The Vineyard Hotel, a landmark in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, has reimagined its signature restaurant, Morii, with a new culinary direction that embraces the warmth and generosity of Italian dining, expressed through Cape Town’s produce, seasons and sense of place.
The name Morii is drawn from contemporary language rather than Italian, and speaks to the desire to hold onto fleeting, beautiful moments, the kind that make a meal linger in memory. It captures what the restaurant stands for: connection, craft and the quiet joy of good food shared well.
Morii’s refreshed concept brings together everything people love about dining at The Vineyard: honest food, a sense of ease and a feeling of belonging, now expressed through the timeless appeal of Italian cooking that is familiar, soulful, and made for conversation.
A meeting of places and people
“We wanted to create something that feels instinctively right for this space,” says Mike Bassett, Head of Food & Beverage at The Vineyard Hotel. “Italian food has an ease and generosity that resonates with how people want to dine today – unpretentious, seasonal, and full of flavour. This feels like a natural progression, a concept that fits our rhythm and our guests’ appetite for honest, ingredient-led cooking.”
Led by Head Chef Chad Blows and Sous Chef Connor McKibbon, the kitchen operates almost entirely from scratch. Pasta, breads, and charcuterie are made in-house, guided by a focus on honest, seasonal flavours that bridge Cape ingredients and Italian influence.
The new menu offers familiar comfort with a lighter, more expressive touch from a reimagined Caprese to cold-fermented, wood-fired pizzas made with Caputo flour, and a tiramisu that captures everything comforting about the classic.
The art of pairing
The wine list, curated by F&B Operations Manager David Hendricks, brings Italian and Cape wines together in a considered selection that reflects balance, character and craftsmanship, with a shared respect for place and terroir.
The cocktail list centres on the Negroni, offered in regional interpretations that playfully blend Cape craft gins with Italian vermouths and aperitivi. Guests can also explore a short list of handcrafted cocktails and lighter spritzes. To close the meal, the team has curated a selection of classic digestive, including grappa and limoncello.
The space and spirit of Morii
Set within the same light-filled restaurant with views across The Vineyard’s gardens to the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Morii now feels both familiar and renewed, a calm, refined space that invites relaxed gatherings and unhurried dinners. The refreshed décor echoes this new direction, with soft natural tones, terracotta accents and textures that reflect the surrounding landscape.
“Just as important as the food is how it feels,” says Bassett. “We wanted to bring back that sense of warmth and connection, something that feels effortless but deeply considered. Morii is about slowing down, sharing, and finding joy in good company.”
For The Vineyard Hotel, this evolution is not a reinvention but a return: to flavour, to craft and to a way of dining that feels unmistakably Cape in character, and unmistakably The Vineyard.
True to its name, Morii is about those fleeting, beautiful moments that stay with you long after the meal – simple, generous, and shared.
As Bassett concludes: “It’s Italian in inspiration but grounded here – in our landscape, our people and our love of bringing people together.”
Dining and Cooking