BLACK SHEEP RESTAURANT, CBD

This cosy bistro on trendy Kloof Street has a firm local following thanks to the unfailingly good bistro-style cooking from chef Jonathan Japha, so call ahead to get a reservation. The chalkboard menu changes daily, and usually offers a handful of new dishes alongside the crowd-pleasers the locals simply won’t let Japha take off the menu. The succulent chicken breast rubbed with mustard and tarragon is an excellent choice, as is the pork belly slow-cooked with hoisin sauce and five-spice. Japha is one of seven local chefs recognised as a Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative “trailblazer” for 2015 so also look out for dishes like rainbow trout gravadlax with a pickled beetroot salad, or seared local tuna with caper and herb dressing. The wine list is excellent, with a range of (mostly) boutique estates at fair prices.

104 Kloof Street, Cape Town, 021 426 2661, http://blacksheeprestaurant.co.za. Main course: R110-R170

DEVIL’S PEAK TAPROOM, SALT RIVER Cape Town is the home of the South African hipster, and the church they worship at on a Friday evening is found in Salt River. The Taproom alongside the acclaimed Devil’s Peak Brewing Company is a fine place to discover the range of excellent craft beers from brewer JC Steyn. Both the regular Founders range and the limited-release Explorers beers are available on tap. The food is just as good, with a compact menu of beer-friendly dishes. Get stuck into the excellent burgers or the Philly Cheese sandwich of matured sirloin. The sandwich of pulled pork cooked in First Light amber ale is life-changing. It’s a quirky space with beer hall-style tables, comfy couches and window-side bar stools facing the eponymous mountain peak.

95 Durham Avenue, Salt River, 021 200 5818, ww.devilspeakbrewing.co.za. Main course: R75-R135