Seven secret budget eats and restaurants in Cape Town

Lots of people complain about overpriced restaurants in Cape Town, but there are plenty of great value offers out there. You just need to know where to go and what to order. This is a quick guide to seven of the best budget eats and restaurants in the Mother City.

1. Hot stuff

Join the queue of bergies and students outside Sunrise Chip ‘n Ranch in Mowbray for Cape Town’s cheapest rotis and bunnies. An offshoot of the legendary Johnny’s Roti in Durban, Sunrise serves meat and vegetable curries, bunnies, rotis as well as the usual take away fare – fried chicken, chips and burgers from a hole in the wall on Lower Main Rd. Try the double chip and cheese roti (a personal favourite) which, at R24, will practically feed a family. Other recommended options include a quarter bunny with bean curry for R14 and Baboo’s Special, a roti with chips, beans, gravy, peri-peri and salad for R26. If it’s the end of the month and you’re really on a budget, there are quarter bunnies for R7.

Contact: Tel 021-689-3250
Address: 94 Main Rd, Mowbray

If you don’t mind queues and a cafeteria-style set up, the Eastern Food Bazaar is your best bet for budget curries. Lined along the length of the restaurant are food stalls offering eastern delights, from Turkey, China and India. Curries are around R20 to R30, and breads and sides are usually less than R10. The lamb rogan josh for R30 from the Punjabi counter is a popular dish, as is the butter chicken.

Contact: Tel 021-461-2458
Address: The Wellington, 96 Long Market St

2. Budget sushi

While Beluga is not exactly a budget restaurant, its Blue Plate special – 26 pieces of sushi for R109 – is Cape Town’s best sushi deal. If you’re after more sushi, go on Sundays before 7 pm and every other day between 5 and 7 pm for half-price sushi and wash it down with delicious half-price cocktails. For the sushi-haters, there’s a kilo of tiger prawns for R109.

Contact: Tel 021-418-2948
Address: Prestwich Street, Green Point

3. Cape Town’s favourite budget breakfasts

For the cheapest breakfast in town, locals head to Arnold’s on Kloof St for their popular ‘Early bird’ special. If you’re up in time (the breakfast is only available between 06h45 and 07h00) you can get two eggs, two strips of bacon, two slices of grilled tomato, ostrich wors and two slices of toast for R9.50. If you’re a late riser you can get the same breakfast for a great price of R19.

Contact: Tel 021-424-4344
Address: 60 Kloof Street, Gardens

Cafe Sofia is a competitor for Cape Town’s best budget breakfast, with two eggs, two pieces of bacon, two pieces of toast and a coffee or tea for R25.

Contact: Tel 021-426-0801
Address: Cafe Sofia has multiple locations in Cape Town, in Blouberg, Green Point, Camps Bay, Gardens, Rondebosch and Sea Point.

4. Taste of the township

Mzoli’s Place in Gugulethu is popular with locals and tourists for cheap braaied meat. The butchery-cum braai restaurant provides the meat and a secret basting sauce, expert sub-contracted braaiers to cook it all up and the casual tables and chairs. The rest is left to surrounding community businesses. The spaza and shebeen across the road supply bread and beer and even the music is courtesy of patrons’ parked cars.

Contact: Tel 021-638-1355
Address: NY 115 Shop 3 Guguletu

5. Prison food

Sometimes budget eats can be found in the most unexpected places. Like jail, for instance. Pollsmoor Restaurant serves up some of the cheapest meals in the southern suburbs. The restaurant is run by inmates, so don’t be alarmed to see prisoners in their orange garb cooking in the kitchen. Budget delights range from a breakfast of an egg, chicken sausage, tomato, toast and coffee for R16, a cheese and tomato sandwich for R5 and more substantial meals of calamari, chips and salad for R20 and steak and chips for R28. Breakfast and lunch are served from Monday to Sunday from 07h45 to 14h00.

Contact: Tel 021-700-1270
Address: Steenberg Road, Constantia

6. Best burgers in town

Royale Eatery has long been a firm favourite among Capetonians for its retro-fabulous burgers and shakes. Head to the restaurant from Mondays to Thursday between 16h00 and 18h00 to take advantage of an ongoing special – burgers for R30 and beer for R10.

Contact: Tel 021-422-4536
Address: 273 Long Street

7. A movie and dinner

Societi Bistro and the Labia Theatre to offer a pizza and a movie for R70, on Mondays and Tuesdays. Bookings must be made in advance.

Contact: Tel 021-424-4536
Address: 50 Orange Street, Gardens