No matter where you go in Cape Town, you can always count on being able to find a good market. There are lots scattered throughout the city, whether they are food markets, craft markets, or markets with both! Each weekend in Cape Town, I try to make it to one in order to scope out some new souvenirs or try some new tasty food. Here are some of my favorites that I’ve made it to so far:
Old Biscuit Mill
This market is one of the most popular in Cape Town and has the largest variety of foods compared to any other market I’ve been to. They are only open on Saturdays, so it is usually pretty crowded, but it is definitely worth squeezing through the crowds to get some delicious food. There are so many food stands, it’s almost overwhelming. Each stand has something completely different than the last. Each time I go, I try a few different things because there is so much to choose from. Some things I have tried at Old Biscuit Mill include mac and cheese balls, crepes, a bacon & egg hash, and apple & honey tea.
On the opposite end of the market there are various stands, storefronts, and shops to browse through. Most of the stands are higher end, designer products or art workshops that you can peak into. It’s a fun way to spend a Saturday morning, browsing through the stands while eating something new each time!
Hout Bay Market
Hout Bay is a fishing area in Cape Town right on the ocean. The market is on the harbor and is similar to Old Biscuit Mill in the sense that there is plenty of food and lots of stands and stores. At this market there is more of a mix of traditional African arts and crafts along with some trendy clothing and jewelry stands. It’s fun to walk around and see such a wide variety of products and art. Once you reach the far side of the market, there is a good selection of food stands to chose from, as well. They have everything from dim sum to waffles to veggie paninis. Everything smells so good its hard to choose what stand to visit! Also, on Friday nights they have live music which makes for a very lively vibe and a fun night at the market!
Greenmarket Square
Greenmarket Square is the largest craft market in Cape Town located right in the city center. There are over a hundred stands here with art, crafts, jewelry, and more. It is mainly a market for tourists to buy souvenirs, but there are some locals that come as well. Because it is mainly for tourists, the vendors overprice their products to be much more than it should be, but you are able to bargain with them until you come up with a more reasonable price for whatever you would like to buy. During orientation, our RAs gave us some bargaining pointers to prepare us for the vendors at places like Greenmarket Square, which have come in handy so far! One tip they gave us to help lower a price is to show interest in what you want and then start to walk away and say you’re going to look around some more and then decide. They will then insist you come back and pay a reasonable price because they don’t want your business to go to someone else’s stand. Bargaining can be a bit overwhelming, but it is still fun to walk around this market and see all the beautiful things everyone is selling.
Market on the Wharf & The Watershed
Along the V&A Waterfront (an area in the city similar to Navy Pier in Chicago) there is the old Watershed building that has been converted into a market with little shops and vendors selling clothes, jewelry, and artwork. Similar to Old Biscuit Mill the items are mostly higher end, but there are still some unique African crafts throughout. Right next to the Watershed, there is the Market on the Wharf, which is a nice food market with lots of selections to choose from! There is an amazing bakery there where we tried some donuts and pastries. We probably exceeded our sugar intake for the week, but it was definitely worth it. These markets are right at the Waterfront, so it is nice to be able to walk around and see the rest of what the V&A has to offer, especially the great view of Table Mountain.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekends here in Cape Town so I can discover more good eats and fun art at these markets!