Magica Roma — Restaurant in Pinelands

Attended a dinner with family not too long ago…. Reading all these reviews had me a bit hesitant to post, but I know sometimes it’s not possible for places to get it right all the time so it’s important they are made aware to ensure they can improve and do better, and especially given that my family and I have over the years frequently visited the establishment and would like to continue doing so we all agreed it best to speak up. So over the last 6 months we have visited a number of times and a few things have stood out. The food quality has dropped. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still better than many, but it’s not what it used to be. I am big fan of a penne arribiata, sadly even this didn’t taste fresh. We had some lovely waiters look after us, an Adam (I think) and a Kirsten and more recently an Emily. All were polite, engaging, good at what they were doing, but we witnessed them being treated very poorly by management. It was embarrassing having to watch these young women being spoken to like they are second class citizens. We have daughters around the same age aS did the one couple who joined us one evening and we were appalled at what we witnessed. It left a really bad taste in our mouths that not even the food could remove. Do better. This type of behaviour is tantamount to bullying. We were sad, but hardly surprised, when we went back, to hear that Kirsten and Adam (I think this was his name) was no longer there. They were great waiters. Staff are an important part of an establishment. We frequent many restaurants as a family and with friends and it’s always such a joy when you keep encountering the same lovely staff who remember you and know your name. It’s been more than awhile since anyone other than the hostess has been friendly (hardly) with us and in all honesty, depending of which day of the week it is the hostess has come across as short, a tad sarcastic and somewhat ‘mean’ all bordering on disrespect. Patrons are doing you the favour attending your establishment, not the other way around. We have been invited to go again soon by friends who recently moved back to Pinelands and who haven’t been in awhile, but at this point I am tempted to either ask them if we could rather go elsewhere or simply cancel joining at all, but I’m at the point where I am ready to call out management in person on what I am now sick of seeing and I do hate a scene. So do better Magica Roma. Your reputation as a fine Italian dining establishment is slipping. We are humans of Pinelands and we expect to see the staff and guests being treated with kindness, dignity...

Step back in time to this charming traditional and authentic Italian restaurant, something very different from the usual trendy / chic Cape Town offerings. Having managed and owned restaurants in the past, the golden nugget to the success of such an establishment is service, and this was not only on-par, but par-excellence for my first visit to Magica Roma. After moving to the city a few shorts years ago from Auckland, NZ, I can’t believe I have only found this spot now, definitely looking forward to many, many more visits.

The floor always had attentive staff around, willing help with menu selection, or top up your glass. The booth seating was intimate, with regulars being charmed with their favourite meals without opening a menu, while the owners were ever present either suggesting wines or making sure patrons were happy.

Our visit was both business and celebratory, a venue worthy of such an occasion I believe! The menu is classic with extensive selections that will make your mouth water, including specials on offer. Our table opted to start with the Baby Calamari Tubes with Chilli & Garlic, Beef Carpaccio (Tuna is on offer too), their famous Bean & Lentil Soup, and a Garlic & Herb Focaccia to set the mood. We didn’t hold back with main courses either, Ossobuco (Veal shanks), Veal Fillets with a Mushroom, White Wine and Sage Sauce (I think), and lastly the Ribeye that got much attention (with 2 of 4 pax deciding to order), served on Spinach, topped with Caramelised Onion and a sauce I cant recall, oops. The wine list and drinks deserve equal attention, with a vast selection of Italian options, from wine to Grappa, delivering a truly Italian experience in Pinelands, a suburb on the outskirts of the CBD.

All in all, this long standing institution in Cape Town is a must to visit. I believe it remains a model choice for not only family and business visits, but some quite regal visits too. You just never know who you may sitting opposite you.

NB: Book in...

If you ever in the Pinelands area, I would fully recommend a meal at Magic Roma. I had heard from a friend that it definitely won't be a disappointing experience - and it definitely lived up to the expectations set.

To celebrate a birthday, we went through last night and upon entrance, we were automatically taken back to Italy. The restaurant was incredibly homey but had a touch of Italian class with a classic table set up. We were welcomed by an incredibly friendly waitress who informed us of the specials for the night ranging from starter to dessert within reasonable prices - we were also welcomed with fresh and warm bread and butter - this definitely set the tone for the night.

For starters we shared a garlic and herb Focaccia. More than enough for 2 to share. It was super tasty, crispy and came straight out of the oven warm and fresh. We could not have enough!

For dinner, we ordered two pastas - Penne Al Forno and Fettuccine Boscaiola. No jokes, thee best pasta I have had in Cape Town, if not South Africa. Everything tasted fresh, warm and felt like I was having a dish in the countryside of Italy. Wish we had another 5 servings to take home with us. The waitress informed us that we made a great choice - and she certainly was not wrong!

For dessert we had chocolate brownies served with ice cream. Again, the brownies arrived warm, covered in a chocolate sauce and served with a smooth vanilla ice cream. The perfect way to end the night.

A shoutout needs to be made to our waitress, E. Incredibly professional, she allowed us to enjoy our night without bothering us too much. Super friendly and ensured that our drinks and food was served at the correct pace and arrived at our table straight from the kitchen. A lovely lady and definitely contributed to the atmosphere already set.

Cannot wait...