Tip Top Cape Town Food Tours and Culinary Activities

Top 10 Cape Town Food Tours & Culinary Experiences

While Cape Town’s restaurant scene is world-renowned, the most immersive way to discover the city’s vibrant culinary culture is through its food tours and hands-on culinary experiences. From foraging on the coast to secret cocktail bars hidden in the city, Cape Town food tours offer something for every kind of foodie.

Curated by local food writers and travel enthusiasts, these handpicked activities provide a delicious journey through the Mother City’s rich blend of cultures, flavors, and traditions. Whether you’re a seasoned epicurean or an adventurous eater, these Cape Town culinary experiences are designed to satisfy your taste buds and spark your curiosity.

1. Eat Like a Local: Cape Town Walking Food Tour

If you want to dive straight into the city’s diverse food culture, the Eat Like a Local Food Tour is a must. This guided walking tour through the Bo-Kaap and central Cape Town includes nine tastings—from spicy Cape Malay bites to modern South African street food. Expect a rich mix of flavors, cultural stories, and local favorites.

Vegan or vegetarian? No worries—plant-based options are available!

Book your Eat Like a Local food tour

2. Cook Cape Malay Cuisine with Faeeza

Learn the secrets of Cape Malay cooking at Faeeza’s Home Kitchen in the heart of Bo-Kaap. This hands-on experience teaches you how to prepare traditional dishes like samoosas, spiced curries, and roti from scratch. You’ll also hear the fascinating history of the Cape Malay community while enjoying the fruits of your labor in a cozy setting.

Join a Cape Malay cooking class

3. Franschhoek Wine Tram Experience

Explore one of South Africa’s most scenic wine regions aboard the Franschhoek Wine Tram. Choose from multiple color-coded lines, each offering stops at different wine estates. Enjoy wine tastings, vineyard picnics, and gourmet food pairings—all set against the majestic backdrop of the Franschhoek Valley.

Ideal for wine lovers and leisure travelers, this full-day experience is both relaxing and educational.

Ride the Franschhoek Wine Tram

4. Eat Your Way Through Cape Town’s Weekend Markets

Cape Town’s weekend markets are a paradise for food lovers. Each market has its own personality, offering a mix of artisan products, street food, craft drinks, and organic produce. They are perfect for a laid-back morning of sampling and shopping.

• Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill – trendy, hip, and full of global flavors
• Oranjezicht City Farm Market – farm-to-table freshness by the sea
• Mojo Market in Sea Point – live music, street eats, and ocean views
• The Market at the V&A Waterfront – gourmet dining meets cultural charm

Explore Cape Town’s top food markets

5. Historic High Tea at Mount Nelson Hotel

Step back in time at the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel for a lavish afternoon high tea. Hosted in the hotel’s opulent lounge or garden terrace, this experience includes delicate finger sandwiches, warm scones with cream and jam, and an assortment of handcrafted pastries. Pair your nibbles with a curated selection of specialty teas from across the globe.

It’s an elegant and relaxing way to savor a taste of colonial-era luxury in Cape Town.

Reserve high tea at Mount Nelson

6. Forage & Feast at a Coastal Workshop

Join the adventurous team from Veld and Sea on a coastal foraging expedition. Learn to identify and sustainably harvest edible seaweeds, shellfish, and other marine delicacies along the intertidal shoreline. The experience ends with a cooking demo and a communal feast prepared with your fresh foraged finds.

This is one of the most unique eco-culinary activities in Cape Town, perfect for slow food lovers and ocean enthusiasts alike.

Book a coastal foraging workshop

7. Rustic Seafood Feast at Die Strandloper

Located about 120 km north of Cape Town, Die Strandloper offers a 10-course seafood feast right on the beach. Enjoy freshly grilled snoek, black mussels in white wine, homemade bread, and West Coast lobster—served gradually over a leisurely three to four hours. Sand underfoot, ocean breeze in your hair, and smoky seafood aromas in the air—it’s pure coastal magic.

Dine at Die Strandloper Seafood Boma

8. Wine & Food Pairing Experiences

Beyond traditional wine tastings, many estates around Cape Town offer themed food and wine pairings that highlight both local ingredients and winemaking finesse. These creative combinations make for fun, flavorful outings:

• Cavalli Estate: Sorbet and wine pairings—refreshing and unique
• Stellenrust Estate: Cakes and wine—decadent and delightful
• Groot Constantia: Heritage wine and handcrafted chocolate pairings
• Villiera Wines: Cap Classique with nougat
• Delheim Estate: Fynbos cupcake and wine pairings
• Perdeberg Cellar: Choose between candy floss, marshmallow, or biltong pairings

Discover wine pairing experiences in Cape Town

9. Helicopter Picnic in Stellenbosch Mountains

Looking for a romantic or once-in-a-lifetime treat? Take a helicopter ride from Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront to a private picnic site in the Jonkershoek Valley. Enjoy a gourmet meal prepared by a private chef and accompanied by fine Stellenbosch wines—all while gazing over dramatic mountain vistas.

This is a top-tier luxury culinary experience for special occasions and memorable proposals.

Book a helicopter picnic experience

10. Discover Cape Town’s Secret Bars

End your food journey with a mystery! Hidden in unmarked buildings and disguised doorways are some of Cape Town’s secret cocktail bars. These venues serve up craft cocktails, unique atmospheres, and a touch of intrigue. Top spots like Art of Duplicity and Nightcap offer prohibition-era style and expert mixology.

Pair your drinks with tapas or bar snacks for a flavorful finish to your culinary adventure.

Uncover Cape Town’s best hidden bars

Planning a Cape Town Culinary Holiday?

If you’re planning a trip to South Africa’s most cosmopolitan city, don’t just eat at restaurants—experience Cape Town through food. For more insider recommendations, download our FREE Cape Town Guide.

Or contact Adventure in the Wild Safaris to speak with a local travel expert. From Cape Town food tours to Cape Point excursions and Winelands day trips, we help you design the perfect itinerary.

Browse our Cape Town Tours