Must-see nightlife in Cape Town

  • 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…

  • Orphanage

    Cape Town

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

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Beerhouse

    Cape Town

    With 99 brands of bottled beer, both local and international, and several more brews on tap, this brightly designed and spacious joint in the heart of…

  • Touch of Madness

    Cape Town

    This long-running bar and restaurant has new management but still offers an eclectic art-house atmosphere and a varied menu of global favourites. There's…

  • Brewers Co-op

    Cape Town

    Some 16 craft beer brewers get to showcase their efforts at this co-op bar. You could have a very entertaining time working your way through their various…

  • Honest Chocolate Cafe

    Cape Town

    Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, Honest Chocolate launched this homage to fine dark chocolate in liquid, solid, ice-cream and cake form. It's…

  • Bungalow

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    This Euro-chic restaurant and lounge bar is a great place for a long lunch, languorous-afternoon craft beers or sunset mojitos and martinis, overlooked by…

  • Mount Nelson Lounge

    Cape Town

    Afternoon tea in the lounge or (in good weather) the gardens of the 'Nellie' is pure pleasure. There are two sessions daily, where a piano player provides…

  • Dunes

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    You can hardly get closer to the beach than this – in fact, the front courtyard is the beach. Up on the terrace or from inside the restaurant-bar, you'll…

  • Openwine

    Cape Town

    The motto here is 'wine first, food second', so while there is a short menu, it's the range of 200-plus different wines from across the Western Cape that…

  • Yours Truly Cafe & Bar

    Cape Town

    This place is hopping from early morning to late at night. Travellers mingle with hipster locals, who come for the excellent coffee, craft beer, gourmet…

  • Woodstock Gin Company

    Cape Town

    Sample the small-batch premium gins of this company here. Buchu (a local type of fynbos), citrus and lavender flavours feature in the 'wine-base' gin; the…

  • Forester’s Arms

    Cape Town

    'Forries' has been around for well over 150 years. The English-style pub offers a convivial atmosphere in which to enjoy a dozen draught beers (mostly…

  • Blue Peter

    Cape Town

    At this perennial favourite, the deal is to grab a beer (13 types on draught), order a pizza (R100) and settle in at a wooden table outside to enjoy the…

  • Babylon

    Cape Town

    Babylon's broad balcony provides panoramic views towards Table Mountain. The vibe inside this new LGBT dance venue is laid back and friendly with plush…

  • Publik

    Cape Town

    This relaxed, unpretentious bar does a brilliant job at digging out hidden gems of the Cape's wine and gin scenes. Taste drops from sustainably farmed…

  • Devil's Peak Brewing Company

    Cape Town

    One of South Africa's most innovative breweries has moved to colossal premises outside the city. It's a somewhat unlikely location, on a large industrial…

  • Hope on Hopkins

    Cape Town

    As the boutique gin wave washes over South Africa, Hope on Hopkins remains one of the country's most progressive micro-distilleries. Occupying a disused…

  • Coco Safar

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    The attention to detail at this stylish, bustling cafe is magnificent. Beans are roasted in house and the coffee menu features everything from espressos…

  • Aegir Project Ale House

    Cape Town

    The popular Noordhoek-based brewery has opened a delightful taproom at Constantia Uitsig's Heritage Market. There's always something experimental on tap –…

  • Jack Black's Brewery

    Cape Town

    One of the pioneers of South Africa's craft-beer culture, Jack Black's is a cavernous space with beer-hall-style seating. The brewery takes pride of place…

  • The Electric

    Cape Town

    With a menu that features pressed juices, activated charcoal shots and a range of nut milks, The Electric attracts a hip and healthy crowd. The high…

  • Nitro Brew

    Cape Town

    This small cafe, stylish in its simplicity, serves nitro coffee – iced coffee poured from a draught tap. The nitrogen lends the appearance of a pint of…

  • Kaffa Hoist

    Cape Town

    Cheery owner Chris Bangira serves homemade ginger beer, herbal teas and a range of caffeinated options at this open-air cafe tucked behind the cultural…

  • Bean There

    Cape Town

    Not much other than Fair Trade coffees from across Africa and a few sweet snacks are served in this chic cafe, which has space to spread out and a relaxed…

  • Haas

    Cape Town

    Come more for the arty design boutique – where you can sip artisan coffee, lounge, and work on your laptop – than for the food, which is OK, but not…

  • Tau

    Cape Town

    It's over 21s only at this hip nightclub specialising in underground electronic beats. The cover charge varies from R50-100.

  • Devil's Peak De Oude

    Cape Town

    The Devil's Peak brewery has split De Oude Welgemoed, a 350-year-old Cape Dutch property, into three sections: the Alpha Beer Hall, the Manor and the…

  • Village Idiot

    Cape Town

    Somewhere between a cosy neighbourhood pub and a hip Boho bar, Village Idiot is a convivial spot for a cocktail or a pint of craft beer watched over by…

  • Gardens Collectors Club

    Cape Town

    With courtyard seating and a cosy upstairs area, GCC is a laid-back place to sip boutique wines or locally produced gin and tonic. The bar is aligned with…

  • Hidden Leaf

    Cape Town

    It's hard to beat the views of Table Mountain and Devil's Peak from the wrap-around, plant-potted balcony of this appealing and very Woodstock restaurant…

  • Gin Bar

    Cape Town

    Tucked away in the courtyard of what used to be a mortuary (but set to move to the same building's upper floor), this secret little bar is the perfect…

  • Dizzy’s Restaurant & Pub

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    There's regular entertainment at this convivial British-style watering hole with a good selection of craft beers and pub grub. Come for karaoke on Tuesday…

  • Drawing Room Cafe

    Cape Town

    As well as being a rather cool cafe serving Deluxe roasted coffee and various snacks (including vegan all-day breakfast dishes), this space serves as a…

  • La Belle

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    This bistro and bakery is one of the loveliest belles on Camps Bay's seafront strip, and a whole lot more relaxed and less pretentious than some of its…

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