Why Cape Town Should Be on Every Traveler’s List

With international travel now in full swing, countries blessed with naturally stunning scenery are making their way on tourists’ must-see list. Wedged between the magnificent Table Mountain and the sparkling Atlantic Ocean, there are few places as sensational as Cape Town. The surrounding Winelands alone are enough reason to visit, not to mention its cool urban edge and transformative restaurant and design scene, which in recent times, like any good South African wine, has really come into its own. And for American travelers there has never been a better time to get there, with the first direct flights from Washington D.C. (and expanded direct flights from Newark) now available on United Airlines. 

“The Cape Town design scene has started to mature over the last few years and is now beginning to have its own unique narrative in the larger international design community,” says Tristan du Plessis, the designer who is behind some of the country’s sultriest hospitality spaces. “There is such a strong voice coming from local designers and makers who are not only creating unique designs but also executing at a level of sophistication not previously seen.”

Leading the charge are du Plessis’s creations for Gorgeous George—the city’s newest design hotel, which blends 18th-century grandeur with Cape Town’s raw, industrial edge. What’s more, FYN is a cutting-edge restaurant from chef Ashley Moss, with seductive interiors that are just as slick as the food.

Yaniv Chen, founder of Master Studio, meanwhile, has been busy imprinting his warm, minimal, and textured style with projects like MRKT and Pauline’s intimate standup coffee bar. Elsewhere, Chen highly recommends both Moro Gelato and Between Us. The former, which, according to Chen, serves ‘the best gelato in the country,’ features shades of pistachio, peach, and antique cream. Between Us is a lovely eatery from twin sisters Jesse and Jaime Friedberg, whose unfussy, flavorful dishes extend to the interiors to feature custom-made ceramics and kiaat wood furnishings by local company Versefeld.

Over at the V&A Waterfront docks, Ryan Cole—former head chef at the Test Kitchen and cofounder of Salsify at The Roundhouse—has pulled out all the stops with Cabo Beach Club. This new hot spot, with its all-day beach vibes, has a number of cool hangout spaces—including an indulgent caviar, champagne, and oyster deck, as well as two restaurants. Of these, Violet serves a sophisticated sharing menu with dishes like the beef tataki with a miso and yuzu dressing. This refinement is reflected in the detail-orientated design, which local firm KT Interior has layered with contrasting textures of wood, brass, and concrete in seductive burnt orange and gray tones.

At Ëlgr, chef Jesper Nilsson nods to his Swedish background with the restaurant’s menu, which uses simple, fresh, and local ingredients. Here, Nilsson, along with his mother, worked with local firm Source IBA to create a minimal Scandinavian-inspired dining space in a moody charcoal palette. 

The team at Source IBA has actually been pretty busy of late. Already with a portfolio including brands like Radisson and Hilton, the design firm is not only behind Rockefeller, Cape Town’s newest hotel on the emerging Foreshore, but it was also tasked to overhaul the city’s storied grande dame, the Winchester Hotel. “When our studio was first approached, our immediate reaction was that we simply could not allow the opportunity to work with such an iconic Cape Town landmark to pass us by,” says Mardre Meyer, the company’s creative director and partner. Perched on the scenic Sea Point promenade, against a majestic backdrop of Table Mountain, the historic hotel, with its Cape Dutch architecture, has now firmly been transported into the 21st century. The result includes a new monochromatic color scheme with pops of bold color that emerge through the 76 guest rooms. New to the hotel is a standalone destination restaurant called Shoreditch House, which serves a contemporary menu of dishes cooked over an open flame.

Elsewhere there is a sense of solidarity in championing local talent. PLGRM, for example, is a new ‘curated residence’ that has been launched specifically to showcase the best of South African art and design. Set against spectacular views of Table Mountain and Lion’s Head, the two-bedroom apartment has been deftly dressed by designer Kobus Rossouw to include pieces like limited-edition Mae Rugs by fashion duo Malcolm Kluk and Christiaan Gabriel Du Toit, and artwork by Heike Allerton-Davies and Walter Battiss.

Then there is Duck Duck Goose, a retail store that is home to a curation of independently owned South African brands such as textile designer Sindiso Khumalo and the vegan and prebiotic amenities line, Umu Ora. All this within a new space designed by owner Daniel Sher together with Adri van Zyl, to feature details like the custom-cut mosaic floor, which has a brass inlay of the shop’s logo. Meanwhile, urbanist, curator, and publisher Zahira Asmal has just launched Cultivate, an oenophilic initiative that is redefining the future of Black South African winemakers. Comprising a collective of members that hail from all over southern Africa, the enterprise also consists of the Cultivate marketplace, an urban space with a bar, retail area, and tasting room.

Launched in the spring, Canvas Collective offers ultraluxury tents and mobile cabins which can be erected wherever a client desires. And, if in doubt, one can always get their full dose of art, architecture, and design at The Silo. Perched above Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), the celebrated hotel is housed in the grain elevator of the historic grain silo complex, whose standout exterior has been transformed by Heatherwick Studio.

Truth be told, Cape Town has always been South Africa’s It city. The difference is that now there is a new self-confidence and a palpable pride in its own design voice.