A tourist has described Cape Town as “by far the most beautiful city I have ever visited” after a two-week trip, but her less-than-glowing review of some of the city's restaurants has drawn mixed reactions online.
“You have the amazing Table Mountain behind you, and all of the beautiful coastline in front of you… Every part of the city that you go to has amazing views,” she said, adding that “you can just walk outside in Cape Town and catch a vibe.”
She said the scenery was so striking it made her question the mood of the city itself, noting: “At one point I was like, can you even be sad in Cape Town?”
However, her experience of the city’s food scene was more mixed. “The food is what made me realise that this life has no balance,” she said.
“It was a bit disappointing when I lined up a few restaurants I really wanted to try that had rave reviews online, and it just fell flat. Nothing was hitting.
“I think my husband summarised it best; he said it felt like he was just chewing because he had to eat, but he wasn’t really enjoying any of the food.”
Despite this, she praised the quality of local produce, saying fresh fruit and vegetables were “10 out of 10,” and highlighted strong seafood, steak, wine and cheese offerings that did not always require high-end dining.
Her review also touched on deeper reflections about the city’s social landscape. “It’s very difficult to ignore disparities when it’s right in front of your face,” she said, adding that Cape Town felt like “the first and only city in Africa” she had visited where it appeared that “no Black people owned and lived in the centre of the city.”
She said visiting the District Six Museum helped provide context on apartheid and post-apartheid urban patterns.
The post has sparked mixed reactions online, with some users pushing back on her comments about food and the city experience. “Not my experience; Cape Town has amazing restaurants; Willoughby at the Waterfront is one of my favs,” one user commented. Others were more critical, asking, “Which Cape Town did you go to?”
Despite the debate, she concluded positively: “There is something for everyone… I absolutely recommend that you go, and I am putting it on my repeat visit list.”
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