Eat Like a Local: A Food Tour Through Cape Town
When travelling to a new city, it’s easy to research the best spots and tick them off during your trip. In fact, that’s exactly what we at Hungry Soles help you do with our summaries and lists. However, if you want to get a true taste of the food scene of a place, there is nothing better than a good food tour to whet your appetite.
At the start of our month-long trip to Cape Town (on day two, in fact) we did the City Bowl Tour by Eat Like a Local and it was easily one of the best decisions we made. From the first bite to the last sip, we were blown away by such a great experience.
Not only did we get to enjoy delicious food, we also learned a lot about the history of Cape Town, visited important sites in the city and made some friends along the way (who we met up with for a drink a couple of days later in Camps Bay).
It’s basically a food and walking tour in one so we suggest that you do this as early on in your trip as possible. Rupesh and his team will be happy to help you with recommendations for the rest of your stay.
Here’s everything you need to know about this unmissable experience:
**Disclaimer: This tour was provided to us for free in exchange for a review and some content (photography and videography) for Eat Like a Local to use. Although this is a collaboration, our thoughts in this post are completely genuine and Eat Like a Local do not have a say in what we write in this post**
Eat Like a Local frequently changes the tour to accommodate for group size, dietary restrictions and new openings. Your tour may not be the same as ours.
About the Tour
The City Bowl Food Tour showcases the best of Cape Town’s food scene while giving you a true sense of the city’s spirit.
Duration: Approx. 4-5 hours (9:30 am to 2:30 pm), though this can vary depending on the group size and any dietary requests.
Number of stops: 6-7 (you get to taste 10+ dishes so there is plenty of food)
Price: R2070 (£88 or $110) per person (includes alcohol).
Group Size: Up to 10 people, suitable for children 12 years and older.
Walking Distance: Around 3-4 km – an easy stroll with plenty of food and refreshment stops. Wear some comfy shoes
Availability: Daily tours except Saturday and Sunday.
Contact: +27 82 469 8088 | info@eatlikealocal.co.za
The tour runs in all weather (rain or shine), so pack an umbrella if needed. In summer, bring sunscreen and stay hydrated.
The exact starting location will be sent to you before the tour, but typically, it begins at a coffee shop on Bree Street. We recommend using Uber to get there since parking is limited, and you’ll be sampling alcohol along the way.
Eat Like a Local offers a plant-based food tour, as well as private curated tours for groups of two or more. These private options are perfect for special dietary requirements. If you have specific needs, contact them in advance so they can plan accordingly.
Come Hungry – Seriously!
The tour takes you to 6-7 carefully chosen stops, featuring everything from casual canteen-style dining to more upscale establishments. Here is what we got:
Coffee and breakfast to start the day
Snacks from a Cape Malay spice shop
Traditional South African dishes tied with a visit to a local spice shop
A lesson on Cape Malay history and food
Modern African flavours
Afternoon tea tasting a variety of cured meats and Fynbos teas and salts
Wine tasting
Sweet treats
And of course … a Braai!
During the tour we explored the following areas:
Bree Street: A buzzing part of the city where we sampled authentic South African cuisine in unique settings, including a cutting-edge art gallery.
Bo-Kaap: Cape Town’s most colourful and culturally rich neighbourhood. here we learned all about the history of the iconic pastel-coloured houses and enjoyed traditional Cape Malay bites.
Greenmarket Square: one of Cape Town’s oldest public spaces
Company’s Garden: A heritage site and home to South Africa’s oldest garden
Heritage Square: The location of the oldest grape-bearing vine in the Southern Hemisphere
Our Experience of the Tour
From start to finish, everything was thoughtfully curated, and every stop felt like a special discovery. We loved how the tour gave us a true sense of Cape Town’s food and culture while also being light-hearted and fun.
The variety of dishes was impressive – we tasted bold spices in the Bo-Kaap, savoured traditional biltong, and finished with a sweet artisanal dessert on Wale Street. The drinks were just as enjoyable, with gin, wine, and a refreshing local beer along the way.
We also appreciated the balance of the tour – it wasn’t rushed, but we were constantly engaged and well-fed. Let’s just say we didn’t need dinner that night!
Stelksi Coffee Bar and Cafe
The day kicked off with a brilliant start at Stellski Coffee Bar and Café on Bree Street, a stylish little spot that blends great coffee with a relaxed, urban atmosphere. While granola might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering a Cape Town food tour, this one completely won us over.
It was beautifully put together: toasted oats with a satisfying crunch, layered with thick yoghurt and topped with fresh local fruits.
Atlas Trading Company
A short walk brought us to Atlas Trading Company, a Cape Town institution that’s been serving the Bo-Kaap community since 1946. Stepping inside feels like entering an old-world apothecary. Shelves stacked high with spices in every shade and scent imaginable.
We spent time browsing the colourful displays and picked up a few goodies to take with us, including a nostalgic local snack: Mebos. Mebos are sun-dried fruit rolls, traditionally made from apricots and often coated in a tangy-salty sugar mix that delivers a surprising punch of flavour.
Sweet, sour, chewy, and a little salty all at once. They’re one of those snacks that leave you going back for just one more bite. We always kept a bag in our car for our road trips over the rest of the month
Faeeza’s Home Kitchen
Our next stop took us right into the heart of Bo-Kaap, where cobbled streets and colourful houses set the scene for something truly special. At Faeeza’s Home Kitchen, we were welcomed into her home to try some koesiesters, samoosas and chilli bites.
The highlight? Without a doubt, the Koesiester — a soft, spiced doughnut drenched in syrup and dusted with coconut. Served warm, it was sticky, fragrant, and deeply comforting. It is a Sunday morning tradition here, just as croissants and coffee might be for us back home.
Honest Chocolate
Our next stop — and Alice’s clear favourite — was the dreamy, cocoa-scented haven that is Honest Chocolate. Tucked away in a charming little spot in the city centre, this shop is entirely dedicated to small-batch, handmade chocolate that’s ethically sourced and beautifully crafted. Think rich, velvety flavours with no nasties. Just pure indulgence.
we sampled four different chocolate bites, each with its own unique twist. From dark chocolate with citrus to creamy, nutty varieties, every bite felt like a tiny moment of luxury. To top it off, we had an iced chocolate drink that was thick, rich, and comforting; almost like a grown-up version of hot chocolate, made with real melted chocolate and none of the powdery shortcuts.
It was such a hit that we couldn’t resist returning later in the week to stock up on treats for the rest of the trip (and maybe a few to sneak back home too).
Honest Chocolate isn’t just a shop, there is a secret gin bar at the back which we came back to later on during First Thursdays.
Company’s Garden Tea Rooms
We wandered through streets full of stories and characters, slowly approaching the calm and leafy sanctuary of the Company’s Garden. This peaceful public space, framed by mountain views and shaded by ancient trees, offered the perfect moment to pause, digest, and take in Cape Town's natural beauty.
Tucked within the garden is the historic Company’s Garden Tea Room, where a special treat awaited us. An experience curated exclusively by Eat Like a Local.
We were presented with a generous platter of South African delicacies, each bite offering something new and unexpected. From sweet to savoury, familiar textures were paired with unfamiliar but exciting flavours.
The highlight here was the local fynbos — a unique type of shrubland vegetation found only in the Western and Eastern Cape. Everything we ate had been flavoured with salts and herbs from fresh local fynbos.
Alongside the platter came our first alcoholic drink of the day, marking a subtle shift in the pace of the tour as we moved into the more relaxed afternoon stretch.
Fynbos = “A small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa”
Mariam’s Kitchen
Our next stop brought us to St George’s Mall, where we were introduced to one of Cape Town’s most iconic street foods at a proper local gem. Mariam’s Kitchen might not look like much from the outside, but inside, it’s all about flavour and authenticity.
They are famous for their Gatsby sandwiches, usually served on a long roll and stuffed with chips, meat, sauce, and salad.
The restaurant was surprisingly quiet when we arrived, thanks to it being prayer time, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t busy. While we sat and tucked into our chicken rotis and samosas, we watched in amazement as pile after pile of Gatsbys were packed up and sent out for delivery. Clearly, this spot is a go-to for locals who know exactly where to find the best version of this classic.
It felt like we’d stumbled into a secret. The kind of place you’d never find on your own but one you’re grateful to be taken to. Simple, hearty, and unforgettable.
Chicken Roti
To digest all of the food we had just eaten, we explored more of Cape Town, wandering through Heritage Square, Green Market Square and visiting Central Methodist Mission, the church famous for it’s signature yellow banners.
Edge X VUE
With all the cultural highlights behind us, we made our way to a more refined. A wine-tasting experience at Edge X VUE, a sleek rooftop restaurant perched high above the city.
This was one of those “pinch-me” moments. With Table Mountain standing proudly in the background, blue skies stretching overhead, and the hum of relaxed conversation around us, it felt like the perfect way to shift gears. We were presented with a curated selection of local wines, each poured with a story, giving us a taste of South Africa’s diverse wine regions.
BOMA
Our final stop led us into the heart of a buzzing kitchen at BOMA on Bree Street, where the air was thick with the smoky, mouthwatering scent of a traditional South African braai. The atmosphere was lively and full of energy, with chefs working over open flames and the sound of laughter and sizzling meat filling the space.
This wasn’t just a meal — it was a celebration. Each dish came with a story, shared by our guides with warmth and enthusiasm. Every bite reflected the cultural richness of South Africa’s food traditions. Hearing about the origins and meanings behind each dish helped us appreciate the food on a much deeper level, making it feel personal and rooted in history.
Peri Peri chicken thighs
Lamb chops
Cheese and onion jaffle
Roast potatoes
Sweet potato pie
To top it all off, we were handed an ice-cold black-label beer, which paired perfectly with the smoky flavours of the braai. It was a proper feast and a fitting finale to a day that had taken us from home kitchens to rooftops, street snacks to spice shops. BOMA wrapped it up with flavour, flair, and unmistakable South African warmth.
By this point, we were thoroughly satisfied, but we couldn’t help wanting more – not because we were hungry, but because everything had been so delicious and thoughtfully prepared. It was such a fun experience, made even better by the company we shared it with over the last five hours. The main things that stood out for us were:
• The warm hospitality from Rupesh and his team.
• The mix of hidden gems and well-loved local spots.
• The chance to learn about Cape Town through its food.
We kept thinking how much some of our foodie friends back home would’ve enjoyed the tour, and we’re already planning to return with a bigger group next time.
Final Words
Cape Town is truly one of the world’s great food cities, and the City Bowl Tasting Experience by Eat Like a Local is the perfect way to explore it. Whether you’re a foodie, a history buff, or just someone looking for a fun and delicious activity, this tour won’t disappoint.
Book your spot early on in your trip, come hungry, and prepare to eat like a local!
Have you experienced the Eat Like a Local food tour in Cape Town or Hermanus? Let us know in the comments below – we’d love to hear your experiences!