Guidebook for Cape Town
Food Scene
Walking distance from our house, with a lovely garden area and the best breakfast in Cape Town. Love the coffee too. Be warned: there are queues after 9:30am, so best to get there early. There's also no signage - just look out for the green hedge and the car guard.
86 locals recommend
Starlings
94 Belvedere RdWalking distance from our house, with a lovely garden area and the best breakfast in Cape Town. Love the coffee too. Be warned: there are queues after 9:30am, so best to get there early. There's also no signage - just look out for the green hedge and the car guard.
Great take-out pizza with surprisingly good salads too. With The Eatery and Vida e Caffe, it's one of three interlinked restaurants at Belvedere Square in walking distance from our house, which share a great kids play area.
7 locals recommend
Col'Cacchio - Belvedere Square
Shop 20 Belvedere RdGreat take-out pizza with surprisingly good salads too. With The Eatery and Vida e Caffe, it's one of three interlinked restaurants at Belvedere Square in walking distance from our house, which share a great kids play area.
Lovely breakfast spot surrounded by giant birds nests for kids to climb in, squirrels to feed, and pigeons who will sit on your arm if you want them to. After breakfast, go for a walk through the gardens and visit the National Gallery, the Museum or the Planetarium. It's a 15m drive from our house.
602 locals recommend
Company's Gardens
Lovely breakfast spot surrounded by giant birds nests for kids to climb in, squirrels to feed, and pigeons who will sit on your arm if you want them to. After breakfast, go for a walk through the gardens and visit the National Gallery, the Museum or the Planetarium. It's a 15m drive from our house.
Gorgeous setting above Camps Bay, with sea views and lawns for the kids to run around on. Service can be a bit slow but the setting makes up for it. Afterwards, head down to Clifton or Llandudno, two of our favourite beaches.
153 locals recommend
The Lawns at the Roundhouse
Round House RoadGorgeous setting above Camps Bay, with sea views and lawns for the kids to run around on. Service can be a bit slow but the setting makes up for it. Afterwards, head down to Clifton or Llandudno, two of our favourite beaches.
We normally have low expectations for restaurants inside shopping centres, but this is the best sushi in Cape Town. They're famous for their five by five sushi and halva ice-cream. Afterwards, go explore the V&A Waterfront and its markets. It's a 15m drive from our house.
289 locals recommend
Willoughby & Co
19 Dock RdWe normally have low expectations for restaurants inside shopping centres, but this is the best sushi in Cape Town. They're famous for their five by five sushi and halva ice-cream. Afterwards, go explore the V&A Waterfront and its markets. It's a 15m drive from our house.
Luke Dale-Roberts' The Test Kitchen is among the top 25 restaurants in the world. This is its more affordable sister restaurant, also at The Biscuit Mill, which serves divine tapas, is slightly easier to get a table at, and has better views. It's good for dinner, but might be better for lunch to full appreciate the view. It's a 15m drive.
312 locals recommend
The Pot Luck Club
373-375 Albert RdLuke Dale-Roberts' The Test Kitchen is among the top 25 restaurants in the world. This is its more affordable sister restaurant, also at The Biscuit Mill, which serves divine tapas, is slightly easier to get a table at, and has better views. It's good for dinner, but might be better for lunch to full appreciate the view. It's a 15m drive.
A steampunk coffee shop that's been voted the best in the world. Worth going for both the setting and the coffee. Afterwards, take a walk up Buitenkant Street to The Book Lounge, Cape Town's top independent bookshop, where all the book launches happen. There's also a great discount wine shop, Get Wine, one road down. It's a 15m drive from our house.
425 locals recommend
Truth Coffee Roasting
36 Buitenkant StA steampunk coffee shop that's been voted the best in the world. Worth going for both the setting and the coffee. Afterwards, take a walk up Buitenkant Street to The Book Lounge, Cape Town's top independent bookshop, where all the book launches happen. There's also a great discount wine shop, Get Wine, one road down. It's a 15m drive from our house.
Quirky restaurant with great food and a good wine-list, with a lovely garden area. There's also a bar area if you just want to come for drinks.
408 locals recommend
Kloof Street House
30 Kloof StQuirky restaurant with great food and a good wine-list, with a lovely garden area. There's also a bar area if you just want to come for drinks.
Parks & Nature
A mixture of sports fields, park and kids play areas 10m walk from our house, with panoramic views of Table Mountain and lots of families out walking their dogs.
20 locals recommend
Keurboom Park
Squirrels WayA mixture of sports fields, park and kids play areas 10m walk from our house, with panoramic views of Table Mountain and lots of families out walking their dogs.
Love this mountainside forest; it's ideal for forgetting you're in a city. There's always a steady stream of people walking their dogs, so it's a very safe walk. 15m drive from our house.
201 locals recommend
Newlands Forest
Love this mountainside forest; it's ideal for forgetting you're in a city. There's always a steady stream of people walking their dogs, so it's a very safe walk. 15m drive from our house.
The most beautiful garden in Africa, on the slopes of Table Mountain, with a mixture of local flowers and fynobs, pristine lawns, secret river hideaways, trees to climb, a wishing well and a treetop canopy walkway. Try go to one of the sunset concerts or carols by candelight too. Skip the restaurants though.
1765 locals recommend
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Rhodes DriveThe most beautiful garden in Africa, on the slopes of Table Mountain, with a mixture of local flowers and fynobs, pristine lawns, secret river hideaways, trees to climb, a wishing well and a treetop canopy walkway. Try go to one of the sunset concerts or carols by candelight too. Skip the restaurants though.
Drinks & Nightlife
Bree Street has overtaken Long Street or Kloof Street as the hippest street in Cape Town. This is a stylish Peruvian restaurant and bar, worth visiting for the stunning mural by famous South African artist Faith47 and the pisco sours.
80 locals recommend
Charango Barbacoa
114 Bree StBree Street has overtaken Long Street or Kloof Street as the hippest street in Cape Town. This is a stylish Peruvian restaurant and bar, worth visiting for the stunning mural by famous South African artist Faith47 and the pisco sours.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens hosts Sunset Concerts during summer. The amphitheatre, on the banks of Table Mountain, must be one of the most beautiful concert venues in the world. Book in advance and pack a picnic and some wine.
34 locals recommend
Kirstenbosch Gardens Concert Stage
Rhodes DriveKirstenbosch Botanical Gardens hosts Sunset Concerts during summer. The amphitheatre, on the banks of Table Mountain, must be one of the most beautiful concert venues in the world. Book in advance and pack a picnic and some wine.
Alexander Bar, Café & Theatre
76 Strand StQuirky bar, with a tiny theatre upstairs.
Craft beer is big in Cape Town, and The Taproom at Devils Peak Brewery is a great place to start. On Tuesdays, they have a burger and craft beer special for R55, which is probably the best deal you're going to get in Cape Town. They also have an ongoing craft beer tasting menu.
8 locals recommend
Devils Peak Brewing Company
Craft beer is big in Cape Town, and The Taproom at Devils Peak Brewery is a great place to start. On Tuesdays, they have a burger and craft beer special for R55, which is probably the best deal you're going to get in Cape Town. They also have an ongoing craft beer tasting menu.
Shopping
Great upmarket grocery store, five minutes walk from our house. It's just the right size to have everything you need, within taking ages.
18 locals recommend
Woolworths Belvedere Road
Great upmarket grocery store, five minutes walk from our house. It's just the right size to have everything you need, within taking ages.
Upmarket shopping centre with cinema complex, 10m drive from our house.
387 locals recommend
Cavendish Square
1 Dreyer StUpmarket shopping centre with cinema complex, 10m drive from our house.
Bargain hunters paradise, 5m drive from our house. Large selection of factory shops offering just about anything you could need.
11 locals recommend
Forever New
81 Chichester RoadBargain hunters paradise, 5m drive from our house. Large selection of factory shops offering just about anything you could need.