You know The Vineyard Hotel. The one with the tortoises roaming free in gorgeous gardens beneath the mystical eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Built in 1800, converted into a hotel in 1894, and declared a National Monument in 1977, The Vineyard has become an institution in the leafy suburb of Newlands.
What you may not know (yet) is that food is The Vineyard’s love language. Not in the overly precious, foam-on-a-spoon kind of way, but in honest, delicious, thoughtfully sourced food, served with generosity and abundance in one of the most peaceful places in Cape Town.
There truly is something for everyone and for every meal. Whether you’re browsing the incredible breakfast buffet options at The Square, enjoying an al fresco lunch at the Garden Lounge & Patio, checking in for dinner at Morii, or just passing through for coffee at Long Café, you’ll enjoy kind of quiet luxury that warms the soul on a chilly winter’s day.
The Square Restaurant: Cape Town’s best-kept breakfast secret
Located at the heart of the hotel, The Square offers a calm, light-filled setting for all-day dining.
Mornings begin with a legendary breakfast buffet, with traditional favourites, creative healthy options, the freshest in-house juices, and bread and baked goods still warm from the oven. By lunch and dinner, the mood shifts as the menu showcases seasonal ingredients and modern takes on classic mains. Weekly Wednesday Pasta Nights are becoming a firm local favourite.
As The Vineyard’s Head of Food & Beverage, Mike Bassett, puts it: “Our food philosophy is about being abundant in your approach. Use whole food. Know where it comes from. Be seasonal, be local. Choose sustainability over convenience. And always, always serve with heart.”
This ethos has seen The Vineyard make the shift from relying on pre-prepared elements to becoming a predominantly scratch kitchen, growing their own microgreens using composted kitchen waste, sourcing meat and eggs from free-range farms, and forming long-standing relationships with ethical, local suppliers.
The Square Restaurant Open daily | Breakfast: 07h00 – 10h30 | Lunch: 12h00 – 16h30 | Dinner: 17h30 – 22h00
Garden Lounge & Patio: Where time slows and tortoises roam
Some restaurants have views. And then there’s this: crisp mountain air, a slow-turning sky, tortoises, real ones, meandering across the lawn.
At the Garden Lounge & Patio, the food mirrors the setting: unhurried, generous, and quietly unforgettable. It’s the kind of place you visit when you’re not in a rush. And if you are, you’ll quickly forget why. Lunch lingers into late afternoon. Conversation stretches. Time softens.
The menu leans into comfort: light bites, timeless mains, and indulgent desserts served without ceremony. Here, the pace is slow, the garden is glorious, and everything tastes little better when eaten al fresco.
Garden Lounge & Patio Open daily | Breakfast: 07h00 – 10h30 | Lunch: 12h00 – 16h30 | Dinner: 17h30 – 22h00
Long Café: The best coffee in the ‘burbs
If there’s one thing about Cape Town, it’s that the city has a renowned coffee culture. But, to be blunt, most hotel cafés are forgettable. Long Café is not. Locals know it as one of the southern suburbs’ best-kept secrets.
Whatever the weather, Long Cafe at The Vineyard ticks the boxes—freshly-roasted coffees from around the world, buttery pastries, moreish bagels, and comforting breakfast favourites. It’s not trying to be trendy. It just is.
Long Café Open daily | Breakfast: 07h00 – 10h30 | Light bites: 08h00 – 15h30
Morii: Middle Eastern flavours, reimagined
Morii (pronounced “more-rey”) means “the desire to capture a fleeting experience.” And that’s exactly what this restaurant does.
Morii brings the vibrant soul of the Middle East to life with rich spices, bold flavours, and imaginative twists. It invites you to press “Pause” and feel more at peace in a world that seems stuck on “Play”. Enjoy afternoon tea, or a festive dinner, and be sure to ask about the seasonal tasting menu!
Morii (Middle Eastern flavours, reimagined) Dinner: 18h30 – 21h30 (Wed – Sun) | Afternoon Tea: 15h30 (Fri – Sun)
This winter, find your flavour of soul food at The Vineyard
The Vineyard isn’t reinventing the wheel. Yes, the chefs are skilled. Yes, the views are ridiculous. Yes, the vibe is next-level relaxing. But the real magic is in the harmony between all of it: food, place, purpose that feeds more than just hunger. This is soul food, in every sense of the word.
Arrive hungry. Stay for the tortoises.
The Vineyard’s dining spaces are open daily. For bookings or more information, visit www.vineyard.co.za.
Contact number: 021 657 4500
Email:eat@vineyard.co.za.
Please note Bookings required.
ALSO SEE: Enter the 2025 Championship Boerewors competition
