Bukhara — Indian Restaurant in Cape Town

This restaurant in Cape Town is amazing. I enjoy Indian food and this one of the best I have been to. Defiantly worth a visit while you are in Cape Town. The butter chicken is my favorite.

Fantastic experience! Arthur did a wonderful job, we’ll definitely be coming back. The pani puri, chicken tikka, and cocktails were all outstanding. Highly recommend!

The best Indian food in Cape town, South africa! We ordered the Pani puri starter, Paneer butter Masala, Garlic Naan, Veg Biryani.
The Veg Biryani was delicious and we went there again to just have it!! The food tasted exactly like Indian food, the service was commendable! We were greeted so well and at every course we were asked if the food was good by the chef
The dessert Platter was a gesture from the restaurant staff as it was our anniversary!
Its indeed a mini india in cape town
Must try if you want Authentic Indian food in SA.

Nice ambience. Warm and smiling staff. Good authentic Indian cuisine with lots of variety . Vegetarian options available too. The mango lassi was really tasty .

My dad introduced me to food, to flavour, to worldly cuisine — and although Bukhara was one of his favourite restaurants for years, somehow we just never quite managed to come together. He always spoke about it, and last night finally felt like closing a small circle I didn’t realise had stayed open for so long.

From the moment we walked in, it felt strangely nostalgic.

We were greeted so warmly by the team. The decor, the smells, the atmosphere — homely, ornate, familiar and deeply comforting all at once. Cozy in the best possible way.

Emmanuel looked after us perfectly. Such a rare balance of making us feel genuinely comfortable while confidently guiding us through recommendations and explanations, all without ever feeling overly “selly”. Service was incredibly efficient while still allowing us the space for proper private family time around the table.

We ended up saying yes to every recommendation — including my dad’s all-time favourite lamb rogan josh.

To start we had:

• Chicken Chilli Shashlik — marinated with green & red chillies, beautifully spicy
• Tandoori mushrooms stuffed with paneer
• Palak Papdi Chat with crispy spinach, flour crisps, chickpeas, mint, tamarind & yoghurt

Mains were the lamb bara chops, lamb rogan josh and a beautifully rich chicken lababdar-style curry — deeply comforting, generous food full of warmth and flavour.

And despite being completely full, dessert still somehow happened: mango sorbet, a chocolate fondant, and the shahi tukara — an indulgent Indian bread pudding with saffron and cardamom custard that felt like the perfect ending to the evening.

As a chef myself, I spend so much of my life instinctively analysing food — balance, temperature, seasoning, texture, whether one element overpowers another. It’s actually quite rare that I find myself with absolutely nowhere for my brain to go except simply enjoying what’s in front of me.

Every dish felt thoughtful. Every flavour had space to shine. The spice levels were beautiful, the temperatures perfect, and even flavours and spices unfamiliar to me felt harmonious and intentional rather than overwhelming. It was honestly just an absolute privilege to eat food made with that much care and understanding.

If I had to choose two favourites, the palak papdi chat absolutely blew me away, and the lamb chops were on another level entirely.

And behind all of it was Chef Rakesh — clearly the quiet force holding everything together. An absolute unsung hero. What an incredibly talented chef.

Shared between four, the entire meal was absolutely too much food… and yet there genuinely wasn’t a single dish we would have left out.

One of those meals that becomes more than just dinner. A reminder of where my love for food began in the first place.

What a spot!
First of all, the place looks amazing - it’s huge and has a cool open kitchen vibe.
The food was great - You have to get the Biryani. It’s honestly next level.

The Indian food here is fantastic and so authentic! We tried the Laal Maas and some other dishes, and it was the best Laal Maas I’ve ever had outside of Rajasthan, India. It was an amazing experience, and I highly recommend it!

Many thanks for chef Rakesh for preparing a lovely meal and Vanessa who looked after us during the service, will visit again when we are next in capetown.
Sorry for the late posting but has been very busy travelling

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had. The food quality was excellent, portion size was perfect, and everything was well cooked. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant was clean and had a nice atmosphere. I will definitely come back and recommend it to others.

Excellent food and ambience! Located at a very convenient location, this place serves delicious food!
The staff - Eddie Johnson was very professional, and got the dishes made exactly as we wanted! A big shout out to chef Rakesh as well for cooking with love!

I stopped by Bukhara for a quick lunch and was blown away. The service was lightning‑fast—my order arrived within minutes, still sizzling. The butter paneer was creamy and rich without being heavy. Every dish tasted authentic, as if it had been made in a home kitchen rather than a restaurant. The vibe is lively but comfortable, making it ideal for a speedy bite or a relaxed dinner. If you’re after top‑notch Indian flavor that doesn’t keep you waiting, Bukhara is a must‑visit. Highly recommended!

My first visit was 25 years ago. I loved it then, food to die for. Real flavor, naan bread just o so moreish. To my surprise the food is just as amazing now as it was then. Great service, great ambience and food so good you can't stop eating. Thank you for staying true.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Arthur made the experience unforgettable! The prawn curry was rich, spicy, and full of flavor — perfectly cooked prawns in a creamy coconut sauce that hit every note. Then came the cheesecake, smooth and delicious, the perfect ending to a great meal. Excellent service, friendly atmosphere, and Arthur’s attention to detail really stood out. Highly recommended!

One of the best Indian restaurants I’ve tried we ordered almost everything on the menu and everything was absolutely delicious. The place is clean and has a great atmosphere. The staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. Prices are a bit on the higher side, but definitely worth it for the quality and service.

This was so much better than expected - the historical reviews don’t give it the justice it deserves.

We ordered the pani puri and chilli bites for starters - both yum! The chilli bites were pakoras for those who are keen to try.

And then for mains (we went overboard as normal) but we tried the shahi paneer, daal makhani and aloo jeera. The latter two were sides but were big enough to be mains! And garlic naan and the veg biriyani and roti … everything was very flavourful and tasty!

And now drinks - the cocktails menu had a lot of the expected drinks but they also had some with an Indian twist - I got the pani puri gin but without the gin and it was delicious (with a spicy kick). Highly unexpected and highly recommended

Another "dinner club" done and dusted. Miserable weather made good by good food and good friends. A very nice experience at Bukhara. There were about 18 of us, so quite a large table. Our server did quite well but forgot some of our orders and we had to remind him the whole time to bring the other nan bread. Other than that he was good, professional and informed. The good itself was amazing. I like hot/burny/spicy food so I ordered the Lamb Lal Maas. It was pretty burny and had amazing flavour. If you cant handle spicy food, do not order this. I also had the duck Kulcha nan bread which was very good too. Their nan bread in general was incredible and I would suggest ordering double whatever you think you want, it was very good. We had the garlic and Laacha nan. My wife had the Butter chicken which was very tasty and creamy. Definitely recommended if you are not into the "hot stuff". We didn't have any dessert though, so I can't comment. The atmosphere was cosy and inviting with friendly staff. The food was cooked very well and was delicious. Great evening. Perhaps just a bit pricey for the amount of food you get.

My experience at Bukhara in Cape Town was absolutely outstanding! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great, but what truly made the visit special was the service. Brendon was incredibly helpful and attentive—he made sure everything was perfect and went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time. Thank you, Brendon, for the amazing experience! I’ll definitely be coming back.

During our trip to Cape Town, we were craving our home cuisine, Indian food. After searching the area, we came across Bukhara, and we’re so glad we gave it a try. It was unbelievable to find such delicious Indian food outside of India!

First and foremost, special thanks to our wonderful host and server, Mr. Simba, who took excellent care of us and offered some great recommendations.

For starters, we ordered the Tandoori Mushrooms and Haryali Chicken Tikka. Both were absolutely amazing. The dishes were expertly prepared and perfectly cooked. I had asked for the Haryali Chicken Tikka to be a bit spicy, and the chef kindly added small pieces of chili, which really enhanced the flavor and made the meal even more enjoyable.

For the mains, Mr. Simba requested the chef to prepare Kadai Paneer for us though it wasn’t on the menu—and it turned out to be a fantastic suggestion. We paired it with paratha and garlic naan, which complemented the dish wonderfully.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience, thanks to the incredible team at Bukhara. I highly recommend people of all nationalities to try this place. This is the closest you’ll get to authentic Indian taste in Cape Town without actually visiting India.

Make sure to say hello to Mr. Simba, his wide smile and warm service will make your visit even more special!

Consistently Outstanding for 16 Years!
Visiting Cape Town isn’t complete without a meal at Bukhara CBD Restaurant. We’ve been dining here for over 16 years, and the food has remained consistently amazing—full of flavour and expertly prepared. On our latest visit, Waiter Lloyd provided impeccable service, and we were delighted when Chef Rakesh personally came to check on our meal. General Manager Johan greeted us warmly and made us feel right at home. Every visit is a wonderful experience, and we can’t recommend it highly enough.

Our waiter Lloyd was so warm and welcoming and answered every question we had. The atmosphere is lovely and we ended up staying even after paying the bill. Would come again

Beste pani puri ever! An all-round successful evening: from very good advice from our waiter Eddy to the delicious food. Both starters like Pani Puri were the best we have ever eaten. And also my lamb gosht was unique! Great show kitchen where you could watch the masters doing their work. We would definitely come back.

We were craving for some comforting desi food and found Bukhara on Google. Ordered the butter chicken which we loved as it was not too sweet, Dal Makhani was good as well. Tried their desi inspired cocktails which was great. The garlic naan was real soft and we could taste the ghee without it being too overwhelming. Didn't take a picture of the Raita with Garlic which was yum! Our server gave us excellent service although it was a little difficult for us to find the restaurant as tourists.

Restaurant Review – 4 Stars

Finding this restaurant was quite a mission, as it wasn’t easily locatable on Church Street. I’m sure others would face the same challenge—some clearer signage or directions would help!

However, once inside, the service was absolutely 5-star. A special shoutout to Simba, who was attentive and made the experience enjoyable.

Food Breakdown:
• Starter: Not the best, I’d rate it 3.5 stars. Could be improved.
• Mains: Excellent! 5 stars. Well-prepared and full of flavor.
• Dessert: Ordered two—Kulfi was a solid 5 stars, but the Sahi Tukda was disappointing (1 star). I’ve been enjoying Sahi Tukda since school days, and traditionally, the bread/loaf is fried. It seems like the restaurant has their own take on it, but if they want to keep the name, they should stick to the authentic recipe. Hope the chef considers this feedback!

Overall: 4 stars, thanks to Simba’s great service. A few tweaks to the food, especially the dessert, and it could be a perfect experience.

Best Indian food I've had in Capetown.
I loved the ambience and the fact that got the Imdian taste from a restaurant after so many months.

Authentic and Outstanding The dining experience was truly excellent, starting with a recommendation from an Indian friend from Birmingham (“curry capital” of the UK!), followed by a personal email from Johan to confirm our booking which was a nice touch. The restaurant is well designed with an open kitchen. The food was altogether fantastic: chicken tikka, tandoori lamb chops to die for. Curries were excellent and our server, Mohammed, was attentive in the best possible way. Will definitely return.

Wonderful experience! Wow! What an incredible experience. From the time my friend and I walked in, to the incredible food and exceptional service from Arthur, who was amazing! He kept us engaged and gave us his undivided attention. He even obliged me and put a bowl of water on the veranda for a few very thirsty Pigeons. Thank you Arthur! From Louise and Jenny. 🙏🏻

Amazing Indian food! Chef Rakesh is so talented and the waiter Lloyd was so funny and welcoming. Definitely recommend this place 🙂 also the cocktails are great.

Bukhara is a new Fave ! Our evening at Bukhara Restaurant was nothing short of fantastic, thanks to the incredible team. Johan, the manager, impressed us with his extensive knowledge of the menu and his ability to guide us through the vast array of choices with ease and expertise. His passion for great food and hospitality truly elevated our dining experience. A special mention must also go to Arthur, our server, whose courtesy and professionalism were outstanding. His attentiveness and warm demeanor made us feel welcome and well cared for throughout the evening. Together, Johan and Arthur created an unforgettable experience, and we cannot wait to return. Highly recommended! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Super delicious and friendly Super delicous food. We've read that Bukhara is the best place for the best butter chicken im town and what can I say- it is true. We had a fantastic dinner with excellent staff.

Good Indian and fusion cuisine.
I particularly recommend the salmon among starters, crispy crust with a delicious onion based seasoning.
Their saffron and pistachio kulfi was a nice surprise as well.

Awesome server Linathi and yummy food! Our server Linathi was amazing he was a new server. Very polite and he recommended the dish Murg Lababdar . I have to say It was better than butter chicken. Very yummy food. I usually don’t write reviews but because how nice our server was I wanted to write this review. Thank you Linathi for making our experience wonderful.

Very good indian food.

We served by Chris. Who is very knowledgeable on the menu items and he's super friendly and efficient. 🙌🙌🙌 the head chef was also very friendly. Thank you so much

Great service, inventive cuisine with an Indian theme

Well indian food

Tasty Asian (Indian) restaurant in the centre of Cape Town. Service was friendly and prompt but prices are rather on the expensive side. We went for dinner with 2 (starter and main course) and more or less paid 1,500 ZAR. It was a good restaurant but due to the excessive prices, they are not going to see me back there.

Great as usual Have visited Bukhara on previous visits to Cape Town and on this occasion brought along 5 friends. I had told them how good the food and service was and we were not disappointed. The food served was superb and service was great from our friendly waiter who explained the many dishes ordered and what to expect. Each of my friends stated it was the best Indian food they had ever had, and we all eat in Indian / Bangladeshi / Pakistani restaurants throughout the U.K. I would thoroughly recommend this restaurant for anyone and would go again in a heartbeat next time on holiday in Cape Town. Thanks everyone at Bukhara for a great evening !

Increíble ! Delicioso un poco spicy si no estás acostumbrado! La atención de Chris el camarero es excepcional! Ideal para comer comida sabrosa y típica. Si sos veggi también comes súper bien muchas opciones.