Cape Town

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The flat, five-kilometre seafront path that Cape Town actually lives on — and the single best reason to base yourself here.

An indoor market of food stalls, a bar and live music, open every day of the year. We lived nearby and ended up here constantly.

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A tiny, properly obsessive coffee spot inside the OSCS cycling clubhouse — and our daily stop whenever we stay in Sea Point.

Arguably the best bagels in Cape Town — New York-style, plus breakfasts, lunches and a proper deli counter.

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A modern, spacious third-wave coffee bar and kitchen in Sea Point. One of the better brunches on this stretch, and laptop-friendly.

The dependable one. Over a hundred branches nationwide, but they still take the coffee seriously — and this is where half of Sea Point's run clubs meet.

A relaxed café by day that grows a disco ball by night. Not our top pick for coffee, but the wifi was the fastest we found.

A Regent Road brunch spot saved on our map on a strong personal recommendation. We have not eaten here yet.

Saved on our map as a laptop-friendly coffee spot with good salads, up on Kloof Road.

Saved on our map for açaí bowls, on the Regent Road strip.

A neighbourhood deli saved on our map, tucked off the main road in upper Sea Point.

An all-day breakfast and bistro bar on Main Road, saved on our map and not yet tried.

Gelato on Regent Road, saved on our map for a walk along the promenade.

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One of the three best burgers we found in Cape Town. Smash patties, no bookings, and the coastal fitness crowd piling in afterwards.

A smart Italian on Regent Road that we walked past countless times before finally going in — and the pasta genuinely surprised us.

Athens by way of Sea Point. The food is good, but the atmosphere is the reason to book — instantly lively, and hard to leave.

A Sea Point fish spot recommended to us twice over — by our food tour guide and by our surf instructor. Still on our list.

A small falafel shop on Sea Point Main Road, saved on our map.

A guesthouse on Oliver Road saved on our map as an accommodation option. We have not stayed here.

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Indoor-outdoor, big open windows, high stools on the pavement. A good, easy place to catch up over a drink.

A long-standing seafront spot — a classic choice for afternoon cocktails in the sun or evening drinks overlooking the water.

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Our regular spot: a small sandy cove, huge granite boulders and one of the best tidal pools in Cape Town, with Lion's Head behind you.

A Regent Road boutique we saved for dresses and swimwear.

A homeware shop on Regent Road, saved on our map.

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Home of Burnt Run Club, the most visible running community in the city — a clubhouse with brunch and their apparel range.

Bike hire in Green Point — the most convenient option if you are basing yourself on the Atlantic Seaboard rather than in Hout Bay.

The godfather of Cape Town speciality coffee. Speak to anyone serious about coffee here and this is the name that comes up first.

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A contemporary clothing and concept store with a beautifully designed eatery inside it — and one of the best breakfasts in the city.

The polished, neighbourhood-feeling half of Espressolab: a bakery café doing science-led coffee, and ranked in the world's hundred best.

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Legendary cinnamon buns and smooth speciality coffee, in a bright, light-filled space with a courtyard. Laptop-friendly, if slow on wifi.

A Cape Town institution since 1989 — part Italian café, part deli. Where we would tell you to build a Kirstenbosch picnic.

A haven for pastry lovers on Green Point Main Road, with freshly baked treats lining the counter and plenty of seating.

A De Waterkant brunch spot saved on our map on a friend's recommendation. Still on the list.

A health-food café and juicery. We saved three of their branches without getting into any of them.

A coffee spot on Strand Street in De Waterkant, saved on our map.

A Korean barbecue restaurant and bar in the Cape Quarter, saved on our map.

The Green Point flagship of a South African clothing label, saved on our map.

Cape Town's most popular farmers' market — fresh produce, food stalls and a very stylish crowd. Lovely, but it gets busy.

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Fine dining at the Waterfront with elegant, creative plates and views straight across to Table Mountain and the harbour.

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It will not win awards for ambience — it is inside a mall — but the sushi and seafood platters are reliably good.

A lively indoor food hall in the Old Power Station. Smartly done, like the other Time Out markets, but very touristy.

A restaurant on the Pierhead at the Waterfront, saved on our map.

A rooftop bar in the Silo District, saved on our map on a friend's recommendation for sundowners.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, in the converted grain silo at the Waterfront. Saved on our map; we have not been in.

A craft and design market at the Waterfront. Some nice shops and stalls, though the whole area is heavily geared towards visitors.

Contemporary African fashion, homeware and gifts in the Alfred Mall. Saved on our map for the clothing labels it stocks.

A Victoria Road café we saved as a stop-off on the Clifton stretch, cycling or driving past.

The café arm of a local granola brand, with sites in Camps Bay and on Kloof Street. Saved on our map.

A branch of the South African coffee chain on the Camps Bay strip. We know it mainly as the Stoked Surf pick-up point.

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Part seafood restaurant, part fish market — there is no menu, you pick your catch from the counter and pay by weight. We went back twice.

A health-food chain that is genuinely useful when you want a proper meal without a proper meal. The steak salad is very good.

A restaurant on the Camps Bay promenade, saved on our map on a friend's recommendation.

Staggered lawns above Camps Bay, an Aperol Spritz and the sun going down over the Atlantic. The best relaxed sundowner spot we found.

The beachfront institution on the Camps Bay strip — laid back by day, a party at sunset on Sundays.

A Clifton terrace saved on our map as a possible sunset spot, on a friend's recommendation.

A long, wide stretch of sand with the Twelve Apostles behind it, bars and restaurants across the road, and a lovely tidal pool at the southern end.

Four small coves sheltered from the wind. Clifton 4th was our favourite — soft sand, calm water and a sociable but relaxed feel.

A small, scenic beach tucked between Clifton and Camps Bay, popular with surfers and with locals avoiding the bigger crowds.

A boutique on the Camps Bay promenade, saved on our map for its dresses and swimwear.

We did this on day two of a month-long trip and it shaped the rest of it. Six or seven stops, ten-plus dishes, and a proper walking tour of the city underneath.

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South Africa's oldest garden, and a genuinely calm, leafy sanctuary in the middle of the city — shaded walkways, fountains and very bold squirrels.

The city's culinary spine. Trendy restaurants, wine bars and independent coffee, and the street to be on during First Thursdays.

Bike hire in the city centre, and the easiest option if you are staying in town rather than on the coast.

Steampunk interiors, single-origin beans matched to your drink, and a reputation as one of the best coffee shops in the world. We love it.

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Small-batch handmade chocolate on Wale Street. Come for the fudge, stay for the iced chocolate — then find the gin bar out the back.

A stylish little Bree Street spot where our food tour started. The granola completely won us over, which we did not expect.

Mentioned by everyone we spoke to about coffee. Expertly brewed, in a bright, airy corner space with outdoor seating on Bree.

A bagel shop on Bree Street, saved on our map.

A Bree Street brunch spot saved on our map.

Coffee inside a church on Burg Street, saved on our map for exactly that reason.

A good-looking speciality café on Harrington Street that we walked past on the way to dinner at Galjoen. On our list for next time.

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One of our favourite dining experiences anywhere, not just in Cape Town. Thirty covers, no choices, and a kitchen you sit right on top of.

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Belly of the Beast's seafood sibling, named after South Africa's national fish. Just as good, and far easier to get a table.

A proper Bree Street restaurant rather than a burger joint — but the buttermilk fried chicken burger is one of the best things we ate in the city.

Modern Greek that has become very hard to book. Fresh meze, grilled plates and a room that genuinely feels like a rustic taverna.

A cosy room above Honest Chocolate on Wale Street doing a comforting bowl of noodles, with plenty of greens and lighter options too.

A rustic local spot on Long Street doing cheap, quick African food. Hearty and delicious, and nothing like the rest of the street.

We try to find a good Neapolitan pizza wherever we go. This one delivers — 72-hour slow-fermented dough, done properly.

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A proper braai in the middle of the city — chefs working over open flames, and the whole room smelling of it.

Japanese technique and South African ingredients in a sleek city-centre room. Ranked among the World's 50 Best, and one of the hottest tables in town.

A long-standing Portuguese restaurant near the Castle of Good Hope, known for generous portions, peri-peri chicken and prawns.

A Shortmarket Street bistro with a rooftop, recommended to us by our food tour guide and saved on our map.

An Italian on Barrack Street, saved on our map on a personal recommendation.

A focaccia counter on Loop Street, saved on our map.

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Japanese-inspired cocktails and small plates on Loop Street. It comes alive after dark, when the candlelight flickers and the drinks flow.

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Walk through Honest Chocolate, keep going, and you come out in a fairy-lit Mediterranean courtyard that used to be a morgue.

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A chic rooftop on Shortmarket Street with Table Mountain straight ahead. African twists on classic cocktails, and live-fire cooking.

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European aperitivo culture done properly on Bree Street — spritzes, bitters and small plates, with moody lighting and mellow music.

A speakeasy run by the owners of Truth. First you have to find it, and then — we are told — you have to argue your way past the doorman.

A rooftop bar on Longmarket Street with two restaurants below it, saved on our map as a good rooftop.

An old-fashioned local bar on Shortmarket Street with live music, saved on our map.

A bar on Buitengracht saved on our map for its jazz and its wrap-around balcony.

A moving museum documenting the forced removals of the apartheid era, and an important piece of Cape Town's recent history.

A chocolate shop on Buitenkant Street, directly across the road from Truth. An ideal follow-on to a coffee there.

A Rose Street coffee bar saved on our map on a personal recommendation.

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Not a restaurant — Faeeza's actual home kitchen in Bo-Kaap, serving real Cape Malay cooking with a warmth that makes the whole thing.

A long-running traditional African restaurant on Rose Street, saved on our map.

A guesthouse in the heart of Bo-Kaap with colourful interiors that match the street outside. We have not stayed, but it is the one we would look at here.

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The brightly painted houses everyone photographs — and a proud, close-knit community with a much deeper story than the colours suggest.

A spice shop that has served the Bo-Kaap community since 1946. Stepping inside feels like entering an old-world apothecary.

The more laid-back half of the city's eating and drinking heart — a neighbourhood strip of coffee shops, small restaurants and cocktail bars.

A restored precinct of shops, bars and cafés off Park Road, saved on our map as one of the First Thursdays clusters.

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A green oasis on Kloof Street — homely food, good coffee and a leafy, vintage-styled setting that makes it easy to stay a while.

The Kloof Street site of the local granola brand, saved on our map.

A bakery on Hope Street, saved on our map — our note records it as being run by the Truth Coffee founder.

A Tashas-group café on Park Road in Gardens, saved on our map.

A small café in Tamboerskloof, saved on our map.

Smash burgers made with Wagyu from their own farm, in a no-frills counter-service room on Kloof Street. Voted the best burger in South Africa in 2024.

An Indian-inspired shared tasting menu from the Chef's Warehouse team. Walk-ins only, and you will be taking leftovers home.

Traditional Thai in the Kloof Street dining district, saved on our map on a personal recommendation.

An Oranjezicht restaurant recommended to us by our surf coach and saved on our map.

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A Victorian house turned dark, glamorous cocktail bar — velvet chairs, candlelight, and a lush garden out the back. A Cape Town classic.

A buzzy, laid-back bar with a young crowd. Great for a beer before a night out — and it is right next door to Zuney.

The iconic pink hotel in Gardens. Worth walking past even if you do nothing else — or stop for a cocktail or their famous afternoon tea.

A casual picnic-table set-up for early evening drinks and late-night snacks. Our map note says Sunday is the night for a big one.

A cocktail bar on Kloof Street, saved on our map.

Cape Town's oldest independent cinema, on Orange Street. Saved on our map and still on the list.

Independent shops, studios and the Neighbourgoods Market — our favourite market in Cape Town, and the best few hours in Woodstock.

One of Cape Town's oldest suburbs, turned creative enclave. Street art, markets, galleries and some of the city's best restaurants.

A Woodstock roastery founded by a three-time South African Barista Champion. Some of the most thoughtful coffee in the city.

The roastery half of Espressolab, on the Old Biscuit Mill site — the one to visit if you want to see the operation up close.

An Observatory café saved on our map for its coffee awards. We never made it across.

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If we had to pick one favourite meal in Cape Town, this is it. Small plates, panoramic views from the top of the Old Biscuit Mill, and cocktails to match.

A furniture and homeware studio at the Old Biscuit Mill, saved on our map for the tables.

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The best views in Cape Town — better than Table Mountain, in our opinion — for a hike you can do before breakfast.

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One of the New 7 Wonders of Nature and the backdrop to everything you do here. Hike up Skeleton Gorge and take the cable car down.

One of the best panoramic views in Cape Town, and the classic place to watch the sun drop into the Atlantic. You can drive right up.

The most direct route up Table Mountain: 2.5km, 680m of gain, and essentially a steep staircase. Busy, exposed, and impossible to get lost on.

A short, steep trail up to a well-known viewpoint on the Table Mountain contour path. Saved on our map; we did not get to it.

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One of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world, on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain — and in summer, the city's best outdoor venue.

Often called the most beautiful cricket ground in the world, with Table Mountain behind it. Worth an evening even if you do not follow cricket.

A shaded forest on the lower eastern slopes of Table Mountain, and the alternative way onto the Skeleton Gorge trail.

A well-known trail up from the Constantia side of the mountain, saved on our map.

Solid coffee and an enormous bakery counter, with bike racks outside. The perfect mid-ride refuel on the Constantia side of the mountain.

A Kenilworth roastery that came up repeatedly in conversations with people in the coffee scene. Top of our list for next time.

A Wynberg café saved on our map on a personal recommendation.

A café on Durban Road in Wynberg, saved on our map.

A deli in Old Constantia Village, saved on our map.

Arguably the most famous restaurant in Cape Town, high above Constantia. Theatrical, precise, French-Asian, and booked months ahead.

A restaurant at the Buitenverwachting wine estate, saved on our map on a recommendation for its vineyard picnics.

A sushi spot on Spaanschemat River Road in Constantia, saved on our map.

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A Langa butcher with a braai out the back. You choose your meat at the counter and they grill it for you to eat at their tables.

A neighbourhood our Langa guide pointed us to for good Cape Malay food. Saved on our map on that recommendation; we did not get there.

A Gugulethu braai spot saved on our map after seeing it on Somebody Feed Phil. Still on the list.

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Cape Town's oldest township, established in 1927 — and our favourite food experience of the whole trip. Go with a local, not on your own.

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A buzzing hub of artists and makers in Langa — pottery, hand-stitched African prints, beadwork and a community hall next door.

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Chappies. One of the most breathtaking coastal roads anywhere — cliffs on one side, open ocean on the other, from Hout Bay round to Noordhoek.

Where we hired the bikes for the Chapman's Peak ride. Good road bikes, helmets, puncture kit and multi-tools included.

A lively weekend market in an old fish factory — crafts, clothes, art and live music. Light on food, but Fish on the Rocks is nearby.

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Our all-time favourite bakery in Cape Town. Naturally leavened pastries, very good coffee, and a courtyard full of cyclists. We went back repeatedly.

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A minimalist coffee set-up overlooking Hout Bay beach, with a deck above — and every cup funds youth and ocean work in coastal communities.

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The place to try snoek and chips. No frills, right by the harbour, generous portions and a queue that moves fast.

A beachfront restaurant with a sandy floor, open since 1999. Ideal for sundowners over the bay — we had the sushi and chilli poppers.

Coastal fine dining at the water's edge below Chapman's Peak. Heavily recommended to us, and the one table we most regret not getting.

A fresh fish market on Hout Bay harbour, saved on our map.

A stunning, secluded beach south of the city, ringed by boulders and cliffs. Perfect for a quiet afternoon, and a known surf spot.

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A former fishing village on the False Bay coast, now full of independent shops, galleries and very good seafood — and still completely laid-back.

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A no-frills local gem in an old fish-and-bait shop, with a chalkboard menu that changes daily. We were told they do the best mussels in Cape Town — they do.

The Kalk Bay branch of the chocolate café we loved in the city centre. We only made it to the city one.

Coffee, bagels, a roastery and a gallery in Kalk Bay. A good quick refuel option if you are riding through.

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The standout in Kalk Bay for us — generous snoek and chips and perfectly grilled prawns, eaten in a working harbour. Expect a queue.

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Perched above the water in Kalk Bay — a bit more refined than the harbour shacks, without losing the easy-going charm. Great breakfasts and small plates.

Right on the harbour. It gave us very "tourist trap" vibes when we walked in, and then completely surprised us.

A local favourite right on the seafront with a tidal pool immediately outside it. Recommended to us more than once; we never got in.

A seafood restaurant on the Kalk Bay harbour wall, saved on our map on a friend's recommendation.

A well-known local tidal pool on the Kalk Bay side of the False Bay coast, saved on our map on a local recommendation.

An independent bookshop on Kalk Bay Main Road, saved on our map for its sofas to read on.

A clothing shop on Kalk Bay Main Road, saved on our map on a recommendation.

A linen clothing shop in Kalk Bay's Village Square, saved on our map.

The mountain road over from the Southern Suburbs to the peninsula, saved on our map for its views over False Bay.

On our list for next time. The prawns are meant to be incredible — a local recommendation we did not manage to act on.

A restaurant on the Glencairn seafront with outdoor seating over the water. We drove past and saved it; we have not eaten here.

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The colourful beach huts, and the best place in Cape Town to learn to surf. Gentle, consistent, shallow — and warmer than the Atlantic side.

The dramatic southern tip of the peninsula, where the cliffs meet the ocean. Watch for baboons and ostriches on the way down.

The protected reserve covering the southern end of the peninsula — the Cape of Good Hope, the lighthouses and Dias Beach sit inside it.

A naval town on the False Bay coast, and the last proper stop before Cape Point. Saved on our map as part of the peninsula drive.

A cluster of shops and cafés at the Noordhoek end of Chapman's Peak, saved on our map as a cycle-friendly stop.

A coffee stop at the Noordhoek Garden Emporium, saved on our map as somewhere to pull in on a ride.

A wine estate above Noordhoek, saved on our map. Close enough to the city to be an easy afternoon.

Yes, there are penguins in South Africa — and you can swim in a sheltered bay while African penguins waddle past you.

A dramatic beach below the cliffs inside the Cape Point reserve, reached by a long wooden staircase. Saved on our map.

A vast, peaceful stretch of sand at the end of Chapman's Peak Drive — better for long walks and photographs than for swimming.

A burger bar in Bloubergstrand, saved on our map while we were working through the city's burger scene.

North of the city, and the source of the postcard view of Table Mountain across the bay. A favourite with kite surfers.

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The most important thing you can do in Cape Town. A former maximum-security prison, guided by men who were held in it.

Open-air film screenings that move around the city, including Kirstenbosch and Central Park in Century City.