32 / TRAVEL / Cape Town
TRAVEL / 33 Previous pages Left: Access to Beta Beach, Bakoven Right: All-day breakfast at Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room Right: The Test Kitchen appetiser Far right: A spot of shade outside The Old Biscuit Mill Left page (clockwise from top left): Fresh coffee; bright Bo-Kaap homes; Saturday food market at The Old Biscuit Mill; Bicycle Café Left page (clockwise from top left): Dana van Leeuwen, Mirjam Bleeker, Mirjam Bleeker, Dana van Leeuwen Right page: The Test Kitchen (left), Dana van Leeuwen (right) Bar (at no. 114) pulls in the crowds with Peruvian ceviche and fresh fish tacos. On the corner of Heritage Square, Love Thy Neighbour (at 110 Bree St.) pairs its own craft beers with Mediterranean meze, grill and souvlaki dishes. A few doors down, the popular Tapas for 2 set menu at Chefs Warehouse and Canteen (at no. 92) changes daily, with highlights such as tender venison with rainbow carrots, and Asian duck broth with a kick of chilli. At the far southwestern end, two adjacent restaurants, Culture Club Cheese (at no. 215) and Bacon on Bree (at no. 217), dedicate themselves to the finest artery-clogging indulgences. Caprese toasties, croque monsieurs and triple cheese omelettes on one side; BLTs, bacon croissants and bacon-laden Caesar salads on the other. COOL COLLECTIVE Just a ten-minute taxi ride from Bree Street, the industrial neighbourhood of Woodstock used to be rather rundown and unsafe. But in the two decades since the birth of the Rainbow Nation under Nelson Mandela, many trendy boutiques, restaurants, design shops and lofts have appeared, making it the most happening place to visit outside the CBD. The first big attraction of the neighbourhood was a cool collective of creative businesses, coffee bars and art galleries located in a former cookie factory – now simply known as The Old Biscuit Mill. Today, it has developed into a major draw for both locals and visitors. Espresso Lab microroasters brews single origin-beans from the highlands of Kenya and Ethiopia, while ceramics studio Imiso, whose designs draw inspiration from Picasso as well as African scarring traditions, is an excellent stop for souvenir hunters. FOODIE DELIGHTS Across a busy courtyard, chef Luke Dale-Roberts’ The Test Kitchen has received a string of awards and accolades, most notably the title of Restaurant of the Year by EatOut, Africa’s leading restaurant guide, every year since 2012. True to the restaurant’s name, Dale-Roberts’ creativity roams free in any direction, combining uniquely South African culinary traditions with those of Asia – think liquorice-cured Wagyu biltong (the latter being a spiced dried meat similar to beef jerky) and twelve-hour smoked trout tartare. While The Test Kitchen needs to be booked a few weeks ahead, local foodies find solace in the weekly Neighborgoods artisanal food market held next to the Mill. Every Saturday, it offers a plethora of foreign delicacies from Syrian shawarma > “New trendy boutiques, design shops, restaurants and lofts make this a happening place to visit” Where to stay Cape Heritage Hotel If you’d like to stay right in the centre of the hustle and bustle of Bree Street in Cape Town’s fashionable Heritage Square, this restored 18th-century boutique hotel offers bedrooms and suites, each with their own unique character and design, lovely dining and lounge areas, a rooftop hot tub and a central courtyard shaded by the oldest fruit-bearing grapevine in South Africa. Room rates start at around 2,100 rand for a standard double and go up to about 10,500 rand for a twobedroom executive apartment. 90 Bree Street, capeheritage.co.za Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel If you’ve ever wanted to sleep in a vintage Airstream Trailer (those sleek 1950s chrome caravans) the four-star Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel has outfitted seven of them with beds and working kitchens as urban hideaways on its rooftop. The hotel also has ordinary brick-and-mortar room and suites, all with flatscreen TVs and air conditioning. There’s something of a hip, party atmosphere at this CBD hotel, with the outdoor Pink Flamingo cinema on the roof, and two cocktail bars. Standard rooms go for about 2,895 rand a night and the Airstream Trailers cost 4,295 rand per night. 38 Long Street, granddaddy.co.za Cape Town Lodge Hotel A less pricey option (starting at 1,070 rand) within walking distance of Bree Street is the Cape Town Lodge Hotel and Conference Center, with 123 rooms as well as self-catering apartments (or lofts) in an urban tower with views on Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. A preferred option for business travellers and conference events, offering corporate rates and internet access, the hotel also boasts amenities for relaxing: a rooftop terrace with outdoor swimming pool, indoor gym, buffet-style dining and funky, colourful décor in the reception and lobby. 101 Buitengracht Street, capetownlodge.co.za