Running parallel to the sand, Victoria Road is the social centre of Camps Bay. Locals call it the Strip. It is a few hundred metres of restaurants, bars and cafes facing directly onto the beach, with a palm lined promenade between the tables and the sea.
The promenade itself is a flat, paved walkway that runs the length of the beach. It is where Camps Bay walks its dogs at seven in the morning and where everyone else walks at seven in the evening.
What makes it work
The view is the main draw. The strip faces due west across the Atlantic, so every table with a sea view is also a sunset table, and the whole road tilts towards golden hour. The Twelve Apostles rise directly behind you.
It is glossy and it knows it. Prices are higher here than elsewhere in Cape Town, and the strip caters unashamedly to visitors. That said, the quality is generally good and the setting genuinely is world class.
Eating and drinking
The strip covers most registers, from casual breakfast through to late cocktails. Long standing names along and just off Victoria Road include Cafe Caprice, a Camps Bay institution, alongside Bilboa, Chinchilla, Paranga, Bo-Vine, Zenzero, Blues, The Codfather for seafood, and Plant for a plant based menu.
For self catering there is a Woolworths Food and a Pick n Pay within walking distance.
Booking ahead is strongly advised for beachfront tables in season, particularly between mid December and mid January, and for anything at sunset.
A local quirk worth knowing
Camps Bay has historically not permitted off consumption alcohol sales, meaning you can drink at restaurants and bars but the supermarkets do not sell wine or beer to take away. If you are self catering and want a bottle for the villa, buy it before you arrive in the suburb. This position has been challenged periodically, so it is worth checking current arrangements.
Walking the promenade
The full promenade walk takes about fifteen minutes end to end at an easy pace. Extend it south towards the tidal pool, or north towards Glen Beach and on to Maiden’s Cove for a longer coastal route with better views and fewer people.
Early morning is the best time. The light is soft, the wind has usually not started, and the strip is quiet.
Practical notes
- Free street parking, informally managed by car guards. Scarce on summer evenings.
- MyCiTi routes 106 and 107 run from the city centre and terminate on Victoria Road.
- The strip is busy and well patrolled through dinner service. Standard city precautions apply late at night.
- Zebra crossings connect the restaurants directly to the beach.
Use a ride hailing app to get back to your villa after dinner rather than walking a long distance in the dark, particularly if you are staying up the slopes.
