Before it could even blow out its first birthday candle, Cape Town’s hottest new table has just earned one of the most coveted recognitions!
Cape Town, South Africa (18 March 2026) – Amura by Ángel León at the Mount Nelson has been named one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places for 2026, making it the only restaurant on the African continent to receive the honour!
(Last week, we covered South Africa’s three-peat appearance on the full list – including Royal Malewane and Park Hyatt Johannesburg – more about that here.)
Back to Amura.
It opened almost three months ago, and is the first restaurant outside of Spain from Chef Ángel León. Known internationally as El Chef del Mar (the Chef of the Sea), León is the Andalusian force behind Aponiente (three Michelin Stars) and Alevante (two Michelin Stars), both of which have made him one of the most pioneering figures in contemporary gastronomy.
Back home in Spain he built his name doing things with ocean ingredients that most chefs wouldn’t think to try, treating the sea the way others treat a farm and finding flavour and texture in places most people had written off entirely.
“Here, a new continent becomes his canvas. Local kingklip is served fresh with a Spanish pilpil enriched with plankton; abalone, deeply tied to South Africa’s coast, is paired with an emulsion of Gordal olives; and shrimp toast, inflected with Durban’s curry-laden maritime heritage, has struck a chord with local diners.” shared TIME in its review.
The Mother City gave León’s brilliance a new spot to land, within the iconically pink walls of the Mount Nellie, inspired by the meeting of our Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Importantly, the menu is built on respect for the ocean and for the communities that have long drawn their lives from the sea.
“At Amura we try to tell a different story about the sea; that is rooted in nature, time and respect for the ocean. To see this vision recognised by TIME among the world’s greatest places is both humbling and deeply exciting for our entire team,” says Carlos León, Business Manager of Amura and brother of Chef Ángel León.
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To land on it just months after opening speaks to the magic happening at Amura.
“From the beginning, Amura was envisioned as a restaurant that would bring together Chef Ángel León’s pioneering marine cuisine with the remarkable ingredients and coastal heritage of the Cape. To see this vision acknowledged on a global stage is a proud moment for us all,” says Patrick Fisher, General Manager of Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town.
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