The Best Curries to Try This Winter in Cape Town
Winter in Cape Town calls for one thing above all else: something warm that gives you a real reason to stay at the table. The city’s curry scene has always delivered on that front, shaped by centuries of spice routes and culinary traditions that continue to influence the way Cape Town eats.
The best part? You don’t have to go far. Here are the spots worth making plans for this winter.
For the purists: Prashad Cafe
Prashad is the kind of place that earns its reputation quietly, one bowl at a time. It’s fully vegetarian and vegan, rooted in authentic Indian cooking, and the sort of spot that makes you rethink what a great curry can be.
The butter chicken, made with soya pieces in a rich tomato gravy layered with spice, is the dish that converts even committed meat eaters. The paneer butter masala is equally good. Comforting, deeply flavourful, and exactly what you want on a cold Cape Town evening.
What to order: Butter chicken or paneer butter masala. Preferably both.
📍 Where to find them: They have three branches around Cape Town: Gardens, Rondebosch, or Constantia
Image: @prashaadcafe on Instagram
For the stylish dinner crowd: The Curry Club
Tucked into Cape Quarter in Green Point, Curry Club approaches Indian food with a more contemporary energy. The space is intimate and lively, the cocktails are strong, and the menu balances rich, slow-cooked curries with enough heat to keep things interesting.
It’s the kind of place where a quick dinner quietly turns into a long evening.
What to order: The lamb rogan josh, dal makhani, and an extra round of garlic naan for the table.
📍 Where to find them: The Cape Quarter Lifestyle Center Corner Jarvis, Napier St, Green Point, Cape Town, 8000.
For the curious: Thali
Finding Thali is part of the experience. Hidden just off Kloof Street behind an unmarked entrance, it approaches Indian food the Chefs Warehouse way: tapas-style, built for sharing, and designed to feel a little unexpected.
The menu moves between North Indian cream-based curries and South Indian coconut-rich dishes, with flavours that keep shifting throughout the meal. The setting adds to it too. Five distinct spaces, bold interiors, and a fairy-lit courtyard that feels far removed from the city outside.
It’s the kind of place that turns dinner into the whole evening.
What to order: Trust the menu and go with the flow. That’s the point.
📍 Where to find them: 3 Park Rd, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001
For something slightly off the radar: Bihari
Based in Newlands and slightly outside the usual inner-city circuit, but worth every minute of the drive. Bihari covers both North and South Indian traditions, from rich kormas to properly fiery vindaloos, and does both with serious attention to detail. Even the naan selection is worth talking about.
It’s the kind of restaurant regulars quietly hope stays under the radar.
What to order: The lamb Madras, or the vindaloo if you’re up for a challenge.
📍 Where to find them: Southern Sun Hotel, Main Rd, Newlands, Cape Town, 7725
One more thing
Some cities are built for summer. Cape Town also happens to do winter exceptionally well, especially when there’s curry involved.
All of these spots are within easy reach of Neighbourgood’s Cape Town properties. We’ll sort the stay. You sort the reservation.
