The Bo-Kaap Kombuis, or The Kombuis as it is more colloquially known is the restaurant to visit if you are a foodie looking for somewhere that embodies not only the delicious food of the Cape Malay but also the authentic culture, beauty and uniqueness of the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town. The owners, Yusuf and Nazli were born and raised in the area. An area filled with history. The colourful old homes and the often steep, narrow cobbled streets are unlike anything else in Cape Town, and in fact, in South Africa.

The Bo-Kaap is the area of Cape Town that was set aside for Muslims during the early years of Cape Town’s development. The number of Muslim slaves, political exiles and prisoners rose significantly, as did the influence of the imams. As Muslims in Cape Town had come from many different countries, including Malaysia, the term ‘Malay’ came to define all Muslims in the colony. Nearly a century later, the apartheid government, led by the Nationalist Party, encouraged the idea of a separate Malay area in Cape Town.  It became known as the Bo-kaap.

It is here that the Bo-Kaap Kombuis is situated. ‘Kombuis’ is an Afrikaans word which means ‘kitchen’. Because of the many influences that contribute to the Cape Malay culture, the food is a delicious and unique blend of all of them.

The restaurant has played host to politicians, ambassadors, VIPs, tourists and South Africans. All come for one reason – the authentic Cape Malay cuisine. Even other great chefs such as South African Michelin Star award winner Jan Hendrik van der Westhusen, Finnish double Michelin Star award winner, Hans Valimaki and BBC Travel Show host Andrew Zimmern have asked Nazli to show them the art of Cape Malay cuisine!

Yusuf and Nazli are not only dedicated to creating great food, but also to uplifting the staff. They believe that is the heart of the restaurant’s success. No matter what position they held at their previous employment, here at Bo-Kaap Kombuis they are all budding chefs being trained to be able to open up their own restaurants in the future.