Gueliz & Ville Nouvelle
Step into a mad professor’s underground lab where apothecary jars and brewery piping line the dimly lit bar. Barometre is a first for Marrakesh: an…
Must-see nightlife in Africa
Johannesburg
A superlative addition to Jozi's inner city, Mad Giant offers excellent craft beers (brewed on-site) paired with delectable Asian-inspired tapas dishes at…
Tunis
There's no shortage of characterful cafes and restaurants in the medina, but this one tops them all. The downstairs space with its arches, rug-adorned…
Cairo
Probably the oldest ahwa in the city, and certainly the most celebrated, Fishawi’s has been a great place to watch the world go by since 1773. It's all…
Nairobi
One of Nairobi's best and coolest cafes, Connect brings coffee sourced directly from farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda to your table, and the barista…
Johannesburg
Mooteebar – a play on the Zulu word muthi – serves upscale cocktails inspired by South African traditional medicine. The hand-drawn menu describes the…
Addis Ababa
Ahh, if only all cafes were like this! Coffee is serious business at this great high-stooled Italian cafe (around since 1953) in Piazza. The beans are…
Nairobi
One of Westlands' best nights out, Alchemist is an all-encompassing take on the Nairobi night, with the city's best DJs, terrific food (including a food…
Cape Town
This self-described ‘steampunk roastery and coffee bar’, with pressed-tin ceilings, naked hanging bulbs and mad-inventor-style metalwork, is an awe…
Tangier
Gravity weighs upon the grand letters of the Gran Café de Paris, reminding us of its age at the crossroads of Tangier. Facing Place de France for almost a…
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Marrakesh
It feels like there's a bit of Bali and a bit of Senegal in this lively yet relaxed rooftop bar with views of Koutoubia Mosque. Vintage furniture, natural…
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Nairobi
In the heart of the Westlands nightlife district, the small Havana Bar packs them in tightly over two floors and is an enduring Nairobi favourite, drawing…
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Alexandria
The Cap d’Or, just off Sharia Saad Zaghloul, is one of the only surviving typical Alexandrian bars. With beer flowing generously, stained-glass windows, a…
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Cape Town
Named after the nearby lane, the mixologists here prepare some tempting artisanal libations with curious names including Knicker-Dropper Glory, Dollymop…
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Lusaka
A favourite watering hole for many locals, expats and tourists (and basically anyone who likes a drink) is this tropical dive bar, set in an open-air…
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Dakar
On the hilltop in front of Dakar's iconic lighthouse, this open-air bar draws a dance-loving crowd on Friday nights, when it hosts live music jams. On…
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Cape Town
Geek out about coffee at this lab staffed with passionate roasters and baristas. Their beans, which come from single farms, estates and co-ops from around…
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Nairobi
Craft beers have been slow to take off in Nairobi, but Brew is a lesson in how to do things. The rooftop bar is a beacon of the Nairobi night for its…
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Addis Ababa
Off Haile Gebreselassie Rd, tucked up an alley behind the Axum Hotel, this is Addis’ top tej bet (honey wine) and the only one to serve pure-honey tej…
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Marrakesh
The street terrace at this charmingly old-fashioned cafe with wrought-iron balustrades has cracking views of the Koutoubia Minaret across the road…
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Addis Ababa
This one's worth taking a taxi across Addis for. A refreshingly cool and contemporary space, Galani serves up Ethiopia's finest barista-poured coffees,…
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Nairobi
Building on the winning formula of its sister property in Karen, J's takes its DJs seriously enough to give them a permanent booth, and the food is so…
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Cape Town
The magnificent pink, lemon, burgundy and teal lounge at the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel specialises in martinis such as the sweet and spicy white-chocolate…
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Tunis
Stop the presses and send hallelujahs to the heavens! This cafe facing the Tunis Ville train station employs baristas who know their trade and use freshly…
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Pretoria
Pretoria's premier beer hangout is a huge place whose long tables, both inside the barn-like bar and out in the garden, are perpetually packed. The focus…
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Gueliz & Ville Nouvelle
Restored to its flapper-era glory, this landmark bistro oozes colonial decadence. Prices run high for food, but you can't beat the atmosphere if you want…
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Johannesburg
Fun and friendly Great Dane is one of the mainstays of the ever-changing Braamfontein bar strip. The music is very danceable and staff make you feel like…
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Lagos
Part of Bogobiri House, this is a lovely place for a drink (and eat) – mellow in the day and happening at night. There's an attached art gallery with…
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Nairobi
Once one of Africa's classic bars, the Lord Delamere Terrace was the starting point of many epic colonial safaris, and the scene of tall tales told by the…
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Tunisia
For a unique experience, ring the bell of this late-18th-century dar and ask for a tour and tea (10DT). The friendly multilingual young women working here…
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Tunisia
Inserted into the medina wall between Bab Diwan and Bab El Kasbah and accessed by a colourful set of steps, this atmospheric cafe is a refuge from the…
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Limpopo
This mobile coffee tuk-tuk is the brainchild of master barista and all-round-coffee-guru Ben Schempers. Keep an eye on Facebook on weekdays then track it…
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Cape Town
Real beer lovers rejoice – this convivial Caribbean restaurant and bar is like manna from heaven, with over 30 beers on draught (including Banana Jam's…
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Tunis
The Ville's best bar is hidden behind a high wall and yellow door that give no hint of the bohemian scene that unfolds within. Tables and bar stools are…
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Sea Point to Hout Bay
With a dress-circle view over the Atlantic, the Twelve Apostles Hotel's bar is an ideal spot to escape the hoi polloi of nearby Camps Bay for a classy…
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São Tomé
This delightful rum bar is spread across the grounds of a historic plantation house – STP needs more of this! The bar itself is nestled in the top floor,…
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Jinja
Right on the fast-flowing water, this open-air thatched bar with lounge divans and tables on a floating pontoon boat is the most ambient drinking…
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Tunisia
This is a magical place overlooking the Mediterranean on the south side of the medina. Several levels of tables jut out over the sea, and kids and…
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Cape Town
A charmingly decorated, relaxing place in which to sample organic and sustainable artisanal teas, fruity and herbal brews, and vegan baked treats. At…
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Mahé
As good for a morning coffee as a late-night cocktail, this slice of sophistication could be the coolest place on the island. With wicker sofas on a…
