Cape Town’s Cafe Culture
The Mother City’s best local hangouts to work from
Cape Town is the perfect destination for digital nomads.
Whether you’re a local resident or an international traveller coming to ETHCapeTown this April, there’s a need to find a balance between spending time outdoors, exploring a beautiful city, meeting like-minded people and still being able to get some work done.
With the rise of the ‘work from anywhere’ culture, we know the difficulty in finding a suitable place to really knuckle down and get productive.
That’s where our cafe culture list comes in. We’ve spent a lot of time moving around from different cafes, restaurants and sky bars trying to find the best locations that suit the digital nomad style of working.
We’ve based our top picks on the following 3 key criteria:
- Good Wifi,
- Strong coffee (good food is a given),
- And a great working atmosphere.
15 local cafes that you NEED to check out
1. Cafe Neo — Seapoint
One of our all-time favorites. Picture this. You’re seated at a table on the balcony overlooking the ocean and Mouille Point lighthouse on a beautiful sunny day. It’s a great location with fast Wifi and a restaurant that’s usually not too loud to interfere with work calls. You can expect delicious food, great views and it’s also dog-friendly, which makes it even better to work from.
2. The Yard — the Waterfront
You’re getting some of the BEST coffee from Rosetta in the Yard. Good stable Wifi, super friendly staff and a stunning spot to work from, right at the Silo hotel and Zeitz MOCAA. Fun fact: South Africans get free admission to the museum on Wednesdays.
3. O’ways Tea — Claremont
A great spot to work from if you’re planning on spending a full day at a cafe. It doesn’t get too busy, so you’re able to work in a calm atmosphere with good Wifi. When the restaurant does pick up, it’s usually frequented by a number of professionals having meetings over beautifully crafted glass teapots. O’ways opens earlier than most places in Cape Town, around 07h30. There’s an unreal tea selection and their vegetarian food options are incredible. Trust!
4. Cloud 9 boutique hotel rooftop — Gardens
Amazing 360-degree views of the city, harbour, Table mountain, and Lion’s Head. It’s best to work from here from the mid-to-late afternoon. Watch the sunset, order a glass of wine and relax after a long day. Great spot to meet with co-workers or clients in the evening.
5. SMAK Delicatessen — CBD
Located in the city centre further down from the lively Bree Street, the atmosphere of SMAK Delicatessen is ‘young professional’. This is a frequently used location for business lunches because of the good wifi, food, and cuppa Joe.
6. Field Office (Neighborhood edition) — Woodstock
Here, you can expect a cosy and casual vibe, frequented by a variety of locals throughout the day who are keen to catch up on some work. There’s a decent Wifi connection and it’s dog-friendly. Hint: ask for the toasted banana bread.
7. Bootleggers — SeaPoint, Kenilworth, Constantia, Tokai or Kalk Bay
A great place to stop for a quick bite and coffee between meetings. All locations have decent Wifi and amiable working spaces. It’s usually a bit too loud for calls (except in Kalk Bay & Sea Point). If you get there from the time of opening until about 08h30, there’s a coffee special for R18 — winning!
8. Truth Coffee — CBD
Probably one of the best cups of coffee you’ll have in Cape Town! It’s a super interesting environment to work from with decent Wifi. There’s a big co-working table in the middle of the coffee shop with good tunes playing in the background. The only downside is that it’s frequented by tourists throughout the year so it can get a bit too loud if you need to have important calls.
9. Chardonnay Deli — Constantia
This is a great central meeting point in the Southern Suburbs with plenty of available parking. The food options range from patisserie-style desserts to farm-style cuisine. (We recommend the caramel cheesecake!) The Wifi is good when the restaurant isn’t too busy, which is usually before lunchtime and late afternoon. If sitting inside isn’t your thing, there’s an outside courtyard. The only plug points are found inside, just FYI.
10. Importers Coffee — Newlands
An incredibly busy stop during the mid-week morning bustle from 07h30–09h00. Thereafter, it’s a great place to work from and take calls with Wifi that has never failed or waivered (touch wood). Besides their great coffee selection, the food is incredibly nutritious and caters for all diet styles, ranging from Vegan to Low Carb. The staff are always happy and buzzing to assist. Get there early enough, or at the right time, and you can land your own table in the courtyard where you’ll have a prime view of the baristas doing what they do best.
11. Mustachio — CBD (Top of Long Street)
An incredibly spacious venue at the bottom of Kloof Street, across from the McDonalds, which usually only gets busy during lunchtime. Grab a quick coffee while you respond to those NB emails with a fast and reliable Wifi connection. Ideally get there via Uber or expect to walk a short distance as nearby parking opportunities are slim and not free either.
12. Superette — Woodstock Exchange
Located in the Woodstock Exchange, Superette is a well-known meeting hub with free Wifi and a great atmosphere. You’ll often find yourself connecting with new people as many of the Woodstock Exchange co-working space members frequent Superette during the day. Whether you’re alone or linking up with others, this spot is one of Woodstock’s local gems.
13. Ground Art Caffe — CBD
Really treat yourself here. This spot has INCREDIBLE coffee and tons of delish brekkie and lunch options. Try it out and let us know. The space is creatively designed, where ‘Art meets Coffee’. There’s a decent Wifi connection and parking around the Bokaap/De Waterkant area. So for those of you driving yourselves, you don’t need to stress about city parking rates. Phew!
14. Kleinsky’s — Seapoint and CBD Branch
A very trendy spot with delicious coffee and fresh New York style bagels, all made in-house (AKA the best bagels in Cape Town). The Seapoint branch is great for a more relaxed environment to work in, and close to the promenade for a seaside stroll after a full day’s work. If you’re heading through to the CBD branch, you’ll experience the hustle & bustle of busy Capetonians coming and going all day long. Heads up: the CBD branch is only open during the week.
15. The Mash Tun
Situated in hip Woodstock, the venue provides a wonderful space to kick back, relax and enjoy on any day of the week. Open from Monday to Saturday from 07h00 to 00h00. The space is very popular for events with a boardroom for larger style meetings. Enjoy craft beverages, gourmet meals and good Wifi to match.
Next Stop: Getting Things Done
Now that you’ve got 15 local hangouts to try out, we’re keen to hear your thoughts.
If you have any awesome additions that you come across on your adventures, let us know by leaving a comment!
For those of you flying in for ETHCapeTown, we’ll be sharing plenty more of our local insights leading up to the event. It’s time to get excited!
We’re thrilled to welcome everyone to the Mother City! For further info, please visit our website.
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