In a city with more restaurants than days in the year, it can be hard to choose somewhere new or nice to enjoy a meal. One area of interest is the East City Precinct. Have a taste…
What does that mean, East City Precinct? This isn’t a megalopolis like New York where you need a map to find your bellybutton, after all. The East City Precinct is nestled between Roeland, Adderly and Canterbury streets. Of late, it’s a development area drawing increasing attention from appreciators of music, art, craft, design, small and medium sized businesses. Between work and play, people must eat, and as many do all three here, we would be well advised to explore. We’ll start with dessert.
Charly’s Bakery
38 Canterbury Street
Family owned, and family friendly, it’s heaven for the sweet toothed. Famous for bright murals that bleed into the oven and unforgettable wedding cakes, Charly’s boasts the some of the most colourful, delicious baked goods this side of the sun. They started the trend with edible glitter, and are the ones to go to for any occasion that requires mucking afazing petit fours or psychedelic cupcakes.
*ask them about their delicious monster cupcakes.
White walled, high ceilinged, flooded with light. No, it’s not a design centre; at least not officially. Pederson and Lennard have opened an attractive, multifunctional creative space called Field Office – a coffee spot-cum-furniture showroom that doubles as a gallery and boutique. The atmosphere is professional and open, the snacks simple and sexy. Try a fresh strawberry and brie roll or a wedge of sticky, sweet carrot cake, and you’re ready to rock the day.
* free Wi-Fi for and gourmet coffee served dangerously and daintily in fine porcelain the way granny never dared.
Bread, Milk & Honey
10 Spin Street
Further west than all the rest, it’s also more upmarket. Facing diagonally onto Church Square, this little buffet lunch eatery is known for exclusive treats like bacon and egg pastries, and a chocolate cake that would threaten even the most diligent dieter. Their daily buffet is a rainbow of healthy, yummy options, from beetroot salad that tastes like heaven instead of earth, to Thai chicken curry that just about says “sawadi ka” when you come near it.
*they serve red cappuccino and decent coffee
Eastern Food Bazaar
96 Longmarket Street
A favourite amongst culture tourists and budget eaters alike, this institution is well named, boasting a canteen of cuisine from The Middle East to India and China. Large portions are the order of the day. So are long queues at mealtimes, so get there ahead of the rush. Choose your dish(es), pay, and then watch it cooked or dished up before your eyes at the relevant counter. Expect it to be spicy, or at least highly flavoured. Patrons of every creed and colour will happily swap information, and the venue is Halaal, which means everything is blessed, and no alcohol is served.
*add free sauces for more flavour and wash it all down with a warm chai or a chilly mango lassie
Al Haq
52 Harrington House, Harrington Street
Walking into the high-ceilinged spaza-cum-takeaway, you’d not be laughed at for thinking you just flew back through time to around … well, when exactly? The thing about shops like this is that they are timeless, quaint, and absolutely essential for the city’s many workers on the run. Carrying a menu that serves traditional fried and prebaked fast food heroes like pies, slap chips burgers and burgers, Al Haq is a mainstay of quick meals, making sure the many design companies and artisans in the area eat at least once a day.
*ask for extra vinegar and salt if you really like your slap chips ‘slap’
Dias Tavern
15 Caledon Street
Not your average, everyday tavern, Dias is more of a home to its patrons than a simple restaurant. Homely décor and rows of seating set the scene for an evening of socialising. Specialising in Portuguese food with flair, it serves dishes like line-fish, char-grilled steak, and peri-peri prawns. Those who enjoy eating to a soundtrack are spoilt with live music, and later on, dancing. Sometimes it’s fiesta, sometimes it’s golden oldies. And the name? Inspired by the late explorer, Bartholomew Dias.
*Great view of Table Mountain in the summer season
