A recent visit to a restaurant that’s actually been around for a while reinforced my belief that sometimes you really just have to get out there and explore this city in true tourist style…
GOLD is a restaurant that specialises in what they refer to as “opulent African cuisine”. They’re a massive hit amongst visitors to our beautiful city, but I suspect there are many of us locals out there who’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy the GOLD experience…
At GOLD it’s all about letting your hair down and truly getting into the African Spirit. The space is beautiful in its own unique way. They have multiple levels all brightly decorated in true African Style; and all the way upstairs, there’s even a little rooftop courtyard where you can pop out to get some fresh air.
Let me show you around:

Those giant puppets scared the living daylights out of us… We did not realise there was a person inside… 😉
They kick off every evening with a 40min interactive drumming session. It’s R95 per person and completely optional, but I highly recommend it for its amazing stress relieving effect. Each participant gets their own djembe drum and then master facilitator, Eddie, teaches you the different djembe sounds & rhythms. If you’re worried about how uncoordinated & non-musical you are, don’t. Everyone gets the hang of it within a few minutes, and by the end of the session you’ll be completely hooked.
After you’ve worked up a lion’s appetite, it’s time to move over to your table for the feast to begin… Their menu is structured in a way that ensures you get to sample cuisine from their Cape Malay kitchen along with some well loved traditional African inspired dishes as well. The entire menu is served at the table as a set tasting menu in sharing and individual portions.
Think South African tomato soup served with Masala spiced bread twists, Zambian Kandolo balls, Cape Malay Ostrich & Lamb Bobotie, Ghanaian Groundnut Chicken, Gogo’s Karamonk biscuits and much much more. (there’s also a vegetarian menu available on request)
Have a look at their full menu over here. It’s quite a taste journey…
Cost per head is R315, but that also includes a few live African performances in between dishes which feature Malian puppets, traditional instruments and performers from across Africa. You are of course encouraged to join in, get your face painted & learn some African moves. This really is all about getting involved.
This really was such a fun night out. I think the winning factor is that this isn’t just a great meal at a great restaurant. It’s an experience that’ll have you smiling from ear to ear every time you think back to your evening at GOLD.
I for one was very sad to go home and wash my face… I kinda wanted to keep channeling my inner African princess for just a little while longer…
The GOLD experience gets a score of on the Miss K Kiss-o-Meter. The only slightly limiting factor is that it is a set menu, so there may be some things you won’t love the sound of… But hey, my mom always said that you should at least try something. Then if you don’t like it fair enough, but you may just be surprised.
Wanna channel your inner African princess (or prince/queen/king – whatever your preference), then take note of the following:
- You’ll find them here: 15 Bennett Street, Green Point
- Booking is essential, so contact them on: 021 421 4653 or cindy@goldrestaurant.co.za
Thank you so much to the entire GOLD team for looking after us so incredibly well. The next time my energy level’s a bit low, I know exactly where to come and recharge. 🙂
xxx