The leafy suburb of Newlands has a lot going for it – and not just because of that bountiful spring! Tucked away just off Dean Street you’ll find three unique dining experiences from The Copper Collection – from glorious steak to magnificent burgers – plus a hidden gin bar.

1. For gourmet burgers or pizza: The Copper Club

Specialising in craft beer, gourmet burgers and crispy wood-fired pizza, this stylish but cosy neighbourhood restaurant is just off Dean Street, on Main Street.

A calamari dish at Copper Club. Photo supplied.

Try a Caprese pizza with beautiful Fior di Latte mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, or a Parma ham version with avo, rocket and Grana Padano and Parmesan shavings.

One of Copper Club’s gourmet burgers. Photo supplied.

In the burger realm, you’ll need to decide between patties of forequarter beef, grilled ostrich, crumbed chicken fillet, vegetarian and Wagyu beef. Try the biltong and jalapeño burger with mature cheddar and biltong shavings, or the Swiss burger with Emmentaler, caramelised onions and truffle oil. Going all out? Pair your burger with a gourmet shake – think Lindt, Ferrero Rocher or guava and rose water.

Cocktails are half-price from 4pm to 6pm every day at Copper Club. Photo supplied.

Catch up with mates over a drink while enjoying their great cocktail specials: Cocktails are half-price between 4pm and 6pm cocktails every day, and are half-price all day on Wednesdays and Sundays. On Sundays, selected pizzas are also available at half-price.

Good news for northern suburb residents: There’s a branch at Tyger Waterfront too, with its own unique personality.

Dean Street Arcade, Newlands
Call: 021 687 0025
Facebook: @copperclubeatery
Instagram: thecopperclub
Monday to Saturday 7am to 10 pm; Sundays 8am to 5pm

Tyger Waterfront
Call: 021 914 6236
Imperial Bank Terraces, Carl Cronje Drive
Monday to Saturday 11am to 10pm; Sundays 11am to 5pm

2. For succulent steak: Patina Steak & Fine Wine

Tucked away inside Newlands Quarter on the corner of Dean Street and Main Street, Patina is a hidden treasure. With its modern yet relaxed décor, the restaurant is the perfect spot for a romantic dinner or a fun evening out with friends, either in the leafy courtyard or indoors.

Chalmar beef is the name of the game at Patina. Photo supplied.

“Before you even take your first bite, there are clues galore that this is no average steakhouse,” says the Insider Guide, which recently included the restaurant on its hottest new restaurants in Cape Town list. The clues? “The superb wine-by-the-glass list; the small but select starter menu; the slick interior; and, of course, the perfectly prepared steaks.”

Blogger Michael Olivier concurs, calling the roasted marrow bones with “the crispiest, fluffiest onion rings,” sourdough wafers, beetroot aioli and pickled mushrooms “seriously delicious”. Whilst the focus is on meat, there are lots of options for non-meat eaters too.

There’s a serious focus on dessert here, too. Try the rooibos-and-grapefruit baked cheesecake with burnt rooibos cream, gin-and-grapefruit sorbet and rooibos pearls.

The marrow bones, tartare and carpaccio at Patina. Photo supplied.

The extensive and carefully selected wine list makes choosing just one bottle difficult, and the choice is sure to get even more difficult when the current update to the wine selection is completed.

Want to enjoy a great steak for less? Pop in for lunch, when you can get a 250g sirloin or fresh line fish with chips and a side salad, plus a glass of wine, for R180. Else opt for one of the set menus available at lunch: you can get two courses for R240 or three for R280. Both include a glass of wine, and choices include calamari or trinchado for starters; sirloin, fillet, or line fish for mains; and crème brûlée or affogato for dessert.

Patina’s stylish, understated interior. Photo supplied.

33 Dean Street, Newlands
Call: 021 823 9739
Facebook: @patinasteak
Instagram: patinasteaks
Monday to Thursday 1pm to 11pm; Fridays and Saturdays 1pm till midnight

3. For gin and bubbly: Botany

Opening onto Patina’s shared courtyard is Botany – a gin, cocktail, wine and bubbly bar. Start or end your evening here with a cocktail or post-dinner whiskey or liqueur. If you’re a gin fanatic, there are over 50 gins to choose from, 30 of which are local.

A gin and tonic at Botany. Photo supplied.

It seems entrepreneurial partners Ryan and Chris have their goals set for expansion, so Cape Town diners can look forward to enjoying The Copper Collection experience in more locations in future.

33 Dean Street, Newlands
Call: 021 824 3367
Facebook: @coppercollection
Instagram: botany_ginandbubbles
Tuesday to Thursday 1pm to 11pm; Fridays and Saturdays 1pm till midnight

Botany looks out onto the hidden courtyard inside the Newlands Quarter. Photo supplied.