The Best Cocktail Bars Cape Town South Africa

With a wild and thriving nightlife scene, Cape Town is fast becoming the go-to city of choice for young globe trotters. A recent increase in tourism has created a boom in the emergence of great bars and clubs. There are now so many, in fact, that it would be quite a job to choose which to visit first. Happily, however, we’re here to help with our pick of the top cocktail bars in Cape Town.

Julep Cocktail Bar

Tiny and tucked away, this local once secret spot is a secret no longer. Julep is home to some of the most expertly crafted cocktails in the Cape. A perfectly cosy hangout for friends or dates, Julep has a seriously cool crowd of regulars who all seem to know each other, creating a very familiar atmosphere in which you will instantly feel at home. Although it is always packed and buzzing, the staff are so efficient they will know what you want almost before you sit down.
Vredenburg Ln, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, South Africa +27 (0) 21 423 4276

Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel’s Planet Bar and Restaurant

Chic beige chairs, galaxy carpets, mirrors and planetary chandeliers; it’s clear a night of decadent splendour awaits you at the Planet Bar, home of the posh sundowners. Wear your best heels and smartest jackets as you are seated at the bar and serenaded with live piano performances. If you are really feeling indulgent, why not order a round of oysters or other bar snacks while you wait for your expertly crafted cocktails to be served. With a wine list that’s six pages long, a veritable hoarde of cocktails, liqueurs and spirits as well as a host of non-alcoholic options, you will be spoilt for choice in this exceptional bar.
76 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa +27 (0) 21 483 1000

Café Caprice Cocktail Bar

The place, the people, the drinks are all exceptionally stunning at Café Caprice. Recommended for the ‘World Class’ mixology award in 2014, you know that at Café Caprice your drinks are being created with passion, precision and pride. Enjoy these perfectly crafted concoctions whilst watching the sun set over the ocean between the pillars and the palm trees. You can even head over the road and sit with your cocktails on the sand, along with other members of the Caprice crowd. A particular cocktail recommendation for those who are finding it hard to decide: Botanical Gardener, a mix of rosemary and lemon infused Tanqueray No 10 with fresh fruit zest topped with Hibiscus tea soda.
37 Victoria Rd, Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa +27 (0) 21 438 8315

Orphanage Cocktail Emporium

Orphanage Cocktail Emporium is an innovative and artsy bar. It derives its name from its association with the ‘St Francis Children’s Home’ and the history of Bree Street as an area in which the influenza of the early 1900s left many children parentless. Now in very different times, the crowd in the Orphanage Cocktail Emporium are all about the happy hour. Join them in watching how this laboratory mixes style, drink and atmosphere to an incredibly potent degree. For example, even the menu of classic cocktails comes with an unexpected twist (perhaps a flaming glass or an infusion of citrus) that will revamp and revitalise these traditional choices.
227 (corner of) Bree Street, Cape Town, South Africa + 27 (0) 21 424 2004

Cape Royale Hotel Zenith Sky Bar

For a liquid lunch of heights and delights, head over to the Cape Royale Hotel and spend the day in their ‘Zenith Sky Bar’. The Sky Bar is a fully equipped party plateau with daybeds to lounge on, listening to the sounds of the city and the far off roar of the Atlantic Ocean. Or why not try the delights of the rooftop pool and gaze from the water’s edge upon Cape Town from above? Of course, the real reason you’re here is for the perfectly presented cocktails, which you can order with a round of sushi or tapas. In this classy location the cocktail of choice is, undoubtedly, a refreshing mojito.
47 Main Road, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa +27 (0) 21 430 0500