One of my favorite beaches is Blaauwberg Beach. The beach was a long stretch of grey-white sand which is great to take the dog for a run on. The sea was a beautiful range of different blues, and there was a cooling breeze. There were many kite-surfers out with their brightly coloured kites diving like multi colored hawks.
The view of Table Mountain across the bay is fantastic. This is a great way to work up an appetite, and I know the perfect place to satiate my hunger, the Lower Deck Bistro at the Blue Peter Hotel.
Blue Peter for many of our British guests conjures up images of an interactive childrenโs television show. For many Capetonians however the name Blue Peter is synonymous with great pizza and a fantastic spot for sundowners. The hotel is named after the nautical sail the Blue Peter, which was raised when a ship was ready to set sail. I have spent the better part of a day baking in the sun on the lawn in front of the hotel.
On weekends the place is packed with young Capetonians, and everyone claims a patch of grass or wall when the tables run out. The atmosphere is great, and you can while away many happy hours with a group of friends.
Finally it is sunset, and the Blue Peter hotel is perfectly situated so that you can watch the sun set behind Table Mountain across the bay, while sipping on evocative cocktails such as a screaming orangutan, or a mermaids tantrum – Delicious.
During the week the bistro is less crowded, and you are more likely to claim an outside table. Even though this is the smoking section, if you can put up with it, itโs worth it for the view and the breeze. The wooden benches are shaded by white umbrellas, and you can sit, gazing out at Robben Island straight ahead.
There are quite a few customers even for an early lunch, a mix of surfers, locals, tourists and sun worshipers. The lady across the way is tanned a deep milk chocolate and is intent on catching a few more rays. The drink of choice around here seems to be ice cold beer, though a cold coke went down a treat.
The starters are designed as bar food, great to have while having a drink. My favorite is the snack basket which has delicious Greek meatballs, spicy and crisp chicken strips and pieces of Russian sausages. For Mains, there is a choice of fish and chips, calamari or a lamb curry, schnitzels โ that are lovely and many great burgers.
What the bistro is known for however, is their pizzas. This is what I always have when am here. There are two schools of pizza, thick or thin base. I quite enjoy a thin pizza, and Blue Peterโs are thin, crispy, almost more pastry than dough, and have at least 200g of cheese.
They have all the classic toppings, but my favorites are the Rock โnโ roll, which has bacon and avocado or the heat wave which has ground beef, beans and chili. They also provide a range of sauces and I always jazz up my bacon and avo pizza with some of the Bushmans smoked jalapeno sauce, which I love.
The vibe is really relaxed and informal. This is a typical beach watering hole where you can pitch up in shorts and slops. The music they play is an eclectic mix of classic chilled hits and modern songs that create a relaxed ambiance.
Useful Blaauwberg Links
Contact the Restaurant
Address: Blue Peter Hotel, 8 Popham St, Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, 7441
Telephone: +27 (0)21 554-1956