Must-see nightlife in Cape Town

  • Shackleton Brewing Company

    Cape Town

    Owner-brewer Steve Peel takes inspiration from his time at the South African Antarctic research station and brings a nautical flair to this great little…

  • Taproom

    Cape Town

    Devil's Peak Brewing Company make some of South Africa's best craft beers. Their taproom and restaurant provide a panoramic view up to Devil's Peak itself…

  • Kefu’s

    Cape Town

    Ms Kefuoe Sedia has come a long way since opening a six-seater pub in her front lounge in 1990. This spiffy, two-level, 140-seat place, with mellow jazz…

  • I Love My Laundry

    Cape Town

    Primarily this is a laundry, which is hidden behind a shopfront festooned with colourful, arty whatnots and wine, as the place triples up as a cafe-bar,…

  • Bar Code

    Cape Town

    A small crowd hangs out at this gay bar after work to enjoy drinks by the open front porch. However, from 11pm Wednesday to Saturday, the doors are closed…

  • Rosetta Roastery

    Cape Town

    Tucked away in the courtyard of the Woodstock Exchange, these guys have a singularly appreciative hipster audience on tap to enjoy their single-origin and…

  • SurfaRosa

    Cape Town

    'Too drunk to punk' is the apt motto for this styled-to-the-max surfers' dive bar where the music is loud and the vibe edgy.

  • House of H

    Cape Town

    There's a cafe and restaurant on the ground floor, but the big attraction lies on the roof where they've created one of the city's less pretentious…

  • Cause Effect

    Cape Town

    A stylish new addition to Cape Town's growing cocktail-bar scene, Cause Effect trains its alcoholic focus on brandy – some 70 different types, all South…

  • Woodstock Brewery Taproom

    Cape Town

    The popular Woodstock-based brewery has opened a second taproom in the student-filled suburb of Observatory. Taste their whole range on tap, including the…

  • Tiger's Milk

    Cape Town

    With entrances on both Kloof St and Rheede St, and a large courtyard in between, this branch of the Tiger's Milk chain is proving to be one of its most…

  • Tjing Tjing

    Cape Town

    This slick rooftop bar is a stylish hangout for cocktails and wine.

  • Rands Cape Town

    Cape Town

    Although it's a barbecued-meat restaurant in true township style (line up to order a platter of chicken wings, sausages or steak with various sides),…

  • Orchard on Long

    Cape Town

    Eye-popping displays of fresh fruits and vegetables lure in the Long St passing parade for the super-healthy and tasty juice mixes and smoothies here. Try…

  • The Sorrows

    Cape Town

    On one side of this cafe-bar they serve 'libations' – hipster-speak for anything from an espresso to a glass of wine – and on the other 'victuals': grub…

  • Siki's Koffee Kafe

    Cape Town

    Siki Dibela, an ex-employee of the Vida e Caffè chain, is the business brains and barista behind the township's coolest cafe. He sells his own blend of…

  • Fireman’s Arms

    Cape Town

    Here since 1906, the Fireman’s is a Capetonian institution. Inside, the Rhodesian and old South African flags remain pinned up alongside a collection of…

  • Pienaar & Son

    Cape Town

    Cape Town is gin-crazy and the two complex gins at this family-run distillery are some of the best. You'll taste them neat before adding just a splash of…

  • Twankey Bar

    Cape Town

    For those not familiar with the conventions of British theatre, this elegant bar is named after pantomime dame Widow Twankey – which also happens to be…

  • The Vue

    Cape Town

    Knockout views of the city, mountains and harbour envelop this rooftop bar, restaurant and lounge. Exhibitionists should bring their swimming cossies, as…

  • Frogitt & Vonkel

    Cape Town

    There are around 30 local and international wines on the menu here, all available by the glass. It's a smart but unpretentious place with board games to…

  • Bootlegger Coffee Company

    Cape Town

    It's a chain, but its flat whites certainly pass muster and this branch is one of the area's most vibey cafes, bringing some city buzz to the sedate …

  • Woodstock Brewery

    Cape Town

    In the ground-floor taproom you can do a tasting (R30) of the eight seasonal beers produced here. If you'd prefer to pair the beers with food, there's a…

  • Waiting Room

    Cape Town

    Climb the narrow stairway beside the Royale Eatery to find this hip bar decorated in retro furniture with DJs spinning funky tunes. Climb even further and…

  • Ka Pa Tée

    Cape Town

    As well as being a rather stylish place to revive over their various house blends of organic teas, served alongside nice cakes and other sweets, you can…

  • Harvest

    Cape Town

    This contemporary-styled cafe and deli in the heart of the Bo-Kaap offers a rooftop area where you can enjoy stunning views towards Table Mountain and…

  • Darling Brew Woostock

    Cape Town

    If you can't make it out to the brewery in Darling, you can taste most of the beers in the range at this hip Woodstock taproom. The vast space is open for…

  • 14 Stories

    Cape Town

    Perched on the 14th floor of the SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl hotel, this rooftop bar is one of several in the area that provides great views of Table…

  • Salt Yard

    Cape Town

    With surfboards and recycled decor on the walls, this bar in the university area has a beach-house aesthetic despite being firmly inland of Table Mountain…

  • Department of Coffee

    Cape Town

    Artisan coffee comes to Khayelitsha – even though it's served from a kiosk with uninviting barred windows, and the hours can be erratic. There are some…

  • Ta Da!

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    This coffee bar and crêperie has shaded outdoor seating and a pleasant interior, which are also the venues for regular live music and movie nights,…

  • Rum Tum Tum

    Cape Town

    While much of Cape Town is still going giddy for craft beer and gin, Rum Tum Tum have identified the next Big Drink: rum. There are around 40 different…

  • Deluxe Coffeeworks

    Cape Town

    This is both the roasting operation for Deluxe and a sleek, simple cafe where you can sample their highly-regarded coffee – as served by suitably tattooed…

  • Mynt Cafe

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    At the northern end of the Camps Bay dining strip, this place offers coffee, cocktails and light meals (R100) with a beach view. It's more casual and…

  • Hard Pressed Cafe

    Cape Town

    At the base of the Portside Building, Cape Town's tallest building, this groovy cafe gives others a run for their money with their expertly made coffees…

  • Saint James

    Cape Town

    A strong contender for the hippest cafe in Obs, Saint James serves its own blend of java in all the various permutations in a cool design space that's…

  • Mischu

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    This bright, airy cafe has been serving up award-winning cappuccinos since 2012. As well as great coffee and freshly pressed juice, there's a Middle…

  • House of Machines

    Cape Town

    Combining a motorbike workshop with barbers, a boutique and a live music/DJ space, this is a homage to Americana, with tasty, inventive bourbon cocktails,…

  • Crew Bar

    Cape Town

    The best place to dance the night away – it helps that they have hunky bar dancers dressed only in skimpy shorts and glitter. Throw your hands in the air…

  • Power & the Glory/Black Ram

    Cape Town

    The coffee and food (pretzel hot dogs, crusty pies and other artisanal munchies) are good, but it’s the smoky, cosy bar that packs the trendsters in,…

    • placement: fullWidth
    • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
    • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
    • targeting:
      {
        "position": "superzone"
      }