The Pinnacle

The Pinnacle: Mediterranean dining with a French influence in Menlo Park, Pretoria

If you’re looking for a restaurant in Menlo Park that feels special without being overly formal, The Pinnacle is one to know about.
Located at Greenlyn Village Centre in Pretoria, The Pinnacle combines modern Mediterranean flavours with French culinary techniques and touches of molecular gastronomy. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but what makes it particularly interesting is that you don’t have to visit for the same kind of experience every time.

Three menus, three different ways to visit
One of the first things we think you should know before visiting The Pinnacle is that there isn’t just one menu.
You can choose between the Breakfast Menu, Terrace Menu and Signature Menu, depending on your budget, appetite and occasion.
The Terrace Menu is the more relaxed option, with familiar favourites including pizzas, burgers and steaks. If you’re visiting for a date night, celebration or simply want to experience what the kitchen can really do, take a closer look at the Signature Menu.
The menus are also seasonal and change approximately every three months, giving regular visitors a reason to come back and discover something different.

This is where things get interesting
The food may look like fine dining, but The Pinnacle doesn’t feel stiff or intimidating.
Behind the beautifully plated dishes is some serious culinary technique. The kitchen combines Mediterranean cooking with French influences and techniques such as smoking, gels, compound butters and the manipulation of ingredients to create unexpected flavours and textures.
Even the sides aren’t treated like an afterthought.
The frites are double fried for extra crunch, while the mashed potato is prepared to create an exceptionally smooth, buttery texture. Even dishes such as escargot are given The Pinnacle treatment, served with pecorino, garlic, herbs, butter and fresh homemade bread.
Another detail you probably wouldn’t know from simply scrolling through Instagram is that the herbs and salad leaves used by the kitchen are hydroponically grown and never come into contact with soil.

What would we order again?
If there’s one question we always want to answer after visiting a restaurant, it’s this: what would we actually go back and order again?
At The Pinnacle, our standout main was the duck breast.
For something a little more adventurous, look out for dishes such as the crocodile carpaccio, while the herb-crusted lamb cutlets with spiced butternut, mint and brown butter sauce are another dish worth considering.
Other popular options include beef fillet, Norwegian salmon, pan-fried kingklip and T-bone steak.
But whatever you order for your main, save room for dessert.
The La Orange dessert was one of the highlights of our visit. The presentation alone looks like something that has come straight out of MasterChef, making it a memorable way to finish your meal.

What should you budget?
The Pinnacle can work for different budgets depending on which menu you choose.
As a useful guide, we’d budget around R800 for dinner for two, depending on drinks and what you order. Breakfast with a drink can be around R185 per person.
Because the menus are seasonal, dishes and prices can change, so we recommend checking the latest menu before visiting if you’re working to a specific budget.

Who is The Pinnacle best for?
We think The Pinnacle works particularly well for date nights, birthdays, celebrations and special occasions, but you don’t need to wait for an occasion to visit.
The combination of indoor and outdoor seating, breakfast options and the more relaxed Terrace Menu means it can work equally well for breakfast with a friend or a leisurely lunch.
Families are welcome, the restaurant is wheelchair accessible, and the terrace is pet friendly, which gives you another reason to consider it when looking for somewhere to eat in Menlo Park.

Before you go
The Pinnacle is situated at Greenlyn Village Centre in Menlo Park, Pretoria.
Bookings are recommended, particularly for Friday and Saturday evenings.
Free, secure and street parking options are available around the centre.

The DPE verdict
The Pinnacle is worth considering if you want something more interesting than the usual neighbourhood restaurant experience.
What stood out to us wasn’t simply the beautiful presentation. It was the attention to the smaller details, from the cooking techniques and unusual ingredients to sides that have clearly received as much thought as the main dishes.
Our picks? The duck breast followed by La Orange.
And because the menus change seasonally, The Pinnacle gives Pretoria diners something increasingly valuable: a reason to come back and discover what’s new.

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