Belthazar, the renowned “Theatre of Fine Food and Wine” at the V&A Waterfront, is making a comeback! Starting on November 1st, Belthazar will reopen its doors. It will remain in the vibrant heart of the Waterfront, on Victoria Wharf, but it will now be just a few doors down, next to its sister restaurant, Gibson’s, along the seafront.
Back in 2003, Belthazar first welcomed patrons at the V&A Waterfront, offering a gastronomic experience centered around meat and seafood, along with the world’s largest wine-by-the-glass bar. All this was complemented by breathtaking panoramic views of the Waterfront and Table Mountain. Over the years, Belthazar achieved prominence as one of Cape Town’s premier dining establishments, accumulating numerous prestigious awards, including recognition as the best steakhouse in South Africa, the finest seafood restaurant in Cape Town, the top Waterfront restaurant, TripAdvisor Awards of Excellence, Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence for its wine selection, and more. Regrettably, like many South African restaurants, it had to temporarily close its doors in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Belthazar is making a comeback with a fresh perspective. Co-owner Ian Halfon stated, “We want Belthazar to be the first choice for locals when they crave a great grill. We’ll be offering exclusive deals to our loyalty cardholders throughout the year, as well as fantastic value specials for families during the winter season. This includes an extensive selection of high-quality bottled house wines.”
Guests can anticipate the same outstanding steaks and seafood, an exceptional array of premium wines served in Riedel glassware, the iconic wine bar featuring the world’s largest nitrogen-infused tap system, top-quality, fresh ingredients with an emphasis on local sourcing, the same inviting ambiance, and captivating atmosphere, along with professional, seamless service—all in an idyllic location. The stunning all-weather dining area on the terrace, with its glorious views, remains unchanged.
Exciting news for diners is that Belthazar will introduce a value-focused alfresco lunch menu available seven days a week. This menu will not only include affordable options like charcuterie, cheese boards, burgers, and steak and seafood dishes but also wine tastings, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to savor their array of award-winning wines. For those seeking heartier fare, the standard menu will also be on offer.
Ian Halfon emphasized their commitment to excellence and innovation, stating, “We continuously review our menu, wine list, and supplier relationships to stay abreast of the times, current trends, and our customers’ preferences. Our goal is to deliver a relevant and memorable dining experience for both loyal local patrons and international guests.”
Belthazar plans to maintain its beloved classics and signature dishes while introducing fresh and intriguing additions to keep patrons curious and create new memories. Their meat offerings are expanding to include top-quality Wagyu beef products, known for their pristine marbling, and a broader selection of steak cuts to cater to various budgets. Additionally, the restaurant prioritizes sourcing locally and sustainably harvested Cape fish, ensuring that they go from the sea to the plate in record time. The wine list is also expanding to include the latest award-winning wines and an extensive range of reasonably priced house wines to suit all palates and budgets. Belthazar’s new wine tasting experience, tantalizing cocktail menu, and summer terrace lunches are expected to be highly popular additions.
The Meat Experience at Belthazar
Belthazar is known for its remarkable in-house Master Butcher, who exclusively sources the finest AAA grade grain-fed and grass-fed beef, including exceptional free-range, grass-fed organic beef and Wagyu beef. The meat is matured for a minimum of 28 days and undergoes dry aging on the carcass for three days in specially designed temperature-controlled cold rooms with humidity. This process results in the “wet-aging” of the Fillet, Sirloin, Rump, and Rib-Eye cuts, while the T-Bone, Chicago Cut (Belthazar’s signature Rib-Eye on the bone), Fillet on the Bone, and Sirloin on the Bone are left to “dry-age” for up to 40 days. Belthazar also offers premium Karoo Lamb, Beef, Lamb, and Pork Ribs, and an extensive Game Menu featuring Ostrich, Crocodile, Springbok, Kudu, Impala, Wildebeest, Blesbok, Gemsbok, and Eland.
Belthazar Seafood Extravaganza
Belthazar specializes in Mozambican shellfish, making it one of the few Cape Town restaurants offering this superior shellfish throughout the year. They also serve Norwegian salmon and receive daily deliveries of the freshest local seafood. A standout offering is the Mozambican Royal Seafood Platter for Two, which includes a whole crayfish, four medium langoustines, four medium tiger prawns, six queen prawns, and fresh mussels—all expertly prepared and served with lemon butter, garlic butter, and peri-peri sauce.
The Wine Wonder at Belthazar
Belthazar’s wine experience is unmatched, with a vast selection of wines tempting wine enthusiasts. It boasts the world’s largest wine-by-the-glass bar, equipped with the most extensive nitrogen-infused tap system globally, serving 200 premium wines by the glass. Trained sommeliers provide expert guidance from an award-winning wine list featuring up to 400 wines. These wines are professionally stored in a designer vinoteque and served in Riedel glassware to enhance the tasting experience. The state-of-the-art wine list at Belthazar showcases vintage ratings, critics’ assessments, wine awards, and taste indicators.
In addition to its outstanding wine list, Belthazar specializes in whiskies, single malts, brandies, Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, liqueurs, traditional and craft beers, and ciders.
Belthazar enjoys a prime location in the heart of the V&A Waterfront and features a spectacular all-weather dining area on the terrace, complete with a mist cooling system and heaters, providing panoramic views of the Waterfront and Table Mountain.
The restaurant also caters to various functions, including Christmas Lunch and New Year’s Eve Dinner, offering diverse menu options.
Belthazar offers a Loyalty Card through the Slick Restaurant Group Loyalty program, allowing members to receive 10% of the total bill credited to their card, redeemable at participating establishments.
