We connect Cape Town’s food culture with its history, spaces, and the lived experiences of local entrepreneurs, paired with shared meals and snacks at hidden community kitchens, hole in the wall restaurants, and African owned food businesses each with a unique story to tell.
IMPORTANT: This is more than just a food tour. While food is central, the experience also explores the connections between public spaces, history, entrepreneurship, and food, and how gentrification shapes city life. The tour features eight stops, with 3 food experiences: 2 warm shared meals and 1 snack tasting with warm and cold beverages. Come hungry!
Along the way, you’ll meet small business owners who reflect our love for food, stories, books, and fabrics. Cape Town’s small business scene is always evolving, and so is this tour. It is immersive, responsible, and offers an authentic glimpse into the heart and soul of the city’s inner core.
***Meet & Greet at Church Square*** (Be careful not to head to Church Square in Woodstock instead!!!) Our meeting point is at the statue of Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr on Church Square, right in the heart of Cape Town’s city centre. You’ll find us directly across from McDonald’s, where Parliament and Spin Street meet. This is where we gather to welcome you and introduce you to the experience. Please note, this is more than just a food tour. While food is central, we also explore public spaces, untold histories and the lived experiences of small business owners in the city. Church Square, South Africa’s second oldest public square, is the perfect starting point for this journey. It allows us to begin by reflecting on the importance of public spaces in the country’s history and how they continue to shape community life today.
***Somali Food Culture*** (First shared warm meal) Enjoy a shared warm East African meal while learning about Somali food traditions and flavours. We’ll taste signature Somali dishes and spiced tea, and explore what makes this cuisine so distinctive. Approx. 20 minutes, depending on group size and curiosity.
***Old Post Office & Cape Malay Bites*** (incl. Snack Tasting) Visit the historic Old Post Office to uncover layers of colonial history and the evolving role of public space in Cape Town. Meet small food vendors, enjoy Cape Malay/Creole snacks, and browse through second-hand books.
You will make your own way to the meeting points