The Gin Bar

The Gin Bar is one of the city centre's best-loved small bars, and part of its charm is the way you find it. It is at 64a Wale Street, on the edge of the Bo-Kaap, and you enter through the Honest Chocolate café, walking through the shop to reach the bar behind. That sense of discovery, together with the relaxed atmosphere, has made it a favourite with locals and visitors alike.

As the name suggests, gin is the focus. The bar says it stocks more gins than you can shake a stick at, and the menu is built around gin cocktails and gin and tonics made from a long list of bottles. If gin is not for you, beer and wine are also served, and the bar has recently opened a separate Bubbly Bar for sparkling wine.

The Gin Bar opens from 17:00 to 01:00 from Monday to Wednesday and from 15:00 to 01:00 from Thursday to Saturday. The Bubbly Bar opens on Wednesday evenings and from Thursday to Saturday afternoons. The bar notes that it may close earlier when it is quiet, especially in winter, so call ahead if you plan to arrive late in the evening.

Walk-ins are welcome, and there is no need to book for a small group, although it can be busy on Friday and Saturday nights. It suits couples, friends and solo travellers looking for a relaxed drink rather than a loud club, and it works well as the first stop of an evening before dinner nearby. Ask the bar staff for recommendations if you want to try local gins, as South Africa has a large and growing craft gin scene that uses fynbos and other Cape botanicals.

Wale Street runs from the city centre up into the Bo-Kaap, and the bar is a short walk from Long Street, Bree Street and many of the city centre's restaurants. Honest Chocolate, the café you pass through, makes its own chocolate and is worth a look in its own right if you arrive while it is open. Take a taxi or ride-hailing service home at the end of the night rather than walking long distances.