A hidden gem in plain sight
East City is one of those Cape Town neighbourhoods that people who live here know about and everyone else doesn't. That's changing fast -- but for now, it's still the kind of place where you can get a genuinely good coffee, a proper lunch, and a table without a reservation.
The area spent most of the 90s in decline. The regeneration started in the early 2000s and has been building steadily since. Cape Town Office opened on Roeland Street in 2011 -- early enough that we've watched the neighbourhood transform in real time.
One person deserves particular credit for what East City became: the late Steven Harris, widely known as the Mayor of the East City. His passion and relentless advocacy shaped the area's identity and played a central role in Cape Town's designation as the World Design Capital in 2014 -- with East City at the heart of it.
Today, Harrington Street and Roeland Street form the spine of a neighbourhood that's become one of the best places to work, eat and drink in the city. We're biased, obviously. But we've been here long enough to mean it.