CapeTourism / Africaworks Awards 2025 - Why Last Night’s Winners Understand the Psychology of Awesome

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – 29 October 2025 – Last night, at AfricaWorks’ 11th floor  Touchstone House offices, we didn’t just hand out trophies; we conducted a masterclass in behavioural economics. The CapeTourism / Africaworks Awards 2025 celebrated the businesses that have mastered a crucial, often overlooked truth: in an experience-driven economy, perceived value often is real value.

For too long, business strategy has been dominated by a narrow focus on efficiency and scale. But last night’s winners prove that the magic - and the margin - lies elsewhere. It’s in the intangible, the memorable, the stuff that makes for a great story.

“We’re not just rewarding the best coffee shop or the best spa,” said an event spokesperson. “We’re rewarding the businesses that have brilliantly decoded what their customers really want, which is often an emotion, a memory, or a sense of belonging. A R50 coffee at Bootlegger isn’t just a caffeine hit; it’s a signal of taste, a reliable third place, a moment of calm. That’s alchemy, not just commerce.”

The winners list reads less like a directory and more like a recipe for a perfect day in Cape Town - as voted for by local Capetonians. It reveals a fascinating hierarchy of value that defies simple logic:

• The Triumph of the "Third Place": The victories of Bootlegger Coffee Company and venues like the Saltwater Grill underscore a massive post-pandemic shift. We don’t just buy a product; we buy into a community and a context. The best businesses are selling a sense of place.
• The Power of Perceived (and Actual) Freedom: The wins for Stonybrook Vineyards and The Labia Theatre highlight that the most prized commodity in 2025 is not stuff, but agency - the freedom to have a unique, self-directed adventure. These companies don’t sell tickets; they sell potential memories.
• The 'Pleasure of Inefficiency': In a world of hyper-efficient delivery apps like Checkers Sixty60, why did the Oasis Charity Shop win ‘Best Thrift Shop’? Because humans have a deep-seated love for the ‘serendipity of the bazaar’. The ‘inefficient’ act of browsing, smelling, and sampling is not a bug; it’s the main feature. It’s an experience an algorithm cannot replicate.
• Luxury is a Verb, Not a Noun: The wins for 7 on Marine and La Colombe Restaurant show that top-tier luxury is no longer about opulence alone. It’s about flawless, personalised service - the feeling of being understood and anticipated. It’s a psychological luxury, not just a physical one.

The awards evening itself was designed to mirror this philosophy. It wasn't a sterile, black-tie gala. It was a buzzing, social, slightly unpredictable event where the real prize was the connection made and the collective celebration of a city that’s learned to sell joy, not just services.

The Full List of 38 Category Winners:

The true evidence of this behavioural shift is in the winners themselves. A round of applause for the businesses that have built not just a great service, but a great feeling.

Best Spa

• 1st Place Babylonstoren Garden Spa
• 2nd Place The Twelve Apostles Spa
• 3rd Place Goudini Spa

Best Coffee Shop

• 1st Place Bootlegger Coffee Company
• 2nd Place Shift Espresso Bar
• 3rd Place Deluxe Coffeeworks Kloof Street

Best Gym

• 1st Place Virgin Active Gym Sun Valley
• 2nd Place Planet Fitness Signature – De Waterkant
• 3rd Place Roark Gyms

Best Alternative Health Studio

• 1st Place The Yoga Room
• 2nd Place YogaLife
• 3rd Place The Shala Cape Town

Best Sea Adventure

• 1st Place Waterfront Charters
• 2nd Place De Hoop Nature Reserve
• 3rd Place City Sightseeing Canal Cruise

Best Land Adventure

• 1st Place Kirstenbosch Canopy Walkway
• 2nd Place Table Mountain National Park
• 3rd Place Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

Best Nature Reserve

• 1st Place Cape Point Nature Reserve
• 2nd Place Silvermine Nature Reserve
• 3rd Place Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

Best Animal Sanctuary

• 1st Place Two Oceans Aquarium
• 2nd Place World of Birds
• 3rd Place Cheetah Outreach

Best Thrift Shop

• 1st Place Oasis Charity Shop
• 2nd Place U-Turn Charity Store
• 3rd Place Help The Rural Child

Best Shopping Mall

• 1st Place Canal Walk
• 2nd Place V&A Waterfront
• 3rd Place Tyger Valley

Best Market

• 1st Place Oranjezicht City Farm Market
• 2nd Place Mojo Market
• 3rd Place Root 44 Market

Best Boutique Store

• 1st Place Vintage With Love
• 2nd Place Second Time Around
• 3rd Place The Space

Best Hotel

• 1st Place 7 on Marine
• 2nd Place Cape Grace Hotel
• 3rd Place Mount Nelson, Belmond

Best Food Delivery

• 1st Place Checkers Sixty60
• 2nd Place Uber Eats
• 3rd Place Mr D Food

Best Art Gallery

• 1st Place Zeitz MOCAA
• 2nd Place The Cape Gallery
• 3rd Place Kalk Bay Modern

Best Theatre

• 1st Place Artscape Theatre
• 2nd Place The Baxter Theatre
• 3rd Place Theatre on The Bay

Best Guesthouse

• 1st Place Avalon Springs by Dream Resorts
• 2nd Place Harvil House
• 3rd Place Stannards Guest Lodge

Best Campsite

• 1st Place AfriCamps Boutique Glamping
• 2nd Place Beaverlac
• 3rd Place De Hoop Nature Reserve

Best Penthouse

• 1st Place Alpha Penthouse – Sea Point
• 2nd Place YOLO Spaces – Clifton
• 3rd Place Aurum Presidential Residences

Best Estate

• 1st Place Steenberg Golf Estate
• 2nd Place Winelands Estate Paarl
• 3rd Place De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate

Best Restaurant

• 1st Place Saltwater Grill
• 2nd Place Annapurna North Indian
• 3rd Place Pitso’s Kitchen Waterfront

Best Wine Farm

• 1st Place Stony Brook Vineyards
• 2nd Place Babylonstoren
• 3rd Place GlenWood Vineyards

Best Club

• 1st Place HALO Nightclub
• 2nd Place Cabo Beach Club
• 3rd Place Cape Town Jazz Festival

Best Bar

• 1st Place Cabo Beach Club
• 2nd Place KYE Rooftop Bar
• 3rd Place The Beach Bar

Best Event Venue

• 1st Place Cape Point Vineyards
• 2nd Place Fanaticus Board Games
• 3rd Place Babylonstoren

Best Affordable Restaurant

• 1st Place Cafe Nood
• 2nd Place Kalky’s
• 3rd Place Arnolds Restaurant

Best Fine Dining

• 1st Place La Colombe Restaurant
• 2nd Place Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia
• 3rd Place Fyn Restaurant

Best Car Rental

• 1st Place Avis
• 2nd Place Europcar
• 3rd Place Hertz

Best Coworking Space

• 1st Place enture Workspace
• 2nd Place Bootlegger Cape Town
• 3rd Place Workshop17

Best Tour Experience

• 1st Place Good Hope Adventures
• 2nd Place Tracing the Slave Heritage

Best Thing to Do

• 1st Place A Movie at The Labia Theatre
• 2nd Place Dine at the V&A Waterfront
• 3rd Place Visit the Oranjezicht Market

Best Activity

• 1st Place Cape Point Nature Reserve
• 2nd Place Blaauwklippen Wine Estate
• 3rd Place Blue Rock

Best Shop

• 1st Place Access Park
• 2nd Place Wellness Warehouse
• 3rd Place Die Visfabriek

Best Affordable Hotel

• 1st Place Cape Town Lodge Hotel
• 2nd Place Mojo Hotel
• 3rd Place Grande Kloof Boutique Hotel

Best Luxury Hotel

• 1st Place The Twelve Apostles Hotel
• 2nd Place Cape Grace Hotel
• 3rd Place Mount Nelson, Belmond

Best Resort Hotel

• 1st Place The Twelve Apostles Hotel
• 2nd Place La Petite Ferme
• 3rd Place La Cotte Farm Cottages

Best Airline

• 1st Place FlySafair
• 2nd Place Fly Emirates
• 3rd Place British Airways

Best Food Truck

• 1st Place Jack Rabbit
• 2nd Place Chip n Dip
• 3rd Place Shawarma Express

The CapeTourism / Africaworks Awards 2025 ultimately celebrated a simple but profound idea: the most successful businesses of tomorrow are those that understand the psychology of their customers today. They don't just satisfy needs; they create wants we never knew we had.

About CapeTourism.com & Africaworks CapeTourism.com is the definitive digital guide to the Mother City, curating the best experiences for locals and visitors alike. AfricaWorks is a company providing co-working & coliving spaces that offer flexible office space and a vibrant business ecosystem across 7 cities on the African continent. Together, they champion the innovators and experience-makers who define modern African commerce.