A guide to awesome Strand and Helderberg
Food Scene
Small and cosy, with limited seating, but awesome bakes. We love their sourdough bread.
23 locals recommend
SCHOON Bright street Somerset West
3 Bright StSmall and cosy, with limited seating, but awesome bakes. We love their sourdough bread.
If you're looking for a pleasant sit-down restaurant for seafood or grills, try this one. It's on Beach Road, so the views are great, plus there's a decent winelist too.
70 locals recommend
Ben's on the Beach
142 Beach RdIf you're looking for a pleasant sit-down restaurant for seafood or grills, try this one. It's on Beach Road, so the views are great, plus there's a decent winelist too.
This is one of the region's best. It'll cost you, but it's worth it. Restaurant/winery is located in a modern glass-and-concrete building perched on the side of a hill that overlooks the bay.
99 locals recommend
Waterkloof Wine Estate
Old Sir Lowry's Pass RoadThis is one of the region's best. It'll cost you, but it's worth it. Restaurant/winery is located in a modern glass-and-concrete building perched on the side of a hill that overlooks the bay.
Great for fish 'n chips take-aways. We usually buy a parcel of yellow-tail and chips and head off to the beach nearby to watch the sunset.
7 locals recommend
Oceana Fisheries
Van Ryneveld StreetGreat for fish 'n chips take-aways. We usually buy a parcel of yellow-tail and chips and head off to the beach nearby to watch the sunset.
Hugely popular, this coffee shop is the pefect place to do some people watching or catch up on work. It is located inside a factory building populated by antique brass and metalware, and decorated with plants. The food is top notch.
51 locals recommend
Pajamas and Jam eatery
32 Van Zyl StHugely popular, this coffee shop is the pefect place to do some people watching or catch up on work. It is located inside a factory building populated by antique brass and metalware, and decorated with plants. The food is top notch.
Drinks & Nightlife
It has great views of the ocean and a lovely deck from which to enjoy sundowners.
82 locals recommend
De Brasserie
160 Beach RdIt has great views of the ocean and a lovely deck from which to enjoy sundowners.
This place is a laid-back, timber-built seafood restaurant in the old harbour at Gordon's Bay. Good for kicking back with the locals.
33 locals recommend
The Thirsty Oyster Tavern
155 Beach RdThis place is a laid-back, timber-built seafood restaurant in the old harbour at Gordon's Bay. Good for kicking back with the locals.
Our local brewery, located in the old dynamite factory. Well worth the visit. Great beers and a great vibe.
29 locals recommend
Triggerfish Brewing
Unit 9 W.R. Quinan BlvdOur local brewery, located in the old dynamite factory. Well worth the visit. Great beers and a great vibe.
Parks & Nature
It's a lovely walk that'll take you a couple of hours at the most, plus there's a coffee shop at the finish. Great for birding and a run too.
Paardevlei Trail
Paardevlei TrailIt's a lovely walk that'll take you a couple of hours at the most, plus there's a coffee shop at the finish. Great for birding and a run too.
We walk this beach three times a week at the crack of dawn. It's long and wide, and gets busy in holiday season. It's great for swimming, surfing, SUP and running.
92 locals recommend
Strand Main Beach
We walk this beach three times a week at the crack of dawn. It's long and wide, and gets busy in holiday season. It's great for swimming, surfing, SUP and running.
A three-quarter day hike gets you to the top of the Helderberg Mountain, which has fantastic views across the region. Be sure to check the weather before you go; you also need to be relatively fit and carry essentials, like extra water.
190 locals recommend
Helderberg Nature Reserve
A three-quarter day hike gets you to the top of the Helderberg Mountain, which has fantastic views across the region. Be sure to check the weather before you go; you also need to be relatively fit and carry essentials, like extra water.
Shopping
The region's largest mall, there's a large selection of stores selling outdoor gear, fashion, cellphone and computer accessories as well as a movie theatre.
221 locals recommend
Somerset Mall
Centenary DriveThe region's largest mall, there's a large selection of stores selling outdoor gear, fashion, cellphone and computer accessories as well as a movie theatre.
This is a smaller mall with a few restaurants, two good grocery stores (Woolworths and Pick 'n Pay), a hair salon as well as a gym.
34 locals recommend
The Sanctuary Shopping Centre
R44This is a smaller mall with a few restaurants, two good grocery stores (Woolworths and Pick 'n Pay), a hair salon as well as a gym.
Essentials
This laundry is great, mainly because there's a coffee shop next door with a view of the ocean.
Laundry @ Beach
132 Beach RdThis laundry is great, mainly because there's a coffee shop next door with a view of the ocean.
Convenience store says it all - it's pricey, but worth it if you're in a pinch. There's also a fuel station nearby and a liquor store.
KwikSpar - Strand
89 Broadway BlvdConvenience store says it all - it's pricey, but worth it if you're in a pinch. There's also a fuel station nearby and a liquor store.
Everything Else
Vergelegen is one of the region's fanciest wine farms. Worth the visit, if you like wine and history. There are also a couple of good restaurants too.
234 locals recommend
Vergelegen Wine Estate
Lourensford RoadVergelegen is one of the region's fanciest wine farms. Worth the visit, if you like wine and history. There are also a couple of good restaurants too.