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Cape Town

Restaurant Bar entertainment in Cape Town

  1. A

    Amadoda

    Attempting to pull off a township braai (barbecue) and shebeen atmosphere à la Mzoli’s, but not quite matching the real thing, is this slickly decorated venue tucked away down a side road beside the railway tracks. The juke box is stacked with African, jazz and house music tracks and the butchery will provide whatever kind of meat you’d like to have grilled with your beer or rum and coke. Worth checking out late on a weekend evening.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Asoka

    Pronounced ‘ashoka’, a Zen-mellow vibe pervades this Asian-groovy restaurant-bar with a tree growing in the middle of it. The jazz quintet the Restless Natives have become a regular feature of Tuesday nights (performances from 8pm), while on other nights DJs play suitably chilled sounds.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Brass Bell

    Take the tunnel beneath the train tracks to reach this Kalk Bay institution overlooking the fishing harbour. On a sunny day there are few places better to drink and eat (mains R50 to R80) by the sea. Both their Water’s Edge and Bikini Bar terraces are perched over the tidal pools.

    reviewed

  4. D

    Polana

    Providing an excellent reason to hang out in Kalk Bay rather than rush back to the city is this great looking bar, right over the rocks at the edge of Kalk Bay ­harbour. It serves Portuguese-style seafood – sardines, langoustines and lulas (baby calamari).

    reviewed

  5. E

    A Touch of Madness

    This long-running bar and restaurant, which dubs itself a ‘Victorian quaffery’, offers an eclectic art-house atmosphere, dressed up in purple with lace trimmings. Wannabe poets should check out the Monday-night open-mike poetry fests.

    reviewed

  6. F

    Roots

    Kick off your shoes and play in the sand at this laid-back reggae bar with its own mini-beach. They serve pizza and on Sunday it’s ‘bring and braai’ – a chance to barbecue grill your own meat, fish or whatnot free.

    reviewed

  7. G

    Shoga

    Head to this industrial-chic bar and brasserie above the restaurant Ginja to sample inventive cocktails and fancy food – it’s as good as the food served downstairs but not as pricey or difficult to get a table.

    reviewed

  8. H

    Buena Vista Social Café

    A nice mojito is mixed at this Cuban-themed bar and restaurant, which takes its inspiration from the famous CD. Book a seat on the airy balcony and come on Sunday if you want to salsa dance. There’s live music on Wednesday.

    reviewed

  9. I

    Rafiki’s

    This bar’s 35m-long, wrap-around balcony, with views out to Table Bay, continues to draws the crowds. It’s a super-relaxed, mainly white-faced place, and serves pizzas and half-kilo buckets of prawns and mussels.

    reviewed

  10. Blue Peter

    At this perennial favourite, around 15km north of the city centre, the deal is grab a beer, order a pizza and plonk yourself on the grass outside to enjoy the classic views of Table Mountain and Robben Island.

    reviewed

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  12. J

    Don Pedro’s

    This is a long-time favourite with white liberals for a boozy late-night out, and is now popular with the yuppies moving into the area.

    reviewed

  13. K

    Amadoda

    Attempting to pull off a township braai (barbecue) and shebeen atmosphere à la Mzoli’s, but not quite matching the real thing, is this slickly decorated venue tucked away down a side road beside the railway tracks. The juke box is stacked with African, jazz and house music tracks and the butchery will provide whatever kind of meat you’d like to have grilled with your beer or rum and coke. Worth checking out late on a weekend evening.

    reviewed

  14. L

    Don Pedro’s

    This is a long-time favourite with white liberals for a boozy late-night out, and is now popular with the yuppies moving into the area.

    reviewed