Light lunch at Newport Market & Deli

 3 March 2025

 

NEWPORT MARKET & DELI

125 Beach Road, Mouille Point, Cape Town

 

Von-Mari had taken a day’s leave to recover and recuperate from a hectic period at work (I no longer have work stress),  we were feeling peckish after luxuriating in massages and pedis at a Waterfront based spa and we were keen on going somewhere we hadn’t been to.

 

Newport Deli has a few tables outside, which weren’t enticing on a cold, windy day, a lower level and an upper level, both with huge windows on two sides but the view is toward Green Point Park and not so much the parking lot in front of the restaurant, which is not sea facing, despite the address.

 

The design is simple and elegant with mostly dark wood leavened by the natural light.

 

Von-Mari ordered the gourmet chicken mayo sandwich (a toasted chicken mayo toasty is her go to light meal) (R145) and I opted for the Cajun chicken and quinoa bowl (R138).

 

Newport Deli should be held accountable under the Trade Descriptions Act for this chicken mayo sandwich.  Von-Mari is an afficionado of this dish and knows the difference between good, bad and indifferent when it comes to judging  chicken mayo and her opinion of this iteration was “decidedly average” and far from being gourmet.  The bread seemed to be on the stale side, the content was serviceable, there was a woeful attempt at a salad and it was very expensive for what you get.  If a restaurant wants to tag an ordinarily very simple dish as “gourmet,”  one expects the kitchen to do something to elevate it and this was not the case here.

 

On the other hand, my food was quite toothsome, with    perfectly grilled and well spiced chicken, plenty avocado and a generous quantity quinoa cooked to perfection.  It was a filling and incredibly satisfying dish.

Our respective desserts were the tropical breeze cocktail (R88) and peanut butter bliss smoothie (R78), and Von-Mari also ordered a blueberry muffin (R40).   No complaints here; the drinks were good and the muffin was okay. 

 

The bill came to R565,00 before tip and including two flat white coffees.

 

The venue is lovely and comforting, the service was cheerful and efficient, the coffee was good but our respective dishes varied in quality and Von-Mari isn’t likely to return.