The Best Rooftop Bars in Cape Town

Few cities do the sundowner like Cape Town — the combination of a mountain, an ocean and reliably dramatic light means a drink with a view is practically the local sport. The rooftops and terraces divide neatly by what you want behind your glass: the Table Mountain skyline, or the sun sinking into the Atlantic.

City Bowl rooftops

The rooftops around the City Bowl and Bree Street trade on skyline and mountain views, buzzing after work and into the night. They're central, walkable and pair well with a City Bowl dinner.

• Head to Bree Street and the city centre for rooftops with Table Mountain as the backdrop.
• Go at golden hour for the light on the mountain, then stay for the city lights.
• These get busy on weekend evenings — book a table if you can.

Sundowners over the sea

For the classic Cape Town sundowner, the Atlantic Seaboard wins — Camps Bay, Clifton and Sea Point all face west over the ocean. The Camps Bay strip is the obvious choice, but Signal Hill with a picnic is the free alternative that locals swear by.

The named rooftops to aim for

A handful of City Bowl rooftops have become institutions. Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar on Bree Street is the crowd-pleaser — cocktails, tapas and a Table Mountain backdrop from the top of a design hostel. Gigi Rooftop at the Gorgeous George hotel on St George's Mall is the glossier option, with a small pool and skyline views, while The Grand Daddy hotel on Long Street hides a rooftop of vintage Airstream trailers and a summer bar. For something special, the Willaston Bar and terrace at The Silo Hotel in the Waterfront's Silo District looks out over the harbour and the mountain from six storeys up. Drinks at these run roughly R80–160; the hotel bars sit at the higher end.

City Bowl rooftops

The rooftops around the City Bowl and Bree Street trade on skyline and mountain views — Table Mountain looming behind a forest of terraces, buzzing from after-work into the night. Several of the city's design hotels and Bree Street venues have rooftop bars and pools open to visitors, and they pair perfectly with a City Bowl dinner. Go at golden hour for the light on the mountain, then stay as the city lights switch on. These are the spots to choose when you want the mountain in your photos rather than the sea.

The V&A Waterfront and harbour bars

Down at the V&A Waterfront, the bars and hotel terraces look out over the working harbour to Table Mountain, with the sunset off to one side. It's polished, safe and easy — a good choice for a relaxed drink before dinner, especially if you're staying in the precinct or coming off a Robben Island ferry. The setting is more harbour-and-mountain than open-ocean sunset, but it's reliably lovely and family-friendly early on.

Atlantic Seaboard sundowners

For the classic Cape Town sundowner — sun sinking straight into the ocean — the Atlantic Seaboard wins. The Camps Bay strip is the obvious pick, every terrace facing due west over the beach. Clifton and Bantry Bay have a handful of glamorous perches tucked into the rocks, and the Sea Point promenade has easygoing seafront bars with the same ocean horizon at gentler prices. Face west, order early, and time it for the last hour of light.

On the Camps Bay strip itself, Café Caprice is the long-running see-and-be-seen beach bar, Bilboa and the upstairs Chinchilla Rooftop pull the cocktail crowd, and The Bungalow, tucked onto the rocks at the Glen Beach end, is the plush sundowner perch. Round at Granger Bay, Grand Africa Café & Beach puts your feet almost on the sand. All of them fill up fast on summer weekends, so a booking (or an early arrival for a bar stool) makes the difference between the front row and the back. Reckon on R90–170 for a cocktail along the strip.

The free alternative: Signal Hill

Locals will tell you the best sundowner in Cape Town costs nothing. Drive or walk up Signal Hill, spread a blanket, bring a bottle and a picnic, and watch the sun drop into the Atlantic with the whole city and coastline below you — no booking, no bill, no dress code. It's a Cape Town institution, especially in summer, and a lovely thing to do on a budget or with a group. Come a little early to bag a good west-facing spot along the ridge.

Climb for it: the Lion's Head sunset

For the most earned sundowner of all, hike Lion's Head in the late afternoon and reach the summit for sunset — a spiralling, roughly two-hour-return climb with 360° views over the city, the sea and Table Mountain glowing gold. It's especially popular on full-moon evenings. Take a head torch for the descent in the dark, wear proper shoes, and go in a group; it's a fitting, free finale to a Cape Town day.

Mountain view or ocean view? A quick pick

If you only have one sundowner in you, choose by the photo you want. For Table Mountain and city lights, stay central — Cloud 9, Gigi or a Bree Street rooftop, ideally on a still evening when the mountain is clear. For the sun dropping into the sea, head to the Atlantic Seaboard: the Camps Bay strip for the buzz, Clifton for glamour, Sea Point for value, or Signal Hill for the free, unbeatable version. On a windy summer day, the City Bowl rooftops are more sheltered than the exposed coast, so let the notorious south-easter make the call if it's blowing.

Sundowners on the water

For a different angle on the same sunset, swap the rooftop for a boat. Sundowner catamaran cruises leave the V&A Waterfront in the late afternoon, sailing out along the Atlantic Seaboard so you watch the sun drop into the sea from the water with a glass of local bubbly in hand. They run about 90 minutes, cost in the region of R350–650 (roughly US$20–35) and are wildly popular in summer, so book a day or two ahead and pick a departure timed to sunset. It's calm, cool and a lovely once-a-trip alternative to fighting for a west-facing table — many sunset cruises can be booked online in advance.

What to order

Drink local and you'll drink well for less. South African wine is superb and cheap by the glass; the sparkling Cap Classique (MCC) is a lovely sundowner pour; and the country's craft gin scene, much of it distilled with local fynbos botanicals, makes for a distinctive G&T. The strip bars all shake a decent cocktail too. Whatever you choose, the view is the point — order something you can nurse while the light does its thing.

Timing, booking and dress

Aim to be seated 45–60 minutes before sunset — check the day's sunset time, which is late (past 8pm) in high summer. Sunset tables are prime real estate from December to February, so reserve ahead and arrive early; weeknights are easier than weekends. Dress is smart-casual at the glossier spots and totally relaxed at the Sea Point and Signal Hill options. Pair a rooftop with dinner via our where to eat in Camps Bay and best restaurants guides, and note some sunset and cocktail experiences can even be booked in advance. Staying central makes bar-hopping easy — see neighbourhoods.