Our favourite bars and hotels for a unique wine experience
If there’s one thing South Africans are spoilt for choice with, it’s wine. We produce some of the best wines in the world at some of the most competitive prices. From the trendy streets of Cape Town and the bustling hubs of Pretoria and Joburg, to the iconic coastal charm of Durban, we’ve curated a list of our favourite wine bars where you can experience how lekker local really is – one glass at a time.
Favourite wine experiences in Cape Town
Publik Wine Bar, Gardens
Located parallel (actually, it’s diagonally up and around, but not tricky to find) to Cape Town’s iconic Kloof Street, Publik is a small, but ultra trendy wine bar. What makes this boutique bar unique is that they focus on what they call “new wave” wines. These are wines made by independent South African winemakers who produce wine from sustainably farmed vineyards. Publik is the place to discover these lesser-known, world-class wines, poured by very knowledgeable – but not pretentious – bartenders who are more than happy to tell you the stories behind the grapes and labels. Their by-the-glass offerings change by the day, with another 100 wines by the bottle.
Contact: [email protected] (They don’t take bookings, strictly walk-ins)
Location: 11D Kloof Nek Road, Gardens
Operating hours: Monday – Friday: 16:00 – 23:00 | Saturday: 15:00 – 20:00
Openwine, City Centre
Located in the City Centre towards the lower end of Cape Town’s bustling Bree street, Openwine is the curious oenophile’s dream bar. Firstly, they focus strictly on South African wine. Tourists especially love this. Secondly, comprising over 200 wines, their menu is extensive, and they’re all available by the glass. It’s rare (we’re even tempted to say impossible) that they won’t have a South African wine you’re looking for. They regularly host live music events on Thursdays too.
Contact: +27 21 422 0800
Location: 72 Wale Street, City Centre
Operating hours: Tuesday and Wednesday: 12:00 – 23:00 | Thursday – Sunday: 14:00 – 23:00
Favourite wine experiences in Pretoria
Capito, Hazelwood
If we’re being technical, Capito is more of a restaurant as opposed to it being a wine bar. However, they’re known for their stellar wine list, so there really is no denying them a spot on this list. Located at The Club, Hazelwood, their menu offers a decent by-the-glass selection. Their list of wines by the bottle is something to brag about, with a superb selection of local wines as well as a handful of imports. Additionally, they serve the most delicious, authentic Italian cuisine, so plan on sticking around for more than just a glass of the good stuff.
Contact: +27 012 346 1932
Location: Corner of Pinaster and 18th Street
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:30 – 21:30 | Sunday: 11:30 – 15:00
The Tasting Room, Waterkloof
Located in one of the most picturesque settings in Pretoria, The Tasting Room is quite an experience. The selection of wines available for tasting is impressive, offering a diverse taste of the South African wine landscape. What we love most about The Tasting Room is that you really get the Cape Town wine tasting experience – in wine selection and setting – in Gauteng. All without having to buy a plane ticket. As the name suggests, tastings are a big part of the enoyment, available at your request. Additionally, they focus on a different wine farm each month and have them present incredible wine pairings. Keep an eye on their website to find out which wine farm they’re focusing on and when they’re hosting their pairings here.
Contact: +2787 821 7708
Location: 198 Long street
Operating hours: Monday – Thursday: 10:00 – 22:00 | Friday – Saturday: 10:00 – 23:00 | Sunday: 10:00 – 15:00
Favourite wine experiences in Joburg
The Saxon Hotel, Sandown
Again, we’re slipping in another offering that isn’t exclusively a wine bar but, for a very good reason. Located at the Saxon Hotel in Sandown – one of Joburg’s most prestigious addresses – you can expect luxury and opulence. The Saxon Hotel – with a number of restaurants and bars – has one of the most impressive, well-curated lists we’ve seen, spanning over 30 pages. It’s a stunning selection of local and international wines across a host of cultivars, blends, vintages and regions. Their by-the-glass list – which includes a half-bottle option – is concise, but considered. Uniquely, they also have what they’re calling their “opportunity” section of the menu, which allows guests to compare new and old vintages of the same wines for a selection of their wines.
Contact: +27 87 375 7777
Location: 36 Saxon Road, Sandhurst
Operating hours: Monday – Sunday: 11:30 – 14:00, and 18:00 – 20:00
Favourite wine experiences in Durban
The Lighthouse Bar at The Oyster Box Hotel
We’re not making any excuses for our final offering, which is technically a three-bars-in-one-establishment kind of offering. Located at uMhlanga’s iconic The Oyster Box Hotel, guests are afforded three unique bar options available to hotel residents and visitors alike. First, The Chukka Bar gives more of an old-world charm – it also has the only indoor smoking area in the hotel. Secondly, The Oyster Bar is the most chic of the three bars and boasts the best wine menu. The Lighthouse Bar – hailed as one of the best bars in uMhlanga – is based on the rooftop and it is, without a doubt, our favourite. The wide rooftop terrace offers breathtaking coastal views and provides the most stunning setting to enjoy their five-star selection of wine in.
Contact: 031 514 5000
Location: 2 Lighthouse Road, uMhlanga
Operating hours: 10:00 – 23:00, daily
