For those who like their drinks cold and their bars, well, unique, the country has a range of winners on offer. The FM raises a glass to 10 of the best — from the historical to the iconic, the quirky and the themed — with an extra one for the road.
Bitterfontein Bar, Bitterfontein
This pub is at the end of the railway line and is celebrated in song by Zirk Bergh. Passenger rail in the town closed a long time ago, but the bar remains open. Last round is at 10pm, or midnight if enough customers insist. Before Covid this was a fertile recruiting ground for the local rugby team. The selectors still meet, but there are no longer enough players to choose from.
Today the bar, if not the team, still flourishes because it has the best barmaid in the land, according to the lady herself, Eanel Fortmann. Her attraction, she says, is “goeie geselskap” and always keeping her customer’s glass filled. The bar’s big seller is, unsurprisingly, brandy and Coke, with Olof Bergh the tipple of choice — except for one regular, who has his own bar stool, arrives every evening, and insists on Wellington VO. Fortmann provides no food, only good conversation — and promises a good Namaqualand flower season this spring.
Boetie’s Pub, Nieu Bethesda
The night the FM stays over in Nieu Bethesda, load-shedding has snuffed out almost all the lights of the quirky village. Boetie’s Pub, however, is lit up like a leftover Christmas tree (it’s January 7 and the holiday vibes are still strong). The pub is also pumping out some thumping tunes, thanks, it turns out, to the one-man wonder that is Mozambican musician Pedro Barbosa. The source of the power is testament to typical Nieu Bethesda can-do: a generator hooked up to a bakkie outside.
While the village is a beacon for artists, thanks to Helen Martins’s Owl House, it also makes for a delightful, laid-back stopover for those travelling between Joburg and the Eastern Cape coast. If you’re lucky, you can catch one of the many live music acts that Boetie’s hosts throughout the year.
Brass Bell, Kalk Bay, Cape Town
Capetonians old enough to remember life without cellphones will recall Saturday afternoon fish braais outdoors at the Brass Bell. The bar may have been of secondary concern in those times, but with the demise of both the outside area and the afternoon braai it remains as the main attraction. Some may also remember the odd occasion when a winter storm pushed a wave through the bar window. That was probably before the arrival of Jacob’s Pale Ale at this Kalk Bay legend.
The Brass Bell simply has to be done, with its prime location right on the ocean — a short walk from the iconic and picturesque fishing harbour. There is a tidal pool as well as paddle pools, and you can catch one of the new blue-train coaches back to the city.
Zwakala comes with a warning: approach down the wrong road after heavy rain and you could very well get stuck
Dust and Dynamite Saloon, District Six, Cape Town
This pub is “wow” from the moment you walk in — provided, of course, you can find this drinking hole in the first place. You’ll need to walk a few shops down from Cape Town’s Dias Tavern, around the corner from the fast-growing Harrington Street precinct on the city’s eastern creative fringe.
It’s a small themed saloon of the cowboy-Western genre, replete with swing doors and apposite accessories on the walls. But to say there’s an air of affectation around this bar would be to do it a disservice; owner Wayne Keet was wearing contemporary cowboy kit long before the bar opened, says his wife Victoria. The music falls into the rock and country-rock genre — “music that most have forgotten”, Victoria says.
The bar is undergoing renovations to add a little length to the counter and a small stage for musicians, but it should be back up and running this month.
Fireman’s Arms, Cape Town CBD
From its opening in 1864, the Fireman’s Arms was a sailor’s pub, and it still observes some nautical traditions. Flags hang from the walls and there’s a big brass ship’s bell on the counter that you ring at your peril: doing so obliges you to buy the house a round.
This is not one of those chichi Cape Town bars (of which we could name a few). From the outside it resembles a platteland railway station, but go inside and you’ll feel at home. If you’re a regular, you can even have your own tankard, much like owning a season ticket to the rugby, which is now at nearby Green Point. The pub is at the bottom of Buitengracht Street, convenient for when you are on your way home, unless you live up against the mountain or over the Nek, in which case your option is one of the chichi establishments.
Jerry’s, Kenton-on-Sea
Jerry’s on the Dune is regarded by those who know it as the finest beach pub in South Africa. That’s an entirely subjective claim, of course, but it was made even before Jerry’s burnt down a few years ago, and the resurrected version boasts a significant upgrade.
Located at the Kariega River Mouth, Kenton’s main beach, Jerry’s offers a front-row seat to a lively outdoor playground. Favourite ales and furry friends are found alongside the bar’s multigenerational visitors. As one frequent visitor puts it, “it’s no wonder Kenton-on-Sea is known as the Barefoot Capital of South Africa”. If you’re feeling peckish after a few drinks, you can head to nearby Pizzarella for a tasty bite.
Ladies Bar, Drostdy Hotel, Graaff-Reinet
Historic Graaff-Reinet is a Karoo frontier town that breathes history. Consider just the 217-year-old Drostdy Hotel, once known as the Grand Dame of the Karoo (Queen Elizabeth II is said to have once walked the grounds). In later years, its sole claim to fame seems to have been that it was “a pub with cold beer on a long, mainly dreary road from Point A to Point B” — to quote journalist Jim Freeman. Today, however, the Drostdy is a stylish oasis.
As for the Ladies Bar, it exudes a warm richness. Plush leather chairs and décor remind patrons of the historic charm of the hotel and offer a distraction from the perennial water crisis that grips the town. With probably the best leather seating in the Karoo, the bar provides a super-comfy seat from which to enjoy a beer from the winelands-based Karoo Craft Breweries.
Tip: De Camdeboo Wijnkamer offers a wine-dining experience, so if you’re looking to pack both into your visit, it’s probably best to stay in town for the night.
Pig and Whistle, Bathurst
Set in the charming dorp of Bathurst, The Pig and Whistle Inn is a destination in its own right for those travelling through the Eastern Cape. It’s a gem for beer lovers and history buffs alike; the pub’s storied past dates back about 200 years, and its walls are steeped in the tales of thirsty travellers.
This is the place for a cold ale — be sure to ask for the Van James beer, brewed in Nelson Mandela Bay — and the proverbial hearty pub grub. The Big “Pinepple” on the way out is a reminder that this is the region for everything pineapple. More importantly, it’s an area known for the saying “There’s no thirst like Bathurst”. The Pig and Whistle is central to that.
Richmond Hill Brewing Co, Gqeberha
Car Park John, Jane Doe, Two Rand Man and Wawu are just some of the characters to expect when you visit the Richmond Hill Brewing Co — aka RHBC — in the part of “PE” that keeps producing the goods. If the name of bakery and coffee shop Vovo Telo sounds familiar, well, it too started life as a restored settler cottage in Richmond Hill.
As for John, Jane and their companions, these are the whimsical names given to some of the brewery’s beverages. Car Park John is the RHBC’s flagship drink and Two Rand Man is an Irish red ale. But the brewing company offers more than just beers: Wawu tonic, for example, accompanies the craft gins on offer; and Jane Doe lemonade comes in hard and alcohol-free varieties.
Located in the Baakens Valley, RHBC is surrounded by fascinating urban offerings, with surprises around many a corner (including a climbing wall). As for the RHBC itself: while sampling its tasty hops, be sure to also try the hamburgers — your taste buds are in for culinary flick-flacks.
Zwakala Brewery, Magoebaskloof
Not many would have built a brewery in the area of the plantations of Magoebaskloof and expected it to work. But this independent Limpopo craft brewery is producing lagers and beers so tasty that they have found their way into select establishments around the country. Not to mention winning a few awards along the way: the Limpopo Lager was named best light beer in the country at the South African National Beer Trophy awards in 2019, and its Weekend Special IPA won Beer of the Year Award in 2022.
Not just a pub, Zwakala is a hangout for locals as well as weekend visitors to the Haenertsburg-Magoebaskloof-Tzaneen tourism route. Guests can order a meal together with their alcoholic purchases, and there is a range of alternative drinks available for designated drivers.
Zwakala comes with a warning: approach down the wrong road after heavy rain and you could very well get stuck — so don’t ignore the website when it says: “Only take the Cheerio Road to get to the brewery.” That’s L10 Cheerio Road, Magoebaskloof.
* With Giulietta Talevi
It claims to be the second-oldest social club in South Africa (founded in 1880), but the Graaff-Reinet Club isn’t a stuffy, members-only establishment. It used to be for men only, but today it’s welcoming to all. It has fascinating frontier memorabilia, you never wait long to be served and there’s always someone to talk to. On a month-end Friday evening you can meet the local farmers and join their whisky raffle. Some look as if they’ve come straight off the lands or from the sheep kraals, via the bank manager, of course. They will talk about cricket and hunting, both being big there.
If you’re feeling peckish, the club will recommend the Coldstream, a restaurant next door that’s named for the famous British Guards regiment once stationed in the town.
— One for the road ... The Graaff-Reinet Club
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