TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Our Halloween-inspired guide to drinking and dining spots where you can avoid everyone’s number one phobia right now: crowded indoor spaces

Feed your fears

As summer rolls around, be thankful that Mzansi’s blessed with many gorgeous outdoor venues – for drinking and dining. We have views galore – plus that high-altitude buzz to accompany the fresh air and feeling of lording it over all you survey. And keep in mind that, if you’re agoraphobic, or simply don't like wide-open spaces, there’s usually a table inside for you, too.

Scale to scary heights

Africa’s highest city bar has arrived. Alto234 graces the very top of Joburg’s tallest building, The Leonardo, and everything you need to know is in the name: Altitudo is Latin for height, and 234 is the number of metres above the ground – you’ll be on the 57th floor of a very tall skyscraper when you order a bottle of bubbly or pop a token into the Moët vending machine which dispenses 200ml bottles of Moët & Chandon. There’s plenty besides champers to sip on, plus swaggy food from oysters with caviar to langoustine with pork belly. And snacks such as wagyu biltong – even the cashew nuts are truffled. alto234.co.za

Way down south

Don't let your fear of hippies get you down. At the transformed Glencairn Hotel, the vibe at Deep South Eatery is decidedly all-embracing. Everyone (and their children) is welcome, and there are large areas – on the grass out back and on the terrace out front – on which to sit and imbibe the near-the-ocean setting. With families in mind, food ranges from wood-fired pizzas and sushi to tacos and vegan specialities, and there’s not only a wellstocked bar but an excellent liquor store downstairs. Plus jungle gyms and safe play areas. deepsoutheatery.co.za

Pastel panic

We don’t know if persicophobia – a fear of the colour peach – is a legit condition, but one place to deal with this niche phobia is Peachy, a cute eatingand-drinking-andsocialising venue at Joburg’s 44 Stanley. Food’s contemporary and the cocktails are, well, just peachy. As is the décor with its Murano chandeliers and candy-stripe bar. peachy.co.za

Grass-free picnic

A nourishing picnic feast for two with wine or bubbly for just R480 at Nederburg in Paarl? Book immediately: 021 862 3104 or info@nederburg.com

Fear not brunch

Dog-friendly, kind to workers in need of Wi-Fi, and oozing Gallic charm, Arbour Café in Illovo’s Birdhaven Shopping Centre is enchanting. The French-inspired crêperie serves delicious breakfasts and specialises in glutenfree, buckwheat galettes (savoury French pancakes). Plus, they do lazy weekend brunches with bottomless L’Ormarins Cap Classique. arbourcafe.co.za

Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Supplied

The perfect date

A hop, skip and a jump from the centre of Cape Town and you’re in the Constantia countryside, where Steenberg is among the country’s oldest wine estates. One of two dining venues here, Bistro Sixteen82 is named after the year the farm was established. Its outdoor seating is perfect for tranquil afternoons soaking up the summer sun. steenbergfarm.com

Safe harbour

If you’re hydrophobic or have an irrational fear of boats, you might need to sit with your back to the shimmering views at 9th Avenue Waterside. This bistro-style outpost of one of Durban’s finest restaurants is at the Yacht Mole and the outdoor deck takes every advantage of the sunshine, bobbing boats, seagulls and a sense of wide-open space. Plus the fine gastronomic fare from chef Wesley Aucamp and his team. 9thavewaterside.co.za

Footloose and fearless

At the top of Bothmaskloof in Riebeek Kasteel, Eight Feet Village is a project of four brothers (hence the name – the number of feet between them). It’s a place to drink their Eight Feet Coffee, tuck into pizzas and steak from their self-service restaurant, shop for olives and wine, and settle in for a bit as you absorb the views across the olive groves and vineyards from the wooden deck that extends from the renovated container buildings. eightfeet.co.za

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Pictured is a girl of the Suri tribe, photographed in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. ‘She appeared like a nymph in the wild lush wilderness,’ says Giovanna Aryafara, whose picture won the People, Cultures and Communities section of Wilderness Safaris’ 2020 Africa in Focus photo competition. Entries for this year’s competition close on 15 October; there are prizes in various other categories (wildlife, landscapes, conservation), and there’s a new prize for photographers under 18. wilderness-safaris.com/ photo-competition

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