# Café Orca

> Beachfront seafood restaurant in Melkbosstrand, Cape Town, since 1997. Line fish, mussels, calamari, oysters and seafood platters with sunset views over the Atlantic.

Café Orca is a seafood restaurant in a beach cottage on the Melkbosstrand beachfront, about 30 minutes north of Cape Town city centre. Guests sit on the open beachfront patio or inside the cottage, with views over the Atlantic towards Table Mountain and Robben Island. Open since 1997.

## Key facts

- Address: 88 Beach Road, Melkbosstrand, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa
- Coordinates: -33.7248554, 18.4432529
- Phone: 021 553 4120
- Email: cafeorca@mweb.co.za
- Reservations: https://www.dineplan.com/widgetframe/5KJRmklL?source=Website (tables held 15 minutes; maximum party size 6)
- Cuisine: seafood (line fish, mussels, calamari, prawns, oysters, crayfish, platters)

## Opening hours (South African time)

- Monday – Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday – Saturday: 12:00–15:00 · 18:00–21:00
- Sunday: 12:00–15:30

Last orders 45 minutes before closing.

## Ratings and recognition

- Dineplan: 4.9 / 5 from 1 469 reviews
- Tripadvisor: 4.5 / 5 from 639 reviews
- Google: 4.7 / 5 from 1 863 reviews
- 2025: Reviewers’ Choice Newcomer Award, Western Cape (Dineplan)
- Travellers’ Choice (Tripadvisor)
- 2017: Four stars for food, service and ambience (Eat Out critic’s review)
- 2015: Top 500 Restaurants in South Africa (Eat Out)
- Ranked #27 of 2,164 seafood restaurants in Cape Town (Restaurant Guru)

## Menu (prices in ZAR)

### Starters

- Grilled baby squid — R119: Lemon butter, garlic parsley oil, red pesto
- Cajun baby squid — R119: Spicy Cajun butter, sesame spinach tzatziki
- Pesto baby squid — R129: Roasted feta, basil pesto cream, sun-ripe tomato oil
- Steamed black mussels — R119: Roasted garlic, white wine, parsley cream
- Blue cheese mussels — R129: Bacon bits, roasted garlic, white wine, parsley cream
- Fried calamari strips — R109: Old-school coleslaw, tartar
- Spicy sautéed prawns — R135: Spicy Cajun butter, Asian noodles
- Greek village salad — R129: Tomato, peppers, red onion, feta, olives, capers
- Caprese salad — R135: Fior di latte mozzarella, pesto cream, tomato, herb leaves

### Oysters

Horseradish cream, French vinaigrette

- Each — R35
- Six — R199
- Twelve — R389

### Mains

Served with roasted vegetables and a choice of chips or rice

- Fried hake — R189: Chilli mayo, tartar, salt & vinegar jelly
- Lemon butter grilled squid — R239: Lemon & butter sauce
- Spicy Cajun grilled squid — R239: Sesame spinach tzatziki, Cajun spice
- Fried calamari — R229: Old-school coleslaw, panko crumbs, tartar
- Line fish — R239: Lemon butter or spicy Cajun
- Moroccan line fish — R249: Spicy harissa sauce, cherry tomato, capers
- Thai line fish — R249: Yellow Thai curry, pineapple salsa
- Blue cheese line fish — R249: Creamy blue cheese sauce, caramelised onion
- Alaska line fish — R249: Garlic, white wine, parsley cream, smoked salmon
- Melkbos platter — R245: Fried hake, fried prawns, fried calamari
- Orca platter — R389: Line fish, calamari, two queen prawns, mussels
- Seafood platter for two — R799: Twelve prawns, two line fish, calamari, garlic mussels
- Seafood platter for two & crayfish — R1159: Our platter for two, crowned with crayfish
- Princess prawns — R269: Twelve butterflied prawns, lemon butter or spicy Cajun
- Crayfish — R399: Lemon butter or spicy Cajun

### Sides & sauces

- Roasted vegetables — R39
- Tartar sauce — R32
- Creamy garlic sauce — R35
- Moroccan sauce — R35
- Thai sauce — R35
- Lemon butter sauce — R35
- Garlic — R22
- Chilli paste — R22

### Dessert

- Pastry chef selection — R89: Ask your server for today’s creations

## Good to know

- **Do I need to book?** We recommend it, especially for sunset tables and weekends. Book online through Dineplan. We can only hold a table for 15 minutes after the booking time.
- **How big a group can you seat?** We’d love to have you, but we can’t accommodate parties larger than 6 people.
- **Is the patio covered?** The beachfront patio is weather dependent and has no solid roof, so it isn’t protected from rain. From about 16:00 until sunset the sun can’t be blocked out, so bring sunglasses and a hat. The sunsets are worth it.
- **Are pets allowed?** We love our pets, but unfortunately the restaurant is not pet friendly.
- **Do you have high chairs?** We don’t have baby chairs, sorry.
- **Is there parking?** Yes, there is free on-site parking.
- **Can I smoke?** No. Café Orca is a non-smoking restaurant.
- **When are last orders?** Last orders are taken 45 minutes before closing time.

## Pages

- [Home](https://www.cafeorca.co.za/)
- [Menu](https://www.cafeorca.co.za/menu)
- [About](https://www.cafeorca.co.za/about)
- [Awards & reviews](https://www.cafeorca.co.za/awards)
- [Visit, hours & booking](https://www.cafeorca.co.za/visit)