There’s a feeling, an energy. Unmistakeably Cape Town casual and beachy, as a summer day slides into evening. It’s coastal traffic inching past, unhurried people under open archways, a deejay spinning the decks. People chatting, a calming glimpse of the ocean, the steady whir of ceiling fans. It’s knowing that you’re always welcome, a part of the crew, forgetting your troubles for a minute, and smiling as the next drink arrives.
Café Caprice has that way of making you feel like a sophisticate (if you aren’t already one), ready to play. There’s a reason it is one of Cape Town’s landmark destinations. Caprice feels ageless, with just the right mix of casualness and cool. It is where local-meets-international party travellers gather, from Brazil to Berlin.
Café Caprice has been a part of the Camps Bay strip since early 2000. Co-owner David Raad says it’s ‘been around long enough from when the parents used to jol here. Now it’s the second generation coming through’. Those twenty-year-olds are now partying with parents in their forties or fifties.
Chameleon colours
‘We’re so different for so many different people, depending on the time of the day.’ True words. Cold-water swimmer die-hards from the beach thawing out over an early hot beverage, holidaying foreigners ordering poached eggs and smashed avo toast. Girlfriend groups grabbing a table for sushi or Caesar salad, clinking Cap Classique flutes or Veuve.
Easy lunchtimes: lemon butter-laced grilled calamari, steak with a side of creamy bearnaise. Friends and families ordering The Eggs Royale or Madame Caprice sandwich with a Bloody Mary, from a breakfast menu that never ends.
Dining tables that become low lounge spaces, people dancing just where they are. Caprinkle Sunset Rolls jazzed up with salmon and prawn, the tempo picking up as svelte waitresses top up your tequila, champagne or vodka. The sky turning pink as a couple take an early dinner table for prawn pasta. Mojito Rockstar cocktails of fresh mint, lots of ice.
Tinki, a manager who’s worked at Caprice for 13 years, says it feels like family. ‘Caprice is very easy. We don’t even have a dress code – we just say no bare feet or shirtless.’ It’s about regulars who keep coming back, year after year. David and team know how to look after their guests, offering community, fun and a feeling of connection.
What shouldn’t you miss?
- 4pm to 8pm are the best hours: A sunset, cocktail vibe.
- The famous Caprice Sundays: Great weather, locals mingling with foreigners.
- Deejays from 3pm or 4pm til late.
- Dinner upstairs on Fridays and Saturdays: Rich in wooden tones and colonial Havanna character, there’s an upstairs bar, tablecloths and smaller menu. A deejay plays lounge music, early arrivals mean amazing sea views.
- Brunch parties: Café Caprice is pretty famous for its daytime parties. Cocktails, canapés, oysters and breakfast all day, deejays on hand. Tell them what you have in mind.
- Café Caprice’s luncheons: Join their indulgent themed luncheons where drinks and dancing are always part of the mix.
Details:
- Location: Café Caprice, 37 Victoria Road, Camps Bay
- Times: Open daily til late
- Reservations or events: 021 438 8315
- Website: cafecaprice.co.za
- Instagram: @cafecaprice
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Picture: Supplied
