October was a busy month, and not just for our nation’s politicians. Here are the restaurants and bars that made waves in the last month.

1. The Yard (Silo District)

The opening of the Zeitz MOCAA was perhaps one of the most exciting things that happened this month – in Cape Town at least – and the precinct surrounding the art museum also saw some newsworthy restaurant openings. This spot – from one of the creators of Spice Route – has been getting a lot of attention, not least for its Indian dishes, which come courtesy of the expertise of the other partner, GP Singh. There’s also been some lively debate around the name. (There’s another YARD not so very far away, on Roodehek Street.)

A selection of desserts at The Yard. Photo supplied.

2. The Silo Rooftop (Silo District)

‘Rooftop bar’ is sort of a magic phrase right now, and it’s no surprise that the one perched atop the Zeitz MOCAA museum is also right up there. The view really is stellar, too. In fact, we challenge you to try going and NOT Instagramming it. Make sure you make a booking though – the bar doesn’t take walk-ins – and the lifts don’t even go to that floor without autorisation, so there’s no way you’ll be able to just sneak in.

Sunset views at The Silo Rooftop. Photo by Rupesh Kassen.

3. The Granary Café (Silo District)

Like we said, there was this big art museum that opened… But this really is also a beautiful restaurant – and those windows really are something.

A dessert at The Granary Cafe. Photo supplied.

4. Rockets (Bryanston)

This buzzing spot is proving to be super popular. They also took the crown as Best Tapas Eatery in Gauteng at our recent Eat Out Best Everyday Eateries, voted for by our readers and critics.

The tapas selection at Rockets Bryanston. Photo supplied.

5. La Colombe (Constantia)

The current number two restaurant on our Top 10 list has been shaking things up this spring. If you’re used to white tablecloths and sedate fine dining, you’re in for a big surprise.

A springbok dish at La Colombe. Photo by Claire Gunn.

6. Momo Soko (Illovo)

From the team behind Momo Baohaus, comes this modern, Asian street food eatery. It’s a casual spot – perfect for chilled out lunches and vibey dinners. They received a highly commended at the recent Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries in the Asian category. (Highly commended certificates were awarded to restaurants that were fan favourites, but didn’t receive enough review volume to qualify for a win.)

One of the bowls at Momo Soko. Photo by Kate Liquorish.

7. The Dairy Den (Sea Point)

Offering a winning combination of soft-serve and doughnuts, this tiny café on Sea Point’s buzzing Main Road seems to be an instant hit. There are some crazy flavours to try, but our in-house doughnut connoisseur also reckons they’re her current favourite for classic cinnamon doughnuts.

The brownie doughnuts at The Dairy Den. Photo supplied.

8. Plan B Dessertery (Durban North)

Bubble waffles, tacos and churros are undoubtedly a very internet-friendly combination, but this new dessert parlour on Mackeurton Avenue is certainly knocking the ball out of the park. It’s run by the same people as the neighbouring Four15 – so you can begin the date with tacos and progress smoothly to bubble waffles.

A bubble waffle at Plan B. Photo supplied.

9. PRON Restaurant (Linden)

Emma Chen’s cheekily named noodle restaurant is also internet gold (after all, people are terrible at spelling), but given the quality of the char sui pork and the cold summer beef noodles, we wager that anyone who accidentally finds their way to this restaurant won’t be too disappointed.

Dishes at PRON. Photo by Rupesh Kassen.

10. 14 Stories Rooftop Bar (Cape Town City Bowl)

If you have access to a rooftop in Cape Town, now might be the time to convert it into a speakeasy. (Just make sure your neighbours are on board, first!) This rooftop offering comes from the Sun Square Hotel on the corner of Buitengracht and Bree Street, and has some beautiful views out towards the harbour, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.

Sit inside or outside at 14 Stories Rooftop Bar. Photo supplied.