Trip: July 2017
Below is our Top 5 Things To Do in Cape Town, part of the Just Carrying On – Top 5 Things To Do series. These lists are favorite activities, eats, and drinks from our travels around the world—in no particular order.
We visited Cape Town for 10 days in July 2017, splitting our lodgings between the neighborhoods of Sea Point, Victoria Junction and the wine country of Stellenbosch. Cape Town and the surrounding wine country and national parks were visually breathtaking. It is hard for us to separate our time in Cape Town from being scammed at an ATM, which undoubtedly affected the lens through which we saw the city, but we still enjoyed ourselves.
And we definitely think you should do what every blog will tell you, hike up Table Mountain and Lion’s Rock. They are fantastic experiences. We also think you should visit wine country which we wrote about here, and of course take a trip down south to visit the penguins, the picturesque town of Muizenberg, and the gorgeous Cape Point.
1. Eastern Food Bazar
The Food Bazar was like an international food course, with the star cuisines showcasing delicious Indian daals with buttery naan, Chinese noodles and rice dishes, and the longest line award going to the always popular shawarma/falafel joint located near the street. After gazing at the large menus printed up above, order your food at a central cashier then take your ticket to the appropriate line and wait to hand it over to the chefs, who will then prepare your food. You can sit inside the space or take your food away. It is the most affordable and delicious way to end up with a full belly in Cape Town.
2. Cape Town Free Walking Tours
Most people know about the ‘history’ of apartheid, at least vaguely. It doesn’t take long to be in Cape Town and to realize that while apartheid has formally ended, there are many economic and racial disparities that very much remain. We took the apartheid tour (there are several) with Manny, a man from South Africa who identified as mixed-race, and he shared with us his assessment of the history and present state of Cape Town and South Africa.
The company is called Cape Town Free Walking Tours and tours are based entirely on tips.The tour was informative, personal, and provided some insight into such a beautiful and complicated country. While it is always good to know the history of a place you are traveling, it felt more important than usual in South Africa and we thought the walking tour was the perfect way to dip our toes into the history.
3. The Power and the Glory
You should visit this super hip cafe for three reasons: 1) The coffee and food were great. 2) The decor is charming, especially if you love plants. 3) It is the perfect excuse to visit the neighborhood of Kloof Nek, which is filled with lots of other hip spots, happy hours, and is conveniently located along the number 107 bus line that will also deliver you to Lion’s Rock or Table Mountain.
4. Osteria Tarantio
We found this place on Trip Advisor and it was near our hotel so we walked by when they opened and they told us they were completely full for the evening (a Tuesday). We were disappointed and walked away as they continued setting up, but then decided to walk back. “What about tomorrow?” We were so excited to confirm our reservation, connect with the charming owner and waiter, and eagerly awaited our Wednesday return.
The food was excellent, really quality Italian. The space is small, well decorated, and with the attention to detail that comes from people who really value their work. Afterwards we went nearby to the Piano Bar to listen to jazz and sip some wine. A delightful night.
5. The Old Biscuit Mill
I must confess I’m a sucker for a market, both the local vegetable kind all the way up to the bourgeois hipster kind, of which this is the sort. We had a delicious plate of oysters with champagne for brunch, case in point. There was an overwhelming amount of really good looking food in the two main rooms, everything from paella to Korean to French pastries and locally roasted coffee. We also visited a brewery in the neighborhood and enjoyed a pizza later that afternoon at Burrata, nearby the market. A really fun day of eating indulgence.
Honorable mentions
EL Burro Taquería: The restaurant wasn’t that busy but we were craving Mexican food and so popped in. We were delighted by the delicious vegetarian options, tasty margaritas, and charming decor. It wasn’t cheap, nor expensive but was definitely worth it.
Origin Coffee Roasting: We indulged in ‘third-wave’ coffee quite a bit in Cape Town and this was our favorite. With a few locations and a hip young working professionals vibe, it worked. Our only disappointment was it was the last coffee place we tried before leaving Cape Town and heading to Ghana.
MAX Bagels: MAX Bagels almost made it into the Top 5 because we really, really love bagels and these were the first we ate after a year of living in Tanzania. If you go here, you will enjoy a dam good bagel. We went twice.
Top 5 Things To Do in Cape Town, South Africa is part of Just Carrying On – Top 5 Things To Do series, which offers our best travel recommendations from around the world.