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We've compiled the best of the best in V&A Waterfront - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
An upscale waterside speakeasy, this warm, cozy hotel bar has long been a favorite among Cape Town's whiskey lovers and cocktail connoisseurs. There's an excellent drinks menu that includes interesting South African wines, but it's the spirits and mixed libations that steal the show, with more than 500 whiskeys on offer, cocktail hours, and occasional live jazz performances. A selection of comfort food and larger meals are available to see you through the night.
Built right on the water's edge adjacent to the yacht marina, Bascule Whisky Bar and Wine Cellar is a fancy watering hole for well-heeled, cigar-puffing locals. Its 400 whiskies are reputed to be the biggest selection in the Southern Hemisphere.
This spot near the outskirts of the V&A Waterfront has a near-religious attitude towards mixology. Cocktails are invented and perfected here and the bartenders are also specialists when it comes to Cape brandy, a noteworthy category of spirits made in much the same manner as cognac. You can taste these various libations and also tuck into food from a generous menu.
A traditional pub outside the main mall, you can kick back and have a beer or two from a wide selection of brews. There's also a pretty extensive menu of burgers, homemade pies (the steak-and-ale pot pie is a winner), and seafood dishes, as well as breakfasts and items to nibble on while you focus on what's in your pint glass. They also conduct whiskey tastings (the idea being to get you interested in Scotland's finest spirits).
On any old night, the Green Dolphin Jazz Restaurant attracts some of the best mainstream jazz musicians in the country, as well as a few from overseas. The cover charge is R30–R35. It's open nightly from 8:15 pm to midnight.
