Cape Town’s Hottest Spots Right Now — A Local’s Guide
From buzzy bars to brilliant restaurants — the places Cape Town locals are genuinely excited about in 2026.
One of the questions we get asked most often isn’t about Table Mountain or the Cape Peninsula — it’s “where are the locals actually going right now?” And it’s a great question. Cape Town’s food, drink and entertainment scene moves fast, and the best experiences are often the ones you’d never find in a standard guidebook. So here’s our honest, up-to-date guide to the hottest spots in Cape Town right now — the places that have genuine heart, incredible atmosphere, and that special something that keeps people coming back.
🍸 Hottest Bars & Cocktail Spots
🍹 Anthm — Loop Street ⭐ Local Favourite
If you only visit one bar in Cape Town, make it Anthm. Run by ex-NYC mixologist Tetsuo Hasegawa, this intimate gem on Loop Street is unlike anything else in the city. The setting is inspired by a traditional Japanese timber house — warm, candlelit and utterly beautiful. The cocktails are extraordinary: classics with a big twist, using house-made shrubs, Japanese cherry-wood smoke, local botanicals and ingredients you’d never expect. Each drink is named after a vinyl record from Tetsuo’s personal collection, and there’s a story behind every one. Add umami-rich sharing plates, ramen bowls and lobster curry to the mix, and you have one of those rare places that’s as good for a long dinner as it is for a nightcap. This is Cape Town at its most creative and most alive.
🥂 Bree Street Aperitivo Bar — Bree Street
At the top of Bree Street — one of Cape Town’s most coveted dining and drinking strips — sits this wonderfully relaxed aperitivo bar in a beautifully restored heritage cottage. Marble-topped tables, leather seats, crystal decanters and the gentle clink of Negronis being poured. It spills out onto the wide pavement on warm evenings, drawing a stylish crowd for pre- and post-dinner drinks. The wine list focuses on small-scale local producers, and the snack menu — bruschetta, charcuterie, Spanish olives — is exactly what you want alongside a perfectly made Aperol Spritz. Pure la dolce vita, Cape Town style.
🎵 Best for Live Music & Late Nights
🎶 The Athletic — Buitengracht Street ⭐ Must Visit
The Athletic is one of those places that genuinely has to be experienced to be understood. Step inside this grand three-storey building on Buitengracht Street and you enter a wonderfully eccentric world — a whimsical labyrinth of spaces that blend colonial grandeur with plush modern design. There’s the Trapezaria restaurant serving brilliant Greek and fire-roasted food, three glorious bars, a balcony with Signal Hill views, and a speakeasy basement called The Trophy Room where live jazz creates the kind of magic you don’t forget. It’s the best spot for live music in Cape Town right now and one of those rare venues that feels like a destination in its own right. Go early for dinner, stay late for the music.
🌅 Blondie — Kloof Street
Blondie has been one of the most consistently brilliant spots on Kloof Street for a while now — and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Effortlessly cool from lunch through to late night, it’s equally good for a lazy afternoon on the sunny outdoor deck as it is for sundowners and dancing. The sharing menu leans Eastern Mediterranean — charred whole cauliflower, crispy fire potatoes, fire-baked fish, and overnight short rib on stone bread — and the cocktails are colourful, creative and dangerously drinkable. The vibe is laidback but alive, with brilliant décor and just the right amount of retro personality (yes, there really is a Princess Di portrait). One of our absolute go-to recommendations for visitors who want a great night out.
🍽️ Hottest New Restaurants
🥩 Maru Korean Steakhouse — Bree Street ⭐ New & Buzzing
Where Big Apple meets Tokyo in Cape Town — Maru is the city’s most exciting new opening and the talk of the food scene right now. This Korean steakhouse on Bree Street pairs brilliantly fire-grilled steaks and deeply delicious double-fried chicken (with sticky-spicy dipping sauces) with champagne and sparkling wines. The wine list features local MCCs alongside French Champagne, and the cool, New York-inspired space is all dark tones and moody lighting. “Maru” means place of gathering in Korean, and that’s exactly what it’s become. Book well in advance.
🥯 Kiosk Community — Kloof Nek Road
Kiosk Community has become one of those spots that locals pop into daily without really meaning to — and that’s the highest possible compliment. Fresh daily bakes, great coffee, wine with pizza, folded fluffy-crusted pizza sandwiches, fresh salads and shelves stacked with pantry goods to take home. It’s dog-friendly, open from 7 am to 11 pm daily, and has that rare quality of feeling simultaneously local and special. Perfect for breakfast before a tour, lunch after Table Mountain, or a relaxed early evening bite.
🌿 Worth the Drive — Outside the City
🍷 Hasher Family Wines — Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley ⭐ Extraordinary
This is the kind of dining experience that reminds you why you travel. Hasher Family Wines in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley has brought Michelin-starred Dutch chef Edwin Vinker to their farm for an intimate, unforgettable feast beside a shimmering farm dam. An elegant dining pavilion, 15 plates across six or more courses, estate wines paired with each dish, and a philosophy rooted in the seasons, the ocean currents and the foraged treasures of the Cape. It’s remarkable, it’s beautiful, and it’s the kind of meal you’ll be talking about for years. Seasonal and bookings essential — this is not something to leave to chance.
💡 Our Tips for Making the Most of Cape Town’s Scene
- Book ahead — Cape Town’s best spots fill up fast, especially on weekends. Don’t leave it to chance
- Go early for dinner — most Cape Town restaurants open at 6 pm and are fully booked by 7:30 pm. Arriving early means better service and a more relaxed experience
- Explore beyond the Waterfront — the V&A is convenient, but the most exciting food and drink is happening on Kloof Street, Bree Street, Loop Street and in Woodstock
- Ask us for the latest recommendations — Cape Town’s scene changes quickly, and we’re always up to date with what’s genuinely good right now
- Don’t overlook the suburbs — some of the city’s most exciting new openings are happening in Constantia, Observatory and Woodstock, away from the tourist trail
🌟 From our guides: The best experiences in Cape Town have one thing in common — heart. Whether it’s a chef who rushes from the kitchen to explain a dish, a bartender who’s spent months perfecting a cocktail, or a live jazz musician who plays like the room is full even when it isn’t — that passion is what makes this city so special. We’ll always point you towards places that have it.
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When you book a tour with us, local knowledge like this comes included. We’ll always point you to the best food, drink and experiences for your taste and budget.
