The Best Lunch in Cape Town?
Cape Town is Foodie Heaven. The city is regularly ranked as one of the world’s top culinary capitals. With its vineyard-clad mountains, dramatic peaks and glorious oceans, it’s not surprising Cape Town attracts talented chefs set on making their names known round the world.
Yes, you can head out to a vineyard and have an exquisitely elegant lunch. But, if you’re touring around city center and want a great meal at an incredible “joint” the locals love, head to the Eastern Food Bazaar.
Derek and I call the fare here “street food.” It’s irresistible. People from all walks of life gather in the narrow walkway that used to be the Wellington Fruit Growers Market, between Loop and Darling streets. Go there for lunch. You will be back.
There’s so much to choose from, beginning with an extensive selection of authentic Indian curries, Cape-style biryanis, tandoor dishes, Turkish kebabs, falafel and more. Most main dishes range from $3-$4.
The food is strictly halal, and it’s prepared freshly in front of you. There’s even Bunny Chow…which has nothing to do with rabbits. (It’s actually a kind of bread bowl that originated in Durban. You take an ENTIRE loaf of white bread, hollow out the middle, and fill it with the curry of your choice.)
The tantalizing aroma of spices quickly lures you in the door. But, before you rush to the counters, make sure you take in the décor. The place is over-the-top, stuffed with ornate mogul paintings, wooden screens, chandeliers and carved doors ….straight from the sub-continent.
Everything we’ve had there on repeated visits has been delicious. And cheap! Eating lunch here definitely helps you save your dining dollars for some of Cape Town’s upscale establishments. And while you’re feasting, look around you and listen. You may want to count the number of different languages you hear. Eastern Food Bazaar is a cultural mash-up of the most delicious kind.
Eastern Food Bazaar
The Wellington | 96 Long Market St. | City Bowl | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 461 2458
Opening hours: daily from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
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