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Hours
Sun
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
Mon
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
Tue
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
Wed
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
Thu
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
Fri
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
Sat
12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00
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
Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
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CUISINES
French, European
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
features
Details
About
La Colombe, one of Cape Town's most well-loved and awarded restaurants. Contemporary French-meets-Asian fine dining.
CUISINES
French, European
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Validated Parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.5
3,313 reviews
Excellent
2,761
Very good
331
Average
132
Poor
37
Terrible
52
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danylux0412
Luxembourg City81 contributions
Nov 2023 • solo
I had heard a lot of positive things about La Colombe, so I definitely had to give it a try. Overall, this is indeed a very pleasant and high-level fine dining experience which can definitely compete with some of the nicest restaurants world-wide. I was positively surprised by most of the dishes which were highly elaborate and well presented. So was the wine pairing, consisting of some of the finest South African wines. Unfortunately, however, the main dish (wagyu beef for which I had to pay quite a significant surcharge) was not at all up to the standard: chewy and almost completely lacking any kind of taste or flavour (which I did also point out to the waiter). Moreover, the total lack of any kind of appetizers (not even a cracker was served to accompany the guests' cocktails or glass of sparkling wine upon arrival) was very disappointing and clearly inadequate, given the category and price of the meal. To achieve Michelin star ranking, such things must not happen. While I did enjoy most of my meal and may decide to give this restaurant a second chance, I cannot help the impression that "La Colombe" is overpriced and that "La Petite Colombe" in Franschhoek provides a much better value for money, while being located in a much nicer setting.
Written 18 November 2023
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.
chicharito7
Cologne805 contributions
May 2023 • couples
It was simply an incredibly exciting dining experience and a very entertaining one at that. The individual courses were usually served at the table by different staff and sometimes even finished right there. I have to say it was all absolutely delicious and the wines were perfectly presented by the sommelier. What is striking is how much fun all the people have working here and what a great atmosphere this creates. The menu that the head chef James Gaag conjures up is certainly world class. We would love to come back and keep up the good work 😋🇿🇦

Written 20 August 2023
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.
Michael F
Graz15 contributions
May 2024 • couples
What an experience! We‘ve eaten in a lot of great restaurants, but James and his team exceeded all expectations. The service was a wonderful experience on it’s own and immaculate. The way the different courses were presented was simply top notch. Very attentive waiters gave us the full-service feeling without overcrowding any privacy guests might seek.
James himself introduced his signature course and, in all honesty, made us feel quite special. Thank you foe this truly unique experience! We can only highly recommend this restaurant! Nothing to add.
Written 3 June 2024
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.
amonakhovav
Pretoria125 contributions
Dec 2024 • couples
We had memorable dinner at La Colombe celebrating my birthday. Special thanks to chefs and whole kitchen team for trying their best to accommodate my food allergies. It is highly appreciated.
The theatrics are extensive and impressive: multiple trolleys brought to table, custom-made plates and cutlery for each dish, flowing mist from dry ice used in cocktails and presentation of hand towels.
I really enjoyed several starters: dove nest, charcuterie and pate presented in the form of fruits and vegetables, namibian crab and tuna on buckwheat pastry. The dessert part of three courses (cheese, rose and petit four) was a masterpiece for both taste and presentation.
Several dishes had too many contradictory flavors and sauces, completely overpowering the main ingridients: tuna 'la colombe' and seafood cape coastline.
The real disappointment was lamb dish. While the smoked part was delicious, the bigger portion of thinly sliced lamb was extremely tough and chewy (on both our plates), impossible to swallow. The restaurant of such level surely cannot afford to serve that kind of meat, every piece must be soft and delicious, independently of cut, etc.
The manager offered us to remake our lamb dishes, but I asked instead for a second plate of seafood 'cape coastline' without the sauce. It was the correct decision and highlight of the whole dinner. Without that overpowering sauce the flavours and texture of every seafood piece was shining. It was a real joy. This is exactly how I enjoy my fine dining, with the main ingredients on the plate complemented and highlighted by other parts, but not overpowered.
The least impressive was litchi palate cleanser. Interesting to see cooking of lollipops in front if us, but nothing special. I enjoyed more La Petite Colombe palate cleanser: sorbet in the form of peaches brought to the table in a big basket with dry ice mist flowing over the whole table, with delicate flavour and taste of peach. It was classy, spectacular and more appropriate for such a venue, while lollipops looked and tasted cheap and out of place.
In general, we enjoyed the theatrical part and presentation, but in terms of food flavors we both prefer La Petite Colombe and Protege from this restaurant group.
Written 22 December 2024
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.
Jorn Horaczek
London523 contributions
Sept 2024 • couples
I was looking forward to dining at one of Africa’s most recognised restaurants. After spending an evening there, I have to say, I was not impressed.
I read somewhere, that a great experience begins with a great journey. I enjoyed the journey to “La Colombe” a lot. Leaving Cape Town and going into the hilly wine country in Constantia where “La Colombe” is located was lovely.
The location of the restaurant in the middle of a vineyard is great and misterious. Reception was friendly and we were lead to our table. There was a nice lady explaining the food and sourcing and our waiter introduced himself to us. He was friendly albeit a bit patronising, like “How are we today?” or “Have we decided which wine we like?” - Not sure how he was feeling or which wine he wanted …
There is a set menu and the option is the choose between lamb or Namibian wagyu beef as main course. As I love Wagyu beef, I went for the Namibian variant, really looking forward to get the African twist…
There was an option to order a walk to the wine cellar and get an extra course of food. We didn’t do this as I thought it was a bit weird to be told that we have to hand over our phones when we were to go down there as if there was some secret hiding down there.
We also didn’t order the wine pairing but decided to get a nice bottle of local red which was delicious.
Then the ordeal started:
Course after course, I was actually trying to figure out what I was eating. Thank god, there was a mini version of the menu available to remind you what the food was supposed to be. There is such a variety of fabulous food in Africa and most of it is unique and incredibly tasty.
Why do they think they have to drown it in multiple overwhelming flavours? A couple of days ago, I tried KingKlip and it was delicious - clean taste of the sea. Simple and delicious. The poor KingKlip at “La Colombe” was asphyxiated in some fish bisque (which was actually delicious in its own) and, as if that was not enough, your taste buds were knocked out by so many supplementary tastes, that I gave up finding out what I was actually eating.
The Wagyu Beef was tasty on its own but, again, too many strong flavours to go with it, killing the lovely delicate beef taste. I liked the potato mash and the celeriac mousse that came with it though.
It went on and on. In the end, both of us did not finish one single dish completely and I was delighted when the last course was over.
The bill was reasonable and we had to find our way out of the restaurant ourselves as there was nobody to help us with the taxi.
It is advisable to order the taxi early enough as the restaurant is a bit out of the way and an Uber or taxi will take a bit to get there.
Looking back at the evening - the idea is great but the experience was not too special. I would have loved to have experienced a stronger focus on locality and tradition and a bit of simplicity would have gone a long way.
A lot of the guests seemed to enjoy the experience though. So, maybe it was just me, but I think sometimes less is more.
Written 29 September 2024
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.
gina s
Surrey16 contributions
Apr 2024 • family
Expectations were set high after visiting La Petite Colombe in 2022. Unfortunately, expectations were not met and actually was left disappointed. As big foodies, we had talked so highly of this place to the rest of the booking (family and friends) but felt embarrassed by the service and food.
The food was ok. But for the price you don’t want just ‘ok’. You want something memorable, like our meals at La Petite. Several of the guests were unwell that night too and continued for the duration of the holiday. The ambience was poor, the lights were too bright, the chairs are uncomfortable and it was frightfully cold! One waiter was rude when our son tried to help by stacking the plates for them. Overall the whole experience was disappointing and would not be recommending.
Written 16 April 2024
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.
sa-urlauber
Cologne179 contributions
Feb 2024 • couples
We went to la Colone again this year and were terribly disappointed. The greeting at reception was completely devoid of emotion. It was my friend's birthday and the congratulations were played as if from a tape. We had previously asked in writing by email whether we could bring two bottles of wine, as we did not like the wine on the menu. This was confirmed to us twice in writing by email and we were informed that we would have to pay a corkage fee of 280 Rand per bottle. Shortly after we sat down, the manager Melissa came and informed us, in an absolutely arrogant and unkind manner, that we were not allowed to bring wine into this restaurant. However, as it was my friend's birthday, she would allow us one bottle as an exception. We would have to take the second bottle back with us. This woman is so snooty, unpleasant and has no sympathy for the guest that she immediately ruined our entire evening with these comments. I pointed out that I had the agreement in writing. She simply replied that she would check the emails. But she never came back to the table. After one bottle of wine it was over. We really weren't allowed to open the second one, even though this top-class restaurant had confirmed this to us in writing. If that was a mistake on the part of the restaurant, then it has to take responsibility for it. They could have just written to us saying that we weren't allowed to bring wine. The service overall was not at all friendly. The staff went through everything like robots, emotionless, with no enthusiasm for what was on offer. The food wasn't as good as last year either. The fish starters were the best. The lamb didn't taste good at all, and the dessert was totally unspectacular. We wouldn't go back. Pride comes before a fall. This type of staff ruins a restaurant like this. We cannot understand why they have to respond to guests in an arrogant manner.

Written 14 February 2024
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.
Safari280133
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • couples
Unfortunately for La Colombe we had had fantastic meals at TTK Fledgelings and Salon the nights before our visit. La Colombe doesn’t come even close. Stuck 20 years ago with no modernity in their dishes, service is pompeous and pretentious.. if you want a great culinary experience in Cape Town, you’d rather go to TTK (Foedgelings), Salon, Pot Luck Club or even Waterside/Pier (from same group as La Colombe), they are half the price but twice the experience!
Written 21 October 2023
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.
86nicob
George272 contributions
Dec 2024 • family
We booked the venue to celebrate my daughter's graduation. What a disappointing evening. Food was world class but the venue an atmosphere was totally a NO NO. As well as all know even good food can start to taste ordinary when you do not enjoy the evening. We were unfortunate to have a group of people sitting close to us , which do not talk like humans , but scream. It was so loud that we were unable to communicate in our party of four. Part of the experience is the introduction of the food by the waiters, we barely could hear them. It is an evening in would like to forget. We were relocated to another table , but that was too late as the damage was done and the evening spoiled as we were on our last servings.
What astound me is that a world class restaurant allows guest to be have in such a way , that they destroy most of the quest evenings. They are too scared to do something about it . WHY WHY WHY WHY ?
So I was left to let my frustrations out on social media as La Colombe prefer not to address guest behaviours which is offences to the rest of the quest.
I shall nether return , and rather go some where else, all tough I will miss the food.
Written 16 December 2024
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.
OldHound88
Cape Town21 contributions
Mar 2023 • couples
We have followed La Colombe's journey for more than 20 years with many excellent meals at Constantia Uitsig and more recently at Silvermist. The food continues to evolve and if one is looking for top quality classic French cuisine with a modern South African twist, it is still the best in Cape Town. There is only a tasting menu, which alas seems to be the trend these days, but each course was a delight. Highlights included the perennial favourite Tuna "La Colombe; Langoustine Ravioli, Coconut, Coriander, Black Forest Ham; and a beautifully presented Mandarin, Manjari and Pistachio dessert. The Chef's Menu was R1,795 pp and we treated ourselves to the iconic wine flight at R3,595 pp with a selection of more interesting, older and harder to find wines. The total cost including aperitifs and service was R12,733, not a cheap meal by any means, but it was well worth it. The room is light and airy with a small terrace and windows opening on to the garden. Service was professional and friendly as always, although the sommelier could surely afford a better fitting suit. Overall 18/20 and certainly better than many Michelin starred restaurants in Europe.
Written 28 March 2023
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.
mina
Mafikeng18 contributions
Nov 2023 • couples
awesome way to celebrate my husband's 65th birthday. the array of each meal that followed the 7 course meal was just an awesome and wow experience even though we are both vegetarian. The chefs really amazed us with such grandeur with each course that was served one beating the other. I shall go back again and again bearing in mind that one has to reserve a table well in advance as they're always fully booked.
Written 26 September 2024
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.
food44fun
162 contributions
Dec 2023 • family
I know this is a thin ice cream, but I have to do it from my heart, lunch, fine but there is something missing, too much on the sure and automatic course, more of the same because that scores so nicely, yes reputation is important but innovation all the more.
I couldn't detect an outlier in this 7 course menu, understand me well, well done in kitchen, every 5 minutes you hear in chorus from the kitchen Yes Chef, will go well there, dishes are nice on the plate, high middle of the road content.
Get some dusting, a new lick of paint and the kitchen on course, that helps.
If you are in the top 50 best restaurants at No. 49, then you owe it to your guest and yourself to also give a top performance for the 5412 rand I paid for 2 lunches and wine.
I'm sure with the right stakes you can do that.
Automatically translated
Written 10 September 2024
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.
Stevie G
London140 contributions
Aug 2024 • couples
A fantastic experience in beautiful surroundings. We had the winter special menu and took 3 hours to work our way through the slightly reduced menu compared to the standard set menu. Excellent service and great curation of the menu.
Written 24 August 2024
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.
Gerald&Inge
4 contributions
Mar 2024 • friends
We visited this restaurant with high expectations and were disappointed. The ambience alone does not meet the requirements of such a high-priced restaurant. We were also unlucky enough to be sitting next to a group that was very loud, even for South Africans. The obligatory bird's nest is quite nice, the first starter was good. But then the show becomes the main thing, the food, well, so-so. The extra charge of €30 for a few grams of Wagyu beef is remarkable. The wine was good. Perhaps we didn't understand the concept either. Although we found the same chef remarkably good a few years ago in another top restaurant.

Written 2 April 2024
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.
JBW
14 contributions
Nov 2022 • couples
We booked this restaurant as we were staying in Constantia and heard it was a top restaurant in the area. When we arrived it was underwhelming. As others have said you drive up to the top of a hill imagining an amazing view but there isn't one. The restaurant is white and dull with strange seating arrangements. Your first course is already waiting for you on the table and is some citrus juice in an old egg that you suck out a straw. Good start. Then you're presented with 2 menu options, the cheaper "reduced" menu. Which you keep being told is not the full deal and that you should go for the "chefs menu". I wonder why you even offer 2 menus if you don't think the first is impressive. I think this is just a way of bumping the price of your meal up. The most shocking thing to us is the price of wine here. They charge minimum 150 rand for a glass of wine which is only 150ml!! The restaurant sits in a wine region surrounded by vineyards where you can get a bottle of wine for that price. We had a tour of one before our meal and we're then being asked to pay 4 times the price for a wine that is 2 minutes down the road. Other than this the food was at times impressively displayed but nothing particularly special in taste. It's very rich food which we don't tend to eat much so reacted badly with our stomachs. Something to watch out for. Definitely wouldn't eat here again or recommend it. So many other nice restaurants around here and cape town.
Written 18 November 2022
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.
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