Must-see nightlife in Africa

  • Barometre Marrakech

    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…

  • Mad Giant

    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…

  • M’Rabet

    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…

  • Fishawi’s

    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…

  • Connect Coffee

    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…

  • Mooteebar

    Johannesburg

    Mooteebar – a play on the Zulu word muthi – serves upscale cocktails inspired by South African traditional medicine. The hand-drawn menu describes the…

  • Tomoca coffee shop, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Tomoca

    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…

  • Alchemist Bar

    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…

  • Truth

    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…

  • Gran Café de Paris

    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…

  • Kabana

    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…

  • Havana Bar

    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…

  • Cap d’Or

    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…

  • Orphanage

    Cape Town

    Named after the nearby lane, the mixologists here prepare some tempting artisanal libations with curious names including Knicker-Dropper Glory, Dollymop…

  • Bongwe Pub & Grill

    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…

  • Phare des Mamelles

    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…

  • Espressolab Microroasters

    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…

  • Brew Bistro & Lounge

    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…

  • Topia Tej Bet

    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…

  • Café El Koutoubia

    Marrakesh

    The street terrace at this charmingly old-fashioned cafe with wrought-iron balustrades has cracking views of the Koutoubia Minaret across the road…

  • Galani Cafe

    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,…

  • J's Fresh Bar & Kitchen

    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…

  • Martini Bar

    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…

  • La Casa del Caffè

    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…

  • Capital Craft

    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…

  • Grand Café de la Poste

    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…

  • Great Dane

    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…

  • Bogobiri II/Nimbus

    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…

  • Lord Delamere Terrace & Bar

    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…

  • Dar Hassine Allani

    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…

  • Café Maure Diwan

    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…

  • Grind

    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…

  • Banana Jam

    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…

  • Le Malouf

    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…

  • Leopard Bar

    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…

  • Pico Mocambo

    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,…

  • Bourbon

    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…

  • Café Sidi Salem

    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…

  • Lady Bonin's Tea Bar

    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…

  • The Boardwalk

    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…

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