15 Best Bars in Cape Town, South Africa

An upmarket, vintage, 3 story bar and restaurant in the city center overlooking Signal Hill, each floor of the Athletic Club has a distinct feel and decor, while sports memorabilia is littered throughout the venue. Enjoy some tapas in the restaurant before heading upstairs for drinks—the cocktail menu offers both the traditional and more avant-garde cocktails, with a good selection of wine, beer, and whiskey. There's occasional live music.

Built right on the water's edge adjacent to the yacht marina, Bascule Whisky Bar and Wine Cellar is a fancy watering hole for well-heeled, cigar-puffing locals. Its 400 whiskies are reputed to be the biggest selection in the Southern Hemisphere.

District is the live music component of a three-part nighttime venue in the space formerly known as The Assembly. Catering to live-music and electronica, this space features everything from South African indie-rock to Afro-Brazilian electronica. The crowd is typically pretty young, with plenty of guests in their late teens, and smoking is allowed. Adjacent sister venues Harringtons Cocktail Lounge and SurfaRosa are an upscale drinks and punk-styled outdoor patio bar, respectively.

A snazzy cocktail lounge, frequented by young professionals, Harrington's has comfortable velvet booths and a large selection of drinks, with a small food menu, including tapas. 

A key event on Cape Town's party calendar is December's MCQP, which started in 1993. It's part Mardi Gras, part Gay Pride, and all enormous fancy-dress party. Each year is themed, and people go all-out to create and strut fantastic outfits. All are welcome!

A traditional Scottish Pub outside the main mall, you can kick back and have a beer or two from a wide selection of brews. There's also a small food menu of burgers, pizza and other pub food. Occasional karaoke nights take place. 

This upmarket contemporary cocktail bar on Bree Street is a great spot for a well-composed drink.

Known locally as Percy's, South Africa's oldest pub is traditional and recommendable, with decent food and pizza, craft beers, and even an inviting outdoor area. Plus, you'll find plenty of TV screens to watch football. 

Perhaps the best place in Cape Town to acquaint yourself with lesser-known, boutique, and very special vintages.

Unassuming from the outside, this new gem is a magical world of music, drinks, and food. Owned by the recording company Selective Hearing, this venue brings to life the live music scene that has been slowly fading away in recent years, and which took a major blow during the pandemic. They feature intimate performances by artists from all corners of Cape Town's music scene. It's also an option for laid-back sundowners with a beautiful view of the mountain and city center. 

Styled with large leather benches and dark wooden tables, this vintage bar is laid back and jovial. A pool table, music, and a menu full of comfort foods draw crowds on the weekends. 

Caveau Wine Bar & Deli is a hip yet unpretentious wine bar where you can sample a dizzying array of fabulous local wines by the glass while munching on excellent tapas or entrées. Extra seating is available in an inner courtyard.

On any old night, the Green Dolphin Jazz Restaurant attracts some of the best mainstream jazz musicians in the country, as well as a few from overseas. The cover charge is R30–R35. It's open nightly from 8:15 pm to midnight.

It's a tradition for jazz festival performers to play the Monday night jam at Swingers, a well-known but out-of-the-way jazz club in Wynberg. Dance music is played Friday and Saturday, but Monday (no cover charge) is the night for jazz aficionados. There's also a full restaurant serving traditional Cape curries, seafood, and steaks.

For a fab evening on Mouille Point's Platinum Mile, plan to have drinks at Wakame and then head to the downstairs restaurant for sushi and champagne. You'll have great views of the Atlantic and Robben Island. Barefoot glam if you wish.