African Food & Storytelling Experience
Featured in the New York Times’ “36 Hours in Cape Town” itinerary, this is Cape Town’s most authentic and inclusive food tour: Explore Cape Town’s city centre through the lens of its diverse local and diaspora culinary heritage
Discover Cape Town’s rich African culinary heritage, shaped by migration, history, and urban development. Celebrate South Africa’s multicultural food identity, focusing on its African roots, in an all-embracing experience that honours the contributions of African diaspora communities.
About
Welcome to our guided immersive food tour.
Discover the heart of Cape Town through its diverse culinary heritage and African diaspora. This experience takes you off the beaten path to uncover community kitchens, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and remarkable African-owned food businesses, each with a story to tell. We connect Cape Town’s food culture with history, space and the lived experiences of local entrepreneurs.
While the focus is on food, we also explore public spaces and inner-city small businesses to offer a broader view into the city’s daily life. The tour includes 12 stops in total. Among these, you’ll enjoy around three food stops. Two of them include warm shared meals, one includes snack tastings with beverages.
We also introduce you to our favourite second-hand bookseller, tailor and other creatives who reflect our love of food, storytelling, books and fabrics.
Cape Town’s small business landscape is always changing and so is this tour. We aim to surprise you while staying grounded and respectful. This is more than a tourist activity. It is immersive and responsible and offers a glimpse into the real Cape Town. It celebrates the resilience and creativity of African entrepreneurs in a rapidly gentrifying city.
Tour Highlights
On this immersive food tour, you will explore our favourite South African and African diaspora restaurants, including hidden gems and unique Ghost Kitchens.
- Enjoy a non-touristy, authentic experience at Cape Town’s most authentic African restaurants and hole-in-the-wall kitchens in the CBD. We offer Cape Town’s most genuine African food experience responsibly.
- Learn how spatiality, history, migration and food intertwine in South Africa’s most multicultural city.
- See Cape Town through the lens of African food businesses in the inner city.
What’s Included?
- Approximately 12 stops (covering about 2km of walking)
- 4 curated food tastings at various locations (Please come hungry!)
- Hot and cold beverages, snacks, and shared meals (featuring a variety of warm, cold, sweet, and savory dishes shared among the group)
Where?
- We’ll meet directly in front of the Jan Hofmeyer statue in the centre of Church Square, which is at the intersection of Parliament and Spin Street. The Labotessa Boutique Hotel is on one side of the square, and McDonald’s is on the other. Please ensure you’re heading to Church Square in the city centre and not the one in Woodstock.
- The tour will end on Greenmarket Square. (This might vary, please speak directly to the host or email us)
When?
- Mondays to Fridays from 3pm to approximately 6pm and Mondays to Saturdays from 11:30am to 2:30pm
What to Bring?
- Comfortable shoes.
- Sun hat (and sunscreen if necessary)
- Be prepared for varying weather conditions and come with weather-appropriate clothing such as a sun hat, rain jacket or windbreaker
Still got questions? Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us directly!
Details
- 3 Hours
- Monday - Fridays from 11:30am - 2:30pm and 3pm - 6pm. Saturdays from 11:30am - 2:30pm
- Meeting Point: Directly in front of the Jan Hofmeyer statue in the centre of Church Square, which is at the intersection of Parliament and Spin Street.
- Costs: R1500 p.p
Private Bookings
For private bookings, we offer flexible itineraries with various durations and options to suit your interests, including additional stops for shopping.
