Elgr is one of my all time favourites. It’s moody without being too moody, sophisticated without being pretentious, and somehow manages to feel both forest calm and city cool at the same time. I love the sage greens, charcoal tones, and soft foliage. The space looks imported from someone’s Pinterest board… It’s all just so thoughtfully put together. The open kitchen blends into the gorgeous, slightly mysterious atmosphere. And don’t even get me started on the menu. First of all, the cocktails. Elgr’s bar team doesn’t just mix drinks. They compose them. Every cocktail feels curated and intentional, and they’re absolutely stunning on the eye. Their food menu is exactly what I love. It’s globally inspired, beautifully plated, and made for sharing. These tapas style plates feel playful and social without any of that heavy commitment, which is perfect for a first date. This brings us to the reason I was here. You know those Hinge matches where you’re like, “Hmm… we could either vibe or this could be a spectacular disaster?” That was the energy going in. To make it more thrilling, he casually mentioned he’s a “snacker” on first dates, while I’m very openly an “eater”. My soul briefly left my body. Then I had a moment of CSI Paige logic. Tapas = snacks, therefore food. The perfect middle ground! So I suggested Elgr. And honestly? It was genius of me.

Saturday night arrived, and Kloof Street was looking all moody and cinematic. It was making me feel like the main character, hopefully in a romcom and not so much a horror. Naturally, I was feeling a little anxious, but that all fell away when I was greeted by Jose, the doorman. There has never been a time where I haven’t instantly felt happier after seeing him. He is one of the most genuine and kind people you could meet. He smiled, warmly welcomed me, and showed me to the table. There my date was. I looked at him for the first time and felt relieved. No catfishing detected. The date started to settle into something that felt promising and low pressure, and then things went from good, to great. He suggested we share six plates, that’s when my soul ascended. I thought to myself, “Okay, if this is his version of snacking, I’m safe”.

“The raw beef was insane, one of the best tartare style dishes I’ve ever had. Trout roe. Genius. Joy. All things good.”

Our cocktails arrived, and my Spring Tea was served in a chic little jug, giving some serious inner city tea ceremony vibes. It was then poured into the most adorable tiny cup. It was so light, refreshing, and not pretending to be sweet. The fynbos gin added a soft botanical whisper, and the rooibos and peach flavour was so nostalgic. This tasted like a Cape Town summer in a glass. A little too easy to sip on, but I’m not complaining.

Soon after, our first plates landed and instantly my faith in humanity was restored.

Shanice and anonymous hinge date did well. I started with the burrata which looked like a cloud that pays rent, in Kloof Street nonetheless. It was perfectly creamy inside, that soft pull you always get excited about. The earthy beans were met with the bright bergamot. Fresh and clean flavours from the lemon and mint made the burrata taste even richer. I was lowkey obsessed with the croutons. How could you not be? Buttery, golden, and soaked up all the juices on the plate. Absolutely delicious. This dish was almost perfect, but in my opinion, it needed a bit more seasoning. Luckily for me, there was some flaky sea salt on the table, a little sprinkle on top made it a 10/10. 

The second plate was visually beautiful. The bright blood oranges topped with shavings of pale Belnori cheese was a showstopper. I can’t say I’ve ever had anything quite like this, taste and texture wise, but it really surprised me. This salad ended up being one of my favourite dishes of the night. The combo of the sweet, juicy citrus with the sharp, strong cheese was like a little flavour slap, but sexy. It was light, refreshing, but also had a lovely depth to it. Reminded me of something Mediterranean with a Cape Town twist.

With one drink down and two dishes gone, the conversation started to feel easy, fun, and a little flirty. Before our next course arrived, we thought it would be best to order some more cocktails. Gotta stay hydrated, am I right? He said negroni, I second that, and Shanice and the bar team made the magic happen. Long story short, it slapped. Perfectly bitter, perfectly balanced, no watery nonsense. It felt sophisticated, like we were entering the grown up date part of the evening. It paired so well with the savoury mid meal dishes.

This round consisted of two visually dark and moody plates. One of them was essentially a beetroot salad, which was on a bed of the most delicious creamy and tangy goat cheese. It was topped with a rich and nutty vinaigrette, as well as a pistachio crunch that added that necessary bit of texture. Although the beetroot was soft and cooked beautifully, I found it to be a bit too earthy rather than that slightly sweeter, almost caramelised flavour. I feel that could have elevated and balanced this dish more, but still a solid plate. 

Next was the showstopper of the night, the raw beef dish. It was actually just insane, it’s honestly one of the best tartare style dishes I’ve ever had. The beef was super tender, it almost just melted in your mouth. The sour cream and dill base was bright, creamy, herby, and just downright addictive. The salty, crunchy potato crisp was the perfect contrast to all the rich flavours and smooth textures. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I felt a pop in my mouth and a burst of a sweet and salty flavour. Trout roe. Genius. Joy. All things good. I don’t normally take my date home after the first night, but I could definitely make an exception for Mr Raw Beef. Looking over at Anonymous, I could tell he felt the same way. Instead of making it awkward, we cleared the plate before it became something to fight over later. 

After a mix of flirting, comfortable banter, and a good amount of delicious food and drinks, we were officially having a great time. With our final eats en route, we needed one last cocktail to fully lock in the mood of the night. After some very careful consideration, we decided on the smoked apricot sours. Sweet enough to be fun, bitter enough to be grown up. Visually, it was stunning. First sip, immediate “oh wow” moment. This was my favourite drink of the night. The smoky apricot was warm, almost caramelised and the lemon juice just brightened everything. The whiskey gave it depth but no harshness, and the bitters tied everything together. This is the cocktail I’d return to Elgr for. Dangerous in the best way. 

Another thing you cannot not do when going to Elgr is skipping on one of their pizzas. Arguably one of the best in Cape Town, and I love their unique toppings. We chose the kale, oyster mushroom, and hazelnut pizza which we paired with the cucumber salad for our final course. I know what you’re thinking, and honestly, I was thinking it too. Mr Anonymous Snacker can EAT! Anyway, the pizza arrived looking dramatic, charred, and gorgeous. It had that signature woodfired crust that was airy, blistered, and smoky. As I mentioned, the topping combo looks unusual on paper but makes total sense on the palate. Starting with the basics, the base was beautifully light and had a good chew. The tomato base was tangy and slightly sweet, with just the right amount of creamy mozzarella melted on top of it. Now to the more unconventional part, the toppings. The kale added saltiness and crunch, while the mushrooms added meatiness and umami. The hazelnuts were unexpected but wow. Why have we not been putting nuts on pizza? I loved the texture and the earthy balance it brought to it. This dish turned the date into a proper shared experience.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, I had a bite of the cucumber salad. Yep, that was the perfect mid meal palate reset. It was refreshing, creamy, and crunchy. The dressing was bright, tangy, and incredibly addictive. Disguised as a side dish, but full of main character flavour. This is a little hidden gem on the menu, just trust me on this one. It’s something special.

Overall, I had an absolutely fantastic evening. Elgr is showing again why it’s one of my top Kloof Street favourites. It’s stylish, intimate, reliable, and it always hits the brief. The cocktails are genuinely memorable, the food is consistently brilliant, and service from Shanice tied the whole evening together. You leave feeling full, happy, a little floaty, with good energy for whatever comes next. It’s the kind of place that makes a Hinge date feel cinematic. 

Thank you Elgr, till next time!