The 9 Best Bars in South Africa

Sin + Tax

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.

The 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.

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.

Fable

A cocktail bar on the corner of Bree and Wale Streets in Cape Town's city center, serving signature drinks inspired by local myths and legends, with a seasonal menu that evolves so each cocktail tells a story. Drinks are paired with curated snacks and DJ sets. Open from midday until late every day except Monday, with happy-hour specials.

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.

ANTHM

A Japanese-inspired cocktail bar and listening lounge on a Loop Street corner, opened by Tetsuo Hasegawa, former head bartender of New York's Angel's Share, with partners from NYC bar ROKC. Craft cocktails use Cape botanicals and Japanese techniques, tequila with African sage, whiskey with porcini, alongside Japanese-influenced small plates, with vinyl and live music upstairs.

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.

Talking To Strangers

A grungy, art-filled cocktail bar on Loop Street with clashing artwork, graffiti and moody red lighting, run by co-owners Alessandro Galassi and Nicholas Crouse. It serves original seasonal cocktails alongside classics, plus American-African fusion snacks such as fries with chakalaka.