Local Intel: John Dobson

Well, the water just below it. In crayfish season (what’s left of it), sustainable fishing (read: you won’t catch much) is still spectacular off Cape Point. Floating just offshore, with the monumental cliffs rising up to the two lighthouses, it’s all deeply humbling. Looking at those millions of stairs, you would also feel very sorry for the lighthouse keeper who forgot his keys in the lighthouse when he got back to his car. Even better, if you do manage to catch a legal-size crayfish, the ever-hospitable innkeepers at the old Glencairn Hotel might cook it for you while you sip a cold Hansa. A very special day out.

Rare Grill – and the curiously named BAA pub above it – are in Kenilworth, just on the ‘wrong side of the tracks’, as they say. A few-time winner of the Wolftrap Steakhouse of the Year (think: Stormers silverware, elusive), it’s home to some of the best meat in Cape Town. Run by Greg Bax, Rare Grill is always outstanding, and upstairs BAA is one of the southern suburbs’ more eventful bars. No craft beer, no tattoos, no nonsense. I haven’t been upstairs. 

[Rare Grill also makes the cut for The Best Steak in Cape Town]

166 2^nd Avenue, Kenilworth

Marcus runs this hidden gem with a cheerful sort of chaos. The Daisy Jones Bar is possibly the best live music venue around. Catch Francois van Coke, Jack Parow or Spoegwolf here and you’re in for an unforgettable night, though remembering it might be another story.

Summerhill Wine Estate, Stellenbosch

Nobody knows about it, and that’s how the members like it. There’s not much sport beyond billiards and the occasional squash match among the under-80s. Think old English gentlemen’s club and 120 years of history, with a menu of Salticrax, Marmite, and Peck’s Anchovette. Membership required, but not impossible. There’s still a rotary phone by the door. Go while the flag’s still up. A treasure.

20 Station Rd, Rondebosch

Don’t leave your laptop on the car seat (but then, don’t in Green Point either). This was the home ground of my old rugby club, Northern Avonwood. In a community facing immense challenges, the passion for the game and the warmth on the sidelines is moving. It’s a raw reminder of both the best and the worst of Cape Town. Also, a decent venue for a quart.

Avonwood Avenue, Elsie's River

Wedged in among the creeping gentrification and rising affluence, Oceana has held firm for the everyman. That it’s still here is something worth celebrating. It’s a brilliant spot to launch, whether you're skiing, heading to Robben Island, or mooring off Clifton. Old-school clubhouse vibes, great hospitality, and a R42 brandy and Coke for those inclined.

Haul Road, Green Point

Ethiopian food is a perennial favourite of my wife’s and mine. She says it’s because I can eat with my hands. But it’s also about the city centre: colourful, vibrant, alive. Addis in Cape is a fail-safe dinner spot.

168 Loop Street, Cape Town

Run by the disreputable Daniel, Tintin and the crew, Il Leone is the coach’s favourite. The walls can’t talk (thankfully), but they’re covered in art, and the Italian food is superb. Best lunch spot in town. Just don’t get towed.

12 Cobern Street, Green Point

Not a dessert, but a Newlands walking route. In these post-Covid days, parking at the old zoo and hiking up the lower slopes of Devil’s Peak to the contour path and around Plum Pudding is a wilder, windier experience. Less gentrified, more raw nature. The views – from Green Point to Muizenberg – are unforgettable, as is the looming presence of UCT below.

Park at Old Zoo/Rhodes Memorial

Start hiking from Constantia Nek. At the top of the jeep track, past the Overseers Cottage, this is one of Cape Town’s great secret walks. No swimming allowed, but the journey itself is the draw: microclimates, stone trails, and panoramic views. An ideal day out for wandering minds and strong legs.

What a lady. Possibly the smallest menu in Cape Town, definitely one of the tastiest. Centred on Mozambican prawns and run by a totally eccentric, utterly brilliant hostess. In a world of franchises and restaurant groups, Carla’s is a one-of-a-kind gem. If you don’t like it, lump it.

9 York Road, Muizenberg

Nowhere near Cape Town, but bear with me. These small-town agricultural festivals are national treasures, and Calvinia’s Hantam Vleisfees is the best of them. You can eat every single part of the sheep (and I mean every part) in an atmosphere of unfiltered rural hospitality. Through the Tankwa you go: accommodation is rustic, music is live, and nothing has changed since 1962. Worth every dusty kilometre.

Calvinia, Northen Cape

Let me be clear: for the wakeboarding, not the beach. The beach is fine, but the real joy is out in the water where you’ll find some of the best wakeboarding conditions around, with tropical-blue (but freezing) seas. The setting is wild and rugged. As for binoculars? Well, that’s your business.