Selene Brophy

Is there a more satisfying bite than the salty, smoky hit of a really, really good burger? The answer is obviously: of course not. Restaurants all over the world are crafting and griddling their own take on the classic beef burger, with homemade sauces, whacky buns, and specialty meats elevating these patties to entirely new levels. We wanted to find out where, exactly, one can find the tastiest, juiciest, most decadent and inventive burgers out there right now. So we grilled Time Out’s global team of food and drink editors about the very best burgers they’ve sunk their teeth into – then ranked them all according to the venues with the strongest star ratings on Google. The result? Fourteen lip-smacking burgers, found across some of the world’s best cities. From smashed wagyu to a ‘kitschy’ surf and turf and everything in between, these are the greatest burgers on the planet right now, each tried and tested by us. Tuck in. RECOMMENDED:🍕 The best pizzas in the world🥪 The best sandwiches in the world🥩 The best steaks in the world This list was edited by Liv Kelly, Time Out’s travel writer. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Cape Town’s food scene has become one of the most exciting reflections of the city's multicultural, slightly chaotic approach (in the best way) to seasonal winter flavours.Across the city, chefs are drawing on Japanese ramen bars, Thai spice markets, East Asian small plates, Italian comfort food, African coastal ingredients and Cape nose-to-tail cooking - while still grounding their menus in local produce.  One minute, you could be slurping deeply savoury ramen on Bree Street at Yatai, the next you’re eating Thai-inspired winter dishes at Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia. Settle into the rich simplicity of Giorgio Nava’s silky Chicken Alfredo from Carne (winter comfort in a bowl!). The ocean flavours and African storytelling at Seebamboes and COY are inspirational. While the bottomless bubbles will fire up your Sundays at The Pot Luck Club. Equally enticing is how confidently Cape Town chefs are blurring the line between fine dining and comfort food. At Test Kitchen Fledgelings, Korean fried chicken sits comfortably alongside smoked snoek pâté and bone marrow brioche. The Belly of the Beast Group is giving East City’s ever-evolving food culture life, where menus are driven less by rigid structure and more by the seasonal intention for that particular day. The results are a winter menu offerings that take risks without losing its local food instinct or dialect! So go on, be adventurous - don't just stick to your favourites. Try something different with menu specials catering

One of the greatest advantages of living in a city is having world-class art and culture right on your doorstep. On any given day, you can spend the morning seeing world-famous works of art, the afternoon browsing bookshops and poking around indie galleries, and the evening at a comedy night (or the theatre, or a gig). Then there’s all the other stuff, like neighbourhood cinemas, street art, traditional festivals and museum lates. The best bit? In many of the world’s best cities, you can experience all that wonderful human creativity for free.  Every year, Time Out sets out to find today’s cultural capitals, where enviable art collections, brilliant theatre, music and cultural celebrations are accessible and affordable to locals and visitors. To create the list this year, we asked 24,000 locals in over 150 cities to rate the quality and affordability of the culture scene where they live, and to tell us exactly what their city does best, from comedy and carnivals to live music and literature. We then combined their responses with the insight of Time Out’s culture panel – editors, writers and local experts – who voted for the cities they think are particularly exciting places to visit for culture and the arts right now. To ensure the list reflects the best cities for culture globally, we included only the highest-scoring cities for each country. In every city on this list, you’ll find legendary arts venues and absolutely jam-packed cultural calendars. Time Out’s local experts a

Cape Town’s West Coast is one of those places that sneaks up on you with its rugged beauty and its wild unpretentiousness. Come spring, the fynbos explodes into riotous bloom, and the coastline swaps grey skies for golden afternoons.  The 'Weskus' certainly has some big drawcard energy: charming fishing villages, unspoilt beaches, salt-of-the-earth food and just enough off-the-grid magic to feel like a picture-perfect escape you’d want to take again and again.  Together with my family, I've honed this West Coast meander down to a mini-break fine art over the years. Let's hit the road and soak up all the laid-back wonder.

Cape Town's winter weather is dicey, at best. The beauty of the secret season, between May and August, at the Southern tip of Africa, is that you can enjoy balmy, sun-filled days in between some windy, rainy stretches. But even then, the ample natural, adrenaline-infused attractions of the Western Cape will call you away from your creature comforts for a bit - purely because the Cape in winter is an adventure wonderland that not everybody gets to experience!  Sure, the mountain slips into cloud more often, while you're chasing the newly refreshed waterfalls and the ample coastlines running from east to west are pelted by restless waves. But if you show up, you'll discover sides of this city the summer crowds never get to see. You get something far better than a nice day. You get an adventure story! And this wanderlust after outdoor experiences that bring something more than a curated snap to the gram is a shift that's happening globally. A SATSA Adventure White Paper, released in February, shows that South Africa's adventure tourism industry generated R25 billion in 2024, with travellers actively seeking experiences shaped by the elements rather than sanitised from them. Summer is easy! You book, you arrive, you tick it off. Winter makes you earn it, and that's precisely why what you get back is worth it. The adventures are the same ones that run year-round. But the light is different, the landscapes are different, the company is different (smaller, more interesting, slightly

The Mother City and its surrounding nature playgrounds are gearing up for winter. And while Cape Town’s winter is mild by Northern Hemisphere standards, flurries of snow along the surrounding mountains have become something to look forward to despite the chilliness. Even Table Mountain has been known to surprise Capetonians with a rare dusting of snow - usually after an icy cold front and only if you're up early enough to catch it before it melts.  Recorded snowfall on the mountain dates back to the early 1900s, and when it does happen, it’s a truly magical (and fleeting) winter moment.  However, for those who live for these brrracing winter weather moments, there are a few spots that offer you a good chance of chasing snowflakes without having to leave the Western Cape. Pack your boots, grab a flask, and let’s go snow hunting.  RECOMMENDED: ☕️ The best cafés and coffee shops in Cape Town 📍 The best day hikes in Cape Town 🥣 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town 🏨 The best hotels in Cape Town  

*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-69eb0d43-90ac-83ea-a54a-49493c47c7b6-2" data-testid="conversation-turn-16" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="assistant"> Time Out Market Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront has dropped its new winter menu, and it’s built for comfort-food season. Think rich pastas, fragrant curries, loaded pizzas, fresh linefish and a waffle dessert that serving fluffy joy! Across the Market’s kitchens, some of the city’s best chefs have designed these dishes for cooler days, longer lunches and those “we’ll just stay for one more” kind of dinners.  It's never been easier to taste the Mother City, all under one roof in the heart of the city's most popular destinations, the V&A Waterfront.   

There’s a beautiful, languid ease to strolling through Franschhoek. You can easily spend the day on foot, sauntering down Huguenot Street, moving between galleries, restaurants and craft shops - with dedicated stops along the way, including the Huguenot Fine Chocalate at one end down to the striking Huguenot Monument at the other, which pays homage to the French settlers who shaped the Cape’s food and wine heritage in the late 17th century.   It may be a small Winelands town, but you’ll struggle to find anywhere in South Africa with more award-winning restaurants, wine estates and curated experiences per square kilometre. Set against the vineyard-lined slopes of the Franschhoek Mountains and Groot Drakenstein Mountains, just over an hour from Cape Town, the valley offers a seamless blend of heritage, design, artistic creativity and serious food culture. That accessibility is part of the appeal. Whether you’re a local or visiting the Mother City for the first time, Franschhoek makes for an easy, indulgent mini-break. Throughout the year, the town buzzes with food and wine festivals, art and book fairs - now joined by the highly anticipated debut of the Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek, set to create an even stronger global draw. During a recent weekend escape to La Residence  - part of The Royal Portfolio, which also includes The Silo Hotel - it became clear how effortlessly Franschhoek delivers the best of both worlds when it comes to a world-class tourist destination: c

Right now, it feels like a great time to celebrate our cities. What cities do best is bring people together – everything we love about urban life, from the galleries and bars to the neighbourhood parks, exists thanks to the communities that make it all happen.  That’s why, every year, we raise a toast to the city with our definitive annual ranking, created on the back of a comprehensive survey of city-dwellers worldwide. Our survey asks not only what people love about their cities – the food scene and nightlife, the shops and museums, the parks and people – but also how it feels to live there. We asked you about happiness, affordability and quality of life, among a variety of other criteria. And, in order to dig deeper into the everyday lives of locals, this year we expanded our survey to cover aspects like love, romance and community feel. Time Out’s Best Cities with Intrepid Travel spotlights the destinations that offer the best of both worlds: an endlessly exciting catalogue of reasons to visit, as well as all the good stuff that makes a place feel like home. The 50 cities that made the list this year did so thanks to the insights of more than 24,000 people across 150 cities worldwide. To determine the final Best Cities ranking for 2026, we combined their thousands of responses with the votes of more than 100 Time Out city experts. Then we tapped up our network of local writers to tell us exactly what makes their city worth a visit right now. The result? A rundown of the m

Cape Town’s food scene is next-level. Officially ranked the 4th best food city in the world, the Mother City blends global flavours with local flair, dishing up everything from award-winning fine dining to hole-in-the-wall gems you’ll want to keep secret (but we won’t). With its rich mix of cultures, the city’s dining scene is a constant state of delicious evolution - think boundary-pushing chefs, bold new concepts and collaborations with plenty of option that’ll have you booking a table immediately. Hungry and ready to explore? We’ve rounded up the hottest new restaurants in and around Cape Town - because we are dedicated to keeping our finger on the pulse of Cape Town’s dining scene, uncovering the hottest new restaurants for you to enjoy! 

A love for the stars can be tough when you are constrained by a city’s light pollution, but it doesn’t completely have to put a damper on your celestial calendar. While nothing beats the absolute emptiness of the desert or untouched mountain tops, you can still plan to enjoy that special meteor shower, according to South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) expert Dr Daniel Cunnama. “Astronomy is one of the few sciences where everyone can participate just by looking up,” explains Cunnama, based at SAAO’s headquarters in Cape Town’s Observatory district. “You don’t need special training or equipment to feel awe, curiosity, or connection.” Cunnama is a computational astronomer whose work focuses on simulating how galaxies form and evolve using supercomputers and is passionate about sharing cutting-edge astronomy breakthroughs with the public as SAAO’s Science Engagement Astronomer. SAAO also manages the observatory in Northern Cape’s Sutherland, South Africa’s most popular stargazing hotspot.  SAAOSAAO’s Sutherland facility in the Karoo. “Growing up in South Africa, I was lucky to experience really dark skies, and once you see the Milky Way properly, it’s hard not to ask questions. Astronomy sits at a nice intersection of big ideas — time, space, origins — and hard science.”  But can an astronomer have a favourite celestial event? “I have a soft spot for meteor showers. They’re accessible, communal, and don’t require any equipment — just a warm jacket and some patience.  I

Want to know where the locals love to go? In this exclusive series on Time Out Cape Town, ‘Local Intel’ taps into some of the city’s best-connected characters to unearth the corners you simply can’t miss in the Mother City. Raised across Gugulethu, Langa and Pinelands, Siv Ngesi grew up moving between worlds that taught him very different lessons about community, resilience and belonging. His earliest memories are rooted in township life: playing in the street until the lights came on, hunting in the bush with friends, and sitting around a table with his grandfather eating sheep’s head. His move to Pinelands also marked a different chapter. “We were one of the first Black families allowed to live there,” he explains, describing a community of trees, neighbours moving from house to house, and meals shared at friends’ homes. “My parents couldn’t really afford it, but they made a huge sacrifice for us to be there. I’ll always be grateful for that.” That grounding in shared experience - and in people showing up for one another - runs like a golden thread through what Siv does, both on screen and off. Alongside his acting career, he’s the founder of the MENstruation Foundation, which distributes free sanitary pads across Southern Africa as part of a broader fight to end period poverty.   It’s work he links directly to Ubuntu. “The whole world needs more Ubuntu,” he says, pointing to a South African instinct to go beyond the call of duty. “We do things we shouldn’t be able to achie

Seebamboes sits somewhat hidden above sister restaurant Galjoen, on Harrington Street. But make no mistake, this 16-seat restaurant has staked its claim by taking the familiar idea of surf and turf and seriously turning it on its head. There are unexpected flavour combos, with seaweed served alongside meaty flavours that leave a lingering richness on your lips. Named after Ecklonia maxima - the giant indigenous kelp lining the Western Cape coastline - Seebamboes translates to “sea bamboo.” This restaurant feels entirely connected to the ocean landscapes that have inspired its creative culinary team. The result is a striking menu of small plates that doesn't lose sight of being nourishing, while establishing it as one of the city's most distinctive dining experiences. The Backstory Seebamboes forms part of The Belly Restaurant Group, the hospitality collective founded by Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart - the duo behind Belly of the Beast and Galjoen.   What makes the group particularly interesting is its deliberate resistance to scale. None of their restaurants seats more than 35 guests, and all sit within two city blocks in Cape Town’s East City Precinct. Together, they’ve helped transform Harrington Street into an exciting culinary hub.   At Seebamboes, chef Adèl Hughes - who previously cooked at Galjoen and alongside Kobus van der Merwe of Wolfgat fame - leads the kitchen with confidence. Sustainability underpins everything both at Seebamboes and Galjoen, from locally foraged

Many things can prompt a recollection of a particular time in your life. Smell is a particularly powerful one.    I recently noticed a foul smell in the air over our West Coast neighbourhood and remarked that it smelled like tear gas. The fact that I had teargas as a point of reference was funny to my family, at first. But it stirred a memory of the Apartheid-era riots I experienced growing up on the Cape Flats, back in the eighties. Just a few days later, I would watch Rise 76, further stoking the uneasy power of these memories and making Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni’s new production profoundly arresting. This play does not simply ask you to remember June 16, 1976. It hits uncomfortably hard, reminding us how close that history still sits beneath our skin.   Marking the 50th anniversary of the Soweto student uprising, Rise ’76: The Story of June 16 takes you to Molefe Secondary. In this fictional Soweto school, learners, teachers, and parents are pushed to the breaking point by being forced to use Afrikaans as the medium of instruction. What begins as black consciousness and progressive, thought-provoking incitement through poetry outside the classroom's walls soon gathers momentum into the terrible force of that historic day. Mashifane wa Noni, a two-time Fleur du Cap-winning playwright and director, avoids the broad textbook version of the uprising. Instead, she works in smaller, sharper moments by depicting a student meeting, a teacher’s fear, a mother’s grief, the bodies

At The Wes Bistro & Bar, winter is making a theatrical and somewhat indulgent statement. The newly launched winter set menu leans into classic French comfort, wrapped in a setting that feels pulled straight out of The Grand Budapest Hotel film.  The Backstory Megan Kritzinger has built her name on instinct as much as intention. After growing Stellski’s into a Bree Street staple, she’s carved out something more personal with The Wes.  Positioned beneath The Trade Boutique Hotel, the restaurant opened at the end of 2024 as the hotel's breakfast bistro. It carries a distinct identity by design. As Kritzinger puts it, there simply couldn’t be two Stellskis. Instead, The Wes draws from her time in Nice and a clear love of French bistro culture. It’s less about replication and more about interpretation, filtered through a playful lens - more specifically, the lens of celebrated American film-maker Wes Anderson. Vibe The immediate pull is visual. It’s Wes Anderson-coded in the best way: pastel-drenched, symmetrical, slightly surreal. A central fountain anchors the space, alongside a chic cocktail bar, while curved banquette and parquet floors lean into old-world glamour. It’s the kind of dinner spot that inspires you to dress up a little more. Not to be pretentious, but in a “lean into the moment” kind of way, and that adds to the fun.  The Food In addition to its all-day breakfast, the bistro offers an à la carte French-inspired menu. Its winter set menu (R495per person) is a tight

It’s been roughly two years since this intimate 30-seater opened, offering locals and visitors a genuinely thoughtful seafood experience built entirely around responsibly caught South African produce. Named after the country’s national fish, Galjoen sits on Harrington Street in the East City Precinct, bringing an intimate, sustainability-led approach focused on what comes from our surrounding coastal regions. No Norwegian salmon, or Vietnamese prawns here! Instead, you'll find fresh local fish, shellfish and foraged sea vegetables sourced from a tight network of suppliers that fit the bill for responsibly sourced. The menu also shifts constantly, giving diners something new to look forward to each time.   The Backstory Harrington Street is having a moment. Once a gritty edge of the CBD, it now hums with galleries, boutiques and the promises of culinary excellence. If anything is challenging Bree Street’s dominance, it’s here, as the East City Precinct continues to reinvent itself.  At the centre of that shift is the Belly Restaurant Group, led by chef duo Anouchka Horn and Neil Swart. Between Belly of the Beast, Galjoen and the intimate Seebamboes, they’ve created a tight cluster of deeply South African concepts - with more on the way. Think boerewors-focused BURI, game-driven Quagga, and walk-in spot No Show - all small and all within a couple of blocks of each other.  Head chef Isca Viljoen, who came up through some of Cape Town’s best kitchens, shares that philosophy c

Brookdale's Bistro sits at the heart of the Brookdale Estate, where vines stretch towards the dramatic Drakenstein Mountains in views that just beg you to you exhale and unwind. Over the past three years, the estate's restuarant has earned its reputation for thoughtful wines and a casual, yet refined, dining style that showcases the best of the region. Helmed by executive chef Gary Coetzee, the restaurant recently earned recognition from Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards, placing it among the country’s most notable dining spots.  The backstory Brookdale Estate with its Manor House and the recently launched Owner’s Lodge sit snugly on these 67 hectares of working farmland. The Rudd family acquired the once-overgrown farm in 2017 and has steadily transformed it into a polished Winelands destination known for its expressive wines and thoughtful hospitality. And just a short stroll from these luxurious stays sits Brookdale's Bistro - a relaxed, ingredient-led restaurant where the vineyards outside the window naturally find their way onto the table. The vibe The thing I love about dining at a wine estate’s bespoke restaurant is that the wine and food feel effortlessly paired, without the full theatre (or occasional pressure) of a formal wine pairing. At Brookdale’s Bistro, the synergy simply exists in a tasteful evening celebrating delicious flavours. The dining room leans towards a refined, yet casual experience. Think vineyard views, warm service and the sort of atmosphere th

The resounding “voetsak” (go away) bellowed during a scene by Awethu Hleli, who plays Emma in this reimagining of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, leaves little doubt that the dark comedy lands squarely in South African territory.  Now showing at the Baxter Theatre Centre, Aaron Posner's Stupid F'ing Bird proves that Chekhov’s century-old observations about human behaviour remain entirely relatable. Timeless human desires Director Maria Weisby’s interpretation emphasises that, while the world has changed dramatically since Chekhov wrote The Seagull in the late 19th century, human longing has not. Everyone in this story is searching for something. Whether it be recognition, success or affection, almost no one finds it where they expect.  Loneliness, as portrayed in the production, suggests it's not an individual struggle but a shared social condition. In a world increasingly connected, yet emotionally distant, the play lands with surprise immediacy and engagement - even as the audience is directly solicited for ways the scenes should unfold and a delightful turn that somehow personalises the overall experience of watching the play even further.  A collision of relatable characters Centred on a young playwright, Con, played by Nirel Sithole, who is desperate to breathe new life into the theatre. Each actor in The Baxter's Fires Burning Company approaches their role with such convincing verve that the inevitable collision of each character's flaws becomes all the

The Cape Winelands isn’t short on luxury stays, but now and then something arrives that simply raises the bar.   The newly launched Owner's Lodge at Brookdale Estate in Paarl is one of those. Perched on a secluded hill on the 67-hectare estate, this exclusive-use villa feels less like a hotel and more like a beautifully run private home. The kind where your mornings begin with birdsong and vineyard views, and evenings end around a long dining table with good wine and even better company.  The Rudd family bought Brookdale in 2017 when it was little more than an overgrown parcel of land. Fast-forward to today, and the estate has transformed into a polished Winelands destination, known for its fine wines and rated for its new-world boldness.  And after spending the night in the newly built Owner's Lodge, this feels like its most intimate offering yet.  Why stay at Brookdale Estate Owner's Lodge? The Owner's Lodge is perfect for a milestone trip, a multi-generational family gathering or a celebratory getaway with friends. The space lends itself so well to a relaxed break, where unwinding is the aim. The villa accommodates up to eight guests on an all-inclusive basis, with a private chef, butler and a steady flow of Brookdale wines included.  I also see this as an excellent pause in a longer Southern Africa itinerary. After a safari in Kruger or time exploring the Okavango Delta in Botswana, this is the sort of place where you would want to slow down and savour the afterglow of wh

If you’re looking for a light, entertaining night out, Pretty Woman: The Musical is a sure bet. But you'd better move, as the production opened to sold-out performances for its opening week of its Cape Town run.   The smash-hit stage adaptation of the beloved 1990 rom-com - running at the Artscape Opera House until 19 April before heading to Johannesburg's Monte Casino - draws plenty of enthusiasm from the crowd. And it’s easy to see why.   This is comfort theatre at its most polished: familiar, fun and super nostalgic. The production leans into what audiences love most! Snappy one-liners lifted straight from the original film, big romantic moments and a Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance score that’s easy on the ears. You’ll find yourself swaying along more than once.   There’s a strong sense of '90s nostalgia throughout - from ring-dial telephones to Beverly Hills excess - all wrapped in glossy set design. The slick lighting and seamless scene changes are on point to keep you engaged with the storyline, even when you already know exactly how it ends. Performances that carry the charm Christopher Jaftha brings effortless charisma to Edward Lewis, delivering a performance that balances suave confidence with just enough vulnerability as he weaves between the detached bachelor and crooning lines of Something About Her. Opposite him, Leah Mari shines as Vivian Ward, bringing the required depth to her role while still snappily infusing it with relatable, real street-smart quips.   Tog

It’s been a while since I’ve been welcomed into a hotel quite the way that La Residence, in Franschhoek, does it. There's the Royal Portfolio wave, where all the staff assemble to greet you. Stepping through the main entrance, there is an immediate, almost imperceptible decompression of the senses as you are handed a posy of freshly picked roses from the garden.   The vast sweep of winelands that greets you front and centre could not be more fitting for the expression, a sight for sore eyes. And while I’m not one for the destination dupes trend (because who doesn’t crave the original?), this view could easily be mistaken for the Napa Valley or the vineyards of Tuscany. A perfectly chilled glass of La Residence’s house-made rosé arrives just in time to cut through the Cape heat, while the quietly confident staff begin to reveal the layers of the property to you. Royal Porfolio founder Liz Biden’s deft, unmistakable touch is everywhere - with considered ensembles at every turn from the entrance, to the dining room out through to the patio and pool areas - all curated to be entirely transportive. Why stay at La Residence? Franschhoek is the embodiment of old-world charm, food, wine and Cape heritage - and you’d be hard-pressed to find a stay that encapsulates all of it quite like La Residence. What sets The Royal Portfolio apart is how deeply each property is rooted in its surroundings. Here, that translates into a refined balance of total privacy, paired with effortless acces

At the foothills of the Silvermines mountains, on the edge of the Constantia Valley, you'll find Steenberg Farm. For me, it's a scenic drive from the flat, sandy West Coast and its postcard-perfect Table Mountain views for days, towards this lush ridges of the Southern Suburbs. The shifting seasons from Summer towards Autumn subtly adding some drama. Cape Town's landscapes are extraordinary, and it isn't lost on you during this 30-minute drive, If you're based in the city, it's even quicker. Arriving in the estate’s parking area, we were greeted by a fleet of open-top spider race cars – the sort of machines clearly designed for taking sunny weekend road trips between the Constantia Valley wine estates.    Despite being the tail end of February, Cape Town’s weather had other ideas during our visit. Cloudbursts rolled across the city, not entirely surprising given that nearby Newlands is considered one of the wettest areas in Africa. Inside the elegant Steenberg tasting room, we settled in for a Sense of Sauvignon tasting, while the soft rain rippled across the modern, cube-centric water feature just outside. The combination of glass architecture, reflective pools and misty mountains creates a strikingly atmospheric introduction to the estate. The Backstory Tucked inside the historic Steenberg Farm is Bistro Sixteen82 - so named after the farm's founding year. It's one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa - well, let's face it, the Cape's wine farms are all historically o

Two-handers demand stamina, precision and a confident creative trust. When the two-hander in question was written by Zakes Mda, the stakes rise considerably.   And the Girls in Their Sunday Dresses, currently running at the Baxter until 7 March, meets that challenge. The play is deeply attuned to the lived reality of womanhood. Set against the backdrop of post-liberation Lesotho, the narrative centres on the slow grind of government food-aid queues. This strange historical window remains relatable today across a politically challenged country and world. Furthermore, it is laced with the irony of Lesotho’s position at the time Mda wrote the play: an independent nation encircled by apartheid South Africa, catapulting the inequities of the day into the spotlight with its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1988.   The play follows two women - a sharp-tongued Lady and a weary, quick-witted Woman - performed with precision by Awethu Hleli and Tamzin Daniels. They are sister-women whose lives collide as they wait in line. As the queue inches forward, their stories unravel through satire and softness, exposing corruption, inequality and the daily bureaucratic humiliations that shape their world. Staying for the post-show Q&A with the cast, director Mdunyiswa Kweyama, and Mda himself proved as evocative as the production. The discussion echoed what unfolds on stage: cattiness mixed with unguarded empathy.     During the Q&A, Mda recalled being invited by US Johns Hopkins Unive

If you think pizza is “just a base with stuff on top”, Pizza Connection owner Enrico Di Giambattista will politely roast you with his method, and win you over with flavour. It's all about precision: 48-hour fermentation split across two preferments, additive-free flour, and a ruthless approach to ingredients: local if it’s genuinely excellent; imported if it’s not available here at the standard he wants. The result is pizza that lands light, fragrant and properly moreish. What’s on the menu? Start with the Margherita, as it's the best option for tasting the dough's flavours, along with juicy tomato and mozzarella.   The Capetonian, as the name suggests, is a nod to what the regulars here order - proving that classics like San Marzano Tomato, Fior Di Latte, Pancetta, Red Onion, Avocado, and EVO oil make all the difference. The Napoli-style base is baked hot and fast to produce a crust that’s flavourful, airy and blistered. And they'll happily do an even crunchier Roma-style base, if you prefer.   There are loads of interesting options on the menu of this rather unshowy spot - including slow-cooked Oxtail "alla Vaccinara" (a bit too saucy for me) or the Le Baciate (a folded pillow-like roma filled with parma ham and fresh burrata).Here, balanced simplicity, a generous portion size and reasonable prices sees these local favourites more than holds its own.   If you’re doing a first visit, go Napoli for the full theatre of the crust, and it's a good idea to add a Baciate to share

After a week of grey skies and light drizzle, Cape Town is heading into one of those quietly perfect winter weekends that remind you why living here feels a little smug sometimes. According to local forecaster Weatherman Pete, the gloomy conditions clear by Friday as a cold front moves out and a high-pressure system settles over the south-western Cape. The result? A run of sunny, mild days with daytime temperatures hovering around 19°C and even nudging into the low 20s by Sunday.   In other words: prime hiking, market-wandering, wine-farm-lunch and “just one quick braai” weather. Friday and Saturday are expected to stay mostly sunny with light south-easterly winds, while Sunday brings a few passing clouds but remains warm and calm overall. Rain chances sit at virtually zero across the weekend - although Pete has already issued a spoiler alert that wet weather could return by Tuesday next week.   So yes, winter is approaching. But before the next cold front arrives, the city is serving up a near-perfect excuse to get outdoors.   VIBE CHECK: Your guide to events taking place in Cape Town this weekend Cape Town weekend forecast Friday, May 29 Sunny and mild High: 19°C | Low: 13°C Light SE wind Saturday, May 30 Mostly sunny and mild High: 19°C | Low: 12°C Light SE wind Sunday, May 31 Partly cloudy and mild High: 21°C | Low: 13°C Light SE wind What to do this weekend? Hit the hiking trails while conditions are dry and clear Book that wine farm lunch you’ve been postponin

When Time Out’s global food team starts talking burgers, things get serious fast! They needed an answer to an all-important question: Where can you find the tastiest, juiciest, most over-the-top burgers on the planet right now? From smoky smashed patties and buttery brioche buns to homemade sauces, wagyu beef and wildly inventive toppings, restaurants across the world are adding decadent stakes to the humble burger.  Nominating the best burger across the Mother City took some serious taste-testing, but we managed. Just! These results were taken a step further, ranking the selection by the venues with the highest Google star ratings. Needless to say, it's a massive deal that our local Zuney Wagyu Burger has placed 2nd in the world, out-flavoured only by Japan's Smash Things Burger!  And Zuney’s wasn’t the only burger fighting for the crown. From Sho Sho, The Dog’s Bollocks to Le Pickle, Cape Town’s burger game is seriously stacked - see our home-grown list here. The final result? Fourteen lip-smacking burgers, found across some of the world’s best cities - each tried, tested, and ready to devour - including Johannesburg's Mafia Bite, cracking the top 10 at number eight. Jozi gang, these bragging rights are officially flame-grilled.   Time Out's 2026 Worlds Best Burgers list: Smash Things, Tokyo Zuney Wagyu Burgers, Cape Town Nolita, Madrid Hanbaagaasuuteeki, London Casse-Croûte MangeDansMonHood, Montréal Spécimen Burger, Paris Eat at ROBs, Sydney Mafia Bite, Johannesburg Kidd

Conversations around masculinity, identity and mental health continue to dominate public discourse in South Africa and theatre is increasingly becoming a space where difficult truths are being confronted head-on.   Please, don’t call me moffie, explores the lives of five Cape Coloured men in their late 20s as they reflect on identity and belonging.  "After a viral video of a brutal homophobic attack in an unnamed country shocks them, they are forced to confront their pasts and present realities." Starring Cape Town-based actor Anzio September, a UCT Theatre and Performance graduate, the play sees him seamlessly embody five distinct characters in a performance that is as emotionally raw as it is captivating.   The productions returns to Artscape, to do exactly that. Written and directed by Zubayr Charles, a UCT Master’s in Creative Writing graduate, the one-man show has received critical acclaim at the 2025 Suidoosterfees, the 2025 Artscape Women’s and Humanity Festival, and the 2026 KKNK. ICYMI: Artscape turns 55! Cape Town you're invited to celebrate  “My dream is for our show to create a space where queer individuals can see themselves represented on stage, specifically those who have been ostracised from their communities. Many young boys, girls, and gender non-conforming individuals are still being bullied and experiencing queerphobia because of the hate that continues to spread in society. I sincerely hope our play can create much-needed awareness for those strug

On Sunday morning, Eliud Kipchoge - two-time Olympic champion, former world record-holder, and the first human ever to run a marathon in under two hours - will race his first-ever marathon on African soil in the Mother City. But this weekend’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is about far more than one legendary athlete. Cape Town is currently chasing Abbott World Marathon Major status, the highest tier in global marathon running, occupied by just six races worldwide - Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo. If the city succeeds, it will become the seventh Major - the first in Africa. That possibility has transformed this year’s race into one of the most closely watched sporting events on the continent.  Cape Town is more than a scenic marathon destination The scale of international attention reflects just how much is at stake. More than 1,800 athletes are in Cape Town for the AbbottWMM Age Group World Championships, which take place alongside the marathon, with runners from 102 countries entered. The ballot was oversubscribed, and 8,500 international runners - including 960 from across Africa - are expected on the start line this weekend. Achieving Major status would fundamentally change the scale of marathon running in Africa, bringing increased tourism, sponsorship and international broadcast attention to Cape Town and South African running more broadly. And unlike many global marathon cities, Cape Town already has one major advantage: people genuinely want to tr

South Africa's sporting calendar has a new marathon, with the Nelson Mandela Foundation announcing the start of the Nelson Mandela Legacy Sporting Series this October. Set to drive social impact through sport, the race announcement comes as the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, scheduled for 24 May, faces scrutiny. The Mandela Foundation series, recently unveiled at Sanctuary Mandela, includes four flagship events culminating in the debut of the Nelson Mandela Marathon in Cape Town on 18 October 2026. The series will also include: Mandela Day Walk & Run: Johannesburg (19 July 2026) Legacy Ride4Hope: Maputo to Howick (2–5 September 2026) Nelson Mandela Remembrance Walk & Run: Tshwane (5 December 2026) Cape Town marathon landscape in flux The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, usually held in October each year, was cancelled last year due to bad weather and disrupting momentum for what has been Africa’s leading candidate for World Marathon Major status.   This year's event, now scheduled for May, has also reportedly seen several elite international runners withdraw from the 2026 race—the runners in question include Stephen Kiprop, Elroy Gelant, and Shuko Genemo. Their absence has raised concerns about the race’s competitiveness and global appeal at a critical time. Marathon star Eliud Kipchoge confirmed earlier this year that the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will be the first stop on Eliud’s Running World, his new seven-continent marathon tour.   View this post on Instagram A

Cape Town, are you ready for the weekend? We're heading into a mild and mostly sunny weekend after Friday’s rain moves out by late afternoon. This means Saturday and Sunday are expected to be calm and pleasant, making it ideal weather to get out and about this weekend.   ICYMI: Best things to do this Weekend A high-pressure system is expected to settle over the south-western Cape, bringing dry conditions, gentle south-easterly winds and daytime temperatures hovering around the 20°C mark, according to Weatherman Pete. Good news if you're running the Cape Town Marathon on Sunday "Southerly and south-easterly winds will dominate. As autumn comes to an end, the temperatures don’t venture much over the 20-degree mark and the wind is expected to remain gentle."  SEE: Cape Town Marathon: Your complete guide "The relatively mild weather of the week (with some surprisingly thunder), turns to general rain on Friday until late afternoon, and then the weekend looks good." Weekend forecast Friday: Rain clearing later, 17°C / 12°C Saturday: Mostly sunny and mild, 21°C / 12°C Sunday: Sunny and mild, 20°C / 13°C   courtesy SAWS and Africa WX.Weekend weather Synoptic chart. Dam levels are up   The recent rainfall has also given Cape Town’s dams a healthy boost. Dam levels are currently sitting at 71% full following Tuesday’s rain, with no major rainfall expected next week as the dry spell continues.  May has delivered twice the usual rainfall, putting the cape's dams in a far better posit

If you’ve ever thought opera, ballet or theatre “isn’t for you” (side-eyeing you, Timothy Chalamet), Artscape’s 55th anniversary celebrations are here to change your mind. Launching under the theme A Place for All, the year-long programme is part celebration, part reflection and very much an invitation for Cape Town audiences to experience one of the city’s most iconic cultural spaces in entirely new ways. Once known as the apartheid-era Nico Malan Theatre, Artscape is marking 55 years by throwing its doors wide open with performances, masterclasses, behind-the-scenes access, and community-focused events to make the idea of the arts as a thriving career more alive and real than ever before.     Artscape’s year-long 'A Place for All' programme makes the theatre a must-visit cultural space. Moving opening celebration with Cape Town Opera The celebrations officially opened on Tuesday with the major new production of Carmen by the Cape Town Opera. The theatre also made history with its resident Fine Music Radio station, which broadcast the live opening-night performance to its global audience.  @capetownopera Lights. Camera. Smoke. Set. Powder. Costume (deep breath). ACTION! As the excitement for Carmen builds, this is a peak between shots! This BTS video proves it takes a whole team to bring opera to life, even just for a photo. 📍 Artscape, Cape Town 🗓 Dates: 19 - 31 May 🎟 Tickets via Webtickets Composer: Georges Bizet Librettists: Henri Meilhac & Ludovic Halévy Conduct

While Cape Town is heading into a picture-perfect autumn weekend, authorities are urging the public not to let the sunshine distract them from some very real coastal dangers further along the Garden Route.  The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) warns that Robberg beaches near Plettenberg Bay, where severe erosion has dramatically reshaped the shoreline, following last week's intense storms. Large sections of beach have been washed away, leaving steep, unstable sand embankments and very little space between the dunes and the ocean. Combined with new moon spring tides, which raise sea levels to higher-than-normal levels, conditions have become particularly hazardous. The NSRI has warned that: Incoming tides can quickly trap walkers against the dunes Sand embankments may collapse without warning Escape routes along the beach are extremely limited In fact, rescue teams were already called out this week after a person and their dogs became stranded by a fast-rising tide. What about Cape Town this weekend? Closer to home, the outlook is far more inviting. According to climatologist weatherman Pete, the South Western Cape is clearing rapidly after days of heavy rain and damaging winds, which saw up to 300mm of rainfall and gusts of 100km/h in some areas.  "On a positive note, the dam levels are surging up to over 65%." For Saturday, 16 May, Cape Town can expect mostly sunny skies, temperature high of around 20°C, light to moderate southerly winds, with no rain expected.  Sun

Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has confirmed that operations at Cape Town International Airport are being impacted by the severe weather pummelling Cape Town since the weekend. Planes could be seen hovering over Cape Town International Airport on Flight Radar, as extreme rain and wind have caused a few "missed approach landings", and as a result, knock-on flight delays are expected, as flights are also being diverted to alternative airports.  ACSA issued a notice stating that the airport is "open and operational," but warns that passengers should contact their respective airlines to confirm whether their flights are being delayed, diverted, or cancelled.  SEE: Cape of Storms: Extreme weather havoc, major attractions shut!   ACSA Local carrier FlySafair has confirmed that several flights have been disrupted due to bad weather in Cape Town. Several inbound flights were diverted to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Bloemfontein as a safety precaution. Affected routes mainly included flights from Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, and Lanseria heading to Cape Town.    SEE: All Western Cape schools 'to close' due to bad weather  Follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok! And make sure you sign up to Time Out Cape Town's free newsletter for expert recommendations on new things to do, see, eat and drink in the Mother City. 

UPDATE: All Western Cape Schools to close due to bad weather Extreme weather conditions have caused chaos across the Mother City, as gale-force winds of up to 100km/h and heavy rainfall pounded the Cape Metropole and surrounding regions on Monday morning.  Over the weekend, the South African Weather Service warned of a second cold front expected to move in on Monday, bringing a multi-hazard weather event with flooding, strong winds, dangerous coastal conditions, and some snowfall.  UPDATE: Cape braces for strong 100km/h winds warning  Gale-force winds of over 90km/h are considered extremely dangerous, with incidents of trees being broken and uprooted, as well as buildings suffering severe storm damage, reported widely across community WhatsApp channels and social media. The City of Cape Town has asked that any flooding or storm-related emergencies be reported immediately.   Emergency Helpline Numbers: Community Medics*: 087 230 0404 Community Intervention Centre: Trauma & Violence: HELPLINE: 082 821 3447 Police Flying Squad 10111 Ambulance: 10177 City of Cape Town General Emergency: 107 Cell Phone Emergency: 112  (MTN, Vodacom, Cell C and Telkom) Government Emergency Services: 112 Flooding, blocked drains and service disruptions - 0860103089 or - sms 31373 Electricity outages/disruptions - 0860103089 or - sms 31220 Roads closures, delays on roadways and deviations - 0800656463 CT Weather office - 021-9340749/- 021-9340831, Weatherline - 0831230500 "Everywhere you look,

The Western Cape Education Department has issued a notice to close all schools, offering relief to children and parents, after a nightmare Monday morning marked by severe rain and extreme wind.   "On the advice of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and the South African Weather Service, all schools in the Western Cape will be closed on Tuesday, 12 May 2026. This includes all public, ordinary, and special needs schools in the province. We will continuously monitor and evaluate the situation to ensure that schools can reopen as soon as possible, which is currently expected to be on Wednesday, 13 May 2026."  Emergency services and various city departments across the province have been tending to mop-up operations as a second cold front moves across the city and surrounding regions. Several major attractions have already been closed due to the havoc caused by extreme weather, including gale-force winds that have ripped up trees and damaged infrastructure.  Authorities have asked the public to avoid unnecessary travel and to be on the roads only if absolutely essential.  READ: Cape of Storms: Extreme weather havoc, major attractions shut! Follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok! And make sure you sign up to Time Out Cape Town's free newsletter for expert recommendations on new things to do, see, eat and drink in the Mother City.

UPDATE: 8pm, Sunday, 10 May - After a weekend of erratic weather lashed parts of the Western Cape, the South African Weather Service is warning of a second cold front expected to move in on Monday morning. It brings a multi-hazard weather event with flooding, strong winds, dangerous coastal conditions, and some snowfall. "This weather system is expected to result in widespread disruptive rainfall, strong to gale-force winds, very rough seas, and significantly colder temperatures over the western interior and coastal regions." The Cape Metropole and other parts of the south-western Cape are expected to be affected during the morning peak-hour traffic period on Monday morning, with additional severe weather warnings expected to be issued tomorrow for Tuesday.   Strong winds expected Sustained gusts of 65–80 km/h, with gusts reaching 100–120 km/h, are possible over parts of Cape Town on Monday. If you need to be on the roads, extreme caution is strongly advised, especially near the Huguenot Tunnel, located between Paarl and Wellington in the Western Cape. The area is known for incidents in which high-sided vehicles are blown over during strong wind events.  Gale force winds of over 90km/h are considered extremely dangerous, with the city warning, "it often results in trees being broken or uprooted, and building or storm damage is considerable. Large waves (6-9 metres) with overhanging crests are visible, and the sea becomes white with foam."      SAWSMultiple warnings of severe