7 Best spots to discover a different side of Cape Town

You might not realise it, but there is a thread connecting locals to a number of spots that were not necessarily built for tourists.

From Sepial’s quietly radical kitchen in Woodstock to Khayelitsha’s grassroots theatre, these places hold Cape Town’s real character — creative, resilient, and deeply rooted in community. 

They’re built for us (but luckily we'll share).

They ask you to engage, not just consume. To listen as much as you look.  

And in a city where inequality can feel immovable, they remind you that hope often hides in small, stubborn acts — a market stall, a guest book, a performance in a shack.

If you want to discover the authentic spirit of the Mother City, try a day trip. Weave your way through these hidden corners and meet some of our talented creators. 

Morning: Markets, Green Spaces and Hidden Histories

Montebello Organic Market – A Conscious Start

Within the creative hub of Montebello Studios in Newlands, the Inseason Mobile Market serves as a bridge between small-scale farmers and city kitchens.

Co-founders Tapiwa Shelton Chibanda and Kelvin Munashe Chigweshe bring farm-fresh, organic produce from Philippi’s horticultural belt and Khayelitsha directly to locals.

Time Out Tip: You can order a box of seasonal vegetables and free-range eggs — customised to your tastes — or browse in person, chatting to the friendly team about where your carrots grew and whose hands pulled them from the earth.

Their approach is radical in its simplicity: keep it local, keep it sustainable, keep it affordable.

Plastic-free, biodegradable packaging. Direct support for farmers. Delivery if you want it, free collection if you don’t.

For many chefs in the city, this level of traceability isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential.

It’s part of the same movement towards conscious food that values flavour, fairness, and the environment over easy profit. 

READ: 16 Best markets in Cape Town

Vredehoek Quarry – Silence Above the City

On the lower slopes of Devil’s Peak, the Vredehoek Quarry sits like a forgotten stage set — its weathered stone walls holding both history and stillness.

Once a tin mine in the early 1900s, it’s now a reclaimed pocket of fynbos, shallow rainwater pools, and sweeping views from Table Mountain to False Bay.

Here, the city’s noise is absorbed into the carved terraces, leaving a strange quiet that feels rare this close to town.

On any given morning, you might find a lone photographer chasing light, a climber testing their grip on the quarry walls, or a dog hurtling after a frisbee into the water.

Time Out Tip: Wear sturdy shoes as the path is not signposted. You’ll need to know the unmarked paths from Vredehoek’s streets — but that’s the point. The quarry rewards seekers.

READ: ​​12 best Southern Suburb green trails not on the mountain

De Waal Park – The City’s Green Commons

Beneath towering oaks in the heart of Oranjezicht, De Waal Park hums with the easy rhythm of local life.

Mornings bring joggers and dog walkers; midday brings kids on the playground and pensioners on benches; weekends bring concerts, picnics, and even slacklining between trees.

What makes De Waal special isn’t its size or scenery — it’s the mix of people.

Students sprawled over textbooks, families from nearby flats, domestic workers with their charges, couples sharing takeaway coffees.

In a city still scarred by separation, the park feels like one of the few truly shared spaces. 

Time Out tip: Check the park’s free Sunday concert line-up — it’s peak local vibes.

Afternoon: Food, Books and Local Creativity

In the Meantime – Lunch Delights

In a city where restaurants shout for attention, In the Meantime whispers.

Tucked into The Palms Centre in Woodstock, so unassuming you might walk past it twice, this 20-seat sanctuary is the latest chapter in Chef Sepial’s journey — and it’s written in the language of fermentation, flavour, and heartfelt connection.

“It’s a hidden gem at the moment, and I like it. But to survive, that’s not a good tactic, right?” she laughs, a hint of her trademark wryness showing through. 

Since 2017, the Korean-born chef has been quietly shaping Cape Town’s palate. After leaving Maker’s Landing in the V&A Waterfront, she opened this intimate space in mid-June — a return to cooking for people she can actually see.

The name came almost by accident. “Everybody quite likes ‘In the Meantime’. I don’t know why... it just gives you a little glimpse into the future, like something is about to happen.”

Her menu reads simple — fried chicken with housemade gochujang, fresh kimchi dumplings — but hides a backbone of craft. Behind the scenes, she’s making her own fish sauce, fermenting preserves, and coaxing complex layers of flavour into every bite. "I don’t want to scare people too much,” she says, “but at the back, we make everything ourselves."

Sepial's style of hospitality is just as layered. There’s a guest book — not for Instagram, but for her to take home, read in bed, and recharge. “That’s my return on putting my heart into the food,” she says.

Time Out Tip: Book ahead. With only 20 seats, this one fills up fast. Lunch runs from 12:00–3:00, dinner from 6:00–9:00. No late-night hype. Just nourishing food and real conversation — the kind that makes you feel full in more ways than one. 

Obz Books – Where Pages Still Matter

In Observatory, Obz Books is as much a community as a bookstore. Its shelves heave with South African literature, political theory, and second-hand gems that seem to appear overnight.

Time Out Tip: Ask the staff for a local author recommendation. The staff knows what you like before you do — no algorithm required. Regulars are remembered by name and taste: Ms Peterson, who likes her mysteries gentle; the young teacher who stocks up on picture books every payday.

It’s part shop, part salon, part village noticeboard — the kind of place that makes you linger, latte in hand, and leave with three more books than you planned. 

If You’ve Got Extra Time

Majik Forest – Durbanville’s Hidden Green

Far from the tourist traffic, Majik Forest offers the Northern Suburbs their own slice of wild.

Trails wind through indigenous woodland and over little bridges spanning streams that murmur their way to two dams — Fynbos and Amandel. It’s a favourite for dog walkers, joggers, mountain bikers, and families who want nature without the mission. 

Photographers stalk the shifting light on the water. Cyclists tackle the River Run trail. The magic here isn’t in grandeur — it’s in accessibility. Nature on your doorstep, no mountain pass required.

Time Out Tip: Pack a picnic blanket — the grassy damside spots go quickly on weekends.

Evening: Theatre and the Fringe 

Kasi RC Theatre – Stories From the Ground Up  

In Khayelitsha, the Kasi RC Theatre proves you don’t need a fancy venue to make powerful art.

Founded by theatre-maker Mandisi Sindo through the Khayelitsha Art School and Rehabilitation Centre, it stages performances in unconventional spaces — sometimes literally in shacks — to bring theatre to people who might never set foot in a formal auditorium.

The work tackles the real stuff: township life, youth empowerment, education, survival.

Beyond the shows, the theatre runs workshops for young creatives, turning art into both a skill and a form of community resilience. Here, stories aren’t imported — they’re lived. 

Time Out Tip: Don’t just watch the show — stay for the post-performance chats with the cast.

SEE: One of the world's most beautiful cinemas is in Cape Town 

So, there you have it. The soul of Cape Town lives here, in its unpolished corners. All you have to do is step off the beaten trail.