Although it has been open for quite some time, we recently paid our fist visit to the vibrant Bay Harbour market in Hout Bay.
On an extremely cold and rainy Saturday morning, and with two small children to entertain, we decided to take a slow and scenic drive to Hout Bay, making a stop at the market for a late breakfast and hopefully some good coffee. We ended up spending over 2-hours browsing, sitting, chatting, eating and drinking coffee and hot chocolate in the wonderfully warm and bustling setting of Bay Harbour market.
The market is located in an old fish factory at the far end of the habour (the Snoekies end for locals). On a cold rainy day it felt warm and cosy, but I would imagine that in summer all the doors would be open creating a good summer setting too. Over 100 stalls offer a variety of goods including clothing, jewellery, art, handmade crafts, organic foods and much more. On the eating side, the options are extensive and mouth-watering - filled croissants, waffles and pancakes; freshly baked breads filled with tender slices of lamb or sirloin; pizza, shawarma; Asian and the humble 'boerie' roll along with home made soups, freshly squeezed juices, beer, wine, coffee, decadent hot chocolate ... and perhaps a hand-made truffle or two to finish off with. And there's more ...
Seating is at long tables and benches and there was some great live jazz being performed on the morning we visited. Our girls were perfectly happy grooving along to the music while savouring their syrup-laden pancakes and hot chocolate. We spotted some old friends and had a good chat over our coffee, and some enthusiastic rugby supporters were watching (shouting at) a match being shown on a big screen on the other side of the market.
So, our Saturday meander turned into a great morning out. With its laid back and down-to-earth vibe the Bay Market is great for the whole family, if not for the food then just to browse and soak up the atmosphere. We'll definitely be going back.
The market is open Fridays 5pm to 9pm, Saturdays & Sundays 9:30am to 4pm. There is plenty of free parking which is monitored by parking guards. Bay Harbour is part of a Hangberg Social Upliftment Project. For more info, visit www.bayharbour.co.za.