Cape Town’s culinary scene gains a compelling new chapter as Chef Wesli Jacobs introduces his first full menu at Heirloom, the signature restaurant at Cape Grace, framed by Table Mountain above and the V&A Waterfront hum below. Since taking over the kitchen in May, Jacobs has quietly laid foundations for a dining experience that refuses theatrics and instead focuses squarely on flavour, provenance and authenticity. In this moment, Heirloom is reborn — offering travellers and food lovers a rare opportunity: elegant dining infused with the heart and soul of South Africa.

Jacobs’s philosophy is bracing in its clarity. No foams, no tweezers, no architectural plate stacking. Instead, the emphasis is on exceptional seasonal ingredients treated with respect, confidence and a subtle nod to the region’s culinary tapestry. The new menu reflects a deliberate balance: rustic sophistication without pretense, dishes with emotional resonance but no overt flourish. The wines and pairings remain a quiet supporting chorus to the food itself.

A standout dish is the Abalobi sashimi, which presents just-caught linefish alongside candied chilli, avocado emulsion and grapefruit — a coastal-born plate that draws you into the ocean’s immediacy, reminding one why the sea is never far in Cape Town. The clean flavours, sharp acidity and restrained adornment let the freshness of the fish speak its own language. Then the 1kg Mozambican lobster arrives — generous, confident, uncomplicated — dressed with fragrant biryani rice, hand-cut chips and house peri-peri sauce. It is luxurious without the veneer; generous without ostentation.

Perhaps the most evocative moment comes with Karoo pap and vleis, delivered under a cloche that releases the unmistakable scent of a true South African braai. It is theatrical, yes, but this is theatre in service of memory and identity, not spectacle for its own sake. The dish bridges tradition and luxury, inviting diners to lean into heritage. Dessert arrives in the form of a milk tart mille-feuille, reimagining a beloved local classic through French pastry technique. It’s playful and grounded — cheeky perhaps, but in its context, entirely fitting.

The appeal to travellers lies in this blend: the setting is deeply aspirational, yet the food feels rooted. Guests can expect to dine with the mountain and harbour in view, and then taste what is near: indigenous produce, local seafood, heritage meats. The kitchen team behind Jacobs comes with diverse culinary backgrounds, each member contributing a strand of South African flavour. In combining those voices, the menu becomes more than a solo expression — it becomes a collective narrative of place.

Service at Heirloom is designed to match the culinary tone: polished but not overly formal, attentive without being intrusive. Dinners unfold at a measured pace, ceilings and lighting tuned to atmosphere, and wine pairings that complement rather than dominate.

The menu is seasonal, which means it will evolve through the summer months, shifting with the harvests, sea yields and weather. As such, planning ahead is wise — but so is flexibility. The kitchen’s restraint means that the success of each dish hinges on ingredient quality and balance, so peak freshness and seamless supply chains are critical. While the menu dispenses with elaborate contrivances, execution must be precise. Also, diners with very rigid dietary preferences may find fewer permutation options, as the design is intentional rather than modular.

For travellers mapping a gastronomic itinerary, Heirloom under Jacobs’s direction invites inclusion in a broader Cape experience. One might begin with sundowners near The Silo, meander through Robben Island or stroll Zeitz MOCAA, and then let dinner at Heirloom become an evening’s anchor. Staying at Cape Grace itself, or in nearby luxury hotels in the V&A area, positions guests to step easily into this culinary realm.

The unveiling of this full menu is more than a debut — it is a statement. It suggests that Cape Town’s fine dining can mature not just in technique and presentation but in sincerity, locality and emotional resonance. For food lovers and travellers who seek experiences that combine elegance without exaggeration, substance without condescension, Heirloom now proposes itself as a destination for the palate — where ingredients, memory and place converge.