My boyfriend surprised me with a trip for my 30th birthday! He decided to take me to Cape Town, South Africa! He works for luxury travel company and one of the employee perks was that they had access to random discounted flights. Initially, it seemed a little random, but needless to say, Cape Town definitely made it on my top 3 favorite cities to visit so far!
Oh my gosh… the food in Cape Town was nothing short of amazing! We ate soo much, from seafood to Indian cuisine to some of the best steak I’ve ever had! Not to mention the wine, Cape Town is home to some of the best wine in world (at least that what they will tell you, I’m no connoisseur). Either way, while you’re there try some of my favorite spots… and visit a vineyard for a wine tasting.
The Butcher Shop & Grill
Here, you get to pick the type of steak you want and the thickness of the steak… I have never done that at any other steakhouse. That alone was worth the visit. But on top of that, The Butcher Shop & Grill had superb service and amazing appetizers and side dishes. This place is a must-try in my book!
Mexican on Long
Right around the corner from our hotel was Mexican on Long. Late one night, we were starving and looked for the closest place still open. I’m so glad we went here… they had the best seafood tacos I’ve had in my life! I still dream about those things!! If you go to Cape Town, I’m sure you’ll end up on Long Street, and when you do, this place is another one of my must-trys.
The Old Biscuit Mill
I don’t know how to explain what this is. It was market with several different food vendors set up on one side and clothing, craft, and art vendors setup on another side. I’d recommend this spot for a few quick bites and bit of exploring.
Some other places we ate:
Paranga- Fine dining seafood restaurant near the water.
Food Inn India– As it was really close to the hotel and was open late, this place was clutch.
Tiger’s Milk– Super cute and tasty.
Rcaffe- Eclectic coffee and pastry shop.
While in Cape Town, we stayed at the Pepperclub Hotel & Spa. After looking for hotels for months, I came across this hotel on Expedia (it can also be found on Agoda, just compare the rates). This was a 5-star hotel that was only $174.15 per night (including taxes) at the time. I failed to document this hotel as thoroughly as I would have liked but I will not disappoint. The service and the complimentary breakfast was some of the best I’ve ever had! If you stay here, DO NOT MISS BREAKFAST!
The one thing that was a complete surprise were the views. When searching for a hotel, my three main requirements are 1. is it close to things I want to do or the city center and 2. does it have good reviews 3. are the rooms updated. Views are no where on my list, but this place blew our breath away. I hate that I didn’t video or take more pictures…
Lion’s Head
Table Mountain
Long Street
I find that anywhere that there is mountains and water around a large city, you can pretty much find something for everyone. Since Cape Town fits that bill, there is a ton to do. Initially, to do and see everything we wanted, we opted to get Hop On Hop Off Tour tickets for a few days. We did basically every line and then on the remaining days did other things that were either not on the tour or places where we wanted to spend the an extended amount of time. I highly recommend the Hop On Hop Off Tours for Cape Town.
The highlights for the trip:
Table Mountain– got there via the Hop On Hop Off Tour
Delaire Graff Estate Wine Tasting– call to book and plan for transportation, it isn’t close to the city
Camps Bay Beach– got there via the Hop On Hop Off Tour
Horseback Riding– most are close to the wineries, you can even ride through the vineyards
Aquila Game Reserve– the closest thing to a safari near Cape Town
