The Hottest Nightlife in Cape Town

Whether you want to paint the town red, dance from dusk till dawn, or chill out with drinks and a good soundtrack – from Afrobeats and deep house to rock and jazz – these urban playgrounds bring the vibes. We’ve got the sundowners spots, the early-supper hubs, the midnight hotspots and the watering holes to shake and stir you.

Baby

She had disco in her eyes and they called her… This pretty much sums up the vibe at this brand-new Sea Point nightspot, with its mirror ball and hot disco-fever beats. On the buzzy stretch of Regent Road (upstairs, opposite Mojo Market) the nostalgic yet up-to-the-minute cocktail bar promises velvet dreams and electric nights fuelled by a flow of bubbles and cocktails, with a bar menu of snacks (wagyu cheeseburger, truffle arancini, shoestring fries and linefish crudo) to keep you dancing till late.
Opens 7 February 2025
Opening times Thursday – Saturday, 7pm – 2am
Kitchen: 7pm – 10.30pm
Contact disco@babycapetown.com
Where to find it 1st Floor, 13-17 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 8005
Enquire Now

The Athletic Club & Social

One of the city’s best spots for live music, The Athletic is also much more than that. Entering this grand old building on Buitengracht Street, your curiosity leads you upstairs and downstairs, through a moody labyrinth of spaces each more sumptuous and “extra” than the last – a whimsical design fantasy of colonial-meets-modern and plush gentleman’s club. There’s the Trapezaria (a dining room serving fantastic Greek and fire-roasted fare), three glorious bars (with a separate canapé menu), a balcony with views of Signal Hill, and a speakeasy-like basement, The Trophy Room, where live jazz creates sexy magic. This is a place with a story… get to know it and you’ll understand the name.
Opening times Monday, 4pm – 11pm
Tuesday, 12pm – 11pm
Wednesday, 12pm – 12am
Thursday – Saturday, 12pm – 2am
Contact 084 087 5566, info@theathletic.co.za
Where to find it 35 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town
Book through DinePlan

Bree Street

The Bree Street buzz is electric and eclectic. Restaurants, cafés, bars and clubs rub shoulders in a thrilling buffet of nightlife options.There’s something for everyone and all ages.
Two of our favourites:
The Blue Room cocktail lounge and jazz club (at 103 Bree) is a magnet for a “grown-up” night out that ticks all the boxes: top-notch drinks, fantastic food and great music. Expect sets by some of the country’s best musicians in an atmospheric speakeasy space. Patrons can settle in early with exquisite cocktails and small sharing plates, or enjoy a proper dinner (here or upstairs at chef Matt Manning’s Grub & Vine bistro), then disappear behind the blue curtains to enjoy the show. Happy hour is from 4pm – 6pm.
Hacienda (at 92 Bree) has turned up the heat with its gaucho-chic interiors (leather booths, mosaic floors, ceramic drinkware) and spice-flecked food inspired by the “coastal cuisine” of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Just add flowing tequila, fabulous margaritas (happy hour 4pm – 5.30pm) and a playlist of cool Latin tracks for a memorable night out.
Opening times Blue Room: Wednesday – Saturday, 6pm – late
Hacienda: Monday – Sunday, until 10.30pm
Contact Blue Room: 087 153 5244, info@mattmanningchef.com
Hacienda: 021 422 0128, capetown@hacienda.co.za
Book Blue Room
Book Hacienda

Café Caprice

With a palm-fringed beach and a buzzing promenade lined with alfresco café-bars, Camps Bay has the sparkle of St Tropez and the sex appeal of Miami South Beach. It’s hot, sexy, but oh-so chilled. Caprice is where you’ll find the glam squad, who flock to this vibey hotspot on the strip for café-chic meals (the burgers are superb), expert cocktails at the Veuve Clicquot bar and an uninterrupted view of the ocean. It’s the perfect spot for sundowners and an early dinner; and with DJs providing the chilled deep-house soundtrack on the dancefloor from Thursday to Sunday, Caprice also transitions seamlessly into party central.
Good to know No children after 6pm on weekends.
Opening times Monday – Thursday, until 12am
Friday – Sunday, until 1am
Contact 021 438 8315, reservations@cafecaprice.co.za
Where to find it 37 Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
Enquire Now

Harrington Street

Pick your flavour: this nightlife enclave covers all the bases, incorporating the atmospheric, Havana-ish Rum Runner Bar; edgy-punky dive bar SurfaRosa; and Harrington’s, an elegant cocktail lounge serving global tapas, with retro velvet seating, glam chandeliers and panoramic views of the East City. District is the main clubbing venue, with a set-up for live gigs, where leather booths surround the gleaming, polished-wood dance floor equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system. A variety of events keep things cooking, from funky-disco nights and live bands (especially East City Sessions on Thursdays) to jazz and a wining-and-dining supper club.
Opening times Wednesday + Thursday, 4pm – 4am
Friday + Saturday, from 3pm
Contact 078 916 7903, bookings@harringtonstreet.co.za
Where to find it 61B Harrington Street, East City, Cape Town
Book Harrington’s Cocktail Lounge

Kloof Street

One of the city’s buzziest hubs, a stroll along this street in Gardens will have you hopping from sundowners and tapas to supper, drinks and beyond. You’ll find plenty of bars with banging soundtracks and dancefloors aplenty. Two of our favourites:
One Park, a hidden gem in Park Road just off Kloof, combines music, food, drink and art in one enticing package. A heritage building transformed into a cool hub custom-made for music lovers, the upstairs listening room hosts a roster of DJs (and is kitted out in moody lighting and comfy couches). Enjoy local flavours in the drinks and snacks from the downstairs wine-and-food bar.
Rita’s, perched above Hudson’s, is a gorgeous tequila den (half-price margaritas from 5pm – 7pm). A curvy bar counter takes centre stage, where the sound of cocktails being shaken is all part of the rhythm of the night. There are two rooftop terraces with a wonderful view of the mountain, and a DJ spinning tunes for a dancefloor takeover later. Besides the signature cocktail and premium tequilas, the drinks menu has diverse and creative choices – and there are delicious tacos to match.
Opening times One Park: Wednesday – Saturday, 4pm – 10pm or later
Ritas: Tuesday – Thursday, 4.30pm – 2am
Friday – Sunday, from 3pm
Contact One Park: 081 047 1248, info@onepark.co.za
Rita’s: 021 300 6695
Book Rita’s

Grand Africa Café & Beach

It’s the location that lures people here – to discover a beachside idyll unlike any other in Cape Town. There are sea views, yes, but it’s the private beach that sets it apart, where you can eat, drink and play – Ibiza-style – with your toes in the sand. Housed in a restored boathouse, the interiors are old-world romantic and casually glam. The menu offers all the popular classics (pizza, steak, pasta, sushi), while five bars ensure patrons have their choice of cocktails, bubbly, craft beer and excellent Cape wines. Add a star-studded DJ lineup, and it’s no wonder the crowds flock here for sundowners and after-dark beats.
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, until 12am
Contact details 021 425 0551, beach@grandafrica.com
Where to find it Granger Bay Road (off Beach Road), V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Cabo Beach Club

Kyle Kingsley

Swaying palm trees, a walk-in pool, cool beats, powdery sand underfoot, sea views and the whiff of piña coladas in the air… Cabo is an unexpectedly glam set-up in the midst of Cape Town’s docklands. Inspired by beach clubs around the world (think Ibiza, Mykonos, Tulum, Bali), the Mother City’s hottest waterside haven combines stylish decor, culinary delights and scintillating cocktails with the soul and vibrancy of Africa. With top local and international DJs on the decks (or live acts), there’s always a vibe – from salsa sessions and jazzy house to amapiano beats. It’s the place to dance the summer nights away under the stars.
Opening times Tuesday – Sunday, until 11pm or later
Contact 021 137 5401, 071 419 8806 (WhatsApp), info@cabobeachclub.co.za
Where to find it 12 S Arm Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Chinchilla

This cool and contemporary rooftop bar on the Camps Bay strip, with its killer views of the beach and ocean a stone’s throw away, is the ideal place to while away the hours sipping on cocktails and listening to cool tunes. With its greenery, natural materials and pops of colour, it feels like a well-heeled bohemian tropical-beach shack. A menu of sushi, “bar bites”, platters and café classics (seafood, steaks, burgers) means that you can stay fuelled up. On weekends, resident DJs spin cool tunes from sunset until 9pm.
Good to know No under-18s after 4pm.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, until 10pm
Contact 021 286 5075, managers@chinchillarooftop.co.za
Where to find it Promenade Building, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
Book Through DinePlan

Which are your favourites? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Discover all of the Cape’s hidden gems – subscribe to our weekly newsletter.