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A guide to wine bar crawling
Blind & free tastings, fashion store, rooftop paint social…
Last updated: Tuesday, 23 April 2023
It’s always wine o’clock in Cape Town. You’ll find a bit of everything: From blind and free wine tastings to a rooftop painting social, little known labels, live music or a cosy date night spot. Here are 13 old, new and curious wine bars in the city.
FANCY FREE WINE ON TUESDAYS?
Judd’s Local is a family-owned restaurant and wine shop on Kloof Street. Every Tuesday it offers a free wine tasting experience, hosted by a different wine rep every week. Learn about wines from across the Western Cape, from farms like Grootepost to independent labels like Vine & Co. Stick around and enjoy a charcuterie board, a burger or a snoek taco at Judd’s.
Hours: Mondays, 12pm - 11.30pm; Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am - 11.30pm; closed on Sundays
141 Kloof Street | Gardens | @juddslocal | Image: Judd’s Local
WINE & ART CLUB
Once a week this rooftop turns into an art social and wine club. You can enjoy four glasses of wine while painting anything you’d like on individual canvases.The wine changes weekly with previous events having Durbanville Hills, Robertson Winery and The Fat Bastard. There’s only 100 tickets available every week, so booking is essential.
Hours: Every Wednesday, 6pm till late; book via Quicket
251 Long Street | Cape Town | @kora_cpt | Image: KORA
FIRST THURSDAYS TASTINGS
Just off Kloof Street is this chic wine bar. The unique detail? It only becomes a wine bar after 3pm, with it being a fully serviced coffee shop in the day. The shelves are lined with brands including Vinehugger, Ex Amino, Cape Collective and Intellego. Plus, every First Thursdays there’s live music and wine tastings at Vine and Dandy.
Hours: Monday, 7.30am to 3pm; Tuesday - Friday, 7.30am to 10pm; Saturday, 3pm to 10pm
7 Park Road | Gardens | @everythings_vine_and_dandy | Image: Vine and Dandy
A NEIGHBOURHOOD FAVOURITE
Publik Wine Bar is all about “new wave” wines, supporting local winemakers who create sustainable and organic products. The shelves are stocked with curious finds like Maanschijn’s Brunch Club or Intellego’s The Pink Moustache. There’s frequent street food nights and bar takeovers from various local brands.
Hours: Monday - Friday, 4pm to 11pm; Saturday, 3pm to 8pm
11d Kloof Nek Road | Tamboerskloof | @publikwine | Image: Publik Wine Bar
NEAPOLITAN-STYLE PIZZAS
Inside The Old Biscuit Mill you’ll find this recently opened wine bar. Pavement Special is an all-natural wine (organically farmed with no additives) bar with products from local brands including Lubanzi and Mother Rock. To pair with your wine there’s also wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas which are made with a 48 hour slow-proved dough recipe.
Hours: Daily (for breakfast and lunch), 8am to 6pm; Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm till late
The Old Biscuit Mill | 373 Albert Road | Woodstock | @pavement_special | Image: Pavement Special
SHOP COUTURE AND SIP WINE
Shopping should be done with a glass of wine in hand. At least that’s how it’s done at AKJP Studio. Inside the fashion concept store there’s a wine bar with brands like Mother Rock, Krone, Elementis and Vinehugger. While you sip you can walk around and look through items from 40 local designers.
Hours: Monday to Saturday; 9am to 8pm
73 Kloof Street | Gardens | @_akjpstudio | Image: AKJP Studio
DATE NIGHT IDEA
Looking for a cosy spot to enjoy wine on a night out? Bouchon Bistro is dimly lit with candles and white tablecloths lining the tables set up between wine barrels. On the menu you’ll find sharing plates and hearty meals like mushroom risotto and beef short rib. The menu changes often to highlight the different wines and there’s also their house-made Dorrance.
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 4pm to 11pm
95 Hout Street | City Centre | @bouchonbistro | Image: Bouchon Bistro
WINE BAR MEETS OLD-SCHOOL DINER
It’s a favourite spot for drinks and snacks. Arthur’s Mini Super is a staple eatery in Sea Point, and in the evenings it becomes a trendy wine bar. There’s a wide variety of local wines including Mielie, Khayelitsha’s Finest, Vinevenom, Lubanzi, Mother Rock and more. Plus, you can buy wines from the wine shop. Find out more about the diner-style plates at Arthur’s Mini Super.
Hours: Monday, 7:30am to 4 pm; Tuesday - Friday, 7:30am to 10 pm; Saturday, 8am to 10pm; Sunday, 8am to 2pm
15 Arthurs Road | Sea Point | @arthursminisuper | Image: Lara van Zyl
PIZZA BAGELS ON BREE STREET
Bagel shop by day, wine bar by night. Leo’s Wine Bar is squeezed in Max’s Bagels on the vibrant Bree Street. It’s an intimate space that spreads out onto the street terrace, where most of the seating is. Leo’s specialises in wines from smaller producers, with a great selection of natural wines. Plus they serve pizza bagels and bar snacks nightly at Leo’s.
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm - 11pm
Shop 28 | De Oude Schuur | 120 Bree Street | @leoswinebar | Image: Leo’s
WINE FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Grub and Vine’s wine bar is hard to miss, with its name splattered on a bright orange wall in Bree Street. Culture Wine Bar offers cult classics, hidden gems, natural wines, and special imports from across the globe (from France to Australia). Plus, you can snack on their small menu while listening to live jazz over the weekend.
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 12pm - 11pm
103 Bree Street | Cape Town City Centre | @culturewinebar | Image: Culture Wine Bar
PICK YOUR BOTTLE FROM A WALL
Open Wine is tucked between trendy restaurants and art galleries on Wale Street and has a bar, lounge and cellar. Wine enthusiasts can choose from their exceptional selection of wine, ranging from unique boutique wines, local gems and bigger industry-leading wines. You can pick a bottle straight from the wall (which is also their menu).
Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, 12pm - 11pm; Thursday to Sunday, 2pm - 11pm
72 Wale Street | Cape Town City Centre | @openwine_za | Image: Lara van Zyl
BLIND WINE TASTING
How well do you know your wines? At Saint Juz in Woodstock you could try a blind tasting. You’ll get two whites and two reds, and after guess the wines by categories. If you guess everything correctly you can win a R1 000 voucher at this Siberian-Asian restaurant.
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8am to 6pm
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111 Sir Lowry Road | Woodstock
BAR IN A HERITAGE BUILDING
Intravinous Wine Lounge & Bar is set in a revamped heritage building on Loop Street. It has bold red and green walls with exposed brick – giving off old fire station vibes – and outside tables overlooking the city. The wine list is packed with the finest local wines, from the Stellenbosch Wine Route, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and more.
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Glaston House | 110 Loop Street | Cape Town City Centre | @intravinous | Image: Intravinous
By Sarah Williams
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ENJOY MORE NIGHTS IN THE CITY
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Explore our guide to one of the coolest streets, Kloof.
A guide to the new, old and curious places on Long Street.
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