on our imported Spanish Vulcano Grez grill. Voted as one of the TOP 10 steakhouses in the world! We are deeply honored to be recognized by TimeOut as Nr 6 out of the top 10 steak restaurants in the world. Thank you for your continued support.
3. Patina Steak and Fine Wine
Patina Steak and Fine Wine in Newlands is a neighborhood restaurant that skirts dangerously close to the hidden gem cliché. Although there are endless rave reviews online (and a branch on D’Aria Wine Estate) its Newlands outpost is the kind of steakhouse where locals in the know fill the tables.
Location: 33 Dean Street, Newlands Quarter
4. Bo-Vine in the City
As the urban (and urbane) counterpart to the sister-steakhouse in Camps Bay, Bo-Vine in the City brings a modern elegance to the space in Heritage Square. Bo-Vine takes meat seriously, with a meat platter paraded around the tables to help you choose your cut.
The waiters are experts in all things bovine, and whether you opt for a hefty tomahawk, marbled wagyu, or oversized T-bone, you’re in good hands. Alongside prime cuts, the menu ranges from starters of steakhouse classics to mostly meaty main courses. However, Bo-Vine in the City also caters to pescatarians and plant-based diners with dishes that don't feel like afterthoughts.
Location: 101 Hout Street, Cape Town
5. NV-80
In the heart of Sea Point, NV-80 revels in its old-school charm, from the leather banquettes and Art Deco-styled mirrors to the menu classics: prawn cocktail with Marie-rose sauce, Caesar salad, and Surf & Turf. However, there are flashes of modernity here too, such as the tartare of Norwegian salmon and the four-course tasting menu (good value at R570), which begins with oysters in Vietnamese dressing.
We love the fact that the beef is entirely grass-fed from South African farms, and the sides are reassuringly old-school: rustic cut chips, onion rings, and creamed spinach. It’s easy to see why locals love it.
Location: The Point Mall, 76 Regent Rd, Sea Point
6. Rare Grill
Rare Grill may be small compared to other contenders, but those who bag one of the handful of tables swear there are few better steakhouses in the city. Owner Greg Bax has a long pedigree behind the grill, and puts enormous effort into sourcing great meat. That means AAA-grade South African grain-fed beef, wet-aged for 28 days, and hand-selected by Bax himself.
Location: 166 2nd Avenue, Kenilworth
7. Nelson’s Eye
Somewhat true to its name, Nelson’s Eye is easy to stumble past without noticing. It is, after all, located on the ground floor of an apartment block, on a nondescript suburban City Bowl street, beneath a small neon OPEN sign. But to turn a blind eye to this fabled steak house - with wood-panelled interiors and brash ‘steak it or leave it attitude’ - would be a mistake.
It’s been around since the 1960s and, since then, has built a legacy as one of Cape Town’s best steakhouses.
Location: 9 Hof St, Gardens
8. The Butcher Shop & Grill
If you’ve spent any time upcountry you’ll recognise The Butcher Shop & Grill from its iconic Johannesburg branch where, for over 30 years, it's been one of the city’s go-to grillrooms. The Cape Town branch, in the Atlantic Seaboard suburb of Mouille Point, is smaller but (still, with 250 seats) no less impressive.
Meat served here has hung on the carcass for three days, and cuts are aged for up to 40 days. That attention to ageing means diners are encouraged to select their cut, and portion size, from the in-house butchery counter before it’s sent off to the grill.
Location: 125 Beach Road, Mouille Point
9. Hussar Grill, Rondebosch
The Hussar Grill is one of the Cape’s most ubiquitous steakhouse brands, with branches across the city and Cape Winelands. But don’t let that deter you from visiting the original outlet in the leafy suburb of Rondebosch. Hussar Grill Rondebosch, now in its 60th year, is one of the oldest grill rooms in South Africa, and it still serves up atmosphere and flavour by the forkful.
Little wonder it’s fully booked almost every night. The menu is extensive, but you’ll never go wrong with a 300g rump. Corkage is free, so many locals take their own bottle of wine.
Location: 10 Main Rd, Rondebosch
10. Bo-Vine Wine and Grillhouse
The eateries of the Camps Bay strip may be better known for their sushi and seafood, but in the heart of the ‘Strip’ comes Bo-Vine with a marvellous meaty offering. Start the evening with a sundowner in The Attic, their chic cocktail bar with a sea view and an impressive collection of imported spirits.
There’s a similar level of sophistication in the look and feel of Bo-Vine, where the name gives a hint at what’s in store: meaty cuts and fine wines. There’s a welcome choice of wet- and dry-aged cuts, alongside spendy Wagyu, with wine pairings suggested for each. Beyond the ‘Legendary’ prime cuts - the Bo-Vine Meat Board offers a selection - mains run from classic fillet au poivre to pressed lamb belly and seafood plates.
Location: Shop 1, The Promenade Shopping Centre, Camps Bay
11. ROOI
Hotel restaurants are hard to get right, as they balance the need to host both busy breakfast buffets and a dinner destination in one venue. But a recent revamp and a focus on flame-licked local flavors has upped the ante for refined dining at One&Only Cape Town.
To start, ROOI is a gorgeous space. The refurbishment has introduced warmth and local color. At the same time, lower ceilings, cladding around the pillars, and creating more intimate banquettes and booths have changed the previously cavernous feel, adding a distinctly South African style and character.
On the menu, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Though seafood starters and Cape-inspired mains will tempt, don’t ignore the variety of grills, including classic prime cuts, South African wagyu beef, and aged mutton. Larger cuts, suitable for sharing, are also offered. They all arrive with a selection of inspired side plates and can be paired with a bottle (why not two?) from the impressive wine collection. Sommelier Luvo Ntezo is on hand to guide you if needed.
Location: Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
12. Carne on Keerom
In 2008, Italian chef Giorgio Nava opened an intensely stylish (he is Milanese, after all) meat-centric restaurant in Cape Town’s legal district. Unambiguously called Carne, it was to serve as an outlet for his carnivorous passions. He sources the finest cuts from the country’s best butchers and prepares them to perfection.
But Nava also doesn't settle for predictable: mains like the 1.2kg La Fiorentina t-bone or the whisky-flambéed sirloin are legendary in the city.
Location: 70 Keerom Street, City Centre
13. Belthazar
The V&A Waterfront’s Belthazar offers slick big-city steakhouse impressions, with dramatic wine cellars and slabs of meat in refrigerators on the restaurant floor set the scene from the get-go. And arguably the culinary experience starts with the wine: Belthazar serves an impressive 250 options by the glass, more than anywhere else in the city, and several hundred more by the bottle.
You could almost stop there, but it has a food menu to match. Of course, you’ll find salads, vegetarian options, burgers, and seafood, but hone in on the meat.
Location: Shop 153, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
14. Don Armando
Don Armando, by the eminent Mastrantonio group, is an Argentine steakhouse at its core but with strong South African influences. More than anything, it’s a bustling, cosy venue, busy most nights of the week, that’s driven by its owner’s love for meat.
Location: 20 Cobern Street, De Waterkant
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