Cape Town offers some of the finest restaurants in the country for dining in luxury or simply in wonderful indoor settings. But it also offers a plethora of excellent outdoor restaurants in and around the city, many of which are long-standing favourites for more than a few reasons.

1) La Colombe (Constantia)

Photo credit: Cathrine Zee via Instagram Now located on the Silvermist Wine Estate, La Colombe is rated one of the best restaurants in Cape Town and has been an institution of note for some years now, with many top chefs kick-starting their careers and honing their skills here. It is an internationally acclaimed restaurant with exquisite seating both indoors and out, fortunate enough to now call the beautiful Constantia wine valley home. For more information, call (021) 794 2390.

2) Greenhouse (Constantia)

The flagship restaurant of the glamorous Liz McGrath Collection, Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort, is where legendary chef, Peter Tempelhoff, works his magic and serves up an unforgettable experience. Everything from the food to its elegant settings will leave you wowed. What’s more, it remains one of the loveliest outdoor restaurants in Cape Town. For more information, call (021) 795 6226.

3) The Roundhouse (Camps Bay)

The Roundhouse offers guests fine dining (for a pretty penny), exquisite food, fine wine – and one of the most enviable and stunning settings in Cape Town. It is also deeply rich in history, having once served as the hunting lodge of Lord Charles Somerset, as well as a hotel and dance hall. Yet it is the outside dining area, known as The Rumbullion, which will really take your breath away, with its rolling lawn and its expansive views of the mountains and Atlantic Ocean. For more information, call 021 438 4347.

4) Fresh at Paul Cluver Estate (Elgin)

Although this restaurant may be quite far removed from Cape Town, it is still considered one of the region’s most wonderful outdoor restaurants and warrants a place on most restaurant lists. The restaurant was awarded the coveted EatOut Best Country-Style Restaurant 2012, only a year after its opening. Set amid a working farm in the Elgin Valley, on the magnificent De Rust Estate, it lies deeply close to nature and offers a rustic, yet beautiful dining experience under the trees. For more information, call 021 844 0014.

5) Café Caprice (Camps Bay)

Photo credit: Skye Todd via Instagram Famed for its award-winning, artisanal cocktails, stunning beachside views and trendy positioning along the exclusive and desirable Camps Bay strip, Café Caprice offers delicious fare, drinks and sidewalk seating with some pretty breath-taking views too! It is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week (and has been since 1999), and is certainly one of Cape Town’s most highly regarded outdoor restaurants and prime sundowner/sunset spots. For more information, call (021) 438 8315.

6) Live Bait (Kalk Bay)

This Kalk Bay gem – located on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula – has everything you could want in an seaside, outdoor restaurant: stunning ocean views, mountains rising behind in the distance and tasty seafood dishes. It is part of the long-standing Harbour House, which it happens to be found directly below. For more information, call (021) 788 4133.

7) The Wild Fig Restaurant (Mowbray)

Photo credit: Lana Kenney via Instagram This real country dining at its best, which can be enjoyed at the historic Valkenberg Estate. As a point of interest, its Moreton Bay fig tree is one of the oldest in South Africa. Housed in an old Cape Dutch building, the indoor seating offers you the chance to truly take a step back in time. Still, it is the outdoor seating with its delightful courtyard under the trees, which will really charm you. For more information, call (021) 448 0507.

8) Mezepoli (Camps Bay)

Established in 2009, this meze and wine bar has offered its guests the finest Mediterranean of cuisine, which is made using the freshest ingredients. From it, the street-side views of Camps Bay Beach and the alluring, chilly Atlantic Ocean are simply irresistible and will tempt you back time and time again. For more information, call (021) 438 1915.

9) Strolla Restaurant & Bar (Sea Point)

Photo credit: Sophie A. Kanza via Instagram Offering simple, yet chic meals, classy cocktails and a sun deck with stunning views of the Atlantic and nearby Sea Point Promenade, Strolla Restaurant & Bar is the place to be in this seafront-lying part of town. Inside, the interiors pop with colour but it’s the sun deck and outdoor seating that will surely make you stay a little longer than intended… though it’s entirely worth it. For more information, call (021) 430 7778.

10) Franschhoek Kitchen, Holden Manz

This venue offers superb meals, delicious picnics and guided tours through the Holden Manz Estate, found in the picturesque Franschhoek valley. The food and wine are mouth-wateringly good – and so are the views… and where better to dine out than in the pulsating heart of the Cape winelands? For more information, call (021) 876 2738. These are just ten of the amazing outdoor restaurant experiences you can enjoy in the Mother City and surrounds but they are indeed deserving of their places on just such a list.