One doesn’t expect a posh nightclub to have good food, but Shimmy Beach Club actually surprises in this area. Okay, it isn’t the best food in Cape Town, but for a joint where the focus is on the music, booze and cool factor rather than the food, it isn’t bad. The menu goes on for several pages, and offers everything from sushi to pizza. My table ordered both, and except for the usual proliferation of mayo on the sushi, I didn’t find either terrible. In fact I genuinely enjoyed the pizza. Beyond Italian and Japanese, Shimmy does everything from a giant skewer of beef to Asian-influenced salmon to an Indian-style chicken kofta.

When it comes to service, don’t expect it to be fast. I waited for what felt like hours to get my first gin and tonic and then even longer for a refill. Most of my friends were drinking wine by the bottle, and for this the server seemed to be quite a bit faster, but then she didn’t have to make as many runs. The wine list at Shimmy’s is also lengthy, and if you are ordering by the bottle there are all sorts of choices. Orders by the glass are more limited.

But really, Shimmy Beach Club is the kind of place where people come to see and be seen and to dance. There is a DJ in front of a sand pit with an actual swimming pool, plus a number of different bar areas. There is even a vodka vault and a whiskey room and the cocktail menu is a mix of classics and house specials.

Locate at the mouth of the V&A Waterfront harbor, if you arrive before sunset you’ll notice it looks out on the water and there are sun loungers around the plunge pool for lazy weekend afternoons. Come night it is all neon lights and DJ music and a very in scene vibe.

It can actually be hard to gain access to Shimmy’s on a weekend night, and you will definitely need to phone ahead — during holidays this can be months in advance — to secure an actual table. Dress to impress. This is probably the most chic club in Cape Town at the moment.