Bocca, the latest venture by restaurateur and sommelier Neil Grant and business partner Barry Engelbrecht of Burrata fame, has opened on Cape Town’s most famous food street – on the corner of Bree and Wale.Informal, Italian-inspired fare is served in a vibey, contemporary space where you can expect tasty food and the freshest ingredients, including ‘the best Neapolitan style pizza in the city’ (and in fact, the only pizza on Bree Street). Executive chef Annemarie Steenkamp, who was responsible for sister restaurant Burrata scooping the EAT OUT Italian Restaurant of the Year in 2013, has created exciting new, modern Italian dishes for the Bocca menu, inviting diners to order a number of plates to share at the table.Bocca (meaning ‘mouth’ in Italian), is also known for its newly created ‘pizza sandwich’. Try a Panino for lunch – baked to perfection in the 485ºC pizza oven, the Pork belly, radicchio, fennel marmalade and celeriac remoulade is just one of the options available as a quick, mouthwatering bite.

At night the restaurant shifts gears to present a more sophisticated menu, while the deck turns into a cool sundowner spot overlooking the Bree Street action. It’s the perfect place to settle in and enjoy a glass of wine recommended by Neil, selected from his small, but creative wine list.The dinner menu is divided into Spoons, Fingers, Knives & Forks, Pizza and Big Plates sections, as well as Dessert Jars to cater for all palates and appetites. Favourites include Roasted aubergine with goats pecorino, smoked chilli oil and basil; West Coast mussels with minestone broth, and Orechietti with peas, crispy pancetta, ricotta and mint oil, to name but a few