Vegan Restaurants in Cape Town

One of the things Cape Town is known for throughout South Africa is its food culture, with the city teeming with an abundance of non-franchise eateries. Capetonians are also known for being fussy foodies, and that’s a good thing, because it means that if you want to cut the mustard in this town, your food better be good. We’re also known to be a healthy bunch and being a vegetarian or vegan is as common as the South Easter in summer. As a result, the selection of vegan-friendly eateries is vast and varied, offering everything from quick takeaways to delicious gourmet meals.
Here’s a look at a couple of the city’s most popular vegan and vegan-friendly spots:

Plant Café

One of Cape Town’s vegan food gems is Plant Cafe. Originally located in Bo-Kaap, this popular spot is now situated in the heart of the CBD. Plant is a vegan-only eatery and prides itself on its delicious, plant-based meals, smoothies and desserts.
Website: www.plantcafe.co.za

Raw and Roxy

If its raw food you’re after, Raw and Roxy in Bree Street in the CBD is the spot. Offering gourmet meals, delicious desserts, tapas, and a range of juices, smoothies and hot drinks, Raw and Roxy will change the way you think of raw food.
Website: www.facebook.com/Raw-And-Roxy

Masala Dosa

A favourite among locals and visitors alike, Masala Dosa’s southern Indian fare is exotic, healthy and tasty at the same time. They have a dedicated vegan menu with mouth-watering dishes made from only the freshest ingredients of the highest quality. The restaurant’s Earth loving efforts don’t just stop with food, they’re also big into recycling and offering biodegradable packaging.
Website: www.masaladosa.co.za/

Planet Restaurant

Not to be confused with Plant Cafe, Planet is a fine dining establishment where chef Rudi Liebenberg serves up a top class gourmet vegan menu, with dishes such as mushroom terrine, sweet pea risotto and cashew cheese.
Website: www.belmond.com/mount-nelson-hotel-cape-town/planet_restaurant

Call-a-pizza

There’s nothing quite like a great pizza, and Sea Point’s Call-a-pizza will deliver a steaming hot and healthy pizza to your door. Their extensive menu includes a myriad of vegetarian options that can be made vegan-friendly by replacing cheese with tofu. In addition, they also have a number of side dishes like salads, veggies and spicy chips.
Website: www.callapizza.co.za/

Craft Burger Bar

Just down the road in Sea Point, Craft Burger Bar is a build-your-own-burger eatery popular with both locals and tourists. While the real fun is in designing your own burger, they also offer delicious ready-made gourmet burgers, all with the option of substituting ingredients with vegan-friendly options such as vegetable patties.
Website: www.craftburgerbar.co.za

The Hungry Herbivore

Another elegant hangout specialising in hearty, preservative-free, plant-based food is The Hungry Herbivore in Orphan Street, just off the top of Bree Street in the CBD. Their 100% vegan menu includes everything from pizzas, burgers, salads, juices and smoothies, and of course, decadent desserts.
Website: www.thehungryherbivore.com

Indigo

Heading out of the city towards the northern suburb of Bellville, you’ll find Indigo, a delightful Indian take-out spot that offers a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options, from potato samoosas, bean curry, dhall bunny chow and even (albeit decidedly non-traditional Indian) burger and chips. They take their vegan cooking very seriously and have separate fryers for cooking these meals to ensure there’s no cross-contamination.
Website: www.facebook.com/Indigo

Nooka Café

On the other side of the city, down the road from the Parliament buildings and just around the corner from the historic Distric Six, is Nooka Cafe. Featuring food inspired by the Middle East, their vegetarian and vegan menu offers a large variety of dishes such as vegan salad, falafel sandwiches and cauliflower nibbles, including milkshakes and smoothies that are all made with non-dairy milk.
Website: www.nooka.co.za

Unframed Ice Cream

One of the newest food spots to open its doors is Unframed Ice Cream in Kloof Street. As the name suggests, they offer delectable, hand-made ice-cream in delicious flavours. They also cater to the vegan crowd and you’ll always find at least four, coconut milk-based, vegan flavours with more to come in the near future.
Website: www.facebook.com/unframedicecream/