Whenever I visit Cape Town, I don’t arrive with a strict plan. I always arrive with a mental foodie list. These are the foods I crave almost immediately. Not fancy. Not trendy. Just familiar, comforting, and deeply tied to home, especially the ones that don’t quite taste the same in Toronto.
Fish and Chips from a Local Fisheries
First up, fish and chips, but specifically from a fisheries. In Cape Town, a fisheries isn’t a fish market. It’s a casual seafood takeaway, often family-run, where you order at the counter and leave with your food wrapped up and ready to eat.
We usually go to Lima Fisheries, one of the Portuguese South African fisheries close to our neighbourhood. They’re especially known for their grilled options. I almost always order the grilled, griddle-seared fish finished with lemon butter. Simple, smoky, and full of flavour. Their calamari is also another go-to item. Lightly cooked and tender, it’s one of those things we almost always add to the order.
For the fish, we usually choose between hake or snoek. Hake is mild, flaky, and comforting. It grills beautifully and takes on seasoning without overpowering the palate. Snoek, on the other hand, is very much a Cape Town fish. It has a firmer texture and a stronger flavour and is closely tied to the Cape coast. It’s not something you easily find outside South Africa, which makes it feel extra special.
Add chips, wrap it into a proper parcel, and that’s it. No fuss. Just comfort.
The Vienna and Chips Parcel
Next on the list is a vienna and chips parcel, and not all vienna and chips are created equal. In my opinion, the best one back home comes from Aneesa’s.
A juicy vienna, hot, well-seasoned chips, wrapped up and ready to eat. You can choose masala spice, a sauce of your choice, or both, but I keep it simple. Masala spice for me. Sauce ain’t life for me 😄 The masala spice with that vinegar fusion takes it from simple to something special.
And while nothing truly compares to Cape Town, the closest version I’ve found in Mississauga is the vienna and chips parcel from Hyperama Lekker Meat Shop. Hyperama Lekker Meat Shop is a South African store that stocks South African goods and has a small in-store diner, serving South African food, available for dine-in or takeout. It’s the closest taste of home I’ve found when I can’t be in Cape Town
The Gatsby (A True Cape Town Classic)
Then there’s the Gatsby, a sandwich that’s uniquely Cape Town. It originated on the Cape Flats in the 1970s as an affordable, filling meal meant to be shared. Built on a long loaf and packed with chips, protein, and sauce, the Gatsby isn’t about neatness. It’s about generosity, flavour, and feeding many from one.
Roads & Kingdoms does a great job of capturing the history and cultural significance of the Gatsby in Cape Town.
Whenever I’m home, I try to get one in. I’m not a huge fan, but it’s so home.
On my last visit, I had a seafood Gatsby from Cosy Corner. The calamari was succulent, coated in a creamy seafood sauce that sometimes spills over in the best way. One bite in, and I knew I was home.
Home-Cooked Meals and Braais
Then come the home-cooked meals and braais. I always try to squeeze in a couple of proper braais whenever I visit. Food cooked over fire feels comforting and grounding. Braais just hit different.
And then there’s my mom’s Irish stew. I’ve tried making it myself, but my mom’s is just better. Having her make it while I’m visiting is always one of the highlights of my trip. It’s the kind of meal that makes you slow down, sit properly, and really appreciate her.
A Good Steak to Round It Off
Another must on my mental foodie list is a really good steak. A proper steakhouse moment. My favourite go-to is Hussar Grill. Always a winner. Its consistent, classic, and the steaks are always done right.
On one visit, we also managed to sneak in a steak dinner at Patina Steak Newlands. The food was truly tasty, one of those meals that quietly surprises you and stays with you. We started with a lovely grilled calamari risotto, which set the tone perfectly. And the steaks were honestly out of this world delicious.
Whenever I visit home in Cape Town and eat all the food that’s so distinctly Cape Town, I find myself appreciating it even more. Not just the flavours, but the culture behind the food. The stories, the history, the way it brings people together. It’s food that carries meaning, and that’s what makes it home.
CocoaGirlinToronto 