Thali

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#25 of 889 Restaurants in Cape Town CentralRR - RRR, Indian, Vegetarian friendly

+27 21 286 2110+ Add website

Write a Review

Hours

Mon

16:00 - 21:30

Tue

16:00 - 21:30

Wed

16:00 - 21:30

Thu

16:00 - 21:30

Fri

16:00 - 21:30

Sat

16:00 - 21:30

Improve this listing

What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

508 reviews

#25 of 889 Restaurants in Cape Town Central

There aren't enough food, service, value or atmosphere ratings for Thali yet. Be one of the first to write a review!

Write a Review

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

Learn More

CUISINES

Indian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

features

Location and contact

3 Park Road Gardens, Cape Town Central 8001 South Africa

+27 21 286 2110

Improve this listing

Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

Unsure

Details

Manage this business?

CUISINES

Indian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Seating, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Mastercard, Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

Contribute

Write a review

Upload a photo

Ask a question

4.5

508 reviews

Excellent

375

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

libraschild

United Kingdom73 contributions

Good food, good vibe

Jan 2020 • none

Thali uses a set menu (meat or none meat) and is not going to be the 'cheapest' dining option you will get, let us be honest about this. Having said that, food portions were generous and all the dishes were good. I personally really liked the spinach bhaji. I would say the round of 'starter' thali dishes were better than the 'mains' of chicken and lamb - which comparatively were not as interesting on the palate or the eye. Food is not overly spicy and slightly fusion. We called ahead and the restaurant confirmed it operated during load shed. Which was both charming in candlelight and impossible in terms of actually being able to see what you are eating properly. We also arrived slightly too late to get an outdoor table and in the middle of summer, it is swelteringly hot indoors, even if you are placed near a window. Staff were all lovely - from the beverages manager to the waiters who were all well versed in their menu to the security guard who sidled up to us as we were leaving to ensure his presence was seen beside us as we waited for a taxi. The one exception was the front of house girl who gave the impression of being quite arrogant and, when we asked to move outdoors due to the heat and tables freeing up, made little snippy comments at the waiters who had obliged us about 'tables that needed to be held'. I very much had the impression this was for people she knew as, when we had arrived, we were told there were no tables outside, yet they created one for two people afterwards, while after we moved outdoors, front of house was clearly trying to hold a space there for someone else. This was a shame in an otherwise very friendly dining experience with good food, good red South African wine and a pleasing atmosphere.

Written 25 February 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leyla O

Greater London29 contributions

Exceptional in so many ways!

Feb 2020 • none

My husband and I visited Thali tonight as a last minute decision and I can say it is absolutely incredible. The food is amazing, the presentation and taste is exceptional. The mix of flavours and spices makes the menu just perfect. The customer service is also amazing, every waiter and waitress were so polite and helpful and it really makes the atmosphere special. Not many restaurants can offer the service you guys did. I would highly recommend this restaurant and if in doubt- just go you will not regret it! Thank you for such a perfect meal we will always remember. I hope you open in London in the future!

Written 3 February 2020

klindsay1824

Paternoster28 contributions

A Delight

Jan 2020 • none

This is a little gem of an Indian and it's worth bearing in mind it operates on a first come first served basis. There is a pleasant indoor seating area and a charming garden out back. The menu is pretty much set and is based around 2 people sharing. There are 5 courses but 3 come together in the final set. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and it was enough to satisfy us. Staff were super helpful and friendly. Well worth a visit.

Written 21 January 2020

Milān

Johannesburg44 contributions

Fusion food - delicious but pricey

Feb 2020 • none

We are visiting Cape Town for a week and this restaurant came up as one of the top 10! To start with - parking was extremely inconvenient and took quite some doing and we ended up paying 20 rands to park in a shady spot. Apparently that’s a thing in Cape Town Then the waiting. They don’t take reservations and we had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. It then took another 15 minutes or so before the food started coming in. Not really A+ there The menu! Just two options veg and regular. R800. Take it or leave it. This doesn’t include parking, drinks, desserts or service charges. That’s a lot. The food - this is perhaps the only saving grace here along with the rustic ambience. Don’t expect Indian food but more Fusion food. There was nothing that was disappointing and we were looking forward to each course. The time between courses was quite annoying too. Overall a good experience but not worth the money.

Written 21 February 2020

NancySVA

Aquitaine43 contributions

Yummy food but took too long

Feb 2020 • friends

We got the last table for four. Our waiter was terrific working with us on modifying the offering to fit our dietary needs (everything is gluten free, but we are grain free). The food was fantastic. If you go, be prepared to wait quite a bit between courses. We had a view of the kitchen which provided entertainment while we waited.

Written 19 February 2020

Lauren

London39 contributions

Tantalizing Thali! Photos show it all.

Feb 2020 • none

Wow! Exceptional array of Indian flavours and dishes. Great value for money and I left extremely full! I opted for some veggie options - it’s not stated on the menu, but if you ask the waiters you can mix and match veggie / non veg dishes. Great ambience, will return to try a new menu.

Written 14 February 2020

Palmer66

205 contributions

Didn’t book a table but lucky

Feb 2020 • friends

Didn’t book a table but lucky to get in. Set menu taking 90-120 minutes. The food is amazing. Very different dishes and a beautiful taste. Waitress was very informative and explained each dish. One type of fish was not available but, we were offered a suitable alternative and again delicious. Wine nice and although its all a bit pricey it is a great experience- thankyou.

Written 14 February 2020

LadyWillow2014

Walton-On-Thames99 contributions

Excellent!

Feb 2020 • none

You cannot book this restaurant but we were able to get a table quite easily by arriving early (6.45pm); unfortunately, the outside area was already full. They serve a set menu so there is no choice but the food was delicious. The food was served Tapas style over several courses and it was quite exciting waiting to see what you were going to get!

Written 1 March 2020

Sophie C

London45 contributions

Delicious

Mar 2020 • couples

Delicious - set menu and they can incorporate vegetarian if you want it. Nice garden out back but you can’t reserve tables so go early and go with a big appetite. It’s quite pricey compared to other Cape Town restaurants but worth it if you enjoy Indian food.

Written 21 March 2020

Fantajan

Pretoria351 contributions

An Experience for a Special Occassion

Nov 2021 • none

I recently visited Thali with a friend, craving good Indian food and eager to try something different. Be sure you've got plenty of time as the three course set menus easily take 90 minutes or more. My friend is a meat eater and I'm a vegetarian and we were concerned as the set menus are for two. Our waiter found an easy solution and simply had us each choose one of the veg and one meat dish from each course so that we could each enjoy our meal. The waiter knew the menu very well and was good at making recommendations which I really appreciate it. Most of the first course was vegetarian anyway and the sweetcorn kale bhaji was fantastic as was the mustard cauliflower. The dhal was a little bland. My favorite was the second course which, for me, was a paneer and pea dish that was incredibly fresh and flavorful. I didn't care for the vegetable korma as the sauce was not to my liking and very unfamiliar from the perspective of Indian cuisine. We chose to share a plate of Indian bon bons some of which were really amazing, featuring really unusual flavor combinations. Did I mention the cocktails? They are absolutely amazing and not to be missed. This was, by far, the most expensive meal I've had in South Africa so definitely isn't something I would do on a regular basis. That said, it is definitely worth a try, particularly for a special occasion.

Written 12 November 2021

LorindaVoges

Cape Town218 contributions

Best Indian Restaurant in Cape Town

Apr 2021 • none

I am a huge fan of Liam Tomlin’s restaurants. His attention to detail love of the restaurant industry is why I will continue supporting him. So, of course, it was a no-brainer to have dinner at Thali during my recent staycation in Cape Town. Thali is chef Liam’s take on Indian tapas. It’s not traditional but inspired by the regions and flavours of India. The smells, flavours and tastes are indescribable. Thali is not only beautifully decorated but also has amazing employees and the most deliciously memorable meals. I absolutely enjoyed dining at this restaurant and will for sure be supporting them more often during the winter season! It truly is the best Indian Restaurant in Cape Town.

Written 9 May 2021

Harald Gracholski

Cologne7167 contributions

Not cheap, but worth the price & reservation

Feb 2022 • none

The fact, that it is easy to find a great meal at fair value, is not necessarily a secret, but sometimes it pays to spend a little more and enjoy an amazing dinner. That is exactly what's the case at Thali, where you get a pre-arranged dinner setup at a fixed price, specialized in Eastern cuisine. The food is amazingly fresh cooked, the spices are remarkable and very exotic and the total composition and concept superb. Would go there again in a heartbeat.

Written 20 January 2023

joanne h

Llanidloes4 contributions

Quality of food has taken a nose dive

Nov 2022 • none

We went to the restaurant six weeks ago, having been there several times before. The restaurant has squeezed more seats into the middle section of the restaurant and unfortunately that’s where we were sat. It has a hurried feeling with waiters rushing about, you end up stinking of cooking oil as you’re right opposite the kitchen. There never used to be this number of tables in this middle section, you used to be able walk through this without dodging people left right and centre. The food was just unbelievably slow in coming out. We were there for 2.5 hours both having the vegetarian thali and we complained half way through about how slow the dishes were coming out and how all we could taste was chilli. No layers of flavour in the dishes just full on chilli. Nothing improved and finally the manager assured us our final dish would be out in 5 minutes. This wasn’t the case. So disappointing. The manager brought us the bill and went I again expressed my disappointment he went off and made a phone call and came back and said he’d just spoken to the Partners of the restaurant and they suggested we shouldn’t pay but they would phone us to get us to return in a couple of weeks when the menu was changed to hopefully experience a good meal at Thali. Guess what, no phone call, they patently don’t give a damn.

Written 9 December 2022

Candicepa

Afternoon Joanne, Thank you for taking the time to review Thali. We do value your feedback. We pride ourselves on offering guests a great dining experience and we apologies that we did not deliver on your visit to us. We apologised on the evening and comp’d your entire bill, including your drinks. I am not sure what more you would expect from us? We have changed two dishes on our vegetarian menu since your last visit. With regards to our seating in the last room– our table arrangement has not changed since we opened our restaurant. We do bring in an extra table to add to existing tables in order to accommodate a larger group – which may have been the case when you dined with us. Kind Regards Candice

Written 12 December 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chris J "Mohawk" Reed

Sentosa Island1171 contributions

Nice atmosphere outdoors but food quality inconsistent and no choice

Dec 2022 • none

The food is served in three stages, all the same size and quantity and the problem is that you don't appreciate the third course because the other courses are all the same size so you get full up. You get no choice so the vegetarian/fish ones were very bland for example and some of the dishes I just wouldn't/couldn't eat, so there's less value. They have a good wine list, service is friendly and the outdoor space is great but ultimately you're going for the food which was average.

Written 21 December 2022

David M

Cambridge1927 contributions

Excellent Indian food, tapas style, excellent and friendly service

Mar 2020 • none

Really good service, this is a place we are always keen to go back to Tapas for 2 plus 2 glasses MCC and bottle of wine, R1,260. Brilliant and not too heavy, great service. Lovely Indian food, fixed menu - part of Chefs Warehouse Group and similar approach to menu

Written 13 August 2020