Cape Town has long been hailed as Africa’s culinary capital, home to some of the most exciting and innovative kitchens on the continent. And now more than half a million well-travelled readers of Condé Nast Traveler have made it official, with Cape Town recently winning ‘Best City for Food in the World’ in the prestigious 2024 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards!
With Ellerman House already voted the ‘Best City Hotel in Africa’ in the prestigious Travel + Leisure ‘World’s Best Awards’ 2024, and #3 in the world in The Telegraph's ‘World's Best 50 Hotels for 2024’, this latest accolade caps a banner year for Ellerman House and Cape Town, and cements the city’s status as the most delicious destination for summer travel.
This year was the 37th outing for the annual Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, and in 2024 a remarkable 575 048 votes were cast by readers. Once the scores were tallied, Cape Town placed ahead of some of the world’s most famous culinary destinations. The Mother City outshone the likes of Milan (#2) and Valencia (#3), even edging Tokyo into 4th and pipping Portugal’s wine-loving Porto into 5th place.
And amid Cape Town’s vibrant restaurant landscape, Ellerman House offers guests a remarkable culinary journey. Each day Head Chef Kieran Whyte presents a fresh à la carte menu that offers a global lens on contemporary South African cuisine. Seasonality is the foundation, and here the plates take their cue from the bounty sourced from hand-picked local producers.
“There is always a wonderful supply of fish in the summer months, so we’ll definitely see more seafood on the menu. We work with a handful of small fishmongers so we have access to wonderful line-caught fish from local boats,” says Whyte. “But for me, summer is also always about tomatoes. I love getting creative with the range of wonderful heirloom tomatoes that we source from small farms in and around Cape Town.”
Whyte also has a hand in curating the private dining experiences on offer to guests staying in the two exclusive-use villas at Ellerman House.
In step with a growing demand for bespoke luxury stays, the spacious villas—both of which come with a dedicated private chef—have proven enormously popular among multi-generational travellers and high-net-worth individuals seeking additional layers of privacy and exclusivity.
Villa One at Ellerman House is the flagship offering, stretching across three levels to a trio of individually decorated suites sleeping up to six guests. This can be expanded to include two additional ensuite rooms, a popular choice for larger families and groups. A fully equipped chef’s kitchen and spacious communal dining area make private culinary adventures a highlight of any stay.
The same applies to the more intimate option; Villa Two. Here the three ensuite bedrooms offer unforgettable sea views from their private terraces, while open-plan living areas and an interactive kitchen create a vibrant space for connecting through cuisine.
But it’s not only in food that the Cape excels: Creation Wines was this month ranked third in the world at the respected World’s Best Vineyards Awards. Perhaps even more remarkable is that this charming family-owned winery in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley – a scenic 90-minute drive, or memorable helicopter flight, from Cape Town – beat out the likes of California’s Robert Mondavi Winery, Château d’Yquem in France, and Maison Ruinart in Champagne!
If you don’t have time to visit Creation Wines yourself, our in-house sommeliers will happily lead you on a guided tasting through some of the 7500 bottles housed in the striking Ellerman House Wine Gallery. This carefully curated collection showcases wines from leading South African cellars, alongside a hand-picked selection of vintage champagnes.
Complimentary guided tastings are offered daily, with experienced wine stewards on hand to assist with pairings when dining in the Ellerman House restaurant. Want to delve deeper? Head Concierge Yassir Ebrahim will gladly create a guided tour through the Constantia Valley, an historic corner of the Cape Winelands set just a half-hour drive from our front door.
It’s one of the many Cape Town attractions within easy reach of Ellerman House. While the coastal views and quiet locale have all the ingredients of an urban hideaway, the delights of the Mother City are on the doorstep. Why not discover the powder-soft sands of Clifton – one of the city’s Blue Flag beaches – around the corner or delve into the Cape’s vibrant creative landscape on a guided tour of the city’s art galleries, before ending with a walk-through the landmark Ellerman House Art Gallery. Over sunset cocktails on the terrace – one of many complimentary inclusions for all guests at Ellerman House – toast another memorable day in South Africa’s Mother City.
