Cafe Manhattan
Cafe Manhattan is a queer-owned bar and kitchen on Waterkant Street in De Waterkant. You come for stone-baked pizzas, share plates, and a late-night dance floor that has been running since 1994. The kitchen keeps the oven on until 10pm, turning out classic Margherita and 'nduja pizzas with hot honey.
The bar runs happy hours from 4pm to 6pm, with two-for-one deals on house spirits, wine, and beer. Mondays are burger days — buy one, get one free on house cheese, Southern fried chicken, or falafel burgers. The dance floor fills after dark, with DJs playing from 8pm.
Street parking is available on Waterkant and nearby roads, or you can walk ten minutes from the Cape Town CBD. The MyCiTi bus stops at Cape Quarter, a short walk away. After 9pm, entry is for over-18s only, with ID required.
The building has stood on this corner since 1994, when it opened as Africa's first LGBTQI+ bar and kitchen. Three decades on, it still draws a crowd for late nights and shared plates.