Sarah Kingdom dines at Salsify, a restaurant that delivers a fine dining experience that’s thoughtful, quietly confident, and rooted in place.
Tucked into the upper level of The Roundhouse, a heritage building, halfway between Camps Bay beach and the slopes of Lion’s Head, Salsify is a restaurant that deals in contrasts – old and new, earth and sea, restraint and creativity. But what it ultimately delivers is harmony. The kind of balance that comes from knowing exactly what to do with an exceptional setting, a talented kitchen team, and the bounty of South African seasonal produce.
Built in 1786, The Roundhouse has been everything from a guard post to a hunting lodge. Today it plays host to a restaurant that has carved a niche in South Africa’s fine dining scene – quietly confident, proudly local, and deeply considered. Executive Chef and Co-owner Ryan Cole leads the team, with Head Chef Nina du Toit. The pair have created a seasonal menu that doesn’t lean on nostalgia or extravagance. Instead, it’s thoughtful cooking, grounded in local produce, with enough flair to surprise, without trying to show off.
Setting the Stage
You enter the restaurant through the Preservation Room, past a stunning 1.3m bronze sculpture by Otto du Plessis – half-bird, half-woman, her name is Lady Salsify. Here, a welcome cocktail and a tiny taster mark the first in a series of intentional pauses. These small rituals ease you into the slower rhythm of the experience ahead.
The dining rooms themselves are layered with symbolism: antique mirrors, soft textiles, curated ceramics, graffiti murals, eclectic and captivating artwork, and a ceiling of hand-folded origami paper flowers, made from thousands of old menus, some dating back to the restaurant’s opening. It’s modern, elegant, and personal, and always anchored by the views of the Atlantic Ocean outside.
As appealing as the setting is though, it’s what arrives on the plate that defines the experience.
A Seasonal Narrative in Ten Courses
Salsify’s 10-course chef’s menu is firmly grounded in South African ingredients and ideas, but executed with global finesse. Chef Ryan Cole doesn’t rely on gimmicks. Instead, the menu unfolds like a well-composed story: thoughtful, surprising at times, but always cohesive, an elegant study of local ingredients and unexpected flavour combinations.
The opening dish sets the tone: coal-roasted oysters with spekboom, ginger, and shiso (the Japanese name for a herb in the mint family). It’s light, bright, and quietly confident, the kind of starter that signals the kitchen’s skills without screaming for attention.
From there, raw springbok with local agave and umfino (wild spinach) offers something altogether different. Paired with the evocatively named, seductively soft, and truly delicious ‘Touch Me’ Verdelho, from Deep Rooted Wines, this is a lesson in how richness can be delivered through thoughtful wine pairings.
The next course Simon’s Town chokka (squid), served with peas and beans and a fresh Amasi curd, is one of the menu’s high points. (Amasi is a thick, sour, fermented milk product, similar to yoghurt and cottage cheese, but with a stronger flavour). The contrast and combination, with the perfectly cooked, almost sweet squid, is a bold choice without being heavy. Again, perfectly paired with a Mooiplaas ‘Bush Vine’ Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch.
After a brief interlude with a delicate summer salad, then comes the fish course. Pan-fried linefish and abalone, with a lime leaf emulsion: a dish that’s generous in flavour, but still light on its feet. The citrus gives a certain lift, a gentle perfume that cuts through the oceanic richness of the fish and mollusc, and pairs well with the purity, focus and freshness of the 2017 Kershaw ‘Clonal Selection’.
The transition into meat is marked by the arrival of steamed pork jowl with a pork skin crumb. Tender and deeply flavoured, it’s a standout dish, elegant but satisfying. It’s generous without feeling overindulgent; a reminder that simplicity, when well handled, can be just as compelling as complexity.
Karoo wagyu beef sirloin follows, served with jollof rice and chakalaka, a spicy, traditional, South African relish. Not your classic combination, but the execution is sharp. The meat is tender, and the chakalaka walks the line between spicy and earthy, pairing well with the wild fruit and a spicy leafiness of the 2008 Sijnn Red.
As the savoury courses conclude, a playful Zambian honey, Ghanaian vanilla and Stellenbosch rhubarb dish arrives. It’s a light intermission, earthy, tangy and sweet, a clever bridge into the final part of the meal.
Desserts are where many tasting menus lose their way. Not here. The decadent Salsify chocolate bar delights. Accompanied by ice cream infused with 18-year-old Bain’s whisky, notable for being the first single-grain whisky made in South Africa. The delicate hint of spice in the whisky is the perfect addition to the rich chocolate flavours.
Petit fours arrived with coffee; thoughtful, seasonal, and well-made. But by this point, the kitchen has already made its case. Salsify takes the ordinary to extraordinary, elevating the humblest of ingredients to the most impressive of dishes.
For those overwhelmed by the idea of so many dishes, short on time or wanting something a little lighter, there’s a reduced, five-course lunch menu available. It captures the same thoughtful approach to ingredients and flavour, just in a more concise format.
Wine Pairings and Drinks
Wines are thoughtfully curated in a way that complements and enhances each dish. Guests can choose between the Boutique Wine Pairing, featuring selections from esteemed local vineyards, or the Gem Series Wine Pairing, which offers rarer, more exclusive labels.
The wine list is compact but well considered, with a focus on local producers and reflecting South Africa’s diverse viticultural regions. Both boutique and more familiar labels are included, and the pairings are well-matched to the food, without overshadowing it.
There’s also a selection of craft cocktails and non-alcoholic options, including house-made cordials and infusions, that echo the kitchen’s focus on seasonal produce.
What’s in a name
Salsify, the plant, is an unassuming ingredient, earthy, humble in appearance, but when treated with care, it reveals depth and delicacy. Salsify, the restaurant, takes a similar approach: showcasing local, seasonal ingredients and transforming them into something refined and elegant.
As a plant, Salsify also goes through a visual transformation as it matures, from a pale root to a flowering plant with dandelion-like seed heads. This idea of transformation fits well with a restaurant located in the historic Roundhouse, a building with a long colonial history that has been reimagined as a modern culinary space.
Seamlessly marrying heritage with contemporary flair, both in its ambience and its innovative menu, Salsify is the kind of restaurant you’d choose for a special occasion, though it doesn’t feel stiff or overly formal. Whether you’re visiting Cape Town or a local looking to treat yourself, Salsify offers an experience that feels distinctly South African, all the while holding its own on the global fine dining stage.
Images (C) JAN RAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Tell Me More About Salsify at the Roundhouse
Salsify at the Roundhouse, Roundhouse Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town.
T: +27 21 010 6444 E: reservations@salsify.co.za
Chef’s 10-course menu £80/$100 per person
Wine Pairing add £73/$95 per person / Gem Wine Pairing add £125/$165
Tuesday – Saturday: Lunch 12:30 – 14:00 (Last lunch booking at 14:00). Dinner 18:00 – 20:30 (Last dinner booking at 20:30).
Sunday: Lunch 12:30 – 14:00 (Last lunch booking at 14:00).
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