The Godfather meets Nouveau Riche Sex in the City at Mouille Point's dining destination for wealthy hipsters.

Pepenero Restaurant (meaning ‘black pepper' in Italian) offers glam Italian dining, sans the crooning overweight ‘tenors' and cheesy checkered table-cloths.

The Cape Town restaurant has excellent sea views and a lavish sundowner terrace.

The slick new Cape Town restaurant Pepenero is the brain child of restaurateur Paul Kovensky and his design partner Christian Barnard - the duo behind renowned Cape Town dining institution; Paranga restaurant in Camps Bay.

Their latest addition to this family, Pepenero, flanks Mouille Point's seafront - the restaurant's wraparound glass shop-front offering unobstructed floor-to-ceiling ocean views.

Situated opposite trendy Asian dining sensations Wakame & Geisha restaurants, Pepenero restaurant has it's sights set on becoming the new playground of the sports car crowd - and only time will tell whether it will live up to the success of the duo's previous endeavours.

Heading up Pepenero's kitchen are internationally renowned chefs, Carl Penn and Lana Doyle. Carl Penn joined Pepenero straight from London's West End, where he served as Sous Chef at the internationally acclaimed restaurant, Ivy.

South African born chef Lana Doyle has six years experience as personal chef to Lady Margaret Thatcher, Mark Thatcher and Sir Dennis Thatcher. She also boasts a personal reference from film star Leonardo Di Caprio.

When making a dinner reservation at Pepenero restaurant, why not make the most of the restaurant's expansive sea views and arrive early - to linger outside on a comfy cushioned bench and watch the sun sink into the sea, cocktail in hand?

Inside the restaurant, the bar's innovative counter forms a design focal point: An enormous tree trunk (weighing half-a-ton), forms the base of the counter and supports the bar's solid raw marble countertop.

In the main dining area, textured, oval cloth chandeliers clump together culminating in a striking organic art piece - and smooth background lounge music sets the mood.

We love the sexy suede button-booths at the back of the restaurant - the press release playfully refers to them as exclusive seating "for the Mafia Don's friends and family". Each booth comes complete with its own plush chandelier, scatter cushions and chocolate-coloured wall- to-ceiling padding.

Pepenero's enormous leather-bound menus offer diners a diverse selection of culinary flavours - with an emphasis on classic Italian and seafood dishes with a modern twist. Expect flavour fusions like Crayfish Tagliatelle and White Cheese Pizza with Caesar Salad, alongside more traditional Italian favourites like spaghetti bolognaise and macaroni and cheese. Meat lovers can tuck into the restaurant's signature Fillet Pepenero with crushed black pepper and mustard seeds.

Cape Town's latest up-market dining destination - Pepenero's in Mouille Point - is worth a visit. Capiche?

Pepenero Restaurant
Address: Shop 1, Two Oceans Beaches, Beach Road, Mouille Point, Cape Town (opposite Wakame restaurant)
Opening times: Monday - Sunday, 12:00pm - 00:00pm
Average price per head: R150 - R250


Molo says: "Find the best restaurants in Cape Town in CapeTownMagazine.com's popular 'Editor's Picks newsletter.

Also read our articles on The Showroom restaurant, 95 Keerom Street restaurant or onewaterfront restaurant.