As winter settles over Cape Town and the city begins to slow, The Belly Restaurant Group is inviting diners back indoors with a collection of seasonal menus designed around comfort, generosity and accessible fine dining.
Claire Gunn/Supplied
Founded by chef-restaurateurs Neil Swart and Anouchka Horn, the group has become known for its intimate dining spaces and deeply local approach to food. Across Belly of the Beast, Galjoen and Seebamboes, this year’s winter offerings lean into nostalgia and seasonality, while still maintaining the creativity that has defined the restaurants since their launch.
Each restaurant brings its own interpretation of winter to the table. From slow-cooked flavours and seafood-inspired comfort food to immersive tasting experiences, the menus are aimed at encouraging locals to dine out more often during the colder months.
Belly of the Beast embraces spontaneity and comfort
At Belly of the Beast, the group’s original restaurant, the experience remains intentionally fluid. There are no menu choices or rigid structure. Instead, diners are guided through a tasting menu shaped by seasonal ingredients and the kitchen’s daily inspiration. This winter, the menu leans into richer flavours and slower cooking techniques, with nostalgic South African influences woven throughout the experience. Expect deeper sauces, warming textures and dishes designed to suit the colder season.
Lunch is served from Tuesday to Saturday at 12:30 and is priced at R650 per person, offering a more accessible way to experience the restaurant’s acclaimed approach to dining.
Galjoen celebrates local seafood and winter favourites
At Galjoen, winter dining takes a more familiar and comforting direction.
Known for its strict commitment to locally sourced seafood, the restaurant continues to work exclusively with South African fishers and suppliers. From Saldanha Bay mussels to small-scale coastal fishing operations, the philosophy remains unchanged: if it is not from local waters, it does not make it onto the plate. The winter lunch menu opens with freshly baked bread and mussels served in a rich broth before moving into a refined take on fish and chips. A warm baked dessert rounds off the meal, creating an experience rooted in comfort and simplicity.
Lunch is available from Thursday to Saturday at 12:30 at R450 per person.
In the evenings, Galjoen expands into a broader multi-course seafood experience. Dinner, served Monday to Saturday at 18:45, is priced at R850 per person and follows the rhythm of the day’s catch and seasonal availability.
Seebamboes offers an intimate seasonal experience
Upstairs from Galjoen, Seebamboes continues to offer one of Cape Town’s most intimate dining experiences, with just 16 seats available per service. The restaurant explores the relationship between land and sea through a tasting menu built around coastal ingredients, foraged elements and locally sourced produce. During winter, the menu shifts towards warmer, more layered flavours while still retaining the brightness of sea herbs and vegetables.
For the first time, Seebamboes is introducing a Saturday lunch service at 12:30. The winter lunch menu is priced at R550 per person, while dinner remains a more immersive evening experience at R1000 per person from Tuesday to Saturday.
A season for slower dining
Across all three restaurants, the focus this winter is on creating dining experiences that feel thoughtful and approachable without compromising on quality or identity. Reservations for Belly of the Beast, Galjoen and Seebamboes can be made through the restaurants’ official websites.
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