Grub & Vine Norval

"The food and the ambiance was excellent, but the experience was marred by our inattentive waitress. We had one person who is lactose intolerant, and he was well catered for. We had to ask for a fork to be replaced as it had not been washed properly and the waitress was just never around to top up our drinks. We wanted to finish our superb meal off with Irish coffees, only to be told that the bar was closed. It would have been nice to have been notified before this happened."

"We chose the sharing plate menu, and it was absolutely delicious — every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavour. Samuel was fantastic; attentive without being intrusive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. The sommelier was equally lovely, even letting us sample a few of the wines on the house. Altogether, a wonderful dining experience — great food, excellent service, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended."

"I don’t know if I dressed for Grub & Vine, or if Grub & Vine dressed for me. Either way, it was a full Spring moment. Well… maybe just Spring, because romance died right after my last review. Oh well, onwards and upwards. I’m a full-time eater, he’s a part-time snacker. It would’ve never worked. Or maybe because he lives in Australia. Anyhoo, moving on from Mr Aussie Anonymous. I spent Thursday sipping generous wine, indulging in delicious food, and soaking up the sun, because life’s too short to cry over a no name brand and an exchange rate I could never compete with. Inside, I felt like my outfit had been waiting for this backdrop. The space is sophisticated without any try-hard energy. Flowers (yes, that’s her name), our waitress, was warm, bright, and instantly likeable. Since it was a stunning day, we chose the terrace. Modern, green, calm, and overlooking the sculpture garden, mountains, greenery, countryside aesthetic. It felt like stepping out of Cape Town traffic and into a painting. Grub & Vine does not play with wine. Their list is a love letter to local legends and international icons. I went for the Aubrey Sangena Sauvignon Blanc 2023, bright, chilled, generous, citrusy, borderline uplifting. I swear it boosted my serotonin. Food time. Spring dress, spring menu, waitress named Flowers, obviously I ordered bright, fresh, feminine dishes. The complimentary focaccia was warm, bouncy, soft, slightly oily in the best Mediterranean way. I’m not a butter girl, but this butter? Sweet, herby, silky, melting into the bread. Bread-of-the-year energy. The heirloom tomato and summer beet salad was visually stunning (full Hinge profile shot vibes), but taste-wise? Beautiful but emotionally unavailable, sharp, acidic, chaotic, no softness, no balance. Basically a guy who looks perfect online but goes citrus mode on the first date. Thankfully, the main was the rebound man who actually treats you gently. Sunshine in a bowl. Fat, soft gnocchi pillows with golden pan-seared edges, bursts of sweetcorn, and a silky zucchini-basil purée like pesto’s bougie cousin. The Parmesan crisp was crunchy, salty, dramatic, absolutely unforgettable. Dessert sealed the deal. A refined, elegant plate with silky, wobbly panna cotta (Akon moment included), toasted meringue, buttery crumble, and a deeply berry sorbet that tasted like a whole punnet turned into one perfect spoon. Light, refreshing, sweet without heaviness, a forehead kiss dessert. By the end of the afternoon, it felt like I’d slipped into a different universe where the sun hits right, the wine flirts back, and the food moves from cute to captivating. Grub & Vine Norval makes everything feel softer, slower, prettier. Between the sunshine gnocchi, silky panna cotta, and garden views, I left full, glowy, and genuinely happier. Thank you Grub & Vine Norval, till next time!"

"We had the 4 course sharing menu restaurant week special at Grub & Vine Norval. Everything was amazing. Greeted by the lovely host, and given a choice of seating. Our waitron Laura was brilliant, friendly, gave great recommendations, and just amazing. Then the food. WOW everything tasted exquisite. Loved all of it!!!"