I have a theory.
If you’re the type of person who always asks friends and family, “Can I have a bite of that?”, then you LOVE food markets.
There’s something thrilling about having so many options under one roof. Think of all the flavor experiences that await! Going with a group is the ideal strategy. Divide and conquer so everyone can have just a bite of everything.
Cape Town, South Africa is teeming with markets, and one of the most hyped up ones is the V&A Food Market.
The Victoria & Alfred… AKA V&A… Waterfront is a posh area of Cape Town that has more than 80 eateries, over 500 retails stores, 22 heritage sites, the Two Oceans Aquarium as well as the Zeits, and the Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCCA). After meandering through all the artisan crafts at The Shed and getting lost in the mega mall, I headed to the V&A Food Market for some grub.
The Atmosphere:
The market is in Old Power Station, and it has rustic, industrial-chic vibes. There is reasonably dim lighting and acoustics that ricochet sound every which way, creating a lively buzz.
The Options:
There are nearly 40 options with all types of cuisine ranging from sushi to waffles to biltong.
My Grub at the V&A Food Market
Lambrolla: R 120/ $6.92USD
Lambrolla had a line—sure sign of deliciousness! The “rollas” were wraps with a middle eastern flare. I had my eye on the lamb rolla, which was described as “slow roasted lamb, double thick tzatziki, flaked almonds, chia seeds, cherry tomatoes, red own, and wild rocket rolled in a thin crusted dough.” Yum!
As I waited in the line, I realized that the length wasn’t de to high demand… it was due to a relaxed pace of service. It gave me ample time to examine the process (and an opportunity to work on my patience.) They pounded down the dough into a tortilla shape, then added on the respective toppings. It was then popped into a toaster oven looking contraction to crisp up. The sauces and additional toppings were added on in the end.
It was close to being good.
While the lamb had a nice taste, it was almost all fat. The tzatziki was exceptional and the nuttiness from the almonds was a nice touch. However, most of the lamb ended up out my rolla. In hindsight, I wish I would have tried the beef. Or the chicken. Or I guess just not the lamb.
Cape Malay House: (Price unrecorded…whoops..)
While I was getting the rolla, Jeremy was over at Cape Malay House. He returned with a wrap that was a roti filled with pieces of fried chicken that were coated in a tzatziki-like sauce. Lettuce, tomato, and French fries were added in. It was like a roti and gyro walked into a KFC in Malaysia and got frisky.
It was pretty darn tasty!
Plucky’s Fried Chicken: R 85/ $4.90USD
I’m a sucker for bao buns and I’m also a sucker for fried chicken (check out my latest fried chicken sandwich crawl HERE!) So of course I had to try out these Korean fried chicken bao buns from Plucky’s Fried Chicken.
The bun was nice and fluffy. Although I’m not too sure why it was black. The fried chicken was nice– good crunch, nice and juicy, solid sauce. It was the toppings that had me scratching my head a bit. The flavors were a bit bland, and I was confused by the yellow stuff that looked like cheese, but didn’t taste like cheese.
I ate it all, but wouldn’t eat it again.
So should you swing by the V&A Food Market in Cape Town?
Absolutely! There are so many options and it is a fun environment. The food is pricey for Cape Town, but it’s nothing compared to other major cities.
As for what to try, I’d say broaden your horizons from the options I’ve reviewed here. Cape Malay House delivered in flavor, but Plucky’s and Lambrolla fell short. I’m sure the V&A Food Market is home to many tasty bites just waiting to be tried…. let me know if you find them!
