Our Journey in Flavour
From a 12-seater pop-up to a chef-driven restaurant in De Waterkant, Cape Town
The Melting Pot began as a small, chef-driven pop-up built around a love of global street food and the way people eat when they travel. What started as a 12-seater quickly grew into a city-centre restaurant, followed by a laid-back country home at Oak Valley and a street food stall at Time Out Market Cape Town.
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Each chapter shaped the way we cook, informal, flavour-led and designed for sharing. Today, that journey has found its home in De Waterkant, Cape Town, where The Melting Pot continues to evolve as a chef-driven small plates restaurant inspired by travel and grounded in local produce.
Meet the Chef
Chef-driven cooking shaped by travel, street food and bold flavour
Chef John van Zyl’s path into food began with curiosity and a hunger for global flavour. After training at the Institute of Culinary Arts, he joined Chef Liam Tomlin at Chefs Warehouse, becoming the first South African chef on the team and helping open both Bree Street and Thali.
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Travel, street food and a love for bold, expressive cooking led John to start The Melting Pot in 2019. His cooking reflects the places that shaped him, thoughtful, generous and built around big flavour. Along the way, the restaurant has been recognised with two Eat Out stars, a milestone that continues to push the kitchen forward.
Our Philosphy
Travel-inspired global street food, reworked into chef-driven small plates
At The Melting Pot, travel is not just inspiration, it is the foundation of how we cook. Our food draws from street markets, late-night stalls and the dishes you remember long after the trip ends. The ones eaten standing up, shared casually, full of energy and personality.
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We translate those experiences into chef-driven small plates that feel familiar yet new. Global in spirit, local at heart, served in a relaxed, no-fuss setting in De Waterkant, Cape Town. Casual dining, done properly.