Cape Town African Food and Storytelling Experience

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.

Meeting Point

Church Square

0A Spin St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa

Meet us on Church Square right in front of Labotessa Hotel opposite Groote Kerk.
We recommend taking an UBER, as parking is limited in the city center. Please plan in enough time for travelling so we can start on time.

What to expect:

Duration: between 2 hours and 3 hours

Church Square

Church Square, , Cape Town Central, 8000

***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.

15 minutes

Cape Town Central

Cape Town Central

***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.

20 minutes

Golden Acre Shopping Centre

9 Adderley Street, Foreshore, Cape Town Central, 8001

***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.

20 minutes

Cape Town Central

Cape Town Central

***Grand Parade & Mandela Balcony***
Welcome to South Africa’s oldest public square. Here, we explore the Grand Parade and pause in front of the iconic Mandela balcony at City Hall, where Nelson Mandela delivered his first public address after his release from prison. This space offers not only rich historical context but also a glimpse into contemporary South African politics. As we walk through the square, we’ll share stories about the informal food vendors who trade here daily, offering their perspective on life and business in Cape Town’s city centre.

15 minutes

Adderley Street

, , Cape Town Central, 8001

***Discover the Flower Market***
Let's explore one of the oldest open-air markets in South Africa. We walk through the oldest flower market in Southern Africa and greet their vendors.

15 minutes

Greenmarket Square

Burg St, Corner Longmarket Street, Cape Town Central, 8000

***Greenmarket Square and West African Community***
Visit Greenmarket Square, Cape Town’s third oldest public square and a lively hub for informal African traders and entrepreneurs. Here you will meet vendors from across the continent, with an opportunity to browse for souvenirs if you wish. This is also where we begin to explore Cape Town’s West African community more closely. If you are interested in fabrics, we pass by our favourite Senegalese tailor known for his beautiful African textiles.

Pass by without stopping

Cape Town Central

Cape Town Central

***Introduction to West African cuisine and food tasting.*** (second shared warm meal)
Here we share our second warm meal and taste West African cuisine from Mali and speak about how African cuisine has the ability to unite people.

30 minutes

Cape Town Central

Cape Town Central

***Methodist Mission***
Join us at the Methodist Mission, a welcoming space where people from all walks of life gather daily. Steeped in community activism and social justice history, it remains a beating heart of Cape Town’s inner city. Here we pause for tea or coffee and a treat while reflecting on the stories this space holds.

20 minutes