Guidebook for Cape Town
Food Scene
Non-pretentious, excellent fine-dining experience. Most ingredients are organic and all locally-sourced.
121 locals recommend
The Shortmarket Club
199 Oxford RoadNon-pretentious, excellent fine-dining experience. Most ingredients are organic and all locally-sourced.
Bootlegger Sea Point
39 Regent RdGreat coffee shop just up the road from Ostende.
Famous coffee shop in Cape Town CBD. Amazing coffee, great food and really awesome decor.
425 locals recommend
Truth Coffee Roasting
36 Buitenkant StFamous coffee shop in Cape Town CBD. Amazing coffee, great food and really awesome decor.
Planet Bar
8 Buiten StIncredible and well-priced vegan food.
The best pizza in Cape Town. Warm, homely atmosphere. Owned by Italians.
46 locals recommend
Ferdinando's Pizza
205 Lower Main RdThe best pizza in Cape Town. Warm, homely atmosphere. Owned by Italians.
Drinks & Nightlife
Bar/music venue located on the balcony of a backpackers called Once. Very trendy and young spot. Local and even international celebrities sometimes come to have drinks there. Dress to impress!
295 locals recommend
Yours Truly
73 Kloof StBar/music venue located on the balcony of a backpackers called Once. Very trendy and young spot. Local and even international celebrities sometimes come to have drinks there. Dress to impress!
Bar/nightclub. Very well integrated club, great for dancing to hip-hop, funk and groovy music. Open until 2am.
92 locals recommend
The Waiting Room
273 Long StBar/nightclub. Very well integrated club, great for dancing to hip-hop, funk and groovy music. Open until 2am.
Typical European-style nightclub. Mostly electronic music; techno and house. Sort of classy so come dressed well. Not very 'African'. Open till very late (4am?).
113 locals recommend
Era Night Club
71 Loop StreetTypical European-style nightclub. Mostly electronic music; techno and house. Sort of classy so come dressed well. Not very 'African'. Open till very late (4am?).
Awesome bar on Long Street that serves hundreds of both locally-brewed and imported beer. Also have ciders and other drinks for non beer drinkers. Music gets loud at night. They host comedy nights on Wednesdays and often have silent discos on Saturdays. Great place to start a night out.
198 locals recommend
BEERHOUSE on Long
223 Long StAwesome bar on Long Street that serves hundreds of both locally-brewed and imported beer. Also have ciders and other drinks for non beer drinkers. Music gets loud at night. They host comedy nights on Wednesdays and often have silent discos on Saturdays. Great place to start a night out.
Restaurant/bar. Very lively on Thursday-Sunday nights. Very well integrated, located in a bohemian suburb of Cape Town called Observatory. One of my favourite places to hang out. In-house Dj plays on Thursday nights.
30 locals recommend
Cafe Ganesh
38 Trill RdRestaurant/bar. Very lively on Thursday-Sunday nights. Very well integrated, located in a bohemian suburb of Cape Town called Observatory. One of my favourite places to hang out. In-house Dj plays on Thursday nights.
Van Hunks
1 Upper Union StTrendy atmosphere, loud music, open very late.
Parks & Nature
Hiking trails. Beautiful iconic beaches. Wild animals (no big predators). Incredible flower season during August/September.
324 locals recommend
West Coast National Park
Hiking trails. Beautiful iconic beaches. Wild animals (no big predators). Incredible flower season during August/September.
Lovely hiking trail within the huge Table Mountain National Park. Hike up to a dam where you can have a picnic. Not a very intense hike, more of a scenic stroll.
203 locals recommend
Silvermine Dam
Lovely hiking trail within the huge Table Mountain National Park. Hike up to a dam where you can have a picnic. Not a very intense hike, more of a scenic stroll.
Incredible beach within the native habitat of the African penguin. There is a free walking trail where you can see penguins and dassies, or you can pay to hang out on the beach and swim with penguins in the cold water. I would recommend going to the beach for a few hours on a hot day, bringing along a picnic and drinks. One of the few undamaged African penguin habitats around - tread lightly!
562 locals recommend
Boulders Beach
Kleintuin RoadIncredible beach within the native habitat of the African penguin. There is a free walking trail where you can see penguins and dassies, or you can pay to hang out on the beach and swim with penguins in the cold water. I would recommend going to the beach for a few hours on a hot day, bringing along a picnic and drinks. One of the few undamaged African penguin habitats around - tread lightly!
Quintessential Cape Town nature experience. I recommend hiking up and taking the cable car down - if you're an experienced hiker you could always hike up and down. Very important landmark, also biologically one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Must be pretty fit to do this hike.
1249 locals recommend
Table Mountain Hike
5821 Tafelberg RoadQuintessential Cape Town nature experience. I recommend hiking up and taking the cable car down - if you're an experienced hiker you could always hike up and down. Very important landmark, also biologically one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Must be pretty fit to do this hike.
Another quintessential Cape Town nature experience. Not as difficult as Table Mountain trails and definitely busier/more touristy. A must-do. Must be moderately fit.
725 locals recommend
Lion's Head Hike
Signal Hill RoadAnother quintessential Cape Town nature experience. Not as difficult as Table Mountain trails and definitely busier/more touristy. A must-do. Must be moderately fit.
Arts & Culture
Very important museum dedicated to educating the public about the oppressive Apartheid history of South Africa. A must see!
161 locals recommend
Iziko Slave Lodge
Wale StreetVery important museum dedicated to educating the public about the oppressive Apartheid history of South Africa. A must see!
The island where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail for fighting against the racist apartheid government. You can visit his actual jail cell. Another must-see!
395 locals recommend
Robben Island
The island where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail for fighting against the racist apartheid government. You can visit his actual jail cell. Another must-see!
Shopping
Food, drinks, arts and crafts, jewellery, live music, bar - everything.
379 locals recommend
Bay Harbour Market
31 Harbour RdFood, drinks, arts and crafts, jewellery, live music, bar - everything.
Huge shopping mall with all the well-known international brands. Also some local stores. Beautiful area as it is located along the ocean - not only a mall but there are lots of restaurants with epic views. Touristy and sometimes overpriced but worth it.
1951 locals recommend
V&A Waterfront
19 Dock RdHuge shopping mall with all the well-known international brands. Also some local stores. Beautiful area as it is located along the ocean - not only a mall but there are lots of restaurants with epic views. Touristy and sometimes overpriced but worth it.
This road has lots of small boutique-type stores. Similar to Lower Main Road in Observatory but slightly pricier and more upmarket. During the day it's popular for these shops as well as restaurants and bars. At night it turns into a vibrant party scene.
189 locals recommend
Kloof Street
Kloof StreetThis road has lots of small boutique-type stores. Similar to Lower Main Road in Observatory but slightly pricier and more upmarket. During the day it's popular for these shops as well as restaurants and bars. At night it turns into a vibrant party scene.
Essentials
Checkers Sea Point
Saint Andrews Road3 minute walk up the road from Ostende. Great selection.