Aruba Restaurant & Bar

Founded by two friends, Daniel Kruger and Murray Hunter-Smith - who share a passion for food and restaurants, Aruba Restaurant & Bar came to life from a dream that was once thought to be impossible. "I had been thinking about it for a really long time, but I never thought it was going to happen because property in Cape Town is really hard to find. Unless it was the right property, I wouldn't have wanted to do it. I was driving down the road one day and I saw that this property was up for rent," shares Daniel.

Aptly named Aruba, Daniel emphasises that their main objective was to create a vacation-like experience for diners. "We always joke that it is an all-inclusive resort and we want our diners to feel like they are on holiday. Our setting is very colourful with our striking blue bar area and curated spaces to ensure our diners feel like they are at the real life Aruba," Daniel explains. The restaurant aims to offer diners a 'communal' setting, with Aruba’s neighbours planning to open in the next two months and share the outdoor balcony dining space.

Led by chef Darren Allsopp, the menu, while small, has been tailored to exude fresh and simple ingredients of the Mediterranean coastline and the bold, spicy notes of Caribbean fare. The bold, flavour-rich dishes reveal a culinary experience that is both thoughtful and delicious. Cheesecake is a top pick for dessert, but err on the side of caution and try out their spicy pineapple dessert, a vegan option of grilled pineapple with maple and chilli glaze served with vegan ice-cream. Aruba Restaurant & Bar puts "spicy" in this pineapple dessert, but paired with the vegan ice-cream, it is a delightfully different and surprisingly good pairing.

Whilst Aruba Restaurant & Bar is one of the newest kids on the block in this part of town, keep a close eye on the exciting things planned for the near future!!!