Bar-hopping in the city centre
For a night out in the city centre, head to buzzing Long Street. This is one of Cape Town’s most diverse thoroughfares, lined with colonial Victorian buildings that house pubs, bistros and nightclubs, from whose wrought-iron balconies you can catch glimpses of Table Mountain and the sea.
For beer-lovers, modern “beer hall” The Beerhouse is an essential stop, with a menu comprising 20 taps and 99 bottles, 75 percent of which are local craft brews. Pick of the cocktail bars is rooftop TjingTjing, thanks to its upbeat soundtrack and mouth-watering drinks menu – expect unusual ingredients like fynbos, candyfloss vodka and balsamic vinegar. End your night at Fiction, host to stand-out electronic music nights by the likes of Skrillex, Diplo, Pendulum and Noisia.
Sundowners on the Atlantic seaboard
Clinging to the slopes of Table Mountain in a dramatic ribbon, the Atlantic seaboard suburbs offer ocean views in spades, along with some of the city’s trendiest outdoor cafés and bars. The best place to embrace the scene is at Café Caprice, a beach-facing hangout in Camps Bay popular with celebs (and wannabes). Pavement tables are like gold dust after sunset, so get there early, order a cocktail and watch the sun sink slowly into the ocean.
Ocean-side drinks at the Waterfront
Head to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town’s redeveloped Victorian harbour, for laidback ocean-side drinks. Best of the outdoor decks is Alba Cocktail Lounge, where the drinks list includes the JellyTot- and Apple Sourz-spiked “Albatizer” – an acquired taste, perhaps. With its private beach, outdoor deck and an infinity plunge pool to boot, nearby
Shimmy Beach Club provides a more luxurious option – with the prices and clientele to match.