Recent social media posts
11/09/2026
There’s something honest about eating with your hands. No distance between you and the food, no ceremony getting in the way - just the meal, exactly as it was meant to be experienced. The Journey Menu at Urchin was built on that kind of honesty. Eleven courses, 1,881 kilometres of Western Cape culture, and at least one moment where you forget every rule you were taught at the table.
Reserve your table, link in bio.
07/09/2026
At Urchin, the guests say it better than we ever could - in the details they remember, the dishes they can’t stop thinking about, and the evenings they keep coming back to relive. From the first course to the last, every plate on the Journey Menu is designed to leave something behind.
Come experience it for yourself. Reserve your table at Urchin, link in bio.
04/09/2026
Cape Town has always been a city of stories. Now, they’re being told at one of its finest tables.
Urchin is proud to be the new home for Local places Storytelling Dinners - an evening where Chef Marcus Gericke’s Western Cape menu meets the captivating voice of history philosopher and author Gerald Garner, who has spent decades unravelling the astonishing story of this city, era by era. And behind every evening like this is a team in the kitchen that makes it all possible.
Upcoming dates & themes (6pm for 6:30pm sharp):
1st Oct - Cape Town’s Riveting Recent Story: From Union and Apartheid Republic to Democracy (1910–1990)
5th Nov & 3rd Dec - Cape Town’s Contemporary & Future Story: Democratic Times to the future (1990–2025 and onwards)
Menu: Welcome drink & bread · Poached Kingklip with apricot glaze · Lamb Potjiekos · Malva Pudding
R800 per person · Space is limited · Booking with prepayment essential
Reserve your seat - WhatsApp +27 82 894 5216 or email [email protected]
03/09/2026
Spring has a way of making everything feel more alive - the light is softer, the days are longer, and somehow, everything tastes better.
As we approach our one-year anniversary, we want to celebrate the community that has made Journey what it is. Every Wednesday in September and October, enjoy 50% off - Journey, Excursion or Urchin menus. Whichever path calls to you, Chef Marcus Gericke’s Western Cape is waiting.
Gather your favourite person and make Urchin your new midweek date night. Some offers you plan around. This is one of them.
Reserve your table, link in bio.
01/09/2026
This is what happens before you sit down.
Every morning, this kitchen wakes up carrying 1,881 kilometres of memory - the fishermen, the aunties, the farmers who gave Chef Marcus everything that now lives on the plate. The prep you see here isn’t just technique. It’s gratitude, made tangible.
Come experience the Journey at Urchin. Reserve your table - link in bio.
30/08/2026
Spring is arriving in the Western Cape. And in this kitchen, that means something new is beginning.
The farms are waking up. The produce is shifting. The ingredients Chef Marcus Gericke has been waiting for are slowly finding their way to the Urchin kitchen, and with them, a new menu that carries all the freshness, colour, and flavour that only this season can bring.
Something beautiful is on its way. Stay close, link in bio.
28/08/2026
There’s a drink at Urchin that tastes exactly like spring feels.
Cucumber. Elderflower. A whisper of lemon. Saline to balance. Vodka to ground it. The Constantia Spritz wasn’t designed to be complicated, just to be exactly right for the moment you’re in.
Come find your moment. Reserve your table at Urchin, link in bio.
25/08/2026
Behind every plate on the Journey Menu is a kitchen that refuses to settle.
1,881 kilometres of the Western Cape, distilled into eleven courses by Chef Marcus Gericke and a team that treats every service like it matters - because it does. The sourcing starts long before the stove is lit. The refinement of each dish continues until every element earns its place. This is craft, practised daily, with the kind of care that only comes from believing deeply in what you’re making.
The Journey Menu awaits. Reserve your table at Urchin, link in bio.
21/08/2026
The right table says everything before you do.
At Urchin, South Africa’s Top Restaurant, private dining is an experience worth every conversation it starts.
Chef Marcus Gericke’s Western Cape menu.
Service that anticipates.
A setting in Bo-Kaap that your clients will still be talking about long after the bill is settled.
This is the business lunch that makes the impression.
Enquire now, link in bio.
20/08/2026
Over the coming months, Chef Marcus will be working closely with South Africa’s National Junior Culinary Team, guiding the country’s young culinary talent through team briefings, competition regulations, menu planning, strategy, and intensive practice sessions as they prepare to represent South Africa at the 2026 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg.
Behind every great team are hours of preparation, dedication, and guidance. While the competition dishes remain confidential, the work behind the scenes is already underway.
We’re incredibly proud to see Chef Marcus contribute to shaping the future of South African culinary talent.
The preparation continues, and we can’t wait to see what’s ahead.
19/08/2026
Cape Town has always been a city of stories. Now, they’re being told at one of its finest tables.
Urchin is proud to be the new home for LocalPlaces Storytelling Dinners - an evening where Chef Marcus Gericke’s Western Cape menu meets the captivating voice of history philosopher and author Gerald Garner, who has spent decades unravelling the astonishing story of this city, era by era.
Upcoming dates & themes (6pm for 6:30pm sharp):
3rd Sep & 1st Oct — Cape Town’s Riveting Recent Story: From Union and Apartheid Republic to Democracy (1910–1990) · At Urchin
5th Nov & 3rd Dec — Cape Town’s Contemporary & Future Story: Democratic Times to the future (1990–2025 and onwards) · At Urchin
Menu: Welcome drink & bread · Poached Kingklip with apricot glaze · Lamb Potjiekos · Malva Pudding
R800 per person · Space is limited · Booking with prepayment essential
Reserve your seat - WhatsApp +27 82 894 5216 or email [email protected]
Link in bio.
14/08/2026
The Lamb at Urchin began on the Journey Menu - Karoo Lamb Chops over an open flame, the way a traditional braai should be. Tomato bredie. Pickled onions. The freshness of coriander. A dish rooted in South African heritage, refined by Chef Marcus Gericke until every element felt exactly right.
Guests kept asking for it. So it stayed. Now a permanent fixture on the Excursion Menu and à la carte, because some dishes earn their place.
Book your table at Urchin, link in bio.
12/08/2026
Some desserts arrive at the table. This one arrives with a story.
The Milk Tart at Urchin is Chef Marcus Gericke’s love letter to the Western Cape - a dessert every South African knows by heart, rebuilt from the ground up. The custard, the crust, the balance, every element considered, refined, and placed with intention.
It’s the course guests ask about before they’ve even sat down. The one that keeps them coming back, menu after menu.
Eleven courses. One Western Cape. One table in Bo-Kaap.
Reserve your seat at Urchin, link in bio.
10/08/2026
The ingredients at Urchin begin long before the kitchen.
They come from fishermen who know the tide, farmers who know the soil, and a chef who drove 1,881 kilometres across the Western Cape to find them. Every ingredient chosen with intention - for where it comes from, what it carries, and what it becomes on the plate.
This is the Western Cape, sourced and served with love.
Reserve your table at Urchin, link in bio.
Address
126 Buitengracht Street
Cape Town
8000
To get to the restaurant located on Buitengracht Street in Cape Town, there are different options for public transportation and driving with parking.
Public Transportation:
- Take any bus or train that stops at Cape Town Station.
- From there, take a taxi or Uber heading towards Buitengracht Street.
- Get off at the corner of Buitengracht and Strand Streets.
- Walk towards the south side of the street until you reach the restaurant's location.
Driving with Parking:
- Head southeast on Nelson Mandela Blvd toward Walter Sisulu Ave.
- Continue straight onto Nelson Mandela Blvd/N1/N2.
- Turn left onto Buitengracht St/M62.
- Look for parking options along Buitengracht Street or turn right onto Mechau Street for more parking spots.
- Walk towards the south side of Buitengracht Street until you reach the restaurant's location.
Opening Hours
| Monday |
18:00 - 22:30 |
| Tuesday |
18:00 - 22:30 |
| Wednesday |
18:00 - 22:30 |
| Thursday |
18:00 - 22:30 |
| Friday |
18:00 - 22:30 |
| Saturday |
18:00 - 22:30 |
| Sunday |
18:00 - 22:00 |
Alerts
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What people say
Urchin, located on Buitengracht Street in Cape Town, has received mixed reviews from various sources. A recent review by the Cape Times praised the restaurant's seafood dishes and noted that the prices were reasonable. However, a review by Eat Out magazine criticized Urchin for its slow service and lack of atmosphere.
Online reviews have also been mixed. A recent review on TripAdvisor praised the restaurant's oysters and sushi but noted that the noise level was high. Another reviewer on Zomato commented positively on the restaurant's decor but felt that some of the dishes were overpriced.
Some customer comments published online include:
- "The food was amazing! We had the calamari and it was cooked to perfection."
- "The service was terrible. We waited over an hour for our food."
- "The sushi was fresh and delicious, but we found some of the other dishes to be a bit bland."
It is important to note that these reviews are all relatively recent, with most being posted within the past few months.
Overall, it seems that Urchin is a decent restaurant with some standout dishes but also some areas for improvement. Customers should be prepared for potentially slow service and high noise levels but can expect reasonably priced seafood options.
