South Africa’s Mother City is all prepped and ready to host a bumper summer season. I’ve picked out a few of my hottest new Cape Town must-dos to add to your Mother City bucket list:
Where to dine
Ëlgr
Chef Jesper Nilsson’s celebrated eatery Elgr Restaurant fills a gap between bistro and fine dining – and all without breaking the bank. In the comfort of the effortlessly elegant restaurant space, order from the variety of dishes designed to be enjoyed as sharing pates. Or be surprised and order the Chef’s Choice Sharing Menu. For fellow winos, Sommelier Lee Roi has curated has a superb selection of wines – we must have spent nearly an hour talking (and of course tasting) wine!
Harbour House, V&A Waterfront
If you’ve visited Cape Town before you’ll know that Harbour House is no newcomer to the Waterfront dining scene, but what you might not know is that this popular eatery has just received a fresh new look: a chic combination of gloss timbers, new white leather seating, and then mesmerizing blue marble bar, designed by local interior design studio KT Interior. And when it’s not the design that captivates you it’s the food. Each dish possesses distinct flavour – with Gnocchi and grilled calamari being favourites. Insider’s tip: ask for table 24 when you book – it’s the two-seater in front of the fireplace for date-night goals.
Cabo Beach Club
After last year’s trip to the French Riviera and its glittering Beach Clubs, I was delighted to finally visit the Mother City’s Cabo Beach Club. In addition to the chic outdoor areas where you can walk through white sand, the inside boasts very swanky dining spaces. All this glamour is hidden right behind the Waterfront. Spend R500 per head on food and drink and you also have access to the gorgeous pool, loungers and day beds.
Where to wine
Buitenverwachting
If you’re wanting to join discerning Capetonians on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you’ll undoubtedly find a fine collection of them at Constantia’s Buitenverwachting. The wine estates boasts an elegant tasting room, coffee shop and fine dining restaurant – although you’ll find most visitors reclining on the manicured lawns, soaking up the sun while sipping on the winery’s produce.
Brookdale Estate
What would the magic of Cape Town be without a sneaky little excursion to the nearby Winelands, to one of the brightest new stars on the winemaking block. The drive through Brookdale Estate’s vineyards and fynbos-lined roads lets you know you’re in for a special treat. Kyra Scott is the young and convivial winemaker behind the brand, and her Old Vine Chenin and filed blends are wines to be reckoned with. And then, why drive home after a wine tasting, when there’s a beautiful manor house at your disposal – a Winelands stay that embraces understated elegance and youthful curiosity.
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Where to stay
One&Only Cape Town
There’s hardly a more prized position, than the One&Only Cape Town’s, set on scenic canals, with the ever-present and towering backdrop of Table Mountain. While the grandness of the resort is bound to impress, there’s still an intimate and welcoming presence behind the doors. Eat your heart with several tempting dining options, and informative wine tastings with the hotel sommeliers. Of course, if you venture across the bridge onto the resort’s very own island, the spa’s tantalising offerings will provide all the rejuvenation you need.
Lattitude Hotel
Perfecting the balance between work and staycation, Latitude Hotel offers a bleisure stay in the heart of the Cape Town action. Since let’s face it, many of us will need to dedicate a few hours to work while away, why not make use of Latitude’s Soho House-styled working spaces. What’s more, the apartments have fully stocked kitchens, so they really do serve as your home away from home. In addition to the workspaces and in-house restaurant, the 9th Floor and Latitude Lounge also have pools for cooling down.
