Dock Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town Central 8000, South Africa
Cuisine:
German, Hamburgers, International, Pizza
Good for:
Breakfast/Brunch
Market on the Wharf
16 Visitor Photos +
REVIEWS
2 Reviews
Expert Review
The newly renovated Market on the Wharf is the perfect in-between option for tourists on the go. It’s a lot...
The newly renovated Market on the Wharf is the perfect in-between option for tourists on the go. It’s a lot quicker and less hassle than all of the formal sit-down restaurants at the Waterfront, but it offers a local charm and gourmet experience way above the food court at the mall. Plus, there’s something for everyone, so the whole group doesn’t need to decide on one restaurant. Market on the Wharf is housed in a big warehouse full of market stalls—there are coffee shops, sweet treats, full on meals, beers, snacks, and you can stock up on food related gifts. Among the plethora of vendors, just about everyone should be able to find something they like—from Indian, to Mexican, to Tunisian, to classic fish and chips, and even American style corndogs.
Several favorite Cape Town institutions have stalls in the Market on the Wharf, so you can do a bit of a city culinary tour without even leaving the Waterfront. The famous Truth Coffee is serving up lattes and cappuccinos and Creamery, one of the best ice cream places ever, has a stand right at the entrance—try the peanut butter or salted caramel ice cream. It’s amazing! This time around, I grabbed a cappuccino and a pastry from the Royal Bavarian Bakery which really hit the spot for an afternoon pick-me-up in between gift shopping in the new Watershed craft market next door. As far as gifts go, there’s a place to buy biltong, cheese, nuts, charcuterie, salts, chocolates, teas, coffees, and preserves, and you can tote all your loot in a shopping bag from Wharfcraft.
The downside of opting to eat in the Market on the Wharf is that it can get a little cramped and chaotic during the height of tourist season, some merchants don’t take credit cards, and it can be difficult to find a table to sit down for a rest or to enjoy the messier foods on offer.
Expert Review
The V&A Market On The Wharf is the ultimate stop during a day of shopping or exploding the city. The...
The V&A Market On The Wharf is the ultimate stop during a day of shopping or exploding the city. The newly established market hosts some of Cape Town’s favourite stalls and offers everything from craft beers to premium gelato, BBQ pulled pork and even bubble tea! There’s plenty of outside seating where you can watch the busy V&A Waterfront zoom past or in the colder months, sit upstairs at the bar or family seating area including a play area for kids. You’ll find some classic market stalls like fish & chips, crepes and burgers as well as some unusual treats you weren’t expecting!
My first stop was the Royal Bavarian Bakery who serves the most delicious bagels and pretzels around. They also have daily specials and a selection of sausages any meat lover would die for. I grabbed a few salt pretzels to enjoy while browsing the stalls and a delicious Italian iced coffee that was the highlight of my whole market experience.
Next I stopped by the Smokin’ Joes Texas BBQ stall who has much quieter than the other stalls. Ignoring my gut and buying into the sign that said the stall had been features on the American hit food show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I ordered a Pulled Pork Sandwich with Slaw and Famous Joe’s BBQ sauce. The pulled pork was average and so was the bun and slaw, but what really made this sandwich was Joe’s BBQ sauce, although it wasn’t enough to make me go back. The service was average and the owner refused to give me a receipt for my meal, which I thought was very bad service and left a bitter taste in my mouth.
On the sweeter side of things, I ordered a Jackson Pollock crepe from The Love of Yummyness Crepe and Waffle stall. Although I did spend a good 20 minutes waiting in the queue, my sweet crepe with Nutella and banana was definitely worth it. All in all, a great day at the market and a venue that I would definitely return to time and time again.