Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Cape Town This Season
With the northern hemisphere firmly in winter’s grip, Cape Town’s summer sunshine and breezy beach days are more enticing now than ever. Sure, there’s really no easy way to get there—though a recently introduced direct flight from Newark certainly helps—but once you’ve braved the journey, the destination is primed to delight. From noteworthy art exhibitions to anticipated new restaurants from some of South Africa’s premier chefs, here are plenty of reasons to make the trek to the balmy shores of the Mother City for some winter sun.
Where to Stay
You might say Cape Town’s most luxurious hotel is a work of art: The Silo Hotel is set in the top floors of a century-old grain silo that was transformed to house the city’s ambitious Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Pieces from owner Liz Biden’s renowned personal collection adorn the hotel’s 28 rooms and public spaces—keep an eye out for striking works from the likes of Zimbabwean Kudzanai Chiurai, Kenyan Cyrus Kabiru, and South Africans Thania Petersen, Frances Goodman, and Athi-Patra Ruga—and even the distinctive pillowed-glass windows that wrap around the façade channel a sculptural feel. To get better acquainted with the Silo’s museum-like interiors, consult the affable art concierge, Michael Jacobs—not only does he have an encyclopedic knowledge of the property’s museum-like installations, but he can also guide guests through the hotel’s subterranean gallery, the Vault, or tailor an itinerary through the city’s artists’ studios and institutions. Afterward, settle in for a drink on the rooftop, where the bar and swimming pool have the best 360-degree vantage point overlooking the skyline.
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If you’re more inclined toward the privacy of your own villa—but art is still very much at the top of your mind—consider browsing through an array of beautifully appointed residences from the Art House Collection. Founded in 2022 by Elana Brundyn, a renowned art industry veteran, the portfolio brings together homes around the Cape that have impressive pedigree, owned by art collectors and architects and brimming with sleek design touches and masterpieces. Whether you’re looking for a secluded villa for 10 in the mountains of Hout Bay with works by Sthenjwa Luthuli and Penelope Stutterheim on display or a more intimate two-bedroom apartment in the city center owned by a decor magazine editor, there’s no shortage of stylish stays to choose from.
Where to Eat
Cape Town has long boasted one of the world’s most dynamic—and underrated—dining scenes, and there’s no shortage of exciting new eateries to choose from this summer. After a successful run at the Belmond Mount Nelson of his fine-dining popup Edge, chef Vusi Ndlovu introduced Boma, a love letter to smoke and fire in African cuisine, which quickly became the year’s most talked about opening. The buzz was still going strong when Ndlovu also joined the fray of the brand new Time Out Market—which just opened last month at the V&A Waterfront—with Mlilo, where he serves everything from nyama choma beef from Kenya to Senegalese lamb dibi. While you’re at the splashy new market, be sure to also keep an eye out for another standout in the form of a second branch of celebrated chef Peter Tempelhoff’s cult-favorite noodle joint Ramenhead—though we highly recommend visiting the original location, in the heart of the Central Business District, for an unrivaled Friday night vibe. And just a few floors above it stands the jewel in Tempelhoff’s growing culinary empire: Fyn, where the inspired tasting menus marry Japanese and African flavors in a way that seems effortless—think kingklip with local kelp dashi, ostrich egg chawanmushi, and yellowtail tartare with a buchu and fynbos ponzu. Another local icon, Luke Dale-Roberts, also debuted a new dining destination this year; Salon is in the same Woodstock mill that houses his beloved Pot Luck Club, and the peripatetic tasting menu follows the chef’s globetrotting history, with courses taking you from England to Mexico to Korea to South Africa.
And while chef-restaurateur Liam Tomlin now counts a growing number of Chefs Warehouse outposts in his fold, the one at Tintswalo Atlantic, a seaside resort on Cape Town’s iconic Chapmans Peak Drive, could safely lay claim to the most beautiful restaurant view in a city that knows no shortage of sensational views. Tucked into a cliffside and hovering just over the waves, the restaurant complements the stunning scenery with refined but relaxed tapas menus courtesy Tomlin and rising star chef Cameron Smith.
What to Do
When it opened in 2017, the Thomas Heatherwick-designed Zeitz MOCAA became an instant icon and a can’t-miss stop on every Cape Town itinerary (tip: if you’re a guest of the Silo, Jacobs, the art concierge, will arrange a private tour). The permanent collection includes masterpieces by artists from across the continent as well as the diaspora, including Ghana’s El Anatsui, Ghada Amer of Egypt, American Kehinde Wiley, Swaziland’s Nandipha Mntambo, South African Mary Sibande, and more, but it’s also worth seeing the current exhibition “Seekers, Seers, Soothsayers” featuring the experimental works of seven artists exploring supernatural realms. The city’s creativity also thrives across fashion and design, and a clutch of new boutiques and design emporiums is shining a light on emerging and established talents alike. Popular accessories brand Pichulik recently opened two brick-and-mortar boutiques, one just off Bree Street in the CBD and another in the V&A Waterfront—head to either location to pick up some of the brand’s signature bracelets and earrings in vivid colors and unexpected materials. Also just off Bree Street, Always Welcome occupies a warren of rooms in an 18th-century heritage house; here, you’ll find artfully staged home decor from area brands like Dokter and Misses, Kirsten Goss Home, and Ananta Design Studio.
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