Cape Town Day 2: Bo-Kaap + Therapy
Took a walking tour and cooking class in beautiful and historic Bo-Kaap neighborhood. That drained me so much, I had to go to Therapy, which is Black-owned!
There’s no rest for the type-A girlies with packed itineraries.
Watch the Cape Town Day 2 (minus Therapy) companion vlog on TikTok and Instagram.
Read my Day 1 recap here.
I was up at 6:30 am because I had things to do and places to be this fine Sunday—mainly immersing myself in the culture of the city’s oldest surviving neighborhood.
Breakfast at Bo-Kaap Deli
In researching places to get breakfast in The Mother City, Bo-Kaap Deli came up often. It’s been named Cape Town’s best breakfast quite a few times. Since I needed to be in Bo-Kaap by 9 am for something else, I got breakfast there.
It’s such a cute spot. Baked goods and coffee shop in the front. Seated restaurant in the back. Friendly staff and service. No reservation system. I’d be a regular here. I’d bring my laptop here. I’d meet up with my friends here.
I got the Rose Oats Bowl, cooked with Cape Malay spices, rose water and coconut milk, and Red Juice.
Cost of breakfast: $7.76
Bo-Kaap Walking Tour & Cooking Class
From the deli, I walked over a couple of blocks to the cutest purple house at the end of the main road, where I’d meet Ms. Faldela, a decades-long Bo-Kaap resident, and my guide and cooking instructor for the day.
I discovered and booked this four-hour Bo-Kaap walking tour and Cape Malay cooking class on Airbnb Experiences. My classmates were running late, so it was just me and Ms. Faldela for the walking tour.
This lady is a vibe. So adorable and sweet, but also no nonsense. I quickly learned everybody in the community knows and reveres Ms. Faldela. Literally, other tour guides were stopping us to introduce their groups to Ms. Faldela. An institution.
The Cape Town neighborhood is world-famous for its cobbled roads lined with the brightly-colored homes, but I learned so much more about the center of Cape Town’s Muslim community.
Bo-Kaap means “above the Cape” in Afrikaans, as it sits on the slopes of Signal Hill. The neighborhood was formerly known as the Malay Quarter and started as a racially segregated area for Asian and Muslim slaves and laborers. The colorful homes then painted white. As the former enslaved purchased the homes they once rented, they began to paint the homes’ exteriors as an expression of freedom. Painting their homes is still political, as I saw many homes with murals in solidarity with Palestine. Post-Apartheid and the end of racial segregations in South Africa, Bo-Kaap has been subject to a lot of gentrification from the city’s elite and foreigners.
Once back at Ms. Faldela’s home, I was joined by a young couple from Germany and we got to cooking! Cape Malay cuisine feels very familiar to someone who is Caribbean-American and grew up in New York. I’m like, “We’re making roti from scratch? Girl! Roti is one of my favorite foods!”
In addition to roti, we made chicken curry and samosas. I’m still thinking about those samosas a month later. Ms. Faldelda gave us the recipes to take home, and I feel good about being able to make these dishes back.
Also, have you ever had a koesister? Please try these spiced donuts when you’re in the neighborhood.
A cooking class is a must when I’m traveling abroad, so this was a highlight of my trip. I highly recommend this experience.
Cost of Cooking with Love Experience: $69.35
When I booked: 9 days prior
Dinner (and vibes) at Therapy
Bo-Kaap wore me out. I took the longest nap afterward. But I had to get up and find some dinner. I opened up the DinePlan app and Therapy’s ratings looked good.
I put my denim jumpsuit from the morning back on. I was just going to grab dinner and go back to my hotel immediately. Ain’t nobody going to see me.
Baby! I should’ve put in some effort. When I pulled up to the trendy City Bowl hotspot, it was popping and everyone looked good on the patio and indoors!
There was something about the majority young, Black and fabulous patrons, 2000s R&B, food and drink menu, and aesthetic. I’m like is Therapy Black-owned? And is! Two of the country’s most popular DJs and a Johannesburg-based restauranteur opened it in August 2023.
There’s a DJ every Sunday for Therapy Sundays (there’s also a DJ spinning every first Thursday). It felt like a step below a day party. I’d be a regular here if I lived in Cape Town. If I was a Capetonian and people visiting asked me where should they go to catch a vibe. Therapy.
I ordered two cocktails, the arancini balls and lamp chops for appetizers and the pork belly for my main course. The arancini and pork belly were the highlights. Ordered dessert to go for my all-nighter. Most of that pork belly was packed up to go too. I was adamant about watching the Super Bowl while it aired live back home.
Therapy is definitely a place you go to with your friends, but one thing about me when solo traveling…I make friends! A solo diner was seated next to me, and we’re like…hey girl!
Cost of dinner: $43.37
Loving the South Africa blogs and content, thank you for sharing.
Such a beautiful trip !! So much to take in just from reading ..can only image how it was in person !