SLUG

SE 1CAU AGENDATHE TRAVEL CONNOISSEUR < CALENDAR < WINONA RYDER BE ...ITS CULTURAL SCENE IS EXPLODING CAPEWhat ’TOWNs hot in From contemporary art and coffee shops to boutique hotels and indie stores, Cape Town’s hip credentials are going from strength to strength. SARAH KHAN has the low-down

Cape Town has been on an upswing ever since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when it surged on to the global stage. In the last six years, Capetonians have leveraged their city’s many assets – natural beauty, agricultural abundance, a fascinating- if-often-tragic history – to build a business hub rivalling most in the southern hemisphere. “It has become one of the great leisure destinations in the world, like Rio or London,” says Mark Coetzee, executive director and curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (zeitzmocaa.museum), slated to open in September. Dramatically backed by 1,085m Table Mountain, surrounded by surfable beaches and hiking trails, it connects urban life with the outdoors like few other cities. Middle Eastern and European carriers have been adding flights, meaning now’s an optimal time to see dynamic neighbourhoods like the CBD, where exciting restaurants and shops keep popping up – proof this city at the edge of Africa isn’t done booming yet.

View of the Twelve Apostles mountain range

from Camps Bay PHOTOS: DAVID CROOKES, GETTY IMAGES, ALAMY; ILLUSTRATIONS: MARK NERYS

JANUARY 2017 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER 19 CAPE TOWN Restaurant recs from a guy who knows The top hikes LIAM TOMLIN owns Chefs Warehouse and Canteen Other cities have skyscrapers; here, there’s (chefswarehouse.co.za), a laid-back tapas spot in the Table Mountain. With easily accessible Central Business District that doubles as a culinary shop trailheads, you’re never far from an selling knives, olive oils and cookbooks from around the world. afternoon of adventure Here are some of his top spots... IF YOU HAVE… BACON ON BREE with the widest restaurant called 90 MINUTES The spiral route from Signal AND CULTURE selection of Ash (entrées from Hill up Lion’s Head winds its way CLUB CHEESE artisanal cheeses AED 20; 0027- around the conical peak, giving you a “These two spots in Cape Town. 21-424 7204, changing view of the city at every turn. 5 HOURS At the southwestern-most are right next door Try the raclette.” ashrestaurant. tip of Africa, the scenic Cape Point to each other. Raclette from co.za) in the same 3 HOURS Take the steep but doable Nature Reserve has countless hiking Bacon on Bree AED 33; 0027- space. She serves Platteklip Gorge trail up iconic Table paths, including some overnight co-owner Richard 1-422 3515, charcoal-grilled Mountain, starting not far from the routes. The Shipwreck Trail is littered Bosman makes cultureclubcheese. beef, chicken, visitors centre; pause at the top for a with remnants of boats: there’s a some top-notch co.za lamb and pork, well-deserved photo op, then relax on the reason this area was originally charcuterie, and nose-to-tail cable-car ride down (AED 36 one way). dubbed the Cape of Storms. his menu is full of FRANKIE FENNER style, alongside bacon – on salads, MEAT MERCHANTS a great grape list on burgers, even AND PUBLIK by David Cope, mixed into the “Both a butcher who’s a big mayo for BLTs. and a grape bar, champion of indie Culture Club it now has a producers like VoiceMapThe know-it-all (voicemap.me) has appaudio tours for cities worldwide but because it Cheese serves third element, Alheit Vineyards.” launched here, its Cape Town offerings are super robust. Look for narratives on sandwiches and with chef Ash 0027-21-424 7204, the city’s slave history, the Company’s Garden and the revolutionary struggle, salads, along Heeger opening a ffmm.co.za all told by locals like genealogist Aubrey Springveldt and novelist Justin Fox. Who knew George Bernard Shaw surfed at Muizenberg beach? Those guys.

THE CLASSICS Bring an extra suitcase Black Betty, which also WE LOVE This could be the best place in all of Africa to buy cutting-edge has a stand here. Casual may be on trend, Every Saturday, 9am-2pm; fashion, homeware and jewellery – and AIDAN BENNETTS, but Cape Town has a few neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za stylish creative director of the CBD furniture shop Stable finely tuned stalwarts we (stable.org.za), knows where to get the good stuff return to again and again PRINS & PRINS This jeweller has a LA COLOMBE DARK HORSE out of sustainable bamboo. gemstone museum in the The storied restaurant in They’ve expanded into They’ve also got a solid basement, and they also the grape-making suburb of things like dining room selection of ties, pocket make bespoke bracelets, Constantia has a well-earned tables, armchairs and squares and lapel pins. earrings, necklaces and reputation for turning out other furniture, but they Socks from AED 4; 0027- rings, specialising in top-flight culinary talent like got their start with well- 21-447 3080, nicharry.com diamonds and tanzanite, innovative chef Luke Dale- crafted leather bags, mostly set in white gold. Roberts. Current chef Scot biltong, and vanilla-, peach- duffels and totes that NEIGHBOURGOODS Price on request; Kirton kicks off his inventive and rose-scented foie gras. remain their best-known MARKET 0027-21-422 0148, meals with his signature tuna Tasting menu from AED 320; line – along with an ever- The Saturday market at prinsandprins.com tataki playfully served in a tin. thetestkitchen.co.za expanding selection of the Old Biscuit Mill is Dinner menu from AED 500; buttery wallets, iPad known for its food, but WIID DESIGN 0021-21-794 2390, lacolombe.co.za HEMELHUIJS cases and belts. designers show up, too. Laurie Wiid van Reservations are essential Leather duffel bag, Furniture and lighting Heerden works mostly THE TEST KITCHEN at this brunch mainstay that AED 880; 0027-21-447 from Jasper Eales Original with cork to make bar The tasting-menu restaurant regularly revamps its menu 1462, dark-horse.co.za is worth seeking out, stools, seats and lights that catapulted Dale- and décor. A perennial Culture Club Cheese’s though admittedly hard at his appointment-only yellow façade. Left: Roberts to fame when it favourite: flavourful Summer berries at Test NIC HARRY to pack. More portable is atelier, but smaller items opened in 2010 is still one of mosbolletjie bread made from Kitchen. Opposite: Socks may not sound the range of contemporary like jugs and vases are Cape Town’s best. Expect grape must and aniseed. Cape Point Nature cool, but these guys have costume jewellery, as just as lovely. Reserve has scenic unexpected dishes like Entrées from AED 20; 0027- hiking trails created a colourful range well as fine gold-plated 0027-72-494 5914, local liquorice-cured Wagyu 21-418 2042, hemelhuijs.co.za that’s manufactured locally and diamond pieces from wiiddesign.co.za

CPT ESSENTIALS  LITERARY HANGOUT THE BOOK LOUNGE 0027-21-462 2425, BOOKLOUNGE.CO.ZA  SANDWICH GATSBY  BEACH BAR CAFÉ CAPRICE 0027-21-438 831, CAFECAPRICE.CO.ZA  AFTERNOON TEA BELMOND MOUNT NELSON HOTEL 0027-21-483 1000, BELMOND.COM/MOUNT-NELSON-HOTEL-CAPE-TOWN  RADIO 5FM

20 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER JANUARY 2017 JANUARY 2017 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER 21 The well-tended ocean-view lawns SLUG at Ellerman House. CAPE TOWN Below: At the corner of Hout and It’s all about Loop streets Loop Street With smart boutiques, casual bistros and The contemporaryArt collectors, art scene here istake getting betternote by the day, plenty of bars, this CBD micro-hood is the and its hub is Gallery MOMO (0027-21-424 5150, gallerymomo.com), city’s most talked-about of the moment the CBD outpost from super-curator MONNA MOKOENA, who’s got his eye on these artists 61 + ATE, No. 61 and funk DJs. This casual lunch spot Bottles of bubbles MAURICE MBIKAYI JONATHAN has a rotating menu from AED 370; A Congolese artist now working FREEMANTLE of dishes like summer 0027-72-673 6869 in Cape Town, Mbikayi creates The South African artist’s chickpea salad with “fascinating” sculptures and signature style mixes halloumi and chilli salt HONEY BADGER, mixed media pieces from earth, resin and oil to create and pepper squid. No. 91 discarded and outmoded “powerful, engaging” Chickpea salad, Loop Street’s hangout computer parts like keyboards, landscape paintings. AED 17; 0027-21-426 HQ serves Alliance mice and USB cables. 0027-82-831 4217, 1273, 61ate.co.za ale and hosts comedy gallerymomo.com/artist/maurice jonathanfreemantle.com shows and concerts. GIULIO’S CAFÉ, Fish and chips No. 16 AED 20; 0027-21-286 An Italian spot with 1469, 91loop.co.za/ exposed brick and the-honey-badger white-walled interiors Haas Coffee, one of Cape Town’s top cafés by local designer ISSA LEO, No. 75 Michael Chandler. This Cape Town-based Breakfast from menswear brand from AED 6; 0027-21-418 Spanish designer Issa THE LOCAL BREW 6304, giulios.co.za Lopez mixes classic Independent shops serving organic African European blazers beans are booming in the CBD, where locals VELVET CAKE CO., with graphic tees. are increasingly living and working No. 16 T-shirts from AED 80; Next door to Giulio’s, 0027-21-426 2757, “Cape Town has around 160 CAPE TOWN, FOUR WAYS it’s famed for its “naked issaleo.com independent roasters, more than you’d These historic properties – each in a different neighbourhood – rainbow cake” with THE BEST find in London,” – a city with nine times offer a window into the port city’s rich and varied past multi-coloured layers VILLAGE IDIOT, BEACHES the population – says David Donde, slathered in cream No. 32 The city is fringed by founder of Truth Coffee (coffee from ON THE V&A WATERFRONT IN THE GARDENS cheese frosting. A vibe-y countless stretches of sand AED 5; 0027-21-200 0440, truthcoffee. The six-room Dock House Boutique This mostly residential area is marked by Rainbow cake neighbourhood pub, but most visitors find com), a Steampunk-inspired spot where Hotel & Spa is housed in the former leafy lanes lined with tidy Georgian villas but from AED 84; it serves peri-peri the waters too icy for a waiters in leather waistcoats and top Harbour Master’s residence, one of few good hotels. An exception is the 15-room 0027-21-286 1082, chicken and beef swim, even during the hats (don’t hold it against them) serve this popular district’s oldest surviving Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel, occupying thevelvetcakeco.com sausage burgers peak summer months house blends with names like Battle structures, originally built in 1870. The an elegant early-19th-century building with and hosts a popular of December through Brew, Potion Coffee and Vengeance opulent interiors blend plenty of old- national monument status, steps from the GOLDBAR, braai, or barbecue, on February. Don’t let that Blend. That supply is meeting a rapidly world details like antique chairs, mirrored posh restaurants and boutiques of Kloof No. 70 summer Sundays. stop you from hitting growing demand as an expanding roster desks and vintage hat boxes with modern Street. The sleek décor includes bold stripes, The bubbles flow until Braai boards from AED the coast. Whatever of entrepreneurs convert old commercial amenities such as oversized bathrooms offset by touches of Oscar Wilde-inspired late at this lounge 18; 0027-21-418 1548, you’re into, there’s buildings into all-day cafés like Haas and a lovely (if smallish) pool. extravagance like Versailles chairs and vases hosting soul, hip-hop thevillageidiot.co.za a beach for that Coffee (coffee from AED 5; 0027-21-461 Doubles from AED 1,950; 0027-21-421 brimming with proteas. 1812, haascollective.com), with salvaged 9334, newmarkhotels.com Doubles from AED 490; 0027-21-480 8080, Family-friendly wood furnishings, contemporary capecadogan.co.za Clifton 1, 2, 3 or 4 paintings, photography for sale and IN THE CBD Beautiful people killer espresso drinks. Nearby Kamili Set in the stately former South African ON THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD Camps Bay Coffee (coffee from AED 4; 0027-83-444 Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers, the The Cape Edwardian mansion Ellerman Surf breaks 5375, kamilicoffee.co.za) is a brick-walled central Taj Cape Town is a short stroll from House, with its panorama of the Atlantic Muizenberg den inside a turreted Victorian-era some of the city’s top sights, like the 17th- from the seaside Bantry Bay district, is Low-key vibes building filled with burlap sacks heaving century Company’s Garden and Gothic the city’s answer to Rhode Island’s Ocean Llandudno with beans. The granddaddy of the St George’s Cathedral. The hotel’s 176 House. One of the most luxurious hotels in Penguin spotting artisanal coffee scene remains Origin understated rooms are in stark contrast to the the country, it has an extensive collection Boulders (breakfasts from AED 9; originroasting. building’s classic bones; many have floor-to- of South African art adorning the walls and Views of Table co.za), which serves a hearty breakfast ceiling windows that frame Table Mountain. the manicured cliffside lawns. From top: Jonathan Mountain – think omelettes or shakshuka with Doubles from AED 1,325; 0027-21-819 2000, Doubles from AED 2,385; 0027-21-430 3200 Freemantle in his studio; Bloubergstrand merguez lamb sausage – along with tajcapetown.co.za ellerman.co.za Kirstenbosch National house-roasted blends. Botanical Garden

 COCKTAILS OUTRAGE OF MODESTY 0027-21-422 2902, ANOUTRAGE.COM  GIFTABLE LEATHER BAGS MISSIBABA 0027-21-424 8127, MISSIBABA.COM  DON’T-MISS DRIVE CAMPS BAY TO CAPE POINT  UNDERRATED URBAN ESCAPE KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN 0027-2-1799 8783, SANBI.ORG/GARDENS/KIRSTENBOSCH

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