Walking into Salon on a cold Cape Town evening, I felt that comforting anticipation that comes before a great meal. You step out of the lift at The Old Biscuit Mill and into a bright and warm entrance, a brightly lit arch leading you into the restaurant proper, and you can feel the promise of a memorable evening ahead.
Salon’s menu, crafted by Luke Dale Roberts and Executive Chef Carla Schulze, is a journey around the world while staying deeply rooted in the seasons of the Cape. And with Dmitri at the helm, ensuring the room runs with quiet confidence, and our waitress Rose guiding us with knowledge and warmth, we were in good hands from the start.
Salon offers diners a choice between two menu journeys: the compact Explorer Menu (a six-course experience for those seeking a shorter, more approachable dive into Salon’s world) and the Global Tasting Menu, an eight-course journey that allows you to truly settle in for the evening. Both options can be paired with either a carefully curated wine flight, innovative tea pairing or sampling some of Salon’s inventive cocktail pairings, ensuring that whether you’re a curious first-timer or a returning enthusiast, there’s a route tailored to your appetite and time.
We kicked off with snacks that were far from the typical amuse-bouche. First, a horseradish oyster with dill mignonette that let the oyster’s creaminess sing, the horseradish a whisper rather than a shout. Then, a crisp little chip topped with smoked snoek, turmeric apple, and a curry leaf—salty, savoury, a pop of bright turmeric apple to tie it all together. The winter citrus and prawn taco was a standout, with neutralised citrus like Thai limes and finger limes giving it the perfect zing without overpowering the sweet prawn.
My Saladito cocktail—tequila with roasted jalapeños and pineapple skin—was smoky, sweet, and warm, easily one of the best tequila-based cocktails I’ve had in the city.
Between snacks, a nod to Thailand arrived in the form of a plump morel mushroom, stuffed with truffled chicken mousse and served in a clear celeriac stock poured from a teapot at the table. It was earthy, rich, and comforting, balanced by a delicate Jerusalem artichoke chawanmushi and a bite of chestnut and quince with wagyu biltong, which felt like a luxe nod to road-trip snacks. My pescatarian companion was served an equally comforting king mushroom version, showing Salon’s commitment to ensuring every guest feels looked after.
Then came what might be the world’s most elevated cheese and pickle sandwich. Inspired by Luke’s time in the UK, this course featured homemade Branston pickle, a warm, flaky laminated bread served with a 12-month cheddar-infused butter and shavings of sharp and rich local cheese. It was sharp, sweet, and comforting—I could happily eat it every day.
We soon found ourselves in Sicily with a beautifully balanced caponata, served with tender octopus, line fish, silky eggplant, and a red pepper and saffron emulsion that tied everything together with a kick of flavour. The fish was cooked to perfection, exactly what you’d expect from Salon.
For the pescatarian option in place of the upcoming lamb, a truffle-infused risotto appeared, rich and deeply satisfying. A quick cocktail refresh led me to the Bumbu rum sour (blueberry, lime, bitters, egg white), which—though not planned—paired beautifully with the Moroccan-inspired lamb neck tagine that followed. The lamb was succulent, served with baba ganoush, grapes and preserved lemon, and a rich lamb sauce that brought warmth to the whole dish. For my pescatarian companion, a scallop tagine took its place, each element crafted with equal care.
France came tableside in a flash of flame, combining two icons: duck à l’orange and crêpe suzette. The duck was served with a three-day citrus jus and a silky celeriac purée, each bite tender and rich, with just the right touch of theatre as the jus was flambéed tableside along with a delicate crepe that got to sit on the crispy duck.
I finished with Salon’s take on the Old Fashioned—Woodford Reserve, lapsang souchong, muddled orange—a familiar classic with a worldly edge, perfectly suited to Salon’s spirit.
Dessert brought us back home to South Africa with a fynbos honey-themed finale. A tiny lemon cake, a smooth pannacotta, and a scoop of ice cream, malted barley and chamomile flavours adding to the honey, paired with a small pour of local mead, rounded off the evening gently and sweetly, each element carrying the floral complexity of the fynbos honey without any added sugar.
Throughout the evening, Rose’s tableside service added to the experience—confident and knowledgeable without ever feeling intrusive, while Dmitri’s calm, watchful presence ensured everything flowed seamlessly.
Salon isn’t just a meal. It’s an evening where you get to travel the world without leaving your chair, where each dish feels personal, each pairing intentional, and where every guest is made to feel like they’re exactly where they belong.
I left Salon already thinking about when I could return, eager to see where their next seasonal journey will take us.
The Global Tasting menu is priced at R1690 per person and available for dinner service whilst the Winter Explorer menu is priced at R875 per person. These menus are also available with an optional beverage pairing menu with dishes matched to one of the small-batch wines or cocktails.
SALON is situated at the Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town and is open for dinner from Tuesdays through to Saturdays. For bookings and more information visit www.salonct.co.za.