Cognito Restaurant opened its doors in September 2004. As one of the foremost restaurants in the well-known Dorp Street in Stellenbosch, Cognito has proven to be a culinary landmark well worth visiting.
Specialising in African-fusion cuisine, Cognito always has something different to offer, something unique. Traditional South African and African dishes are served, but the focus is on interesting flavours, combinations and presentations. The owners of Cognito Restaurant, Diani Smit and Anien le Roux, thrive on creating innovative dishes inspired by exotic spices and fresh seasonal ingredients. They draw inspiration from traditional cuisine, interesting wines and their travels to North and East Africa.
After graduating from the University of the Free State, Diani worked in the marketing trade for four years. Anien is a qualified chef and received her diploma from The Institute of Culinary Arts at Spier. They trained a team of very enthusiastic chefs and waiters to contribute to the experience that makes their restaurant so special.
It is a destination with a contemporary, friendly and relaxed atmosphere and guests are encouraged to take some time to savour everything Cognito has to offer. Whether you are sipping an exquisite glass of Sauvignon Blanc on our terrace under the vines in summer or snuggling up in front of the cosy fireplace with our hearty comfort food in winter, your visit to Cognito will be memorable.
The Cognito menu is planned carefully and developed with enormous passion. Sourcing interesting flavours from South African, Moroccan and Nigerian cuisine - to name but a few - we turn them into our own creations. We handpick wines from all over the Western Cape to compile our extensive wine list and compliment our wonderful food. Our range of drinks also includes a very original cocktail menu, something that has been designed to stimulate the taste buds.
To experience the full range of palate sensations Cognito has to offer, we invite you to try everything yourself.
Functions
Cognito Restaurant is a trendy venue for big or small functions – from pre-drinks to birthday parties, end-of-year and corporate functions.
Here are some guidelines:
The restaurant seats a maximum of 60 guests inside. If we are serving outside, 80 guests in total can be accommodated.
A group of 12 people can still order from our à la carte menu, but larger groups revert to a set menu starting at R100 per head.
The minimum number of guests for which the entire restaurant may be booked is 40.
We have a private room available for groups of 20-30 people, which can be set up for a sit-down meal or informally with couches and ottomans, perfect for an informal canapé function.
Set menus are available for canapé and sit-down meals. Please see the printable version of our set menu.
Function menus can be individually designed to suit the client, with prices ranging from R100 to R200 per person.
Set menus do not include beverages, unless specified.
Wine service fee is charged at R35 per 750 ml bottle.
A 10% service charge will be added to the combined food and drinks bill for functions.