Cape Town

We are now in Cape Town for the third time, and there is always something new to discover. This time we stayed in Green Point, on Braeside Road, where the houses of the harbor masters from 1900 are located. Our landlord Stuart from Braeside House bought the old house in 2001 and renovated it in such a way that the charm of the time has been preserved.

Here are our new discoveries

• The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has been around for more than 30 years, but we had never been there and were pleasantly surprised. Great shops, relaxed atmosphere, and good restaurants: the Grand Cafe right by the former harbor is highly recommended.
• The Zeitz Mocca Museum of Contemporary Art Africa:
  Housed in an old grain silo, the various exhibitions spread across several floors. Modern and quirky art makes time fly - a top tip for art lovers.
• Addis in Cape, an Ethiopian restaurant. Interesting spiced dishes, eaten with fingers, and the coffee is sensational.
• The Oranjizicht Market near the waterfront, every Saturday and Sunday morning. Great for breakfast or lunch. Residents meet here, chat, eat, and enjoy shopping for home. Rarely have we experienced so many quirky stalls with food and drinks, all in a relaxed Cape Town atmosphere.
• The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock: in the old buildings, there are designer shops, jewelry, unique wooden furniture, and much more. On weekends, there’s a large street food market with good music and delicious cocktails!
• Don’t forget The Pot Luck Club on the upper floor of the Old Biscuit Mill: relatively new to Cape Town and already a trendsetter. Unique dishes that everyone at the table shares. Be sure to reserve a table for dinner!
• The famous Bo-Kaap District is worth a stroll if you're in the area. Very colorful and great for photos. The Batativa Cafe around the corner has delicious cheesecake and scones with cream.
• A day trip along the Chapmans Peak Drive to the Cape of Good Hope is always great. In the South African summer, it’s even more fun in a convertible. And a tip: drive down to the cape on the west side via Scarborough and have a coffee at Camel Rock. The Misty Reef is a popular spot for kite surfers, and Scarborough is a small, quaint, and completely relaxed hippy place.
• Camps Bay remains stunning and glamorous, but extremely touristy. Nevertheless, it's worth stopping here for a coffee. There’s a top men's hairdresser in the little mall.
• My personal highlight is SCAR, the hair salon in Cape Town: 'Good Hair For Bad People'. The entrance door is a small black lattice gate into paradise. Tammy cut my hair perfectly, highlighted it just right, and the conversation is simply lovely. Scarhair.com
  A truly wonderful experience, I love it!
• For wine lovers, Groot Constantia, the oldest vineyard in South Africa, is an absolute must. Start with a delicious meal at Juikershuis: great salads and well-seasoned Malaysian curries. Then stroll through the vineyard and enjoy a glass of wine at Simon's - a delightful afternoon.
• We stayed the second week in Constantia at Ian's (at Constantia Vista | Bay View Apartment). Ian was a pilot in his youth and saw a 'for sale' sign for the property while flying over Constantia. Lucky man, a gem on Price Drive at the top. Exclusive location with views over the vineyards of Groot Constantia to Muizenberg. Great houses, old trees, and absolute tranquility just a stone's throw from Cape Town.
• The Chardonnay Bistro is located down towards Constantia Village. Top breakfast - be sure to reserve a table, the place is extremely popular!
• The Steenberg Estate is worth it for tapas, paired with a wonderful wine or sparkling wine (they have my favorite bubbly!) - be sure to reserve a table on the exclusive terrace of Bistro 1682!
• Giovanni's Deli is an institution in Cape Town - you must visit at least once. Best Italian food, simple, mega good, and a very interesting ordering system.

Anyone feeling hungry now and keen to cook Italian should check out this great recipe from Jamie .....