Cocktail Bars in Cape Town
Five cocktail bars in Cape Town, including three on The World's 50 Best Bars and three Spirited Awards nominees.
- Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen & Cape Brandy Bar50 BESTCocktail Bar
Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen & Cape Brandy Bar
A proudly South African cocktail bar and cocktail kitchen in the V&A Waterfront's Pierhead district, serving inventive terroir-driven cocktails inspired by Cape Town's oceans, mountains and fynbos. It doubles as the Cape Brandy Bar, holding an impressive collection of Cape potstill brandies and local spirits, and is a popular sundowner spot.
Rocket Store, 280 Dock Road, Pierhead District, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001Daily 10:00–00:00Full profile 
50 BESTSpeakeasyThe Art of Duplicity
The Art of Duplicity keeps its own description to five words, luxurious, glamorous, decadent, hush-hush, tempted, and runs its bookings through a waitlist on its site. Its Instagram gives the rest: 36 Buitenkant Street in the city center, open from ten in the morning until late, seven days.
36 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town 8001Mon-Sun 10:00-lateFull profile- The House of Machines50 BESTCocktail Bar
The House of Machines
A multifaceted venue combining a working motorcycle shop with a coffee shop, cocktail bar, craft beer selection, restaurant, menswear boutique and live-music space, set among exposed brick and wooden beams. It is the original Cape Town outpost of a brand with sister venues abroad.
84 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town City Centre, 8000Full profile - Nkula Cocktail & Wine BoutiqueWine Bar
Nkula Cocktail & Wine Boutique
Nkula describes itself as Black-owned, wine-led and cocktail-rebellious, a cocktail and wine boutique on Long Street rooted in what it calls a Biko Black philosophy: in an industry where Black and Brown winemakers are often overlooked, it puts their craft, brands and legacy on the list, and calls the result African luxury told by us, for everyone. On First Thursdays winemakers pour their latest releases with DJs in the room. Open every day from one in the afternoon until two.
188A Long Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town 8001Mon-Sun 13:00-02:00Full profile - The DrinkeryCocktail Bar
The Drinkery
The Drinkery calls itself a classic cocktail bar, and on its own site Cape Town's classic and lavish bar: a vintage-inspired lounge on the mezzanine level of 100 Shortmarket Street in the City Centre, with a Club Classics section on the drinks list, cocktails and snacks, and a wine list alongside. The site runs in English and Italian. Open Monday to Saturday from five until late.
100 Shortmarket Street, Mezzanine Level, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town 8001Mon-Sat 17:00-lateFull profile
More of Cape Town
These are the cocktail bars specifically. The full Cape Town guide ranks the best bars of every style, and the directory lists all 10 with a map and filters.
