Willoughby & Co.
Schotschekloof, Cape Town
Restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Willoughby & Co. is a reliable Waterfront seafood address at the V&A in Cape Town, well-suited to groups, special occasions, anyone who wants a dependable, lively seafood meal without the reservation difficulty of the city's tasting-menu circuit. Easy to book and centrally located, it's a practical first choice for visitors and locals alike.
About Willoughby & Co.
Quick Verdict
Willoughby & Co. is a Waterfront seafood institution with seats that fill fast at peak service; if you want a table during a weekend lunch or when the V&A is busy, book ahead. For a celebration meal or a casual but well-executed seafood spread in one of Cape Town's most visited precincts, it earns its place. If a formal tasting menu is what you're after, look elsewhere; this is a crowd-pleasing, dependable seafood house, not a destination dining experience.
About Willoughby & Co.
Located in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront at 19 Dock Road, Willoughby & Co. has long been the go-to seafood address for visitors and locals who want reliable quality without the reservation difficulty of Cape Town's tasting-menu circuit. The setting is the Waterfront itself: busy, convivial, well-suited to groups celebrating birthdays, business lunches, or a meal after an afternoon on the water. Don't expect the kind of composed, course-by-course progression you'd find at Fyn or La Colombe; Willoughby's format is more direct: fresh seafood, generous portions, a room that moves at a lively pace.
For special occasions that don't require white-tablecloth formality, this is a strong option. The location gives it a natural draw for tourists staying nearby, but the kitchen's consistency keeps locals returning. It's particularly well-suited to groups where not everyone wants the commitment of a tasting menu or the wait list of The Test Kitchen. Solo diners and couples will find it comfortable, though if you're marking a significant occasion and want choreographed service, consider Salsify at the Roundhouse instead.
For context on the wider Cape Town dining picture, our full Cape Town restaurants guide covers the city's options across every tier. If you're spending time beyond the city, Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek and Wolfgat in Paternoster are worth the drive. For other Cape Town planning, see our guides to hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences.
Practical Details
Address: Shop 6132, 19 Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001. Reservations: Recommended, especially for weekend lunch and dinner; booking is easy relative to Cape Town's tasting-menu restaurants. Dress: Smart casual suits the setting, the Waterfront tone is relaxed but tidy. Groups: Well-suited to larger parties; the format handles group bookings more gracefully than most tasting-menu venues in the city. Budget: Pricing data is not confirmed in our records, check directly with the venue before visiting.
Planning details
- Location
- Shop 6132, 19 Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
- Website
- willoughbyandco.co.za
- Phone
- +27 21 418 6115
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Willoughby & Co. trades on its dockside location, presenting a seaside energy that foregrounds provenance and freshness. The restaurant sits within the V&A Waterfront's working harbour, where the close relationship between catch and kitchen is a defining feature; the text stresses that here the distance from ocean to plate is measured in metres. That maritime context gives the room a scenic, slightly industrious character rooted in Cape Town's fishing history rather than the polished formality of neighbouring tasting-menu temples. The result is a waterfront seafood spot that feels of its place — immediate, coastal and tied to local supply chains.
Best For
This is a place for people who want seafood that reflects proximity to the ocean: think evenings and later-night meals when the day’s catch is at its freshest. The write-up aligns Willoughby & Co. with the V&A Waterfront’s bustling, source-driven dining scene, making it a natural pick for groups and families seeking reliably fresh fish, as well as couples wanting a seafood-focused date night near the harbour. The emphasis on short supply chains and workaday harbour provenance means it’s particularly well suited to diners who prioritise freshness over formal tasting-menu service.
Ordering Tips
Let the seafood provenance guide your choices: the venue highlights raw and lightly treated preparations that showcase freshness. Signature items named in the brief — chili-seared tuna sashimi, tuna roll with caviar sesame seeds, salmon grenades and grilled kingklip — are safe bets to sample the quality the write-up stresses. Given the emphasis on catch delivered from the Benguela Current, order sashimi and other raw or simply grilled fish to appreciate the short journey from dock to plate. Avoid assuming heavy reworking; the focus here is on the sea’s flavour made visible.
Planning details
Location
Shop 6132, 19 Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Fyn; Japanese Fusion, Japanese Fusion
- La Colombe; South African, South African
- Salsify at the Roundhouse; South African, South African
- The Test Kitchen; South African, South African
- Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia; South African, South African
Restaurant context
How It Compares
If you're deciding between Willoughby & Co. and Cape Town's formal dining tier, the choice comes down to format and occasion. Fyn and La Colombe both offer structured tasting menus with considerably more culinary ambition; and considerably more booking difficulty. If the occasion calls for a composed, multi-course experience with serious wine pairing, those are stronger choices. Willoughby & Co. wins on accessibility, location, group suitability.
The Test Kitchen remains the hardest table to secure in the city and is built for a specific kind of destination-dining commitment. Salsify at the Roundhouse offers a more relaxed special-occasion format than Test Kitchen but still delivers a clear narrative progression through the meal; closer to a tasting experience than Willoughby's à la carte approach. For a celebration where the food itself is the centrepiece, Salsify is the better pick. For a celebration where the setting, company, ease of the evening matter more, Willoughby & Co. is the more practical answer.
Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia sits in a different category; a shared-plates format in the Constantia hills with a strong local following and a more relaxed booking window than the city's prestige restaurants. Between Chefs Warehouse and Willoughby & Co. the right choice depends on whether you want a vineyard setting or a harbour one. Both are solid mid-tier options; neither is trying to be a tasting-menu destination.
Around this place
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Unlock the full Willoughby & Co. guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Willoughby & Co.
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Willoughby & Co. | No published awards |
| Fyn | Star Wine Lists 2026 · #12026 Relais Chateaux Restaurants2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #82We're Smart World Top Restaurants 2025We're Smart World Top 100 20252025 The Best Chef Three Knives2025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Relais Chateaux Award |
| La Colombe | Star Wine Lists 20262026 La Liste Top RestaurantsWe're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 The Best Chef Two Knives2024 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #492023 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #942010 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #122009 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #38 |
| Salsify at the Roundhouse | 2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #88We're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence2025 The Best Chef One Knife |
| The Test Kitchen | 2026 Michelin Plate |
| Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia | 2026 La Liste Top RestaurantsWe're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 The Best Chef One Knife2025 La Liste Top Restaurants |
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Comparing your options in Cape Town for this tier.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Willoughby & Co. accommodate groups?
Groups are manageable here, but the V&A; Waterfront location means peak weekend service fills fast; call ahead and confirm capacity for parties of six or more. Larger groups should avoid walk-in attempts on Friday and Saturday evenings. For a private dining setup with more flexibility, Salsify at the Roundhouse is a better fit.
Does Willoughby & Co. handle dietary restrictions?
As a seafood-focused venue at the V&A; Waterfront, the kitchen is well-positioned to accommodate shellfish allergies and pescatarian diets; but confirm specific requirements when booking. If plant-based or complex dietary needs are a priority, Fyn or Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia offer more varied menus with greater flexibility.
Is Willoughby & Co. good for solo dining?
Yes; counter or bar seating at busy waterfront restaurants typically suits solo diners, Willoughby & Co.'s casual format makes it less awkward than a formal tasting-menu room. Weekday lunch is the low-pressure slot. For solo dining with a more structured experience, The Test Kitchen warrants the added planning.
What should I wear to Willoughby & Co.?
The V&A; Waterfront setting signals relaxed rather than formal; clean casual works, you won't be underdressed in jeans. This is not a jacket-required room. If you're moving on to somewhere like La Colombe afterward, dress up for that, not for Willoughby & Co.
