There are certain restaurant names that Cape Town remembers, and Balducci is definitely one of them.
After making its name at the V&A Waterfront for decades, Balducci is back with a fresh new chapter. Caffé Balducci has opened at Piazza St John in Sea Point, bringing back the Italian food, wine and social atmosphere people loved, but in a more relaxed, modern all day café setting.
And from the sound of things, this isn’t just somewhere you go for dinner. It is designed to be the kind of place where you can arrive for coffee in the morning and somehow still be there ordering another glass of wine later that evening.
From Morning Coffee to Late Night Drinks
Caffé Balducci is leaning heavily into the European café culture experience.
Think morning espressos and matcha, long breakfasts, leisurely lunches, sundowners, dinner, wine and late night socialising. There are two outdoor terraces spilling into Piazza St John, while the interior is polished and contemporary without feeling overly formal.
Its Sea Point location makes a lot of sense too. Piazza St John is just a short walk from the promenade and Atlantic Ocean, so this could easily become a breakfast stop after a morning walk, a casual lunch spot or somewhere to settle in for sundowners and dinner. There is also secure undercover parking in the complex.
The Menu Is Huge
Now for the important part, the food.
Balducci hasn’t abandoned the Italian classics that made the original restaurant popular. The menu still has plenty of pasta, pizza, antipasti and seafood, but the new Caffé Balducci has expanded things considerably.
Breakfast can be as healthy or indulgent as you want it to be. There are smoothies, power bowls and granola, but also Brioche French Toast, Eggs Benedict, smoked salmon and the traditional Balducci Breakfast.
Later, the Italian side of the menu really gets going.
There are wood fired Neapolitan style pizzas made with imported Italian Caputo flour, with toppings ranging from Double Pepperoni & Chilli and Prosciutto to Smoked Salmon & Rocket and Flaming Prawns. Pasta options include Arrabbiata, Primavera, Butternut Ravioli, Ostrich Lasagne and even a Signature Mac & Cheese.
If you’re after something more substantial, there are burgers, steaks, ribs, lamb shank and an extensive seafood selection featuring everything from Cape linefish and kingklip to prawns, crayfish and Norwegian salmon.
And then Balducci throws another curveball into the mix.
Yes, There’s Sushi Too
Alongside all that Italian food is an entire Asian Noodles & Sushi Bar.
Expect wok tossed noodles, tempura, teriyaki, poke bowls, sashimi, nigiri and plenty of sushi. There are options such as Lemon Salmon Rolls, Tuna Crust, Tempura Soft Shell Crab, Dragon Rolls and Torched Nigiri, plus large sharing platters.
It sounds like a lot, but it also means this is one of those restaurants that could work well for a group where nobody can agree on what they actually want to eat.
Save Space for Dessert
The dessert menu might be where things get dangerous.
There’s Biscoff Tiramisu, baked cheesecake, Chocolate Fondant and Malva Pudding, alongside pastries including Pastéis de Nata and Pain au Chocolat.
Then there are the massive Signature WOW Shakes, including Cookies & Cream, Oreo Cheesecake, Biscoff & Dubai Chocolate and Matcha.
Definitely not the place to announce you’re “just having something small.”
And Then There’s the Wine
Balducci has always taken wine seriously, and that continues here.
The wine bar offers 60 premium wines by the glass, using a specialised nitrogen infused tap system, with sommeliers available to help you navigate the selection. The wider drinks menu includes Champagne, Prosecco, whisky, Cognac, beers, ciders and cocktails.
So whether your idea of a good afternoon involves an iced matcha or a bottle of bubbly, you’re covered.
A Cape Town Favourite Gets a Second Life
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Caffé Balducci is that it isn’t trying to simply recreate the old Balducci.
The original was part of the V&A Waterfront dining scene for around 30 years before closing during the pandemic. The new version keeps the Italian food, hospitality and social character of the original while adapting it for the way Cape Town likes to eat and socialise now.
That means coffee in the morning, lunch on the terrace, sushi in the afternoon, cocktails at sunset, pasta for dinner and maybe a Biscoff Tiramisu before heading home.
Sounds like a pretty good day in Sea Point to us.
Need to Know
Caffé Balducci
Piazza St John, 395 Main Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Opening hours: Daily from 08:30 until late
Bookings: Recommended
