Speakeasy · City Centre · Cape Town
The Athletic Club & Social
A 19th century building where a sports mad pharmacist once ran a basement speakeasy, revived over three floors of velvet, brass, and barrel aged classics.
The Pitch
The Pharmacist's Basement, Reopened
The Athletic Club & Social occupies a three storey 19th century building at 35 Buitengracht Street, on the seam between the City Centre and Bo-Kaap. The origin story is the decor: the building's former owner, a pharmacist and sports fanatic, ran a speakeasy in the basement for athletes, and Eat Out's review traces how the revival leans into it with vintage sports gear, Persian carpets, rattan, velvet, and amber light.
The credentials go beyond set dressing. The bar holds a World's 50 Best Discovery listing, and Inside Guide files it among the city's essential cocktail rooms for connoisseurs and pleasure seekers alike.
Who would hate it? Anyone who wants one simple room. This is a venue with floors, moods, and a door policy on big nights.
The Room
Three Floors, Three Speeds
The basement Trophy Room takes the live music and DJs, the ground floor runs the restaurant and main bar, and the top floor lounge opens onto a balcony that Eat Out calls damn near perfect, facing Signal Hill. Vintage wallpaper, antique sports equipment, and velvet drapes carve the space into nooks, per ASA Magazine's profile.
The Drinks
Classics, Aged in House
The list anchors on classics, several barrel aged in house, with signature builds running homemade ingredients and unlikely pairings; cocktails sit around R120, which Inside Guide notes is fair for the postcode. Order the barrel aged negroni first and judge the room by it. The kitchen runs Greek and Mediterranean mezze, light, sharp, and built for sharing across a session rather than one heavy plate.
The Crowd
Date Nights Below, Balcony Gold Above
Thursday through Saturday the Trophy Room fills with live sets and a dressed up crowd, while the top floor balcony takes the sunset shift against Signal Hill. ASA Magazine calls it the city's top hangout; book ahead on weekends or arrive at opening for the balcony.
What regulars say:
- Eat Out's review rates the balcony damn near perfect and the multi level concept as the draw.
- The World's 50 Best Discovery listing puts it on the international cocktail map.
- Inside Guide recommends it for connoisseurs and pleasure seekers, with live music a regular fixture.
Who it is for:
- A date that needs atmosphere with an escape route to a balcony
- Cocktail drinkers who judge bars by their barrel aged classics
- Avoid if you want minimalist quiet; The Art of Duplicity runs the hidden door instead
The Verdict
Where It Lands
Cape Town's most complete night under one roof: balcony at six, dinner at eight, Trophy Room until close. Book the weekend, walk in midweek, and start with whatever spent time in the barrel.
Good to Know
Visit Information
Getting there: 35 Buitengracht Street on the City Centre side of the Bo-Kaap boundary, five minutes by foot from Long Street and an easy ride from anywhere on the Atlantic Seaboard.
Timing: Evenings Monday to Saturday; confirm current hours and live music nights before a special trip. The balcony rewards arrival before sunset.
Cost: Cocktails about R120, mezze plates R150 to R200. Cards accepted everywhere in the building.
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