Kalk Bay

Kalk Bay is a small fishing harbour along the east coast of the Cape Peninsula to the south of Cape Town. It has become a very hip and trendy place, with a fine selection of restaurants, coffee shops and bistros, and a number of eclectic, alternative shops along the Main Road on either side of the train station.

View of Kalk Bay

Get in

By car

Kalk Bay is easily accessible from Cape Town by car. Follow the M3 south until it ends at the junction with the M42 (Steenberg Road). Turn left/east onto the M42 then right/south onto the M4 (Main Road) through Muizenberg. Kalk Bay is a few kilometres south of Muizenberg.

By train

MetroRail operates frequent and regular trains to Kalk Bay from Cape Town via Muizenberg (to the north) and Simon's Town via Fish Hoek (to the south) every day. The station is on Main Road, in the centre of town.

Get around

Kalk Bay is small enough that you can cover the entire village on foot with ease.

See

Boats in the Harbour
Fresh fish off the boats

Watch the incoming boats and the sale of fresh fish.

Do

Walk up the small, twisting alleys on the mountain-side of Main Road and look at some of the old houses built by fishing folk. Many of these have now been converted to yuppie apartments or shops but some still remain in their original state.

Learn

Buy

Kalk Bay offers a wide selection of shops from hippie clothing to designer labels, from antique shops to contemporary jewellery designers.

  • ANPA Jewellery, 44 Main Rd. Innovative jewellery design in silver, gold and platinum with a strong focus on South African gemstones.
  • Big Blue, 102 Main Road (Opposite Brass bell), +27 21 788-2399. Daily 09:00-18:00. South African brands and designs only.

Eat

Be sure to taste some fresh fish in the fish restaurants next to the harbour.

  • 19-on-Main Bistro (Brad's Bistro), 19 Main Road (Take the Main Road (M4) towards Simon's Town, the bistro is immediately on your left as you enter Kalk Bay, behind the Kalk Bay Garden Centre), +27 21 788-3885. Cosy indoors section with fireplace in winter and a garden and breakfast bar outside with magnificent sea views - separated from the ocean only by the railway line. Very casual and relaxed atmosphere. Excellent value for money.
  • Brass Bell, Kalk Bay Station, +27 21 788-5456. An ever-popular complex of restaurants and pubs.
  • C'est la Vie, 5 Rosmead Rd. Coffee shop and artisan bakery.
  • Excuse my French, 25 Main Rd, +27 84 287-8824. French-style coffee and pancakes on a shady outside deck with magnificent views over False Bay
  • Habonero's, 138 Main Rd, +27 21 788-6967. Mexican and vegetarian food in an eclectic setting.
  • Harbour House, Kalk Bay Harbour, +27 21 788-4133. Seafood with sea-spray hitting the windows ; expensive but delicious.
  • Kalk Bay Expresso, 73 Main Road (next to the train station), +27 21 788-8843. Coffee, tea and pastries in an old train carriage converted into a restaurant.
  • Kalky's, Kalk Bay Harbour. Take-away fish and chips fresh from the sea.
  • Kassia & Figg, 24 Main Rd, +27 21 788-3337. Coffee shop and artisan deli - organic food only.
  • The Annex, Majestic Village, 124 Main Road (Look for Kalk Bay Books and you'll find us alongside), +27 21 788-2453. 07:00 to close. Chalk-board menu, with bistro-style food. Indoor and outdoor areas to suit your mood or the weather. Live jazz on Sundays from 11:00. R80-105.
  • Live Bait, Kalk Bay Harbour, +27 21 788-5755. Fabulous views of False Bay.
  • Olympia Cafe, 134 Main Rd, +27 21 788-6396. A perennial favourite, with a bakery, early-morning breakfasts, lunch and dinner.
  • Satori, 76b Main Road (opposite the train station), +27 21 788-1123. Daily 11:00-22:00. Pizza, pasta and Lavazza coffee. moderate.
  • Sirocco, 75 Main Road (next to the train station), +27 21 788-1881. Open-air coffee shop, closed in winter.
  • Theresa's, Clairvaux Road, +27 21 788-8051.
  • Tribeca, 106 Main Rd, +27 21 788-3424. Bakery and coffee shop.

Drink

  • Brass Bell
  • Cape to Cuba drinks with atmosphere and view.

Sleep

Go next

The next town towards Cape Point is Fish Hoek, with a safe swimming beach.

Towards Cape Point is the historical village of Simon's Town, a South African Naval base, which is great fun to visit. There is a statue of Just Nuisance, a Teddy Bear Museum and a Gemstone Factory.

A little further on is Boulders Beach, which has one of the few land-based African penguin colonies. These endemic penguins come right up onto the beach and among the resident's gardens, where they nest. Then on to Cape Point, where two oceans meet there are baboons and lots of wild flowers and animals in the Game and Nature Reserve. Curios are available from the African Arts and Crafts village. Kommetjie is famous for surfing (large waves), crayfishing and bird life.

Going towards Cape Town is Muizenberg, famous for its surfing

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