Cape Town has seen a fair share of new halaal restaurants either opening from scratch or previously non halaal converting to fully halaal stores, especially among speciality franchises. It’s great to have more choices as slowly the food and hospitality industry sees the value in going halaal. We’ve made a list of the latest halaal openings in Cape Town you may not have tried yet.

SweetBeet, Canal Walk

Recently opened at Canal Walk, Sweetbeet enjoys a prime location just off the Canal Walk food court. They have a catchy look with their grass wall panel, light beech tables andSweetbeet bicycles adorning the walls. Their primary focus is healthy eating and the menu consists mainly of wraps, bowls and salads. They make surprisingly great coffee and are great for a guilt free weekend brekkie date.
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Bustas Foodhub, Paarl

A fast food spot in Paarl perfect for a stopover on those leisurely boland drives. They’ve tapped into their Indian roots and created a fusion of sorts between typical Cape Town fast food dishes like the humble chip roll and traditional Indian flavours like green chillies and dhanya chutney. Pick up some takeouts for your picnic or take a seat in this casual spot for some good quality fast food. The menu is really big with kids options and breakfast. This may also be the last bastion of the Falooda this far north.
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Bin Rashied, Parow

This popular pizza spot with it’s roots in the Southern Suburbs is fast expanding and has opened several new branches in the last 2 to 3 years. They have opened their latest branch in Parow in the Northern Suburbs. They have a good sized seating area but you eat take-out style. They don’t serve on plates. They are located at the Caltex garage on Voortrekker Road at Shoprite Park, where the old Nandos used to be. We love the San Kinoko pizza which is a simple one with garlic, mushrooms and rocket.
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That Coffee Shop, Bonteheuvel

Bonteheuvel may be the last place you’d expect to find a coffee shop. Its reputation of being rife with gangsterism and ridden with crime would keep most outsiders away. This is partly why Aneesah Seale, a married mother of 4 decided to realise her dream and open up a coffee shop right in the heart of this troubled neighbourhood. It has become a popular spot with tourists and has been feautured on mainstream media including News24 and the Expresso Show. She serves cafe fare and her menu changes all the time depending on produce available. We tried the signature dunked sticky wings with hand cut chips and would absolutley recommend it.
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Bootlegger Coffee Shop, Three Anchor Bay

If you know your espresso from your cortado, or your macchiato from your flat white then you’re likely a coffee snob like me. Bootlegger Coffee Company has long since been the go to place for those who won’t settle for mediocre coffee. Now we’ll also be able to enjoy a fully halaal coffee shop menu at their Three Anchor Bay store which has been converted into an ICSA certified halaal store. They serve café fare but also a host of light meals and signature dishes. We loved the Harissa Lamb Burger and Chicken Livers peri peri. It’s a great place to take your laptop and park or grab some breakfast when you’re in the Sea Point area. They could do with adding a kids menu though. 
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Tossd, Salad and Food Bar, Gardens

Guilt free eating is a challenge to say the least. And there are few halaal businesses that cater to people who live on the healthier side of life. After having been at the mercy of Kauai for many years, it was refreshing to come across Tossd Salad Bar, a recent addition to Cape Town in the Gardens area. They offer a “customize your salad” concept where you can choose from a range of ingredients and sauces. We loved the Spicy Chickpea, Avo and Spinach with Teriyaki Chicken. This was topped with a creamy Honey Mustard dressing and served in an eco friendly bowl. We ordered a Pineapple, pear, ginger and mint cold pressed juice which is one of the best fresh pressed juices we’ve had.
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Lebanese Bakery, Claremont

Run by Nicky who is Capetonian and her husband Shawki, of Lebanese origin, the Lebanese Bakery is small and quaint. It is deli style and minimalist with a clay pizza oven within view of the seating in which the breads are freshly made. The menu offers 3 main items and variations of these. Manakish, a Middle Eastern Flatbread which can be served open or folded. The Manakish is available in various flavours such as Zaatar, Labneh, Cheese and Veggie. It is also offered with meat as a second type of variation, called Sfiha and Kafta. There is Fatayer which is a Middle Eastern pie stuffed with either cheese or spinach. Lastly a Middle Eastern type bagel called Ka’ak with various fillings such as halloumi, cream cheese or Nutella. The breads are best eaten hot so try to sit down rather than grab a takeaway. They make great coffee too.
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Coco Levant, Parow

Coco Levant first opened with a very Middle Eastern menu. They have changed it since and the current menu is inspired by local cuisine that is unpretentious and affordable. They also do catering for events and conferences, and have a variety of platter menu’s and ones that can be built accordingly.
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Col’cacchio, Canal Walk and V&A Waterfront

Okay so we all know Colcacchio as ‘the pizza place’, and rightly so. Their pizzas are thin-based, gourmet-style, non-greasy and they offer a huge variety of unique topping combinations. Not only that, they offer half and half pizzas. Bottom line, their pizzas are some of the best we’ve tried. And the pastas are a close second. We certainly lacked this kind of offering on the halaal restaurant scene till recently. Head to Canal Walk or the V&A Waterfront for pizza, pasta or dessert with some pretty great service.
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Vida e Caffé, Grassy Park

Grassy Park is not the obvious location for a Vida e Caffé. This popular coffee shop has made it’s brand synonymous with upmarket locations in malls, corporate spaces and trendy hot spots. This branch in size is somewhere between their bigger branches you would find in a mall and the small kiosk type you would find in the Shell service stations. There is one table with chairs and counter seating with bar stools available. Their authentic Portuguese style menu besides their well known coffee contains pastries, muffins, sandwiches, cookies and for the health conscious, yoghurt and muesli cups, juices and skinny coffee options. The Grassy Park branch is a slightly smaller takeout style store. They have also opened a second location inside the Rondebosch Mediclinic which is bigger with more seating space. There are also several more stores which have since gone fully halaal.
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