Johannesburg
A superlative addition to Jozi's inner city, Mad Giant offers excellent craft beers (brewed on-site) paired with delectable Asian-inspired tapas dishes at…
Must-see nightlife in Southern Africa
Johannesburg
Mooteebar – a play on the Zulu word muthi – serves upscale cocktails inspired by South African traditional medicine. The hand-drawn menu describes the…
Cape Town
This self-described ‘steampunk roastery and coffee bar’, with pressed-tin ceilings, naked hanging bulbs and mad-inventor-style metalwork, is an awe…
Free State
A craft brewery in the picturesque outskirts of Parys offering excellent brews, a lovely setting and free, informal tours. The brewmaster brings in top…
Cape Town
Named after the nearby lane, the mixologists here prepare some tempting artisanal libations with curious names including Knicker-Dropper Glory, Dollymop…
Lusaka
A favourite watering hole for many locals, expats and tourists (and basically anyone who likes a drink) is this tropical dive bar, set in an open-air…
Cape Town
Geek out about coffee at this lab staffed with passionate roasters and baristas. Their beans, which come from single farms, estates and co-ops from around…
Green Point & Waterfront
Over 480 varieties of whisky are served at the Grace’s sophisticated, nautical-themed bar, with a few slugs of the 50-year-old Glenfiddich still available…
Cape Town
The magnificent pink, lemon, burgundy and teal lounge at the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel specialises in martinis such as the sweet and spicy white-chocolate…
Drakensberg Escarpment
This whisky bar, one of the southern hemisphere's best stocked, offers over 30 themed tastings and pairings (R165 to R865) of its 1400 world whiskies,…
Pretoria
Pretoria's premier beer hangout is a huge place whose long tables, both inside the barn-like bar and out in the garden, are perpetually packed. The focus…
Johannesburg
Fun and friendly Great Dane is one of the mainstays of the ever-changing Braamfontein bar strip. The music is very danceable and staff make you feel like…
Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula
There's a panoramic view of Muizenberg Beach through the floor-to-ceiling window of this hangar-like bar and restaurant. It's open all day for food (good…
Limpopo
This mobile coffee tuk-tuk is the brainchild of master barista and all-round-coffee-guru Ben Schempers. Keep an eye on Facebook on weekdays then track it…
Cape Town
Real beer lovers rejoice – this convivial Caribbean restaurant and bar is like manna from heaven, with over 30 beers on draught (including Banana Jam's…
Sea Point to Hout Bay
With a dress-circle view over the Atlantic, the Twelve Apostles Hotel's bar is an ideal spot to escape the hoi polloi of nearby Camps Bay for a classy…
Cape Town
A charmingly decorated, relaxing place in which to sample organic and sustainable artisanal teas, fruity and herbal brews, and vegan baked treats. At…
Windhoek
True to its moniker, Joe’s stocks a wide assortment of Namibian and German beers, and you can count on prolonged drinking here until early in the morning…
Boiler Room @ The Warehouse Theatre
Windhoek
From after-work drinks to live music and a crowd that likes to dance, the Boiler Room at the Warehouse is one of the coolest and most versatile places in…
Johannesburg
This plant-packed oasis offers great city views of Jo'burg. Enjoy cold beers, cocktails and bar snacks as you watch the city go by at this rooftop jungle…
Cape Town
With 99 brands of bottled beer, both local and international, and several more brews on tap, this brightly designed and spacious joint in the heart of…
Cape Town
This long-running bar and restaurant has new management but still offers an eclectic art-house atmosphere and a varied menu of global favourites. There's…
Cape Town
Some 16 craft beer brewers get to showcase their efforts at this co-op bar. You could have a very entertaining time working your way through their various…
Victoria Falls (town)
The Terrace at the stately Victoria Falls Hotel just brims with English colonial ambience. High tea is served to a postcard-perfect backdrop of the…
Durban
This warehouse-like space alongside the train tracks is in a complex of arty enterprises that is set to gentrify this formerly downtrodden district. Beers…
Cape Town
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, Honest Chocolate launched this homage to fine dark chocolate in liquid, solid, ice-cream and cake form. It's…
Sea Point to Hout Bay
This Euro-chic restaurant and lounge bar is a great place for a long lunch, languorous-afternoon craft beers or sunset mojitos and martinis, overlooked by…
Green Point & Waterfront
Sporting an industrial-chic look with a cosy library corner inside and sheltered, spacious front courtyard outside, this is one of the area's most…
West Coast & Swartland
An absolute must for tea enthusiasts. There are more than 100 blends and flavours of rooibos available. The tea tasting (R70) is highly recommended –…
Drakensberg Escarpment
Occupying a 1921 trading post, this microbrewery has a bar-restaurant in its pleasant modern interior. Grab a taster platter of the full range of seven…
Cape Town
Afternoon tea in the lounge or (in good weather) the gardens of the 'Nellie' is pure pleasure. There are two sessions daily, where a piano player provides…
Pretoria
This places oozes hipster chic, with its minimalist decor, craft-beer taps, and cuts of steak you've maybe never heard of. However, it's the gin menu –…
Johannesburg
This slickly designed members' club and co-working space in Rosebank's most trendy location throws open its doors each day at 4pm to anyone who would like…
Sea Point to Hout Bay
You can hardly get closer to the beach than this – in fact, the front courtyard is the beach. Up on the terrace or from inside the restaurant-bar, you'll…
Cape Town
The motto here is 'wine first, food second', so while there is a short menu, it's the range of 200-plus different wines from across the Western Cape that…
Port Elizabeth
At this excellent wine bar and boutique, you can sample the output of Stellenbosch and beyond (tastings and wine by the glass start at R36), with craft…
Cape Town
This place is hopping from early morning to late at night. Travellers mingle with hipster locals, who come for the excellent coffee, craft beer, gourmet…
Cape Town
Sample the small-batch premium gins of this company here. Buchu (a local type of fynbos), citrus and lavender flavours feature in the 'wine-base' gin; the…
Stellenbosch
This place has a dozen local craft beers on tap and plenty more in bottles. There's also a decent wine list and a great selection of spirits. If you can't…
Cape Town
'Forries' has been around for well over 150 years. The English-style pub offers a convivial atmosphere in which to enjoy a dozen draught beers (mostly…
