Millions of tourists visit Cape Town every year and pore through thousands of brochures telling them the best things to see and do, but some of the best things to see and do are not in those brochures. Locals know their city and its secrets, so we asked Capetonians to tell us what they love doing in their city.
Here’s a local’s guide on things to do in Cape Town:
Learn to cook
Franck Dangereux from the Food Barn and Deli (tel 021-789-1390) in Noordhoek gives free demonstrations every Wednesday night. These are free with your dinner booking – watch him make it … then order it! Learn more about spices and how to blend them in order to create aromatic curries in your home at Masala Dosa (tel 021-424-6772) in Long Street. The class concludes with a delicious meal of the curry varieties prepared in the class. If Cape Malay cooking intrigues you, go on a Cape Malay Cooking Safari (tel 021-790-2592) where you will learn to make rotis, samoosas and chicken curry in a Bo Kaap resident’s home (Click here for four Cape Malay cooking courses in Cape Town).
“The Food Barn and Deli at Noordhoek Farm Village as one of the best restaurants in CT — The Food Barn’s chef (formerly of La Colombe) is a maestro, best food I’ve had in SA. He also gives cooking demos on Wed evening, included with dinner.” – Melissa Siebert, Cape Town
Listen to local musicians
Everyone knows about the summer concerts at Kirstenbosch, but the Old Cape Farmhouse (tel 021-780-1246) just outside of Scarborough is another great venue to catch live musicians on a balmy afternoon. For jazz lovers, the Cape Town Monday Night Jazz Jam at Swingers (tel 021-762-2443) in Wetton every Monday is worth a peek as you never know which popular jazz musician (local and abroad) you may see performing live here.
“One of Cape Town’s best kept secrets is the Cape Town Monday Night Jazz Jam in Wetton, Cape Town. It happens every Monday evening after 21:00 and the suprise of the evening is that you never know which popular jazz musician (local and abroad) you may see performing live here. It has been going for many years.” – Gregory Franz, Cape Town
Local brew, bru
Housed in what was formally a church and a house of ill-repute, &Union (tel 021-422-2770) is a popular and trendy bar in Bree Street serving hand-crafted German and Belgian beer. Get there early as it gets packed! Another good choice for craft beer is Power & the Glory (tel 021-422-2108) on Kloof Nek Road. They also serve delicious hot dogs and don’t forget to try a Pickle Back, their speciality shot. (Click here for more blogs on craft beer in Cape Town)
Start the day with breakfast
The Roundhouse Restaurant
Breakfasts at Rhodes Memorial Restaurant (tel 021-687-0000) start at R35 and the view is priceless. You can also take a walk up the mountain or walk down the stairs of Rhodes Memorial before or after your meal. The Roundhouse (tel 021-438-4347), above Camps Bay also has a great view, this time of the Twelve Apostles and Camps Bay. Eat your eggs and bacon watching the antics of the resident pigs and bantam chickens. (haa haaa – couldn’t resist that!). The best value has to be at Arnold’s (tel 021-424-4344) on Kloof St (Find out what the top five breakfast spots in Kloof Street are). The chef’s special costs R35 for eggs, fried potatoes, baked beans, sausage, bacon, toast, orange juice and a cappuccino!
Movies in a theatre and theatrics in a church
The Labia Theatre (tel 021-424-5927) in Orange Street is the oldest independent art-repertory cinema in the country and is full of old world charm. It is also the only cinema where you can buy beers and wine in addition to the usual popcorn-and-coca-cola movie fare. Originally a church, the Fugard Theatre (tel 021-461-4554) in District Six is an intimate theatre, complete with stained glass windows at the entrance and behind the stage. After catching a show or recital, get to the top of the building – the view is worth the climb up the stairs.
Dinner with a difference
While you’re getting your clothes clean at I Love My Laundry (cell 084-660-0777) you can enjoy a coffee or a glass of wine and tuck into their Korean-style Dim Sum. Join one of their ‘laundry parties’ for free wine tasting. Get stuck into a gigantic genuine home-made burger at the Dogs Bollocks (cell 083-440-7843) while enjoying the quirky ambiance of a garage down a side street. Get there early though, Nigel only makes 50 burgers a night and they sell out quick. (Click here for Cape Town’s nine best burger restaurants)
Catch a train
Take the train from Cape Town and enjoy the scenery as you wind your way through the southern suburbs and along the coast to Simon’s Town. It’s cheaper than driving and you won’t have the hassle of finding parking when you get there. Be sure to stop in at the Brass Bell (tel 021-788-5455) for a pint – you can literally step off the train and go through the door to the restaurant. Atlantic Rail (tel 021-556-1012) has a steam train that runs the same route every Sunday (read a blog about a trip on the Atlantic Rail train). You need to book well in advance for this vintage favourite.
Go for a walk
Take a step back in time to an era of sailors, seafarers and criminals on the Historical Walking Tour at the V&A Waterfront (find out 11 other awesome things to do at the V&A Waterfront here) (tel 021-408-7600) where historical artifacts that are often overlooked in the harbor are pointed out. If you are not claustrophobic do a Tunnel Tour (cell 082-482-4006) from Buitkenkant Street to the Castle of Good Hope using secret tunnels that run under the city (read a blog about doing an underground tunnel tour of Cape Town here).
