After eating at the Atlantic Express for a third time in as many weeks, I have decided that it is my favorite restaurant here in Cape Town. From the rich flavors to the homey atmosphere, I have never left there leaving anything but stuffed.
The menu is packed with comfort food, and every dish I’ve tried has been generous in both portion size and flavor. Nothing feels overly complicated. Instead, every plate is thoughtfully prepared using fresh ingredients and bold, well-balanced flavors. The service has also been exceptional. Everyone has been welcoming, attentive, and genuinely friendly without ever making you feel rushed. It’s the kind of hospitality that makes the overall experience feel even more enjoyable (unlike Make which has great food but less than desirable service).
On my first visit, I ordered the Cajun Chicken Pasta with a strawberry lemonade. To this day, it’s still the best pasta I’ve had in Cape Town. The creamy sauce was rich without being too heavy, the Cajun seasoning added just the right amount of spice, and the chicken was perfectly cooked. The portion was massive and the pasta was just as good reheated the next day. The strawberry lemonade was the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing and paired so well with the pasta. On my second visit, I decided to try the Tandoori Chicken with a passionate mango lemonade. I honestly wasn’t prepared for how flavorful it would be. Every bite was packed with bold spices, and the chicken was incredibly tender and juicy. The passionate mango lemonade was just as good, if not better than the strawberry lemonade. The fresh mango and passion fruit chunks made the drink light and refreshing. Most recently, I went with the Steak Burger, and somehow Atlantic Express managed to impress me yet again. The burger was cooked perfectly, incredibly juicy, and loaded with flavor. It was hearty, comforting, and exactly what I was craving.
While my favorite dinner is Atlantic Express, their desserts are definitely a little lacking. My favorite place for ice cream thus far has to be the place at Time Out Market. Despite having been there 4 times in the past 3 weeks, I still don’t know the name of their booth but I do know that they have some of the best ice cream in Cape Town. The first flavor I tried was the passionfruit sorbet, and it completely exceeded my expectations. It was incredibly refreshing. It was light, tangy, and perfectly tart without being overly sweet. On my next two visits, I decided to switch things up and ordered the Madagascan vanilla ice cream served on a warm double chocolate cookie. I know vanilla doesn’t always sound like the most exciting flavor, but this was anything but ordinary. The ice cream was rich, creamy, and full of real vanilla flavor, while the freshly warmed cookie was soft in the center with just the right amount of crisp around the edges. The contrast between the cold ice cream and the warm, gooey cookie made every bite better than the last. As if I needed another reason to come back, my most recent visit may have been my favorite yet. This time I paired the warm double chocolate cookie with their coffee ice cream, and I genuinely don’t think I could have ordered a better combination. The slightly bitter, roasted coffee flavor balanced the sweetness of the cookie perfectly.
One of my favorite parts of living in Cape Town has been exploring its incredible food scene. Whether it’s a cozy neighborhood restaurant, a bustling market, or a hidden café, I’ve yet to have a disappointing meal. This city has truly become one of my favorite places to eat, and discovering new restaurants has been just as much a part of this experience as hiking mountains or visiting the beach (and then posting those meals on @capetown.eats!).