Cape Town's best food markets
1. Oranjezicht City Farm Market
Held every weekend (Sat 8.15am–2pm, Sun 9am–3pm) and Wednesday (4–8pm) under tents and trees in the Granger Bay section of the V&A Waterfront, Oranjezicht City Farm Market works to promote their own and other small-scale food producers in Cape Town’s urban areas. Pick up organic fruit and veg, herbs, bread, dairy products, free-range eggs, honey and ethically-sourced meat and seafood. Sample delicious cooked and raw snacks – there's something for all palates and preferences from carnivores to vegans and those wanting wheat, gluten, sugar and dairy-free alternatives. Communal tables are provided for visitors to eat at and there are plenty of activities for kids such as arts workshops and lessons on planting.
Fruit and vegetables on sale at Oranjezicht City Farm Market, Cape Town. Photo: Anna K Mueller/Shutterstock
2. Bay Harbour Market
Housed in a former fish factory at Hout Bay Harbour overlooking Chapman’s Peak, Bay Harbour Market is always alive at the weekend (Fri 5–9pm; Sat–Sun 9.30am–4pm). Around 100 entrepreneurial food vendors serve up tasty plates of everything from Mexican and Tunisian-inspired fare, seafood platters and wood-fired pizzas to gourmet sandwiches, specialty soups, sushi and artisan confectionery. To wash it down, you can take your pick from craft beer, cocktails, sparkling wine or fresh juices. There’s also live music, often from acclaimed South African musicians, as well as stallholders offering everything from designer jewellery and soft furnishings to chic fashions and kid’s toys.
3. V&A Food Market
Occupying the historic pumphouse building off Nobel Square at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, the V&A Food Market is open daily (10am–8pm). More than 50 vendors at street food-style stands offer a wonderful array of dishes from around the world – think pulled-pork Dixieland sandwiches, Thai sweet-and-sour tom yam soup, Belgian waffles and South African spicy Durban curry. With a bar serving locally produced craft beers and wines, indoor communal tables, and outdoor picnic benches with Table Mountain views, the fresh, wholesome and well-priced food makes a delicious alternative to eating at the V&A Waterfront's fast-food joints.
4. The Neighbourgoods Market
Located in the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, to the east of Cape Town’s city center, the Neighbourgoods Market features more than 100 specialty traders each Saturday (9am–3pm). Established in 2006, it creates a platform for organic farmers, fine-food purveyors, bakers, fishmongers, butchers, artisanal producers and celebrated local chefs to showcase and sell their delicious food. These include home-cooked stews, soups, salads, wraps and sandwiches, artisan breads, fresh oysters, micro-brewed beer and glasses of organically produced bubbly. Eating is at communal tables and a live band plays, while other stalls sell fashion and lifestyle goods from local designers.
At the Neighbourgoods Market, Cape Town. Photo: Alex Havret/APA
5. Stellenbosch Slow Market
Featuring more than 100 stalls, Stellenbosch Slow Market is a popular choice on Saturdays (9am–2pm) in the Cape Winelands. Surrounded by vineyards and oak trees at the picturesque Oude Libertas Estate, the markets sells produce that has been grown, raised, harvested, caught, preserved, handmade or transformed by the traders themselves. The ethical standards of the Slow Food movement are respected by all vendors: no cold storage is used to transport, no chemicals are used in production, no excessive food miles are wasted, and no dubious production methods are employed. The market features specialty food, wines from boutique cellars and slow-brewed beers and ciders, as well as clothing, jewellery and designer arts and crafts.
6. Blue Bird Garage Food and Goods Market
Located in an old postal plane hangar on a back street of Muizenberg on the Cape Peninsula, the lively Blue Bird Garage Food and Goods Market is open on Fridays (4–10pm) and Sundays (11am–4pm) offering delicious food such as steaks, burgers, vegan and Thai dishes, and homemade baked goods. Local beer and wines are sold at the bar and there’s a selection of fashion and designer stalls. This community-driven market with a regular line-up of local bands and a dedicated children's play area (complete with climbing walls and jungle gym) is popular with the south peninsula’s crowd for laidback Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons under one eclectic, creative roof.
7. Blaauwklippen Family Market
At the beautiful Blaauwklippen Vineyards estate between Stellenbosch and Somerset West in the Cape Winelands, the fun Blaauwklippen Family Market is held every Sundays (10am–3pm). It offers a wide range of mouth-watering food and creative arts and crafts, but there’s also music from local musicians and plenty of space for kids to play and go on pony rides. Stalls sell the likes of Banting burgers, Greek kebabs, German flammkuchen (thin-crust pizza), and Chinese dumplings, all perfectly paired with Blaauwklippen wines. You can relish the food and wine in the shade of the estate’s ancient wild fig trees. The market's small producer’s section sells cheese, charcuterie, olives, freshly-baked breads and pastries to take home.
Blaauwklippen Vineyards Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Photo: Chris Jenner/Shutterstock
Ready to take a trip to South Africa?
Insight Guides can organise fantastic trips in South Africa for you. To get started, simply get in touch to let us know your ideas for the trip and when you would like to travel. We will then create a personalized itinerary especially, which you can amend until you are completely happy with every detail before booking. You can browse our existing itineraries for inspiration, and keep in mind that all of our pre-planned itineraries can be fully tailored to suit your own specific requirements.
Updated 29 November, 2019
