Cape Town may be most famous for its scenic beauty – a cityscape of mountains and sea – but it’s also a hotbed of urban energy, from art galleries and open streets, to boutiques and culinary adventures.
So are we surprised that one of the Mother City’s oldest thoroughfares was recently voted one of ‘The 30 coolest streets in the world’? Not at all.
‘Streets are the heart of local life; they’re where communities come together, where new local businesses become go-to staples and where urbanites go out, hang out and have fun,’ says Grace Beard, Travel Editor for Time Out. ‘Over the last few years, street life has gone through something of an evolution. Outdoor drinking and dining, at one point a temporary measure, has become a staple on many of the streets on our hotlist; only bolstered by green initiatives like pedestrianisation and low-traffic avenues. In other words, these streets have become much more walkable and pleasant places to spend our time.’
That certainly applies to Bree Street, which clocked in at #11 on the list, only just pushed out of the top 10 by Barcelona’s Consell de Cent.
Over the past decade Bree Street, a four-lane boulevard that runs across the city from Gardens to the Foreshore, has cemented its status as the heart of the city’s vibrant restaurant scene.
At Boma, chef Vusi Ndlovu (also at Time Out Market Cape Town) brings a contemporary lens to pan-African street food, while Gypsy Rabbit does the same for flame-grilled South African shisa nyama. Across the street, Nikkei serves up a delicious Japanese-Peruvian fusion.
You won’t go thirsty either, whether you’re sipping your way across the Cape winelands at Cape wine at Culture Wine Bar, tapping into cocktails at fable and The Drinkery, or discovering the city’s artisan coffee culture at Rosetta Roastery.
Bree Street is also set for an injection of new energy in 2025 with the redevelopment of the City Park building, a former hospital which will become a multifunctional hub of apartments, restaurants, co-working spaces and a design-driven international hotel brand.
Throw in a string of art galleries and design-driven boutiques and Bree Street has evolved into a world-class snapshot of all that’s great about the Mother City.
Hungry? Check out the Time Out guide to The 15 best restaurants on Bree Street.