If you’ve been to Cape Town, you have no doubt either visited Jarryd’s or been told to visit Jarryd’s, the wildly popular espresso bar and eatery by the dynamic Segal brothers — Jarryd and Ariel — which in season has a steady line of patrons waiting to get one of their coveted tables. If you’d visited in the evening a few months ago, you would’ve been offered a space at Ariel, Jarryd by night switching over to an Italian-inspired menu in the same space.
So successful was the offering that this summer the two brothers have opened Ariel Modern Italian as its own stand-alone restaurant — and it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Inspired by European street dining culture and the vibrancy of New York, the eatery sees Napoli meet Manhattan in this stunning iteration of a local Italian eatery. The design, drawing from both regions, merges the traditional with the modern, constantly juxtaposing between the two.
Ariel brings a taste of modern Italian to Sea Point
The team behind Jarryd’s have opened a new Italian eatery in the Mother City
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
If you’ve been to Cape Town, you have no doubt either visited Jarryd’s or been told to visit Jarryd’s, the wildly popular espresso bar and eatery by the dynamic Segal brothers — Jarryd and Ariel — which in season has a steady line of patrons waiting to get one of their coveted tables. If you’d visited in the evening a few months ago, you would’ve been offered a space at Ariel, Jarryd by night switching over to an Italian-inspired menu in the same space.
So successful was the offering that this summer the two brothers have opened Ariel Modern Italian as its own stand-alone restaurant — and it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Inspired by European street dining culture and the vibrancy of New York, the eatery sees Napoli meet Manhattan in this stunning iteration of a local Italian eatery. The design, drawing from both regions, merges the traditional with the modern, constantly juxtaposing between the two.
Must-have restaurant reservations this summer
The bar, with its deep burgundy subway tile cladding and brass finishes, draws your eye first, contrasting against the cream stucco walls and screed-like floor, while dark wood furnishings, pops of burnt orange and greenery are used to great effect adding colour and texture throughout the bright and airy space.
Heading further in and through the modernised three-centred arches you enter the second seating area and wine bar. Set against a herringbone bricked floor, here in darker hues of orange, green and maroon (with a touch of neon), is where you’ll find the wine bar, plush banquette seating and a small leather lounge suite. While it naturally is a spillover from the restaurant, the space with the incandescent glow of the pink neon ‘Baci Bella’ sign is equally suited to meeting for a glass of wine or an after-dinner cocktail.
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Completing the look and adding a Mediterranean feel are large potted olive trees as well as a selection of cocktail and pasta dish prints by Swedish interior artist Elin Palmaer Karlsson of Elin PK which adds some retro-cool flare to the space.
The extensive menu draws from a host of Italian influences, but with a modern twist. Begin with a selection from the antipasto menu, the likes of wood-fired flatbreads which arrive piping hot and puffed up, straight from the oven, a selection of whipped ricotta, parma ham and Nataline sardines making for the perfect accoutrements.
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Starters offer up the likes of calamari fritto, burrata with fresh heirloom tomatoes or a salad from their contorno section — the ‘La Scala Salad’ arriving with lettuce, salami, chickpeas, artichokes, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes.
For mains opt for one of their signature Neapolitan style pizzas — made with 00 flour, San Marzano tomato and Fior di Latte — available with a host of toppings from black truffle to anchovy and even pineapple (should you be that way inclined). If pasta is more to your liking the Italian sausage Ditali isn’t to be missed, the rich flavourful sauce served with the little tubes of pasta, or perhaps the creamy mushroom tagliatelle with black truffle and garlic.
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Other mains on offer include a 1kg tomahawk steak with Italian butter, prawns with a green salsa, or a Wagyu burger, Provolone, marrow onions and truffle aioli.
Last but not least dessert calls for the Ariel Cremino, which arrives in a cappuccino cup with decadent layers of hazelnut chocolate, salted caramel ice cream and amaretti, topped with Italian meringue, or their take on a traditional tiramisu.
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
The cocktail menu offers up a choice of carefully curated aperitivos — with a focus on negronis — including the now infamous sbagliato, with prosecco and a curated selection of both Italian and South African wines. The wine programme is led by group sommelier and Wine Thief producer, Ewan Mackenzie.
Image: Ariel Modern Italian
Ariel Modern Italian is a celebration of great design, beautiful produce and the simple beauty of Italian cuisine, and while perhaps not traditional in every sense, it delivers plenty of flavour and a whole lot of convivial fun. A welcome addition to the bustling Regent Street strip.
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