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Food & Wine News South Africa

Where to find the best cocktail bars in SA

Angostura has unveiled its list of the best cocktail bars around South Africa.

These are Angostura’s top pick cocktail bars around the country:

Johannesburg

Sin + Tax in Rosebank is one of the most popular 'secret' hangouts in the city. Co-owned by multi-award-winning mixologist Julian Short, Sin + Tax showcases uniquely South African flavours on their ever-changing seasonal menu. It was also recently announced as one of the Top 100 Bars in the world, and the only African bar to get a nod at the 2019 World's 50 Best Bar Awards.

The Landmark in Bryanston draws inspiration for their signature drinks from Joburg’s inspiring urban landmarks and every six months the menu changes in line with fresh seasonal ingredients. Over the years, The Landmark has been up for many local and international awards, including being one of just four World-Class bars in Johannesburg under the international rating system.

Little Fox is situated in Johannesburg’s Fox Precinct. It’s the first-ever dedicated distillery bar and the new home of Ginologist Gin. Its extensive gin collection boasts over 100 gins from across South Africa and the world, and although it seems that gin is its speciality, Little Fox also offers an extensive cocktail menu using a variety of spirits and fresh ingredients.

Cape Town

Orphanage Cocktail Emporium is a mainstay of Cape Town cocktail culture. It was one of the first hangouts in the city to celebrate the talents of mixology and the creation of artisanal drinks. All these years later, this philosophy hasn't changed. The unique and delicious cocktails at Orphanage Cocktail Emporium are widely accepted as some of the best in town.

Art of Duplicity is a fairly new 'hush-hush’ speakeasy in the heart of Cape Town that takes its cue from the 1920s prohibition era. Don’t think you can just walk up to the door and enter – part of its charm is finding the secret location and password. Once inside, expect extravagantly presented unconventional yet delectable craft cocktails created with interesting flavour profiles in mind.

Situated in the V&A Waterfront, Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen & Cape Brandy Bar is a specialist drinks bar serving locally inspired experiential cocktails with the Mother City’s fynbos, oceans, vineyards and mountain as its muse. It also offers the largest collection of award-winning Cape pot still brandies in the city and is championing sustainability by re-using and recycling.

Durban

The Charlatan Neighbourhood Cocktail Bar in Berea is a dedicated cocktail venue where everything is made from fresh ingredients, in-house, daily; from pressed juices to infused cocktail syrups. The bar is completely geared toward the diverse community it serves, so think local. With its curated drinks menu, setting and the chilled vibe you won’t find anything else like it in the hood.

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In July, Brent Perremore, owner/operator of the beautiful Art of Duplicity in CPT, winner of numerous national bartending competitions and a highly respected member of the SA hospitality community was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome which severely affected his health, ability to work and the teams that rely on him to run such a fine establishment. The rest of the industry sprung into action immediately with various initiatives to assist and we wanted to do our part too. We managed to raise R9450 over the past 5 months by selling our Bartender's Punch! Good news is that Brent is a real fighter and loves a challenge so he is making a remarkable recovery and we look forward to having him mix us another delicious drink in the near future. A huge thank you to all the suppliers who contributed and especially to all of our guests who supported this cause. This is why we love this industry so much! ��: @theblondeninja #LuckyShaker #SeriousFun #Community

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Lucky Shaker in Umhlanga is all about providing the most appetising cocktails in an unencumbered setting. For the team, the bar is an opportunity to present a superior thirst-quenching experience, creating clean and clear flavours inspired by freshly-sourced ingredients. And because the cocktails are rated on a scale from “fruity” to “bold”, placing an order is a snap.

The Lighthouse Bar at The Oyster Box is the perfect place to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean and the iconic red and white lighthouse. Its cocktail menu offers the classics, but also exotic signature cocktails that use Durban-specific ingredients like cane sugar and cane spirit. It is an icon of Umhlanga living. Go for the views, stay for the cocktails.

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