Text: Chris Davies. Photo: Cameron Ewart-Smith. Article from the December 2013 issue of Getaway Magazine.
Cape Town summers can be fickle things. Just when you think it’s safe to go out in flops and t-shirt, another front glances off the peninsula and we’re back to the wind and rain for another few days.
An old friend of mine used to say that Cape Town only ever gets 10 perfect days a year: 28-32 degrees, light to zero wind, and those wonderful warm evenings that linger long after the sun’s gone down.
He may be right, he may be wrong, but when those perfect days do come along they’re not to be wasted. There are plenty of ways to spend them – propping up a bar is just one – but if a bar beckons then let it be an outdoors bar, or at least something inside with a lekker sunset view.
With that in mind I’ve put together some of my favourites. Cape Town has plenty of candidates and I don’t claim this as the exhaustive list, but if you’re looking for some outdoor pub/bar/bistro inspiration, here’s a good place to start.
Central Cape Town
Jackal & Hide
Address: 108 Kloof Street, Cape Town
Tel: 021 424 1020
Why? It’s got a great deck, that’s why. Beer on tap, cocktails, happy hour specials, good food, and a stunning view of Table Mountain. Things can get pretty hectic as the night goes on, especially with live music on Thursday and house DJ’s on Friday, but it’s much more chilled in the late afternoon / early evening. A great place for a few after work drinks. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday though, so be aware.
Sunroof Terrace at Park Inn
Address: Radisson Cape Town Foreshore, 29 Heerengracht Street, Cape Town
Tel: 021 427 4800
Why? It’s a bit more restaurant than bar, but it’s one of the few spots in the CBD that gets you up 11 floors and places a cold drink in your hand. Happy hour is from 17:00 to 18:00 daily with ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ on beers and cocktails. The bar starts serving at 12:00 and closes at 22:00 and is open to the general public. You don’t have to get a room.
The Grand Daddy Hotel Sky Bar
Address: 38 Long Street, Cape Town
Tel: 021 424 7247
Why? The vintage Airstream trailers set the scene. There are seven of them dotted along the roof of the hotel (They’re rooms. Book them overnight if you like). The bar doesn’t open late (12:00 to 21:00, Monday to Saturday in summer) which is no doubt a blessing for the guests in the trailers, but if you’re looking for a quiet, early evening venue this is a great option. If it’s wet or windy out, steer clear.
The Waiting Room
Address: 273 Long Street, Cape Town
Tel: 021 422 4536
Why? Enter from Long Street and keep climbing the stairs right up to the top. At the top bar, cut through to the back and keep climbing. At the very top you’ll find some simple tables and benches on a narrow terrace overlooking Long Street. The Waiting Room closes late and it’s a great spot to take time out for a chat and a chill while the chaos unfolds below.
Green Point & Sea Point
Harveys at Winchester Mansions
Address: 221 Beach Rd, Cape Town
Tel: 021 434 2351
Why? Great snacks and a great view. From its elevated position, you can see right across Beach Road and catch the sparkle of the Atlantic beyond. Actually it’s all about the snacks for me. I can’t get enough of those spicy corn kernel things. They just make the beer go down that much better. And quicker, which is of course the idea. The bar is open late so no need to rush once the sun goes down. Ladies night on Wednesday means one free cocktail for all women arriving between 18:00 and 19:00. Gents, you’re excluded from this. Feel outraged.
La Vie
Address: 205 Beach Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Tel: 087 808 2456
Why? Another great location for sundowners, plus there’s pretty good pizza if you get hungry. It’s just a really relaxed place to watch the world go by. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for specials and latest beers on tap. Monday is currently a good night to go – any two (non-seafood) pizzas for R99.
The Sunset Deck at the Three Cities Peninsula Hotel
Address: 313 Beach Road, Sea Point Cape Town
Tel: 021 430 7777
Why? Another Atlantic Seaboard venue with elevated views across the promenade, a sophisticated ambiance and more than just ‘chips and dips’ on the menu if you start to feel hungry. If the weather is good you’ll find the deck open from 11:00 to 21:00 with happy hour on cocktails (2 for the price of 1) between 18:00 and 19:00.
The Grand Café and Beach
Address: Granger Bay Road, Granger Bay, Cape Town
Tel: 021 425 0551
Why? A big, rustically converted warehouse opens up onto a sandy, private beach that runs right down to the water. With sand between your toes this is one of Cape Town’s trendier places for afternoon drinks. The bar opens at 12:00 daily and stays open til late. No happy hour, but advance booking is possible – a good idea on those few perfect days.
Tobago’s Bar & Terrace at the Radisson Blu
Address: Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, Beach Road, Granger Bay, Cape Town
Tel: 021 441 3000
Why? The wide, umbrella-covered deck is just metres from the sea, with uninterrupted views north across Table Bay. The bar and restaurant is open seven days a week and food is served from 12:30 to 15:30 and again from 18:30 to 22:00. No happy hour or regular drinks specials unfortunately, but it hardly matters with views like that.
Hout Bay
Chapmans Peak Hotel
Address: Bottom of Chapmans Peak Drive, Hout Bay
Phone: 021 790 1036
Why? The pan-fried calamari is some of the best in Cape Town and from the sunny outside deck you can just make out the surf as it rolls up Hout Bay beach. If the weather turns ugly you can move inside to the cozy bar area which still has great views and catches plenty of afternoon sunshine. The bar and restaurant is open seven days a week, but if you want to get some calamari, don’t arrive much after 21:00 or you’ll find the kitchen closed.
Dune’s beach bar and restaurant
Address: 1 Beach Crescent, Hout Bay
Tel: 021 790 1876
Why? Perfect for the kiddies. A large jungle gym / sandpit / play area will keep them entertained and you can sip a drink and grab a bite to eat while keeping them and the wide expanse of Hout Bay beach in full view. There’s literally nothing but the quiet access road between the bar and the beach so it’s perfect for a little stroll along the seashore before or after. Open seven days a week and for breakfast from 09:00 on weekends. Keep an eye on Dune’s Facebook page for specials and events.
Mariner’s Wharf
Address: Hout Bay Harbour, Hout Bay
Tel: 021 790 1100
Why? This is more of a food spot than an out and out pub, but if you’re looking for great views, fresh seafood and the ever-present option of a cold drink to hand, then the outside deck at the Wharfside Grill is the place to be. The deck can fill up quickly in good weather so be prepared to wait a bit or better yet, book in advance. The kitchen is open from breakfast from 09:00 to 11:00, closes briefly and then open again from 12:00 til late.
Noordhoek
Red Herring / Skebanga’s Bar
Address: Red Herring Complex, Corner of Pine and Beach Road, Noordhoek
Tel: 021 789 1783
Why? Upstairs from Noordhoek’s Red Herring restaurant you’ll find Skebanga’s Bar. Named after a Jack Russell apparently, but don’t hold that against it. The wrap-around deck just crests the surrounding Milkwood trees and offers wide views across Noordhoek from Kommetjie to Chapmans Peak. There’s a relaxed beach-bar atmosphere and pretty good pizzas when the hunger takes hold.
Kalk Bay & South Peninsula
The Brass Bell
Address: Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town
Tel: 021 788 5455
Why? The Brass Bell is one of those few places you can call “an institution” without fear of cliché. It’s been around so long and has so many fans and regulars that it hardly needs any endorsement from me, but if a summer goes by and I don’t spend at least one or two happy afternoons there, it can only be because I’m not in Cape Town. The last time I went I noticed a new outside seating area as you come in by the tidal pool. There should be plenty of space for the crowds that will inevitably flock there this summer.
Cape To Cuba
Address: 165 Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town
Tel: 021 788 1566
Why? Great cocktails and a riot of colourful Cuban furniture and artwork, all set against the tranquil backdrop of Kalk Bay harbour. I’ve never been to Cuba, but I feel like if I went, and it didn’t remind me a bit of Cape To Cuba, I’d be a little disappointed. The kitchen is open 12:00 to 23:30, but the bar will stay open until 01:00 or 02:00 depending on the crowd. Happy hour is a winter only thing, but if you’re visiting before the end of November then you’ll still get half-price cocktails between 17:00 and 19:00.
Dixies Restaurant and Bar
Address: 134 Main Road, Glencairn, Cape Town
Tel: 021 786 2105
Why? Picture a traditional American-style diner married to a solid South African seaside resort bar and you have Dixies. It’s relaxed, unpretentious and unsurpassed in the stunning view department. A great place to stop in at on a drive around the Peninsula. Dixies is open 09:00 to 21:00 from Monday to Saturday and 09:00 to 16:30 on Sunday.
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